I "heart" JJ Ramberg, she has a cool show, sounds like another knockout Chris,, :>)

chris, I just looked at Well Fargo information, yes, small business is stating demand/ customers through the door there largest issue. However , by a small margin CEO's prefer Romney as President. Cannot have both, either the tax breaks go to the middle class, lower class, 95% of America to have disposable income to walk through the door and purchase , or they don't and the bankers sit on the funds with no paychecks walking through the door. If these CEO's cannot see this problem, and most don't as they have bashed every paycheck for the last 4 years / 20 years, then they have a "severely conservative problem" LOL . NO CUSTOMERS TO BUY THERE GOODS

Suggest: why not (1) define "small business" based on size (e.g. less than 500k in annual profits), rather than on basis of taxation, (2) integrate corporate and personal tax regimes, so that small business owners can enjoy a smaller corporate tax rate on profts reinvested in the business without suffering and overall tax disadvantage (i.e., relative to "flow through" entities) when the after tax profits are ultimately distributed to them as dividends, and (3) reduce true "small business" rates so they are competitive with competing jurisdictions (e.g., Canada's 13% on 1st 500k of profits; 25% on profits in excess of 500k).

How about putting some REAL journalists to work keeping the public informed...

I'd like to see some good old fashion investigative news reporting on a few extremely vital subjects:

1) Questioning tax exempt status for any church involved with Ralph Reed, Faith & Freedom Coalition. There sure is a awful lot of politic'n going on in the name of the LORD! These ***holes interpret the Bible as badly as they do the Conmstitution

2) What the jobs #’s would be if obstructionist Republicans voted for jobs bill. I’m sick of BS from rich white Ho’s like Jack Welch(er).

3) High gas prices is an organized effort to make Obama/Biden look bad before the election. Like what Big Oil did to President Carter with fake oil shortage.

4) Voting machines in VA. Voter suppression effort by the GOP in USA. What better definition of TRAITOR than those who corrupt or suppress the VOTE for personal gains?

I am somebody who wants to prosecute rich con artists spoact.blogspot.com

© 2012 by Spoact

Our government has been sold to corporations, "We The People" no longer have a say in how this country is run. Complacency is our biggest problem and will be our downfall!!

“First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—
because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—
because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—
because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me—
and there was no one left to speak out for me.”
? Martin Niemöller

I think we all now by now that Pres Obama is a very smart man. He was brilliant NOT bringing up 47% because why would he want to give Romney the ability to hang his head look sad about what he said, and say he loves everyone in front of 67million people. Instead Romney had to go on fox news( I use the word news lightly) and address people who are not voting for Obama anyway. Romney has shot himself in the foot so many times in the last few months maybe the Pres figured back off and watch him lie himself silly through the debate The next day people said the Pres lost and then everyone called on factcheckers to look at everything Romney said and people tweeted all over the country about big bird a gift to the Pres from Romney. ApparentlyRomney didn't know the Birds big or small TWEET

gregg r I love it WE ARE OUR BROTHERS HELPERS

My wife is here legally, your guest do her and everyone like her who fought to be here legally a diservice and I am insulted. If your an adult and you know that you are here "illegally", then stop trying to get public support, stop trying to justify being here, just leave. I personnelly don't care if Hitler used a phrase before or if an illegal feels slighted because of that phrase if you break the law and are here "Illegally" then your and illegal. Also trying to spin the word to include other issues to throw off the public and make it less targeted also angers me. Your not an illegal driver if you run a red light, your a citizen who broke the law, your not to be labeled and illegal driver unless your an illegal alien driving a car. Kindly quit having your guest play semantics on words just to justify their exsistence and throw off the face they are illegal.

Agree with today's conversation about the lack of REAL conversations going on in Washington on tough issues. I would like more thoughtful talking rather than sound bites from my representatives.

Love the show and the format. Makes me think and sometimes changes my perception of an issue.

MARIA are you that ignorant? If it quacks like a duck & walks like a duck, is it not a duck?? Difference is, the people coming across the border & are not going through a PORT OF ENTRY are technically in this country ILLEGALLY! These ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS are stealing AMERICANS identity to live in the United States illegally...are having children in this country & get Uncle Sam to pay for their children needs 100% (food, medical/medicine, financial aid, etc), oh and also DO NOT pay taxes...I had my social security stolen by a freaking 'wetback' & found out that 'wetback' with my info is now receiving child support checks with my name and social (and yes I AM an AMERICAN descendant from Mexico)...I am divorced with no children with only 2 DOGS...I am from South Texas & pray for hurricanes to flood the damn Rio Grande River to make it difficult to cross...yo soy mexicana you damn idiots and am tired of you people in this country illegally going boohoo my kid is from this country & how dare you deport me...register to become legal, pay taxes & register for the draft, and follow this countries laws...if you don't like it, then get hell out & go back to your country. Oh, Jose, have you made the effort to become registered in this country? Have you registered for the draft to serve My country as required by LAW? I don't care if you were a child when you came to this country, you knew & have known that you were not legally from this country and have yet to take the necessary steps....bunch of ignorant idiots....

illegal alien (Romney's choice) sounds criminal and someone with antennae......illegal immigrant still sounds like someone that I should cross the street IF I think I see one( you know, like someone with a hood on).......undocumented immigrant sounds OK for the person who crossed the border somewhere, sometime....but for the millions of kids born here without antennae, no hoods on, and never crossed a border, sounds like a citizen to me

The show is an echo chamber.

The only difference among the guests is how strongly they adhere to the same ideas.

Is bank robbery going to be changed to undocumented withdrawl? The question that should have been asked of the pro side is: How do you stop further illegal immigration once and for all time? Or perhaps they want to advocate unrestricted immigratioin and tell us how that would work. The point that needed to be made is they have no rational argument. Ya! Sure I exceed the speed limit on occasion but I don't whine when I'm caught.

Great show! Speaking of using the term "illegal immigrants" and all that it implies, reminds me of the gut reaction I would have when hearing the term "broken home." My children came from a single-parent home - their home WAS NOT broken!

Great discussion. The term "illegal immigrant" and all that it may socially imply, reminds me of the gut reaction I have with the term "broken home". My children came from a single-parent home -- their home WAS NOT broken! Language matters.

Another comment about being ok with referring to people by the name that they define themselves with -- I think the term "Pro-Life" implies more than what the people who say they are pro-life are really about. It would seem to me that their concern is really a single issue -- what we used to call "anti-abortion". Life after birth? Not so much.

Chris, please be certain to clarify that the SBA does NOT lend any money. They guarantee the repayment of loans made by banks to ELIGIBLE borrowers. The BANK must make the loan, with the SBA's approval, and, if later, the loan defaults, the BANK may ask SBA to repay it's loss, utilizing the repayment guarantee that SBA offers. THE SBA MAKES NO LOANS TO SMALL BUSINESSES! It simply supports the lending activity of banks such as Chase, Wells, and BOA to eligible small businesses. Check out stats from SBA about payouts for loan defaults to banks and find out which banking organizations get the greatest benefits from SBA guarantees!

Semantics so defines how we present a person or idea as well as how we ourselves view the person or idea. Having worked with children who have special needs, the concept of "People First Language" is a one that I believe could and should be embraced. Simply putting the "person" in first place in conversation rather than the disability, elicits a powerful statement about where/how your respect is placed. When there is a need to refer to the disability, we say, "Mary has a learning disability" rather than, "Mary is learning disabled". The same can be said for many confusing issues such as those discussed this morning on UP. A very simple thing requiring only a change in perspective.

I was able to stick around for all the discussions this morning. They were great. I am just so appreciative and grateful for the efforts that you and your guests make every week.

There were many great comments about small business, both the term and the reality, but there were no dumb ones. When this discussion was had a few decades ago, the big thing or little thing, as you would have it, was "intermediate technology." Basically, this was more local, less efficient, more labor intensive "industries" that could produce good paying jobs. It's not pretty. It's not IPhone 5, but maybe the enemy is us. As well, does anyone mention how "Small Businesses" rip off America every day in terms of tax freaking manipulation??

The discussion on "illegal" aliens was very interesting and thought provoking, if not also really irritating. I kind of go with McWhorters, on this one, since semantic revolutions, not backed up by actual action, are just that and nothing more. I'm surprised that the discussion did not find a parrallel with "women's lib," which had a great deal of semantic offerings, but it was backed up by real stands taken by women that were both educational and challenging for men, for example. In this particular case, we have a group of people who, no matter what any one says, deserve a fare shake. We have to own up to the fact that we have encouraged people to come here any way they could, if for no other reason than to have cheap labor. The whole issue has become so bizarre, in so many different ways, it is hard to discuss, as today's discussion proved, big time. We need a new approach. If we legalize illegal aliens, we would have to pay taxes on their employment. End of story. This is a Republican fiscal issue, just another tax break for them, so we need to turn people's attention to what is really going on here. Maybe we need another word that is even less attractive than "illegal," like "slaves." They weren't citizens either, for quite a while, huh? This is an American redundancy in the form of a very bad habit.

We have individuals donating humongous amounts of money to elect Romney. The tax breaks that they will get will far outstrip any amounts they contribute, which are all charitable deductions (so where do you think the the deduction limit of $17,000 is going to go? Down the crapper, along with every other socioeconomic proposal that could possibly benefit the middle class, because that is not what the Republicans are about. They are about making money for themselves only, and some of them would like to repress the rest of America's sexuality.

Let me go out on a limb here: I'm gonna try to be brave: But, if the economy picks up, we will never hear about the illegal immigration problem ever again. And, the poor people, who have the same lives as us, will live a little less in fear, but will have no reason to be hopeful. I would like to see a much stronger stand by Mr. Obama about what he will in fact do, understanding that it takes a House and a Senate to achieve it, but if the goal is there, maybe the "legals" will be motivated to correct this very sad situation.

Whatever happened to the word "alien?" The relevant fact is not that they broke the law or their parents broke the law the relevant fact is that they are not citizens. If you want to distinguish between non-citizens who crossed illegally from those that did not you could add the qualifier undocumented alien. The word does not have a negative connotation apart from the negative feelings people have towards whom the word refers.

Recently had one of those moments where a lot of things became clear. The Presidential Debates are about as real as Professional Wrestling. The Commission on Presidential Debates which claims to be a non-partisan organization is in collusion with the two parties to control every last detail of the debates and preclude third party candidates. All before the debates. There is a book called "No Debate: How the Republican and Democratic Parties Secretly Control the Presidential Debates". I knew that we have only been getting sound bites and no REAL explanation of what the parties want and or intend to do.

If you have any interest in seeing changes made I would consider this book and must read. Also for Chris: INTERVIEW OR TALK TO THIRD PARTY CANDIDATES!. If the media plays along with the GOP and Democrats they will continue to never talk about the hard issues. Talk to Rocky Anderson from the Justice party. You will probably never have the complaint that he is dodging the issues.

I guess bank robbery will become undocumented withdrawl. you should have asked the guests what they would do today to stop further illegal immigration. I assume they are not stupid enough to think unrestricted immigration would work. Obama's reprieve for the illegal children is a great mistake. The situation in two words is brood parasitism. Oama's action in three words is rewarding brood parasitism. Since only 2% of illegals are involved in agriculture in any way the rest are working in jobs that Americans do. If we expelled all ILLEGALS today our unemployment problem would rapidly diminish by 8 million jobs. I heard you recently say something about Ohio 2004. Yes the election was stolen. In logic there are ways to deal with things that are not known to be true or false. I knew Ohio was stolen long before the mechanism was known.

Whether someone can be deported (now called "removed") for being in the U.S. without permission is defined by immigration law, not by criminal law. The grounds of removal are in section 237 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and include criminal violations as well as health problems, immigration violations (like being present without permission), failure to register a change of address, and many more. It is also a crime to enter the U.S. without permission, and to re-enter after prior removal. But generally, criminal law isn't invoked, except by Sheriff Arpaio and others with a similarly ideological view of criminal law.

Wonderful show today, Mr. Chris. Glad I could catch it this morning.

Yes, the Words we use, how we use them, and the Energies attracted to them and repelled by them are of vital - essential importance.

The discussions surrounding the words we Words we use can also be elucidating and transformative, individually, collectively and culturally.

Thank you.

Also appreciated the things all of y'all had to say about the Earth.

Bocephus, The Hound Dog's, Environmental Theory

“Excuse me, Sir, but how can you compare Human Beings to Ticks and Fleas
on the back of your ‘Ole Hound dog, Bocephus? How can you do that, Uncle
E.L.?”

“Well, Child, Truth Be Told, there are many similarities
between ‘Ole Bocephus here, and Mother Earth. Same goes for Ticks and Fleas, and
Human Beings.

Like Bocephus, Mother Earth is a Living Organism. Also,
just like ‘Ole Bocephus, Mother Earth will do whatever She has to do to Survive.
Understand? You with me so far, Child?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Now, the
Ticks and Fleas living on the hide of ‘Ole Bocephus spend every waking minute
suckin' the very Life's Blood out of that ‘Ole Hound Dog. Just like Human Beings
livin' on the outer crust - the Outer Skin of Mother Earth suck the very Life's
Blood - Life's Energies out of Her every minute of every day.

Human
Beings take and take. We use up, pollute, poison, disease and destroy parts of
the Earth from dawn to dusk. Just like the Ticks and Fleas on ‘Ole Bocephus.
There's really no difference. We're all parasites. All of Us busy destroyin' the
very Environment and Habitat that keeps Us alive and gives Us a place to 'hang
Our hats'. Destructive cusses, everyone of Us. Ticks, Fleas and Human Beings
alike.

Let this 'Ole Hound Dog get loaded down with too many Ticks - too
many Fleas - and they'll come close to killin' Bocephus. Without Intervention
and Prevention, maybe even kill Him outright.

Human Beings'
overpopulatin' and carelessly usin' up the Earth's Resources is the same as Tick
and Fleafestation. Both have the potential to suck the very Life's Energy
completely out of Their Host or Hostess.” Uncle E.L. winked at me, “Whichever
the case may be. Dog or Planet, they can be sucked bone dry and die or fight to
Survive.

If We could Understand the language of Ticks and Fleas I'm
fairly certain they'd be complainin' and screamin' out about volcanic eruptions,
tsunamis, landslides, dust storms, heat waves, draughts, shifting ice caps and
great floods every time 'Ole Bocephus decides to fight to Survive by scratchin‘,
shakin‘, rumblin‘, tumblin' or rollin' in the dirt, cow manure or mud, or bitin'
or layin' out under the blisterin' sun or jumpin' into a pond to drown and rid
Himself of the nuisances. Mother Earth is no different. She's a Livin',
Breathin' Thing, Baby. She, and 'Ole Bocephus, will do whatever They have to- to
Survive - to Heal - to Restore Balance for and to Themselves. To Mother Earth,
We're no different than those pesky, blood suckin' Ticks and
Fleas.”

“Uncle E.L., I'll never see Bocephus or my place on this Planet
in quite the same Light.”

Chuckling, Uncle E.L., reached down and ruffled
the hair behind Bocephus' lopped ears.

Bocephus gratefully leaned into
Uncle E.L.'s scratching, wagging His tail in appreciation. “It doesn't take much
to make this “Ole Hound Dog content. Just Good CareGivin‘. That's all any of Us,
includin' Mother Earth, yearn for and Need. Just Good CareGivin' and Balanced
CareTakin'.”

Regarding language—I noticed an in joke between Liz W. and Chris H. when she used the term "doubling down." Chris echoed with a comment about "throwing someone under the bus." These apparently clichés which should be avoided. Makes sense.

Are you all tone-deaf to the infestation of "folks?" I think this was popularized by Obama, but it has now become a disease. Recently "folks" was an informal term used by rural largely small-town, rural people to refer to their own community. So of course politicians seized on this to seem very personal.

The congressman on the panel probably used the term 4 or 5 times. Chris loves it. And it can be used for almost anything now. I have heard Chuck Todd refer to "folks in the Romney campaign." We hear "the folks at Apple," "The folks on Wall Street."

Has anyone noticed that "folks" are almost exclusively American? You don't hear, "folks in Tibet are resisting Chinese regulations" or "the folks in Putin's inner circle"

No, "folks" are American.

Chris, you should be alert to this.