Basically, the popes are elected by a council of the main cardinals of the Church going into the Vatican and taking a vote. They never reach a decision unless a certain amount of them agree, I believe it has to be 75% of them. So, I guess it's sort of an electoral-Church.

Well. I will be eighteen THIS year. I'm older than you, so respect your elders, son!

Might? Are you suggesting you could sell off your vote?

But on the other hand, I don't really care anymore, so... for 10 dollars I'll show up anywhere you want and vote for whoever you guys want. I'll vote for Bush as Emperor of the Universe for 50 bucks.

I'm not serious in the sense that I'm advertizing that my vote can be bought. More that I'm saying that if you offered me like 1000000 dollars (for whatever reason) to vote for Hilary Clinton, would I? I might if I was confident she would lose reguardless. I'd like to think I could resist that, but I don't know I could.

You should be thankful...

Back when I was your age... Well.. Now that I think of it, things really haven't changed much in 2 years. Never mind me.

Im not as politically savy as everyone else, but just wanted to throw in my 2 cents on a few points.

No Child Left Behind - Crap. Maybe in theory its good, but its really on the same level as affirmitive action. I've been out of high school for a while now, but I do still know people in high school and basically from everyone ive talked to no child left behind is basically allowing anyone into the honors class as long as their parents ok it. so instead of having the smarter people in the honors/advanced classes anyone can be in it because 'we dont want to leave anyone behind'. if your parents complain that your not in the honors class you get in. this then results in the basic material having to be explained in the honors class and all the smart kids who should be there are bored, or the kids that should just take the regular classes end up being a distraction to the class cause they dont pay attention since they dont understand whats going on. I know teachers that have to spend time going over the basics in pre-calc classes cause the kids dont know it. And god forbide you should fail one of these students, because then your 'leaving them behind'. Again, same teachers were asked to pass kids that were failing, essentially apply a curve to the final grade so everyone passed. kids used to get left behind for a reason, ie they didnt learn the material, now its move 'em through the system as fast as they can. guess what, they are still getting left behind, except that they now appear to have the knowledge cause they have their niftly little diploma and all their course work behind it is for honors classes.

Affirmitive Action - if you took the time to read the above, you would know how i feel about this. basically i agree with the people that say its reverse racism. "Oh, well your very qualified for this school, but unfortunatly we've already accepted our quota of white males, so we're gonna have to turn you down and take this drastically less qualified black male for the sole reason that he's black.

Non Protestant, white male presidents - funny that no one mentioned that (iirc) only 1 president was not protestant and obviously all were white males. Is it racism...probably, the majority of the population will not vote for a black and/or female president. its just a fact. it doesnt mean they couldnt do as good or better as the white male they run against, but it will be some time before it happens. even if hilary and/or condoleeza run in 2008 they wont win (i am almost 100% positive of this) will it happen eventually? yes, but i dont think it will be in the next few elections. And as for why AL Sharpton didnt get elected, read Chaltab's comments on this, he basically hit the nail on the head (and went Mr. Miyagi putting it through the wall in one hit)

The Pope - you have the same thing going for this as do you with the president, except that there is even more years of tradition that keep it from changing...its a church thing, it was a big thing when they allowed girls to be 'alter boys'. plus there is probably so much political stuff (read as sh*t) in the church its not even funny

[friendly jest]
Trooperman, not trying to start anything, but if the pro-life really won the abortion debate "again" i must have missed the overturning of roe vs wade.
[/friendly jest]
-Darth Simon

I meant on this forum.

Of course Roe vs. Wade hasn't been overturned. But it should be.

Honestly, I disagree. Polls show that people really arent averse to the idea of a woman president, and I don't see why a woman would be any worse at the job than a man. It's not like it's a physically taxing job.

I keep hoping Bush will appoint Ashcroft as his next pick for Supreme Court justice...unlikely, but I can dream.

If that happens... I'll kill yourself too.

I'm still trying to figure out why the people killed at Waco didn't get the benefits of the Geneva Convention...I mean, the left wants to give the protection to enemy combatants, but what chance did those people have? Shining example Janet Reno set, eh?

That's a difficult thing to prove, and also, that type of thinking leads to programs like affirmative action, where people are promoted based on what they are, rather than who they are. Do you believe Colin Powell has no chance of getting elected? Or is he not black enough?

affirmitive action is crap because it means often the most qualified person will not get the job, which should'nt be based on race. If i was an employer i would rather hired the more qualified person, and make an informed decision. But the gov. is giving companies kick backs to hire gays and black people. It is true based on statistics alone that black people steal more and commit more crimes and rapes than white people, and that's not racist it's just understood fact. based on these statistics white employers would rather hire whites. Although the media does'nt show white crime when it happens because of a particular bias, besides it's not as good for ratings or a hot button issue. It too is unfair that too many african american are left behind because of too little education, representation or status of birth. They have nowhere else to turn to but gangs and crime because they know of no other way. They need another way out, whether it is a gov, sponsored college scholarship etc. or otherwise. But it is also a media spin, and is untrue that all white people are rich or middle class, i'm a white american of european descent and i'm poor and living in public housing and out of work. Before i was out of work i could'nt afford but to work jobs i hate to survive, can't afford the time or money to go to college and earned less than 9,000 dollars in a single year. While lazy foreigners illegal or otherwise keep popping out babies we have to pay for, get free college tuition and, housing and health care. While i have to pay so they can have these things i can't afford the same things, and their are millions of americans like me who are just plain fed up. and many of the so called rich white home owners or upper middle class, middle class americans, have their homes, cars, college tuition bought on credit and it will take a generation or more to pay off the debt. the only difference is those who have credit and those who don't, credit card bank loans gov loans otherwise. The economy being good is just a big f***ing lie put out there by the rich elitest republican pigs, and yes men who own the american oil industry who are at the moment bilking us out of billions of dollars and are no better than those arab terorists doing the same thing, but the finger pointing continues and no one admits or takes credits for f***ing up and ruining this great country. both the bushes and clinton's are at fault for ruining america, why can't an independant who combines the best of both parties and ovoids the worst be elected? I can't stand the liberal druggie hippies who are socialist/ elitestest communist or the madmen republican elite who claim to represent the best ideals of the american republic , and think they are on a mission sanctioned by god himself and reperesent all christians and not all christians are bushies. They think nuclear destruction and starting wars is the way to go, possible World War III with the way bush is managing things, and the other side thinks if we could only be sixties era hippies who could get all the world leaders to smoke dope we'd have world peace. and i actually agree with rehnquist that abortion is non constitutional because all americans are and i quote entitled to " life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" underline life. If you could be murdered in the womb these are all void

Don't forget destroying the environment...Fossil Fuels Forever!!

Am I the only one slightly frightened that Adam claims to be fifteen and yet Davis, who claims to be 13 is acting more mature? I'll shut up now.

Honestly, Adam, conservatives and just about any decent person would prefer it if we didn't have to bomb ANYONE. But as long as there are violent/militant Islamic... people... in the world, we're going to have to bomb them. Nothing will stop them but death.

*cough* Troll *cough*