Indexes
The following stories have received the most reader comments during the last 7 days.
- The country's mess is our fault (166)
- Obama is not a moderate (130)
- Sarah Palin's book hits the shelves: Locals react (72)
- Lodi City Council plans to cap number of taco trucks at 22 (50)
- Public health care is a Christian option (32)
- The haves should help the have-nots (30)
- Tokay in, traveling to unbeaten No. 3 Grant for football playoffs (25)
- Government-run health care is a bad idea (18)
- Young woman fatally shot at Acampo home (17)
- Sierra Adventure store to close after four years in Downtown Lodi (16)
Catholics and Obama
This is in response to Carolyn DuPriest's letter.
In a recent interview dated Aug. 30 with the New York Times, Douglas W. Kmiec, the constitutional scholar to whom Carolyn referred, said this about Barack Obama: "So given these views, the better question is how could a Catholic not support Barack Obama? Senator Obama's articulated concerns with the payment of a living wage, access to health care, stabilizing the market for shelter, special attention to the needs of the disadvantaged and the importance of community are all part of the church's social justice mission."
Yes, the very person who Carolyn refers too is actually encouraging people nationally to vote for Barack Obama. He supports Barack Obama for the next president of the United States of America. Barack Obama has solutions to very serious problems plaguing our great country.
As Carolyn mentioned, abortion is one of those serious problems that needs immediate attention. When Mr. Kmiec was asked how he perceived the candidate's solutions for abortion, he said, "The senator has repeatedly indicated that he is not pro-abortion, that he understands the serious moral question it presents, and, most significantly, that he wants to move beyond the 35 years of acrimony that have done nothing to reduce the unwanted pregnancies that give rise to abortions."
He further stated, "Obama and Biden seek to fulfill the call by Pope John Paul II in the Evangelium Vitae, 'to ensure proper support for families and motherhood.' It cannot possibly contravene Catholic doctrine to improve the respect for life by paying better attention to the social and economic conditions of women which correlate strongly with the number of abortions."
Mr. Kmiec's new book, "Can a Catholic Support Him? Asking the Big Question About Barack Obama," will be published in two weeks by Overlook Press. I look forward to reading it and seeing exactly why we need to vote for Barack Obama for our next president of the United States of America.
Pete Krengel
Lodi

Reader Feedback
Leonard wrote on Sep 23, 2008 9:08 AM:
" And Hugo Chavez - Communist dictator of Venezuela favors Obama. Blah, blah, blah. I would add the most anti-American international leaders like Chavez support Democrat candidates.
I don't know, the anti American leaders of the Alaskan Independence Party definitely favor Palin.
"The fires of hell are frozen glaciers compared to my hatred for the American government. And I won't be buried under their damn flag. I'll be buried in Dawson. And when Alaska is an independent nation they can bring my bones home.
-Joe Vogler, Founder of the Alaskan Independence Party "
ra wrote on Sep 23, 2008 8:36 AM:
Leonard wrote on Sep 22, 2008 6:17 PM:
Leonard, oil started to drop when? Do you remember? When Bush said that he was going to lift the restriction on offshore drilling
And yet today, as Sarah Palin, the defacto GOP candidate for President, pledged to open vast stretches of America's wilderness to drilling, oil experienced the biggest one day price increase in history. "
ra wrote on Sep 22, 2008 1:12 PM:
Lodian wrote on Sep 22, 2008 10:04 AM:
Brian isn't man enough to admit he was wrong. He is only about being right (far right), no matter what the subject. "
Leonard wrote on Sep 21, 2008 6:36 PM:
" Lodian wrote on Sep 20, 2008 6:39 PM:
" McCain's motto is "Country First". The AIP's motto is the exact opposite... "Alaska First - Alaska Always."
Lodian: You are either spouting lies or plagiarizing.
That actually is the AIP's motto. It is right in the header of their web page.
You should apologize to Lodian. "
Brian wrote on Sep 21, 2008 5:08 PM:
" McCain's motto is "Country First". The AIP's motto is the exact opposite... "Alaska First - Alaska Always."
Lodian: You are either spouting lies or plagiarizing. Grow up and be a big girl now. Well, not too big. You already
barely fit through the front door. :):):) :~ "
Lodian wrote on Sep 21, 2008 4:19 PM:
Brian wrote on Sep 21, 2008 8:41 AM:
The people in Alaska that want to secede from the nation aren't standing on a podium saying "God Damn America".
This isn't their position at all. "
Lodian wrote on Sep 20, 2008 6:39 PM:
Lodian wrote on Sep 20, 2008 6:32 PM:
ra: Really? It looks like the Republican state of Alaska and Gov Palin are not interested in "Country First". Alaska's very strong Alaska Independence Party would indeed enjoy NOT being a part of our United States. "
ra wrote on Sep 20, 2008 4:50 PM:
Leonard wrote on Sep 20, 2008 2:34 PM:
" Leonard - by your definition of a tyrant you add Bill and Hillary Clinton to the list and hence make my case to dump both parties. "
No, that would be an argument for dumping Palin and the Clintons.
Sign me up now, I'm all for it! "
ra wrote on Sep 20, 2008 9:47 AM:
dyan wrote on Sep 20, 2008 8:23 AM:
Leonard wrote on Sep 19, 2008 7:52 PM:
Leonard, What the hell do you know about Sarah Palin to make an accusation that she is tyrannical?
Ra, I would say that an individual who abuses the powers of their office to carry out personal vendetta's is, literally, a tyrant. "
ra wrote on Sep 19, 2008 7:44 PM:
ra wrote on Sep 19, 2008 7:34 PM:
Leonard wrote on Sep 19, 2008 12:37 PM:
" Palin is a "tyrant?" LOL!! Now I know you guys have completely lost it! Savage it right "Liberalism is a mental disorder.
Yes, I would say that an individual who abuses the powers of their office to carry out personal vendetta's is, literally, a tyrant.
As for the Tiny Wiener and his Tiny Opinions, haven't you and I been down that road before? "
dyan wrote on Sep 19, 2008 12:22 PM:
Leonard wrote on Sep 19, 2008 11:40 AM:
By the way Len, the NRA hates his guts based on his Second Amendment record. Sort of negates your former argument, doesn't it?
To vote for a tyrannical politician like Sarah Palin just because she supports the 2nd Amendment makes no sense when my entire reason for supporting the 2nd Amendment is as a defense against tyranny. "
Leonard wrote on Sep 19, 2008 11:34 AM:
" Which ever way the daily wind blows on issues, there you will find your messiah
Chuckle... you are talking about McCain, right? The man who's economic policy has changed 10 times since monday?
The economy is fundamentally strong
-John McCain, September 15, 2008 "
dyan wrote on Sep 19, 2008 8:10 AM:
Leonard wrote on Sep 18, 2008 6:04 PM:
" How do you tell when Obama is lying?
His lips are moving.
That's a good one only the way I heard it way back in 2003, the politician in question was George W. Bush.
I think it was funnier the original way. "
dyan wrote on Sep 18, 2008 3:54 PM:
His lips are moving. "
Leonard wrote on Sep 18, 2008 12:54 PM:
-I've seen polls that show the exact opposite.
I don't get get my stats from media matters or other left leaning radical sites.
How about from Fox News?
Barack Obama took a 4-point lead over John McCain in Gallups daily tracking poll Thursday, the first time the Democratic presidential candidate has broken a statistical tie since the Republican National Convention two weeks ago.
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/09/18/poll-obama-regains-edge-over-mccain-after-2-weeks-of-ties/ "
Ivan Dixon wrote on Sep 18, 2008 9:01 AM:
Will John McCain raise taxes on working Americans? "
Brian wrote on Sep 18, 2008 8:54 AM:
" I'm confused. Leonard's question seems pretty simple.
Will John McCain raise taxes on working Americans.
If Brian won't answer it, it can only be because the answer is "yes".
This is one thing I just cannot support 549.38% "
In order for me to answer yes I would have to support Leonard's claim that it's the biggest tax increase on the middle class in history.
This just isn't true and I won't allow Leonard to perpetuate this. "
Ivan Dixon wrote on Sep 18, 2008 8:34 AM:
Will John McCain raise taxes on working Americans.
If Brian won't answer it, it can only be because the answer is "yes".
This is one thing I just cannot support 549.38% "
Brian wrote on Sep 18, 2008 8:34 AM:
Brian wrote on Sep 18, 2008 8:32 AM:
" Brian said, "and is having a dinner for $28,500 a plate contributors. "
Brian, McCain just had a $50,000 a plate find raiser in Florida last week. "
So what. I doubt if McCain has had nearly as many large contribution fundraisers as Obama. "
Brian wrote on Sep 18, 2008 8:30 AM:
In your eyes you so desperately want to show that McCain will make the biggest tax increase on middle America.
I am not quite a pessimistic.
I refuse to answer your distorted question.
Keep on advancing the notion that your crystal ball is accurate. You're wasting your time. "
Timothy wrote on Sep 18, 2008 8:15 AM:
Brian, McCain just had a $50,000 a plate find raiser in Florida last week. "
Brian wrote on Sep 18, 2008 8:09 AM:
And do you have some proof that Obama doesn't have the connections I posted?
The Obama camp is imploding. It's reached a point of no return. "
Brian wrote on Sep 18, 2008 8:04 AM:
Leonard wrote on Sep 18, 2008 7:59 AM:
I figured by now you would stop witht the MASSIVE distortions of McCain's tax plan. But, it seems to me you have nothing left in your arsenal to attack McCain.
Yes or no question for your Brian.
Will John McCain raise taxes on working Americans?
Not that I expect any sort of straight answer out of you. My guess is that you will pose some sort of absurd question to me, refuse to answer until I respond and then, even after I do answer, you will still refuse to give a yes or a no.
The fact is that you will do just about anything to avoid answering this question. "
Leonard wrote on Sep 18, 2008 7:57 AM:
-I've seen polls that show the exact opposite
Yeah, and they are a week old. "
Leonard wrote on Sep 18, 2008 7:57 AM:
" Actually, it can be traced even farther back to the 70's when holes started being poked in the Glass-Stiegel Act.
Bubba Clinton went on to repeal the act in 1999
Nice try Brian. What Clinton signed in 1999 was Gramm-Leach-Bliley and he only signed it after McCain and Graham had managed to put together a veto proof majority.
There is more than enough blame to go around for this debacle but we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that John "Tax Em" McCain and Phil Graham were the principle force behind the repeal of banking regulations. "
Brian wrote on Sep 18, 2008 7:55 AM:
-Yeah, if you put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig.
And so the hipocracy from the Obama camp continues. "
Brian wrote on Sep 18, 2008 7:53 AM:
" I was pleased to see that McCain and the Pork Queen are now trailing Obama and Biden by a solid 5% in the latest polls.
-I've seen polls that show the exact opposite.
I don't get get my stats from media matters or other left leaning radical sites. "
Brian wrote on Sep 18, 2008 7:50 AM:
Bubba Clinton went on to repeal the act in 1999. "
Brian wrote on Sep 18, 2008 7:46 AM:
I figured by now you would stop witht the MASSIVE distortions of McCain's tax plan. But, it seems to me you have nothing left in your arsenal to attack McCain.
I'm anxiously awaiting to see how you spin Obama's connection to Freddie and Fannie.
I suspect you'll just consider it tripe because it came from Foxnews. "
Leonard wrote on Sep 18, 2008 7:46 AM:
Americans have had enough of the GOP's crooked politics and financial incompetence.
Four more years?
NO WAY IN HELL! "
Leonard wrote on Sep 18, 2008 7:45 AM:
You remember Phil Graham? He's the guy who, while acting as John McCain's closest economic advisor said that Americans were suffering a "mental deficit" and that America was a "nation of whiner's".
Apparently, McCain is meeting with Graham on a daily basis now as he tries to come up with some way to convince the American people that the current crisis is just evidence of a "Strong Economy". "
Brian wrote on Sep 18, 2008 7:41 AM:
-Yeah, if you put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig.
Thank you Fox for your great article. "
Leonard wrote on Sep 18, 2008 7:41 AM:
" And what do liberals in Congress want to do? Raise taxes of course! If they get their way, they will repeal all the Bush tax cuts, raise the capital gains tax, and that's just the beginning.
This is pretty rich coming from you when you know that McCain plans to institute a MASSIVE TAX INCREASE if he is elected.
Of course, his tax increase will only effect working people, the idle rich will enjoy a generous bonus, just like they always do.
If the current crisis has demonstrated anything it is that the GOP's policy of stealing from the poor to give to the rich just doesn't work. "
Brian wrote on Sep 18, 2008 7:31 AM:
Barack Obama and Joe Biden, the candidates of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, whose former managers now are economic advisers to Obama's campaign, either to tell him mistakes that have cost the American people or to give him new scams to further fool the American people.
David Ehren "
Brian wrote on Sep 18, 2008 7:28 AM:
Brian wrote on Sep 18, 2008 7:26 AM:
Brian wrote on Sep 18, 2008 7:24 AM:
A group called the Center for Responsive Politics keeps track of which politicians get Fannie and Freddie political contributions. The top three U.S. senators getting big Fannie and Freddie political bucks were Democrats and No. 2 is Sen. Barack Obama.
Now remember, he's only been in the Senate four years, but he still managed to grab the No. 2 spot ahead of John Kerry decades in the Senate and Chris Dodd, who is chairman of the Senate Banking Committee.
Fannie and Freddie have been creations of the congressional Democrats and the Clinton White House, designed to make mortgages available to more people and, as it turns out, some people who couldn't afford them.
Fannie and Freddie have also been places for big Washington Democrats to go to work in the semi-private sector and pocket millions. The Clinton administration's White House Budget Director Franklin Raines ran Fannie and collected $50 million. Jamie Gorelick Clinton Justice Department official worked for Fannie and took home $26 million. "
Brian wrote on Sep 18, 2008 7:20 AM:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,423701,00.html
Yet another Obama connection. "
Brian wrote on Sep 17, 2008 7:32 PM:
The entire dreamed of supply of American offshore oil, if delivered all at once would not be enough to change the price of a barrel of oil more than $10. Anyone who tells you otherwise is either a Republican politician or a liar.
-Leonard contends that oil prices are dictated by supply and demand. But yet he contends that if we drill offshore it will not increase the supply and thus will not lower the price of oil.
How about that. "
Leonard wrote on Sep 16, 2008 5:22 PM:
Leonard, oil started to drop when? Do you remember? When Bush said that he was going to lift the restriction on offshore drilling.
Chuckle... if believing that makes you feel better, you just go on ignoring the fundamental laws of supply and demand.
The entire dreamed of supply of American offshore oil, if delivered all at once would not be enough to change the price of a barrel of oil more than $10. Anyone who tells you otherwise is either a Republican politician or a liar.
But I repeat myself.... "
falcon wrote on Sep 16, 2008 5:08 PM:
Leonard, oil started to drop when? Do you remember? When Bush said that he was going to lift the restriction on offshore drilling. The country cheered, Pelosi and the lib congress went home and told us to take a hike, and the republicans stayed in the dark and fought. The citizens want to drill. Sarah Palin wants to drill! That sounds dirty.. Sorry... you know... thus prices have dropped! The bottom line... More supply or the intention to increase supply has dropped the price of oil. Simple Econ 101.... Falcon rests.... "
Leonard wrote on Sep 15, 2008 6:31 PM:
Speaking this morning, John "Tax Em" McCain said that the economy was "fundamentally sound".
Just a few hours later, however, the candidate reversed himself completely and stated that The American economy is in crisis, it is in a crisis,.
All of which just serves to further illustrate the fatal flaw in a GOP strategy that has, in the midst of the worst banking crisis since 1930, left John McCain with no real economic policy. "
sam wrote on Sep 15, 2008 5:24 PM:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8syKJcoJBg&feature=bz302 "
Leonard wrote on Sep 15, 2008 3:02 PM:
A couple of things I am invested in have made actual returns but it is such a cr@p shoot that it really is hard to know where to put ones money (other than the mattress).
Many of the fundamental assumptions of investing have been completely overturned.
I suppose one just has to keep one's money in the market and think about the long term. I certainly am thankful that I am not anywhere near retirement age. "
wtf wrote on Sep 15, 2008 2:55 PM:
Guess every cloud has a silver lining; but for how long? "
JD wrote on Sep 15, 2008 2:09 PM:
In other words: "If all you jerks who disagreed would just sit down and shut up, we wouldn't have a controversy anymore! And I could actually pretend I'd accomplished something worthwhile!" "
Leonard wrote on Sep 15, 2008 2:00 PM:
wtf wrote on Sep 15, 2008 1:37 PM:
(Last column)
http://futures.tradingcharts.com/intraday/DJU8
But BushCo says the economy is strong....
http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/280620/36/ "
Leonard wrote on Sep 15, 2008 1:11 PM:
So....
Anybody up for 4 more years of this economy? "
wtf wrote on Sep 15, 2008 12:13 PM:
http://www.breakthematrix.com/BreakTheMatrix/Republocrat-campaign-song-1 "
wtf wrote on Sep 15, 2008 12:07 PM:
wtf wrote on Sep 15, 2008 12:01 PM:
First video is McCain accusing Dems of wanting to raise taxes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xc5TVlaxoo8
BUT when it came to questions on the economy he sounded as informed as Palin did on the "Bush Doctrine"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1KxgH9l3n4&feature=related
What about the war in Iraq?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5PbH4e4R4E
Overall....but then you all know I'm biased. ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPij7fyIiUQ "
Leonard wrote on Sep 15, 2008 11:56 AM:
Its the sound of us all getting poorer.
Four more years of trickle down poverty, that's what McCain is offering us. "
Lodian wrote on Sep 15, 2008 11:10 AM:
Lodian wrote on Sep 15, 2008 10:49 AM:
Brilliant! LOL! "
wtf wrote on Sep 15, 2008 10:30 AM:
LOVE IT!!! LOL! "
sam wrote on Sep 15, 2008 9:43 AM:
Leonard wrote on Sep 15, 2008 9:37 AM:
"The confounding problem with Mr. Straight Talk (McCain) is that his public statements on abortion have been anything but straight."
The Straight Talk Express has driven right off the end of the Bridge to Nowhere. "
wtf wrote on Sep 15, 2008 9:35 AM:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/campaigns/wh2000/stories/mccain082499.htm
"The confounding problem with Mr. Straight Talk (McCain) is that his public statements on abortion have been anything but straight."
http://www.tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=3483eb20-9228-4700-9557-57a47a676e0b
Because this is an election year, I want to remind everyone that this Wednesday, September 17, is Constitution Day.
http://constitutioncenter.org/ConstitutionDay/ "
LodiReaderFromStockton wrote on Sep 15, 2008 9:32 AM:
Ivan Dixon wrote on Sep 15, 2008 9:20 AM:
"I'd love to see a point where it is irrelevant, and could be repealed because abortion is no longer necessary," McCain told the Chronicle in an article published Friday. "But certainly in the short term, or even the long term, I would not support repeal of Roe v. Wade, which would then force X number of women in America to [undergo] illegal and dangerous operations." "
oldguy wrote on Sep 15, 2008 9:10 AM:
wtf wrote on Sep 15, 2008 9:10 AM:
wtf wrote on Sep 15, 2008 8:57 AM:
Ivan and Bob Hussein thanks for starting my day off with a GREAT BIG belly laugh! LOL!
However, your suggestion, Ivan, of writing in Ronnie Raygun is not too far-fetched because he just might win. ;)
*******BLAST FROM THE PAST********
Remember BushCo's first Attorney General, John Ashcroft? The one who wanted to put clothes on the statue of Justice? (Hmmmmm...maybe that's where things went wrong....)
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2002/01/29/statues.htm
Anyway, the reason Ashcroft took BushCo up on being Attorney General was because Ashcroft lost to a dead guy in his bid for governor of Missouri.
http://archives.cnn.com/2000/ALLPOLITICS/stories/11/07/senate.missouri/ "
Ivan Dixon wrote on Sep 15, 2008 8:57 AM:
lodisafeway wrote on Sep 15, 2008 8:54 AM:
I cannot imagine ever being in the position of deciding to terminate the life of an unborn child in favor of the mother's due to medical conditions; this is something that must be left to the doctor and the patient. It is as much a moral dilemma as it is a medical one. The same can be said for situations regarding incest and rape - very difficult indeed. The emotional damage that would be caused to any woman who is forced to carry a child who is the result of either of these two horrific conceptions is very likely impossible to determine. In spite of hard-liners who would insist that the mother should choose between keeping and adopting out the child after birth, just the nine months of carrying that child could very well destroy the mother. Here again, it should be left to the doctors and the mother to decide.
As a means of birth control - nope. There's no excuse for becoming "accidentally" pregnant; not today. "
parishioner wrote on Sep 15, 2008 8:39 AM:
nylodian wrote on Sep 15, 2008 8:11 AM:
nylodian wrote on Sep 15, 2008 8:03 AM:
This is in contrast to what he said in 2000, and IMO is a tactic to win the religious right votes and abandoning his "maverick" status.
While I do not support abortions as a means of birth control, I also cannot support the government preventing a victim of rape or incest from having that choice, nor can I not see how it is "pro life" to let a mother die when the procedure would save her. "
Ivan Dixon wrote on Sep 15, 2008 7:58 AM:
A vote for McCain is a vote for killing kids, its a simple as that and I think that, in our hearts, you and I both know it. "
lodisafeway wrote on Sep 15, 2008 7:44 AM:
As far as Roe v. Wade and McCain - I believe that any comment he may have made regarding this most egregious of Supreme Court decisions in our nation's history was made to curry favor with the pro-abortion crowd; this is "politics" after all.
The fact is McCain and Palin are pro-life - meaning they choose saving human lives rather than destroying them. While McCain himself will have little (if any) power to reverse or affirm Roe v. Wade, he may very well have greater influence by the appointments he will be called upon to make for the Supreme Court. "He" won't reverse the ruling; but maybe those who truly understand the value of human life will. "
Ivan Dixon wrote on Sep 15, 2008 7:31 AM:
Obama and McCain have both said again and again that they would not repeal Roe V Wade.
That is why I am encouraging every conservative I know to write in RONALD WILSON REAGAN'S name on their ballot for President.
If they are going to tell us what we can't have then I think the least we can do is to tell them exactly what we want. "
lodisafeway wrote on Sep 15, 2008 6:52 AM:
Anyone who believes that bringing a new life into the world is "punishment" has no business being my president. Of course his remarks in this regard went virtually unchallenged by the media (no surprise there), but if he believes that anyone is actually being punished, who is doing the punishing of these unfortunate women who simply didn't understand that unprotected sex could result in pregnancy? Is it perhaps God or the baby him/herself that is inflicting this terrible penalty upon our women? I wonder just how "punishing" it is to be sucked out of a womb or having ones brain pithed?
This one issue alone is why Catholics (and anyone else) should NOT vote for Obama for President of the United States. "
Bob Hussein Loblaw wrote on Sep 15, 2008 6:23 AM:
Ivan Dixon wrote on Sep 15, 2008 5:31 AM:
But I also think the Commies did something to him when they had him that made him love taxes, abortion and the West Coast Offense.
Some sort of implant or something. "
Ivan Dixon wrote on Sep 15, 2008 5:22 AM:
I simply cannot support that 548.39%
That's just one of the many reasons why I am proudly submitting a write in ballot with my vote for RONALD W. REAGAN for President. "
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