Roy Zimmerman in Idaho Falls !!
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The Los Angeles Times says, “Zimmerman displays a lacerating wit and keen awareness of society’s foibles that bring to mind a latter-day Tom Lehrer.”
Tom Lehrer himself says, “I congratulate Roy Zimmerman on reintroducing literacy to comedy songs. And the rhymes actually rhyme, they don’t just ‘rhyne.’”
Roy admits that there’s a decidedly lefty slant to his lyrics. “We used to have a name for Right Wing satire,” he says. “We called it ‘cruelty.’”
If you’re not familiar with Roy’s work, you can check out his YouTube channel. And here are a few of his most popular songs:
The concert will be Thursday, August 21st, at 7pm. It’s being held at the Unitarian Universalist Church (555 E St.) in Idaho Falls. The cost is $15, but nobody will be turned away for lack of ability to pay. It is a fundraiser for the Snake River Freedom Coalition.
(This was written by Dan Henry as a press release. I liked it so well I used his words instead of mine, with his permission.)
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Comments
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0 
0 Thanks, Nemesis. I did steal material from Roy’s bio on his website.
I promise, if you have a pulse and a sense of humor, you will leave the concert with all your laugh-muscles hurting.
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0 1 He is a hard core liberal that’s for sure! (not that theres anything wrong with that) Should be a real enjoyable evening of whining and complaining. Enjoy! Thanks for the link but I’ll stick with Pablo Fransisco. 
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1 0 Since we’ll all be laughing our fannies off at either concert, I’m sure we’ll all be having a great time.
Hard to laugh at complaints and whining, they’re a downer. RZ is anything but a downer.
Guest of a Guest, he’s also playing at the Republican National Convention (and it’s not the first time he’s played for them, they know him and like him and invited him back) so your preconceived notions of who enjoys the kind of humor he does are not very accurate.
Enjoy Pablo, I’m sure he’s pretty good, too.
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0 1 Would you please point out where I made a comment about a “preconceived notion of who enjoys his kind of humor”? (I couldn’t find that comment) All I said was he’s a “hard core liberal” (which anyone can see that his is and which he admits in his “I’m a liberal” song) with a sidenote of “not that there’s anything wrong with that” with a added for lightheartedness.
Seems your assumption regarding my comment wasn’t very accurate. But that’s ok, I get that alot on this site. I listened to a few of his songs and they did have quite a bit of whining and complaining of the issues he sung about, albeit pretty amusing. Don’t get so defensive, it was just a comment of how I perceived his act. I’m sure those that attend will have a great time. Have a happy day!
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1 0 Sorry, guest of a guest…I guess anyone who says a person is a liberal, then invites folks to enjoy an evening of whining and complaining, is really making a neutral or even a positive statement about the entertainer and those who would be entertained?
I’m going to add a few emoticons to this comment so that you can’t be offended by it…because using them means I’m not saying anything offensive, right? Cool!
Have a great day!
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1 1 “Whining and complaining”? If that’s what you call humorously pointing out the failures and criminality of the current administration, one that you probably supported whole-heartedly during the past two elections, then I guess Roy is a whiner and complainer. But then again, so is every intelligent person around the world.
Yes, I’ll take whiners like Jon Stewart, Bill Maher, and Roy Zimmerman. You can have the dying remnants of Dennis Miller’s career and the non-whining and non-complaining of those well-known laugh-riots Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter (true, those two pieces of scum aren’t really comedians - they just claim to be joking whenever they say something truly hate-filled and disgusting).
So, everyone else should come out and enjoy some truly funny whining and complaining next Thursday evening. It should be something that you’ll whine and complain about for years to come!
Sorry, no happy faces from me.
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0 0 Yeah that comment was from a true complainer. Roy Zimmerman is hardly a whiner or complainer. The guy is hillarious. You’d have to have a pretty poor sense of humor not to think so. Humor helps to get us through life. Buck up and try to smile Guest of Guest, it helps us stay young!
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0 0 I’m okay with liking different types of humor, it’s natural to have different tastes.
I’m sure Guest of a Guest will be attending Pablo Francisco’s event at the Civic this Friday, and will laugh long and deeply.
Just as I plan to do at Roy Zimmerman’s event.
Maybe after getting our funny bones tickled, we’ll both lighten up a bit!
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0 0 Once again….slammed by the liberal left on this site. Now thats something worth laughing about! And here’s a smile for hmmm since he/she missed my last 3. Lighten up people!
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0 0 Oh I saw it, no problem there! 
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0 0 It’s well above my paygrade to make a comment about Zimmerman, Maher, Coulter, Limbaugh or the rest of them…….
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0 1 Well, it’s not above my paygrade. I watched Zimmerman’s Youtube stuff. He is loony like Dennis Kuchinich type of liberal. I love the criminality that idahoagie points out. I guess anyone that puts poor little Roy down will get theirs from the liberals on this site. Too bad criticism hurts, it should, your boy, Roy, is out to lunch.
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0 2 Tell us why, Sock Puppet. Your opinion about liberals isn’t worth very much.
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0 0 Roy has played for the Republican National Convention before, and will play for them again this year. The Republicans (at least the national Republicans) think he’s entertaining, and they don’t think he’s out.to.lunch.
The sock puppets on this site don’t think much of his kind of entertainment. Maybe they aren’t affiliated with a political party anyway, so stuff that appeals to Democrats or Republicans might not appeal to them.
That’s okay. Since they won’t be going, there will be extra room for others to attend, who do appreciate his music.
Hey, Bundy #12…probably above all our paygrades to be commenting on this site for most subjects, but you notice it doesn’t stop us!
As someone who reads and appreciates the Cato Institute articles, I doubt that much of anything is above your paygrade…
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0 1 Its interesting how all the liberals on this site always gang up on people who post comments or opinions that are different from theres. I’m willing to bet these were the same people that were picked on in their HS years. Now they are the ones picking on people for being different. Funny how some things come full circle.
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0 0 I think if the “liberals” open their mouths it’s considered picking on someone. As Nemesis said, it’s a good time for all and RZ has been invited by both parties. If you choose not to attend, that’s cool too.
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1 2 Boy there’s a lot of whining and complaining going on here. But it seems to be all the conservative types claiming that they are being attacked. Play the victim much, Anonymous?
Perhaps when you say “ganging up,” what you really mean is that your opinion is in the minority. That actually is the case, in general, as the American public is primarily liberal.
But I fail to see any attacks from the libs, unless you count my own #7, which isn’t really much of an attack, especially when you compare it to Sock Puppet (#13). Do you really think any comment here compares to #13?
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0 0 comment #12 was pure genius, Bundy. I had to look up the phrase “above my paygrade” to find out that it was used as an evasion of an abortion question by Obama.
Too funny!!! I can’t wait to use that line myself.
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1 0 Ironic: Anyone in idaho falls complaining about being ganged up on by liberals.
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0 0 It strikes me as just wordy name calling, Idahogie. Is that all they got, uttering “liberal” like its a bad thing? I mean, I hope they got something better than, “Ouch, that hurts” this election cycle. Let me know when they want to discuss politics and I’ll grab Binky and come “right” over.
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0 0 Can you guys please stop bickering about who’s a freaking liberal and who’s a freaking conservative?? I’ve stopped posting on this site because every single topic has turned into a battle between the left and the right and it’s gotten way out of hand. Cant you people post a comment without all the political overtones? 95 percent of the comments on this topic have nothing to do with the actual topic itself and it’s become this way on the majority of the other posts as well.
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0 0 I haven’t participated because this conversation is “above my paygrade” . . . tee hee . . . I can and will only formulate opinions on big issues when I am paid to do so!!!!
Nemesis, loved your comment (don’t remember which post) about the smileys. . . . :0 very on point, as usual. . . .
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0 0 I live a few blocks away, I may just check it out.
As for the Republican/Democrat thing…both sides are failing pretty fantastically this election year. I guess it’s a good thing that both of the frontrunners are liberal ;)!
Now if that didn’t make you laugh, I don’t know what will! I’ll see ya’ll there!
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0 0 With a sense of humor like that, Marcus, I think you’ll love the show. Thanks for the laugh.
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0 2 Hey, Sisyphus! You are absolutely right. I tend to reject out of hand anybody who implies that ‘liberal’ is a bad word.
Around here lately it seems like every discussion turns towards politics. However, I’m afraid that Binky would end up in day-long, time-wasting comment wars with the argumentative types around here (maybe you would, too). I don’t want that hanging over my head.
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0 2 It’s really funny to see that the local conservatives are having such a laugh over the “pay grade” comment. They have to find something to feel cheery about regarding the coming election. I guess they’ll have to take what they can get.
It’s reassuring to know that most Americans know exactly what Obama meant, and have no problem with it.
Seriously, is that all you guys have? Tire pressure gauges and pay grades? I’m looking forward to November.
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0 0 As Idahogie continues on with his conservative bashing.
I’d also like someone to please show me which comment noted that “liberal was a bad word”. I can’t seem to find that comment anywhere.
I think this site needs another reality check Dying Breed is right, this bickering has gotten out of hand lately. I enjoy a heated debate as much as the next guy, but can we please take a break on all the political bashing? Lets just agree that we all have different views and leave it at that.
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0 0 okay, Hoagie, I’ll wade in a bit: what did Obama mean by that “pay grade” comment, if, as you imply, it wasn’t meant to evade a serious question about his inconsistent voting record on abortion issues (ie his vote regarding the Illinois “child born alive” bill vs. the same federal bill) ? What, exactly, did he mean?.
I am interested to know what “everyone else” knows he meant. He didn’t really explain himself very well in follow-up.
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1 2 Anoneemouse - Three separate people (iirc) make cracks about ‘pay grade’ - yet I’m the one “continuing the conservative bashing.” OK. Yet it’s true that conservatives are picking up all kinds of silly things to bash Obama - tire pressure gauges, his popularity, and now the ‘pay grade’ thing. It really is funny. If you want to call that ‘conservative bashing,’ then maybe you should come up with some decent things to complain about.
anonalog - Obama was asked when life begins. He said that question was above his pay grade. Meaning he’s not god and can’t really answer that question.
But he was wrong. Life began about 4billion years ago, near as we can tell.
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1 0 Funny Idahogie! Wasn’t that question asked in reference to the beginning of the sacred life of a fetus, for abortion issues?
And since it’s such a hotbutton issue, involving people’s faith and science, I personally think his answer was funny and inspired…folks who mock it do so because they have their own personal beliefs about this issue (so of course they think they “KNOW” the answer) and they think Obama dodged it. It was a question loaded for bear and Obama was the grizzly in its sights…
This is another one of those issues where it doesn’t matter what the hard science is, people have their personal faith and they disregard the scientific evidence or go so far as to demonize those who persist in not believing their way. Kind of like the radical islamists do, eh? But the radical christians never see that they are acting the same way, and have their own holy war waging.
But Obama wasn’t interested in stepping in that bear trap, and his answer was great.
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1 2 Very well put, Nemesis. I also liked the post on your blog.
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0 5 What a touching moment between liberals. I’m feeling a little pheklempt! Talk amongst yourselves.
Ok, I’m back.
I, like Anonymous, am still waiting for one of you to point out which poster said being liberal was a bad thing or that it was a bad word. Or is it safe to assume it was just another BOP alert that “you guys” use so frequently?
And for the newcomers, BOP stands for “Blow Out of Porportion”. You will find this acronym is used (or should be used) quite frequently around here.
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2 2 You probably haven’t gotten a response on that because it really isn’t worth the time. Sisyphus made the original comment, so you’d have to ask him to be sure, but I’ll give it a shot.
I took his comment to be a general statement of how conservatives have spent 30 years demeaning the word ‘liberal.’ His comment was in the context of several people making fun of the ‘pay grade’ comment that Obama used in the Rick Warren interview. And all the issues that the conservatives are bringing up, over and over, seem to be of the same caliber. Tire pressure gauges, popularity, pay grade. They are grasping at straws, making mountains out of nothing - all the while ignoring the incredible insanity of their preferred candidate.
So, conservatives spend their time expressing fake outrage over trivial matters, all in an effort to degrade the liberal brand. That’s the context of Sisyphus’s statement.
There. Enough time spent on the trivial. Can we get back to substance?
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0 5 Idahogie, so are you admitting nobody here actually said that being liberal was a bad thing or it was a bad word. You’re just going by what “conservatives” in general have concluded over a 30 year period. That’s rich! You continue to make assumptions that all conservatives are alike. I don’t think that’s fair to make a BOP generalized statement like that. Especially when nobody here said being liberal was a bad thing. But then, that’s the “woe is me” attitude of your garden variety liberal. You’re the one making such a big deal over the “pay grade” comment when it was meant to be a joke. Relax and stop taking everything to heart. Seems to me you’re the only one who continues to be outraged over such trivial comments. let it go already!
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0 4 No, I didn’t get a response because nobody made the statement in the first place! Personally I can’t believe you’re still carrying on about the “pay-grade” comment.
Thanks for your input GH.
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2 2 I give a substantive response, and that’s all you can do?
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4 0 I went to see Roy Zimmerman last night, and I thought he was hilarious. I can’t see either political party taking umbrage at what he “sings”. He took plenty of pot shots at both parties. The war was the main topic.
It was enlightening to see Nemesis and Idahogie in person. Has anyone ever pictured someone only to have all your preconceived ideas fly right out the window when you do finally see them in person? That is what happened to me.
Anyway, back to Zimmerman. I had to leave at the intermission, so didn’t get to see the rest of his show, but if it was as good as the first half, I certainly missed something great. Just wish you all could have had the pleasure of seeing his show.
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3 0 Idaho Native! You had the better of me, I wish I could have met you. (Or known that I was meeting you!)
I also enjoyed that show immensely, but due to some severe pain (I traveled back home from Boise yesterday to get to the show) I had to go home afterwards, and I missed the after-party at the Snake Bite. He played my favorite song there…”Jerry Falwell’s God”. (Link to YouTube of this is in the post).
I am sure he will be a hit at both conventions, as he was before.
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4 0 Sounds like you guys had a great time!! Glad to hear it!
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0 0 I meant to head over, but got absorbed in family things.
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0 0 I hope you enjoy Pablo tonight, too. If I didn’t already have this previous engagement activity I would go there, too.
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2 3 maybe Roy Zimmerman could write a song about “honest Joe Biden”, Obama’s new running mate; Roy could include these fun facts:
“Then in September 1987, the campaign ran into serious trouble when [Biden] was accused of plagiarizing a speech by Neil Kinnock, then-leader of the British Labour Party.[25] . . . . Within days, it was also discovered that, while at Syracuse Law School, Biden had plagiarized a law review article in a class paper he wrote. Biden said the act was inadvertent due to his not knowing the proper rules of citation, and Biden was permitted to retake the course after receiving a grade of F in the course. Biden also released at the same time the record of his grades as an undergraduate which were C’s and D’s with the exception of two A’s in physical education, one B in a course on English writers and an F in ROTC during his first three semesters.[27] His grades improved later in his undergraduate career but were not exceptional.[27] Further, when questioned by a New Hampshire resident about his grades in law school Biden had claimed falsely to have graduated in the “top half” of his class, (when he actually graduated 76th in a class of 85) that he had attended on a full scholarship, and had received three degrees.[28] In fact he had received a single B.A. in history and political science and a half scholarship based on financial need.[28]
Faced with these revelations, Biden withdrew from the nomination race on September 23, 1987
from the Wikipedia article entitled “Joe Biden”. . . .. . . .
what a breath of fresh, honest air for the DNC. . .
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2 3 When the Obama/Biden team is in office, Roy Zimmerman will write songs mocking them and/or critical of them for their failures. Keith Olbermann will be harsh and critical of them. Jon Stewart will be at his satirical best.
That’s one big difference between the left and the right in this country. The left does not believe that it’s job is to support those in power, even when they are Democrats. The right, being more authoritarian in nature, is much more supportive of GOP leadership. Just look at how they’ve defended the last 8 years of criminality and incompetence, and how they demonized Clinton - a successful and popular president.
No doubt the right will spend the next 8 years trying to hamstring the administration with lies and frivolity. Biden might have his flaws, but I’ll take them over McCain/Romney(?) any day.
Nice try, housemonkey.
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1 2 Hey Housemonkey, since you opened the door with your fun facts about Biden, it’s only fair that we take a look at the McCain under the same microscopic lens. Perhaps RZ could also write a song about McCain and call out a few of the following “fun facts” about the presumptive Republican nominee:
- Although he grew up Episcopalean and claimed to be Episcopalean for many years, suddenly — in September 2007, while campaining in South Carolina (a heavily Baptist state) — he declared himself a Baptist! So much for disavowing political pandering on the “straight talk express!” (The Associated Press, September 12, 2007)
- Remember the Keating 5? Though he was not convicted of anything, McCain was one of 5 congressmen investigated on ethics charges for strenuously helping convicted racketeer Charles Keating after he gave them large campaign contributions and vacation trips. Specifically, McCain intervened on behalf of Charles Keating after Keating gave McCain approximately $112,00 in contributions. Senator McCain made at least 9 trips on Keating’s airplanes (in the mid-1980s), and 3 of those were to Keating’s luxurious retreat in the Bahamas. McCain’s wife and father-in-law also were the largest investors (at $350,000) in a Keating shopping center; the Phoenix New Times called it a “sweetheart deal.”
- McCain has had his share of “family problems.” He has a reputation as a politician who has difficulty keeping his pants zipped. He acknowledges that his adultery broke up his first marriage (Wikipedia). His second wife Cindy, the daughter of a wealthy Budweiser beer distributor, was addicted to prescription narcotics and even stole hard drugs from a medical charity that she ran (Phoenix New Times, September 8, 1994 ). McCain acknowledges that she didn’t want him to run.
- He’s plain scary to some of his fellow Replubicans. Senator Thad Cochran (Missouri), who has know McCain for over 3 decades is fearful of how McCain will behave if elected. “The thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine,” Cochran said about McCain by phone. “He is erratic. He is hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me.”
There’s more, but I think I’ll stop now.
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1 2 I, too, was at the Roy Zimmerman concert. And in a word it was brilliant. Thank you Idahogie for bringing him to Idaho Falls.
Most of his songs were hysterically clever, intelligent and poignent. This one, in particular, caused me to stop and think. I invite those of you with “support the troops” stickers on your SUVs to consider these lyrics. Notice that he takes a well-deserved jab at the Democratic Congress.
Thanks For the Support
words and music by Roy Zimmerman
© 2007
You’ve got that yellow ribbon stuck on your H-2
Thanks for the support
Memorial Day weekend you threw a bar-b-que
Thanks for the support
I can feel the love seven thousand miles away
And I’m a partiot, as I was trying to say
When you cut me short
Thanks for the support
I was gunning for Osama, and you sent me for Saddam
Thanks for the support
Now I’m sitting down to dinner - it’s another can of Spam
Thanks for the support
You say complete the mission, and I say count on me
‘Cause I don’t even know what mission there might be
To abort
Thanks for the support
You sent me here a third time, and my house was repossessed
Thanks for the support
Now my wife is in a trailer, but she sent a kevlar vest
Thanks for the support
And I think of her only every time I bleed
And someday we will meet again at Walter Reed
The resort of last resort
Thanks for the support
And you hired those mercenaries who make eight times what I do
Thanks for that
And you dropped in on Thanksgiving with a turkey and a camera crew
Thanks…giving
Now you’re giving guns to the ones who shot at me
The tank is full, but the strategy might be
Down a quart
Thanks for the support
I ‘preciate the stopgap, and I ‘preciate the Surge
Thanks for the support
Another twenty thousand voices to harmonize this dirge
Thanks for the support
And to the Democratic Congress who could have brought me home
Who must have come down with a new Gulf War Syndrome
Of some sort
Thanks for the support
And if I die tomorrow, won’t you ship me home at night
Thanks for the support
And if I have a funeral, make sure it’s outta sight
Thanks for the support
In the final seconds you’ve got a plan to win
Cut those taxes and let Jesus put one in
From half-court
Thanks for the support
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2 2 Thanks Calling All Hypocrits, and thanks Idaho Native, too. It feels weird to be seen by others and not to know who you were. Oh well.
And thanks for posting the lyrics. You can see the YouTube video in the post above.
Why do the complaints about Obama/Biden seem so terribly lame? It really seems like they strain to find objections, and they never really add up. It’s obvious that McCain’s weaknesses far surpass Obama’s on many of the same issues that they bring up.
Could it be that they are just bound and determined to vote R, and they just scramble to find some reasons to justify their decision?
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Okay, I centered the picture in the draft but obviously he’s trying to be a little more on the RIGHT in this community!!!
Folks, you might not hit the dance floor to his songs but they’re fantastic lyrics, and that’s what I like.