Bob, you wrote "A stable economy is indeed a paramount concern. Welcoming others and caring for those who struggle should be paramount as well." And therein lies the challenge.

'Paramount' is defined as "of chief concern or importance," and there is only room for one chief concern. When that is the case, we are forced to choose.

Our choices until now have been to have it all, to do it all. And now the piggy bank is getting a bit thin. So, do we listen to those who tells us we can continue to have it all, or those that say we need to manage our resources.

It's not a wartime crisis. Do we rise to the challenge? Are we really willing to sacrifice anything today? Or are we subject to the pandering that typically accompanies the you-can-have-it-all testimony?

This is a much more complicated issue than there is room for in the back-and-forth on Patch. But worthwhile to point out the contradictions.

Vote wisely, yes. But realize we are moving into an age of hard(er) decisions.

When I saw the picture for this article I thought you were going in another direction and I already had my thoughts on what I wanted to say but don't worry I will keep it in context with voting wisely.

The MSM have tried to convince us that the Republicans have a war on women but there are a few things they don't tell you about their own side.

Did you know that the Obama administration pays women staffers and campaigners
less than men?

Did you know about the Obama administrations war on children?

Twenty thousand Muslims will be attending the DNC. Muslims overwhelmingly support democrats. None of whom denounced the Imam who while explaining the need for women to be covered said that you wouldn't leave meat out on the street uncovered lest the dogs attack it. Or what about the Imam in Boston who can't decide whether gays should be burned or thrown from a high place but either way he does think they are criminals. Now I don't think that all Muslims believe this (many do) but even the ones who don't never denounce the mysogynistic, homophobic Imam's who are their leaders. With the narrative the MSM is trying to suggest wouldn't you think they would support the Republican's?

Yes vote wisely and don't listen to the MSM. They have their own agenda and only tell half the story.

150 years from now certainly will not matter to me, I'll be long gone. A recent poll showed that 3 out of 4 Americans believe that the US will no longer be, an amazing finding! What will it be, a plutocracy, possibly, the corporations have a death grip on the electoral system and that may not change, the Federal Reserve holds sway over that, so maybe this democracy may just be a failed experiment, countries come and countries go, we had a great run, how 'bout that Michael Phelps! The wise vote will be to dismantle the Fed, but no one is campaigning for that.

Good thoughts, Bob. I agree with all of what you have written but might have stressed some topics with more emphasis. Sometimes you have to knock people over the head.

I only wish it wasn't true or that I was creative enough to make this up, it would make a great Hollywood movie, but the mainstream media is beholden to the banking powers and these type of truths only leak out and rarely upward, but, here is an example of the reality behind the war on drugs.
Since Wachovia Bank (now owned by Wells Fargo) was levied a fine in 2010 (but no criminal charges) for money laundering hundreds of millions (perhaps billions) of illegal drug cartel dollars, there does not appear to be any large crackdown on the practice in the United States, although lip service is often given to coming down hard on money laundering.
According to a 2011 article in AlterNet:
Antonio Maria Costa, former executive director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime said in 2008, "there's evidence to suggest that proceeds from drugs and crimes were the only liquid investment capital for banks in trouble of collapsing [during the financial crisis]."
If billions of dollars in drug money rescued banks and other financial institutions from closing down then it's reasonable to argue that the economy itself is addicted to drugs.
As professor Dale Scott noted in his book, American War Machine: Deep Politics; the CIA Global Drug Connection: "A US Senate ... banking committee reportedly estimated that between $500 billion and $1 trillion dollars are laundered each year through banks worldwide, with approximately half of that amount funneled through US Banks."

KK I have done more research and you are right. BIMA is a fringe group...they are way over to the left. Here is more from M.Zuhdi Jasser who is president of the Islamic Forum for Democracy who has concerns about BIMA.

"It is troubling that the Democratic National Convention has decided to promote and lend its name and national political platform to the organizers of the “Jummah at the DNC”. The leaders of this event – Jibril Hough and Imam Siraj Wahhaj as advertised are no moderates. They are radicals. These individuals embrace Islamist supremacy and have demonstrated support for radical ideologies.

A quick Google search by the DNC would have shown them that Hough and Wahhaj are leaders in the separatist American Islamist movement. While they may be able to get a few thousand Muslims to attend the event, they are NOT going to be mainstream Muslims. Most will likely come from Hough and Wahhaj’s radical networks that have long been entrenched in the Charlotte area. Make no mistake they are part of the Islamist movement."

Interesting that he says the DNC has decided to promote and lend it's name to fringe radicals.

Don't believe everything you read. I found nothing from the DNC that says he is promoting or lending it's name to this group

Robert, I for one believe that it is important to support the constitution. It is important to me if the leader of this nation was born here or embraces the Muslim philosophy and/or apologizes to islamic or Muslim extremists, wants to redisribute wealth,or that we as Americans can be protected by the second amendment, that we can enforce our laws protecting the citizens from the people that deal in illegal drugs. I'm also concerned about protecting our borders and not pandering to criminals. Ever research the violent crime on our border Bob? Yes, this stuff is important to me. I don't need you to share your kool-aid with me. And I will vote wisely thank you.

Old Townie, you are very wise. Wish more of this wisdom permeated through our wonderful little town. Please vote to counterbalance the ones wearing the tin foil hats.

i have asked many times for the anonymous commentors to pull back the veil and sign their names to their comments. It is so easy to hide behind a moniker and do a drive-by shooting from their keyboards and escape into the darkness. Bob signs his articles, i speak my mind and express my opinion, freedom of speech. It is too bad everyone doesn't take pride and responsibility for their words, such a shame our society has devolved to this, what is the problem with taking responsibility for your actions, and I'm speaking to both sides of the aisle! Man up! If you want to take a shot at me, fine, but how about to my face not from some shadow. Yahoo comments are so deeply depraved and craven, I refuse to go near it! I expect more from East Greenwich residents! Patch should disallow the anonymous system, sign it or keep your toxic comments to yourselves! Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but enough already, EG Townies, of which I am one, deserve better!

A "Townie" is one who was born in East Greenwich or born in a neighboring hospital and brought to their parents or guardians East Greenwich residence directly from the hospital, and grew up here. thank you for asking Irene.