Bucco, I've seen the list of communists and Marxists that were friends and mentors of Obama in his youth. So far as I know, they are not present-day mentors and that, to me, is much more important. If I'm wrong, let me know as this is something I would truly be interested in knowing.

As I said, I had many of the same ilk for mentors but West Coast style -- mine were more likely to turn to violence than his. The fact they were my mentors truly has little to nothing to do with my viewpoints then or now. They were anti-Vietnam and the military. I was anti-Vietnam war, pro military. They marched for peace, I wanted them out of my way so I could get to class. I did enjoy sitting and talking to them, getting their viewpoints; sometimes agreeing, sometimes disagreeing.

As to the "Global Poverty Act," to me it's more of a soundbite than much of anything else. America has always been generous in giving to the rest of world. Sometimes for truly altruistc reasons, more frequently for political purposes.

As to a re-distribution of wealth, again, I'd say it sounds good and in some instances truly should occur (I'm thinking of areas where things like the old coal companies' stores and housing basically made serfs of the miners still exist in this country) and maybe when a company's profits are truly obscene some of that money should be given back to the consumers who were forced to pay outrageous sums for necessities. A CEO whose company has lost money and is fired should not be entitled to a golden umbrella package -- those funds should be given back to the company and its shareholders. So, I can think of instances when I do believe wealth should be distributed. From what I've heard, Sen. Obama is talking more of those type of scenarios than across-the-board disbursals.

There are checks and balances in place that would pretty much prevent Sen. Obama from turning the U.S. into a socialist state. I do believe in some of things he is espousing but I truly doubt he will be successful in implementing them in any major way. To me, the economy, the war in the Middle East, affordable health insurance for all, Amerca regaining its place as an educational leader, the environment are the important issues. To accomplish any of this, it is going to take a decent President with some very good advisors and staff.

Until the conventions are over, we're not really going to know who these advisors and staff will be. That's when it will get interesting and, hopefully, give us all a better idea of who the better man is.