My cynical nature asserts itself...

Nice thought. Hadn't even considered it.

Still, I'm curious to see the masterplan for getting around the stimulus package that most Americans think is a fraud and plummeting approval ratings.

Actually Kronos, it could be about both. If Bush does what you say he might (bring us back from the brink) and then negotiates with Saddam for some kind of normalization, we might be able to get a steady stream of oil from a non fundamentalist muslim regime and Bush could get double the credit. Very interesting point.

Interesting..

"But...the steady stream already exists. It's called Canada, and to a lesser extent, Venezuela.

9% from Iraq isn't a stream...it's a garden hose."

My point was that we could increase the amount of oil from Iraq, not that we get a lot now.

This is kind of interesting because in a way it plays off what Clinton did when he was taking a ton of heat, bomb Iraq.

Ok, I gots an idea. Lets all get a ton of weapons....and establish a benevolent co-dictatorship with Kronos and Mikah as our leaders.

It could work...

Well, the fact that we've drawn out the "state of war" has to be considered. From 9/11, we've kept troops deployed and constantly tried to align new threats to 9/11 (the non-existent Bin Laden connection our admin tried to pin on Hussein) to keep Americans convinced that we'll be fighting this "war" for awhile, so let's not rock the leadership boat.

Hell, it may work. True to the saying, no one ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public.

This is pretty much my fear as well. Everything I've seen Bush do on the international stage suggests a man who neither cares for nor understands the world beyond America, and a man who would gladly ignore all that pesky global politics if he could.

9/11 gave Bush the opportunity to enter "war mode", giving him an easy soapbox to climb onto whenever people started to ask tricky questions. That's why there have been so many "terror warnings", just to remind you that you should be scared, and that America is under siege. The state of paranoia must be prolonged so that Bush can continue appearing as the Tough President.

The minute the War On Terror evaporates, and if Bush can't find another patsy nation to divert attention to, he'll have to start being a real president. And I don't think he knows how.

Indeed. Bush is like "Super Giuliani" in that he was a fairly maligned and disrespected individual at one point who saw that perceived heroism in time of war washes away many sins. And they both ran with it.

The trick is keeping the "war image" going, which is what Rumsfeld, "Homeland Security," keeping troops deployed perpetually and our fight-picking with Iraq does. On the economy and taxation, he's clearly not in favor with Americans as polls show. His judicial nominees have been jokes for the most part. He's made no significant environmental strides. No notable education reforms. Healthcare is still a disaster. And even when he issues minor mandates on these issues, he doesn't empower the states financially to execute his will - which is why the Governors of America have collaborated to recommend several major changes to his stimulus package.

There was an article in the NY Times months ago suggesting the possibility that Bush was more bark than bite on the Iraqi war. They compared it to similar tactics used by Harry Truman. Keep your army as ready as possible, and keep your enemies just as certain you could attack at any time. Apparently Bush's admin have been taking more than a few plays out of Truman's book. Wish I knew more about "Give 'Em Hell Harry."

Actually if there is no war Bush does not go through another election the winner. Peace or no he would have gone back on his word that he would bring about regime change if material breach was found.

It has been found and we are going to war. Simple as that.

Why do you think we have House Dems rallying so hard against Bush? Because they know if there is no war there is no Bush in 2004.

Dems can rally all they want. They got no one to run in 04. Sadly, I think Bush could fuck almost completely and still win because the Democrats are morons when it comes to running a presidential candidate.

I was looking forward to seeing Michael Dukakis running for president again " I am the sun of greek immigrants.. "

I agree with you for the most part, but honestly believe that there is not really a great Democratic candidate to be found. He'll either be too conservative or too liberal for the country.

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the subject is://--> the democrats are morons when it comes to running a presidential candidate.

I am ha-4!...and a variation of "45t76y%%Fx".
either way,I believe you people are too optimistic.
both democrats and republicans are useless.
the U.S continent and its inhabitants are clueless and extremely selfish.
selfish & self-centered because future generations'inheritance is worthless...pollution,degradation,corruption,overp opulation,religion,uncontrolled immigration.
Nothing is going to change. things can only worsen from here.
In the united states ,the educational system has no viable programs.
without values, without effectiveness and cultural preservations; there are negative side effects.
the U.S is gradually changing. but the problem is that evolution & technology are not really advancing fast enough, because we are constantly crippled by welfare leeches. And you are feeding them. Imio, the united states should be concentrating itself on important scientific projects.
Our primordial goals should be to eleminate all forms of environmental deteriorations,Conquer other planets & to perfectionate human cloning or to simply create and encourage every parents to ameliorate their child's natural genes (in other words isolating degenerated genes). ....instead of using a polluting car, drive electric vehicules...people should realise and understand that fuel is not eternal. All those arab billionaires will go haywire in the years to come.
our future is the electric and solar energy. Then again, that might not be the case for the rest of the planet. and even the united states (since it is becoming a gigantic "third world country"). that is, of course..unless nothing changes. But I doubt it.Generally speaking, every governments have a tendency to be corrupted to the core.
In this world, if you want true justice, you have to take it into your own hands. Anyway,the glaciers raise the sea level. lots of islands will eventually be submerged. where will the survivors go? will they surpopulate us even more?
the future is pretty bleak,But what is even more frustrating is that we could change this processus.

Religion should also be banned.It sounds dictatorial but religion is a cancer for evolution. It is naturally deceitful, like sectarianism.
people pray and thank god for lots of different things..for the food in their plate,their health..but ultimately, what brings you joy,food and happiness is being with your loved ones,money,doctor and even your materialistic goods.
Not every religion is malign. extremists are everywhere. ( especially islamists ). and most of them have nothing to lose (according to their beliefs, if they die as martyrs in the name of allah, they are promised 72 virgins in the after life)...their collective targets are infidels (none-islamists).
Without religion,there would be no retarted civilisations and improbable beliefs.

45t76y%%Fx = OUT!

I don't care if they're too liberal. Heck, they can even be a strong conservative. I'm just so tired of voting for the lesser of who cares. Want to know why 2000 was so close? Because it didn't matter who won. It's Jack Johnson versus John Jackson. The Dems need to pick someone with personality. Someone who does what he means. But in today's world of politics, that's just a pipe dream. Obviously, the Dems will pick someone sans personality. They'll go with a candidate who tries to win over everybody and wins no body. It'll be Bush by default.

"I don't care if they're too liberal. Heck, they can even be a strong conservative. I'm just so tired of voting for the lesser of who cares. Want to know why 2000 was so close? Because it didn't matter who won. It's Jack Johnson versus John Jackson. The Dems need to pick someone with personality. Someone who does what he means. But in today's world of politics, that's just a pipe dream. Obviously, the Dems will pick someone sans personality. They'll go with a candidate who tries to win over everybody and wins no body. It'll be Bush by default."

Who would you pick? Honestly, I mean when it comes to politicians with personality most of 'em seem to carry around a lot of baggage.

When you say baggage do you mean emotional baggage, a bunch of advisors telling them what to think, or they're just a bunch of a bullshit?

If I had to pick a Democratic candidate, I'd vote Lieberman. I think he has the moral clarity that I want in my candidates. He has all the personality of Al Gore, but he says what he believes, and believes what he says. He doesn't do the flip flop for votes thing.

Um, John McCain??? wink

It seems to me that the guys with the most personality usually get themselves in trouble a lot. Clinton would be a good example of that. It seems the stiffs are the ones who are usually scandal free. This is a broad generalization but it makes sense to me.

I think it would be very hard for a Jew even in this day and age to get enough votes for the presidency.

Yeah, I've heard him mentioned before. Not sure, from what I understand at least up until the last presidential election his voting record was pretty conservative. He might have a chance but I still would doubt it. I would be for Zell Miller, but not sure how feasible that would be either.

It doesn't matter if the stiffs are scandal free. You'd never know it because they'd never get elected into office. The fancy name for popularity contest is democracy. And personally, if I had to trade a scandal for getting an intelligent Democrat in office, I'd make the trade. Lewinsky in the scheme of things was not a big deal. But I've already derailed this thread enough.

"It doesn't matter if the stiffs are scandal free. You'd never know it because they'd never get elected into office."

Well I consider Bush a stiff....

"The fancy name for popularity contest is democracy. And personally, if I had to trade a scandal for getting an intelligent Democrat in office, I'd make the trade."

Me too, but I dont think others would.

"Lewinsky in the scheme of things was not a big deal."

Not to you and me, but you ask others and you get a totally opposite reaction.

"But I've already derailed this thread enough."

Well at least its going into an interesting direction.

Did you miss the last election? The day he was picked for running mate he repudiated a number of key differences he had with Gore, and in such a way that there was no hint that he was flushing his whole public career down the toilet (Lieberman was voted most conservative Democrat or some such nonsense by his Republican colleagues). At least Cheney said he would "defer" to Bush when they had differences but didn't say that they wouldn't have disagreements.

I lost the respect I had for Lieberman that day. The funny thing is, now that he isn't Gore's running mate, Liebermans gone back to all of the positions he previously repudiated!

His crusade against video games must end!

Lieberman's the prime example of what's wrong with the Democratic party - being too damn conservative. Correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't Dems lean to the left while Republicans lean to the right? At least that's what I was taught. If you have a Democrat who's so right-leaning, people are just going to vote for a real conservative and just give their votes to Bush. It's a two-party system. Can we please try and have two parties instead of one?

What an unreasonable request...

Sadly, Bush is a lot more liberal than people care to admit.

Again, Jack Johnson and John Jackson. I'm not asking for a radical or an extremist. I'm just asking for someone who has a very clear position and clearly stands to one side of the political spectrum. I'm tired of concessions and compromises instead of progress.

Well, our government has so many checks and balances, progress will always be slow. We have a Repub Prez, Repub Congress, and it matters not because he still has to temper what he says and does before the opinion of the Democratic Congresspeople - who can filibuster him - and the American people, who'd turn on him next election if he didn't seem "moderate" or "reasonable" enough.

During mock congress in high school, my government teacher filibustered a bill by reading the sports page.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled debate...

No need for the health care he mentioned. Health care should be privitaized period. Also don't agree with the cleaner car research. So much of spending already goes to that kinda stuff yet it has gotten us nothing. Let businesses try and beat each other out in it. I mean this is what capitalism is all about.

So I don't agree with him on everything.

You dont think there should be money put towards healthcare? Do you know how many people in this country already can't afford it? How many of the elderly who have been getting continually screwed over because of low interest rates (all of there money is in savings) and then fucked in the ass because of rising drug prices. Yeah, lets worry about Saddam before we worry about th health of our own people.

And you would leave it to the car companies to improve technology? The same companies that are putting out increasingly less fuel efficient cars?

These are two of the points I'll give Bush credit for, at least they will benefit all Americans, not just the most wealthy.

I love this post.
Doesn't sound like the thoughts of a cynic to me.

You're absolutely dead on.

I...agree...with...Call. Gah!

And Kronos.

Concession and compromise IS progress. It balances the nutty left and stodgy right. Its how the Founding Father's developed the system. They WANTED gridlock...that's how the American system works. If you want to do it otherwise, appoint a dictator or oligarchy.

And this is true. I enjoy having a government that gets next to nothing done.

And don't go making a habit of it Micah....
wink

I agree on the Hydrogen car thing. Its a great idea. I think Bush shocked the shit out of a lot of people with stuff like that, the AIDS relief for the US and Africa.

I was a pleased that he addressed Tort Reform. We need it very fucking bad.

We (Arkansas) are undergoing big Tort Reform growing pains at the local level.

(cause I can't spell my own states name)