Bush's Successes
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| Mon, 07-19-2004 - 3:25pm |
Dear Reader,
I'm getting sick and tired of my fellow Americans
saying that the presidency of George W. Bush is a
failure. With the string of successes he's had,
nothing could be further from the truth. Let me list a
few:
1. He has successfully rid America of that troubling
budget surplus and turned it into a $500 billion
deficit.
2. He has successfully helped America's trading
partners have the highest trade surplus with us in
America's history.
3. He has successfully lowered the taxes for the
richest Americans and corporations at the expense of
99% of the American population.
4. He has successfully started another Viet Nam in
Iraq after lying to the whole world.
5. He has successfully pushed the price of gas up to
the highest level ever here in America.
6. He has successfully allowed American corporations
to dramatically increase their pollution.
7. He has successfully thrown about 10% of the
population out of work.
8. He has successfully allowed corporations to export
our best middle-class jobs.
9. He has successfully divided our country as never
before.
10. He has successfully driven our oldest allies away.
11. He has successfully united the terrorists as never
before (he said all along he was a uniter, not a
divider).
12. He has successfully broken his oath to uphold the
constitution of the United States of America.
13. He has successfully united Democrats (yay!) as
they haven't been for years (I told you he was a
uniter).
14. He has successfully driven me out of the
Republican party for the rest of my life.
You know, with a string of successes like that, it's a
wonder America is still standing.

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You seem to have strong opinion about NCLB, myself, I don't really know much beyond the media version, which doesn't say much. Our district has a new Superintendent that is very supportive of NCLB, although she also does not believe that smaller class size makes much difference in students accomplishments. She has studies that back her claim that she sites. Can you tell me, beyond your contention that NCLB is nothing more than someone making pie charts, what specifically do you find fault with the program. I know that it is more than just another administrative position in school districts. I've been wanting to look more into this, especially with a Superintendent that will be forming policies b/c of NCLB. Thanks!
Again, if you're going to compare Kerry's past 20 years, offer me up something of an accomplishment for Bush's past 20 years. It should be a heck of a lot easier as President of the United States, with your party controlling both the House and Senate, to get something worth while accomplihsed. If Bush had actually done something of value he could campaign on it rather than going negative. He's done nothing as President. And worse, I think he's a coward. The attack on Kerry, like he did with McCain, and his party did to Max Cleland is despicable and only shows how desparate Bush is to stay in power.
When did you finally decide to vote for Bush by the way? Or is your anger more from the perspective that you like neither candidate?
I am for John Kerry, so don't tell me that we aren't rallying behind our candidate. I've told you I wasn't that active in politics but Bush has pulled me in. I really believe that this is the most important race of our times. I've never had a bumper sticker of any kind on my car - I have a John Kerry for President sticker on it. I have the hat, t-shirt, pins too. I got training so I could registe voters and have registered more than 50 people so far (not bad for a one person county) and tonight I've agreed to be an Area Coordinator for several districts in my area. I'm scared out of my mind, but I'm more scared at the prospect of "four more years". I have a 2 1/2 year old and she's counting on me to protect her. I take this very seriously. Stop the silly arguments and tell me what's going on with you. Why are you so angry? You were a voice of reason, and I'm really disappointed that you're turning into a Bush parrot. Help me understand why.
As to wind power - they can only provide a very small percentage of power in comparison to a dirty coal plant. In Massachusetts for example, there are two coal plants that produce 1,000+ MWhs (if I remember correctly off the top of my head each MWh equals electricity supply for a 1,000 homes). Depending on the size of the wind turbine they generate about 7-10MWhs. As they are also dependent on the wind, and electricity cannot be stored, they're mostly running in the Spring and Fall in the Northeast - a period of time when energy consumption is not that high. So is it really worth it to damage a great view and harm tourism? Up to the Bostonians to decide.
I think Kerry is on the right track. I am all for wind, hydro and solar power, but at this point they're not able to compete (without huge tax incentives and/or gov't subsidies) with the dirty fuels of coal, oil, and the cleaner dirty one - gas. They are limited by the amount of non-controllable factors - amount of wind, rain and sun and considered unreliable. If we're to help our dependence situation immediately (foreign oil) it'll have to come from challenging Detroit. (Also it wouldn't hurt if we all stopped spending so much time on the computer and conserved energy! :-) ) The hybrids have been a success, let's build on this and keep it going. Through challenge comes innovation. Maybe we'll also come up with a reliable, large energy producing source to compete with coal, oil, and gas. We won't with this administration.
Again, I assert....someone who is trying to make their mark as a leader in the Senate for almost 20 years could have at least one major piece of legislation that they authored. Why does Kerry have none? Besides, I dont think that Kerry is a leader enough to organize the votes in the Senate to actually get tough legislation passed. Everything I have read about Kerry makes it seem that he was more about investigations than legislation, which is respectable, but it does nothing to make you stand out in the political world. Show me where he went across the aisle to get a tough bill passed by both parties.
Which specific attack on Kerry are you referring? The SwiftVets ad? From the best I can gather Bush had nothing to do with this ad, and while some Republicans may be donating a lot of money to the organization (legally) it does not mean that Bush either supports or rejects it. In fact, one of the members of the organization said that they would continue to run the ad even if the RNC and President Bush asked them to stop.
I supported Bush in 2000 based on what his platform was at the time (especially since Al Gore could not put a cohesive idea together), and while I am upset that he has strayed from that platform, I do feel that he is doing a fairly good job in combating terrorism, and the economy is improving, while John Kerry seems to be all over the place. He supports something, now he is against it....he votes for money for the troops before he votes against it (even though there was only one vote).....he makes a plea to the Senate to authorize the use of military force in Iraq, but now supports those that claim that Bush lied about the intelligence, even though he was privy to the exact same intelligence.
BTW, I am sorry to hear that you have defaced your car just for a bumper sticker with Kerry's name on it.... that is really a shame.
I am stil a voice of reason. I want a reason to vote for Kerry and the reason that he is not George Bush is not even close to being good enough. I know way too much about the goings on in the UN to trust a Commander in Chief that would want to rely so heavily on them. Sorry, I dont rely on corrupt organizations that dont even have the power or balls (for lack of a better term) to enforce their own resolutions to guide our country in its security.
I am also against free taxing and free spending government, which someone of Kerry's mold has traditionally done, and judging by what he plans to do, he will fit right in there. The only Democrat that was able to do that in recent history has been Bill Clinton, and that was because he did it on the QT (as much as you possibly can in politics), and because he kept spending in check.
OK - so for now we'll say Kerry did nothing for 20 years in the Senate because he didn't author any bills. What have we agreed that Bush has done?
Bush has not denounced the ad against Kerry. And he was the one behind the push-polls against McCain. These attacks are very similar.
You give two reasons you support Bush - terrorism and the economy. Both are heavily debated issues. What arguments can you provide that we're better off on both those fronts? From what I read on the economy (WSJ), we haven't yet turned the corner. Everyone predicts we are, but yet we're still behind in jobs, and not just the unemployment percentage. There are several articles out there on the true number of unemployed - those who've been unemployed for so long they no longer qualify for unemployment and those that have just given up looking, both which don't add into the unemployment figure. You may be fortunate to live in a pocket where the job numbers are better than the national average, but does that represent the country as a whole? As to terrorism - I dont see any stability in Iraq, Afghanistan has fallen off the meter, over 1,000 have now died in war (which doesn't seem to make headlines), I live in an area that has gone to Code Orange (we'll skip the debate on whether it was for poitical reasons or not, we'll assume it's on valid info) and there is no end in sight as they're predicting an attack on the elections now too.
Regardless of your thoughts on the UN, I think we'd be a lot better off with assistance in Iraq and bringing some of our troops home. We never should've gone in and they stand a better chance of recovery without us around (although I'm not for a complete withdrawal any time soon). Have you heard that there are some ways that Saddam could come back into power? One of the reasons many Iraqis won't support us, they fear Saddam more. What will you think if another Bush lets Saddam walk?
I think I was right with my last post. You're more upset that you don't want to vote for Bush, but you need a good reason to vote for Kerry. I can understand that. I don't really trust either, but I trust Kerry more. I'm willing to step out in faith.
PS - My car actually looks better with the bumber sticker. :-) Although I also have my eye on a "Hang up and Drive" bumper sticker.
PPS - I'm really not trying to attack you. There is a big difference between your posts of several weeks ago and now. Just curious why the sudden change. You were more middle of the road, fair and open-minded. Now you seem more on attack mode. I have no problem with you voting for Bush (sort of) - it's a free country. :-)
That's not true.
:o)
That should be a Federal law in my book. No hands free...no talk.
My reasons are I personally feel more safe with Bush a CiC, as I still know nothing about Kerry except that he stands for something, only to be against it three weeks later, and this has been his modus operandi ever since getting into the Senate.
My area is Code Orange as well, and the one thing I would say about the codes is something that an Israeli counter-terrorism expert said. It is great to have these threat codes, but has anyone told the people what to do in the event of certain kinds of attacks? Dont you think certain plans should be put into place? He made good points.
Unemployment is always a lagging indicator, and as I stated on another thread, there are many things that go unnoticed in the employment / unemployment indicators. You mentioned one as being people who have fallen from the unemployment rolls. I mentioned in my other thread about all of the people who are self-employed, which neither takes into consideration. The economy has rounded the corner, and all of the indicators are pointing to it (with the exception of the oil prices as OPEC is getting even more greedy), and jobs will follow suit, as they have historically.
With regards to Saddam walking, I doubt it as too many Iraqi's want him to suffer the death penalty, which I think he will get. Also, GHW Bush didn't let Saddam off the hook the first time. The highly regarded UN did that all by themselves. Gen. Schwarzkopf wanted to go into Baghdad and take out Hussein, but the UN command would not allow it, as that was not the mission during the first Gulf War, and it should have been, especially since he had violated the sovereignity of another country....more than enough reason for me in my opinion.
You are right...I am looking for an alternative to Bush, but every time Kerry opens his mouth, and I think I may get some explanations, I get more of the same blah blah blah....
Just once, I would love for someone to run for President that was just brutally honest, and would answer directly ANY question that you put to them, regardless what the consequence. I bet many people in the US are as hungry for this as I am as well.
I would prefer to deal with the devil that I know, over the devil that I don't.
I am still middle of the road, and I may not like Bush, but I like Kerry even less as I know very little about him, and the things that I do know, do not coincide with the same ideologies I hold for someone who is running for President.
He single handedly passed legislation to stop drug trafficing and laundering of money for terrorists? Again...No. Besides, I would not be to proud of that as it is not working all that well.
Lets take the issues I have with Kerry to task.
He votes for the authorization of military force in Iraq, and now campaigns against the war, saying that he was misled. Perhaps if he had the time to read his daily briefings, and take his job as a US Senator seriously, he would not have had this problem. Why was he misled when he had access to the same information and intelligence that President Bush did? Richard Gephardt said that he checked for himself and was convinved by what intelligence he saw, and what he personally heard from George Tenet to vote for the resolution.
He voted for before he votes against the $87 billion to fund the military in Iraq. Sorry John Kerry, there was only one vote on this, and you voted against it.
He votes for No Child Left Behind, and now campaigns against it, instead of actually telling the people that the NCLB is not the problem, but the states and the unions are the problem. NYC spends an average of $12,000 per student per year to school a child in the public schools and has over a 35% rate of failure on the reading exams. The charter schools in NYC spend an average of $4,000 per student per year, and their rate of failue is less than 3%. Money is not the issue or the problem. Accountability with teachers is a main part of the problem, and Randi Weingarten and the teachers unions won't allow it.
He says that he will be better for the military, and intelligence, but his voting record points to exactly the opposite. He supported the Toricelli principle for the CIA, and supported John Deutch's cutting of the HUMINT assets in the CIA by 60%, for starters.
As you said. I could go on, but it is pointless.
I am for wind power and hydroelectricity, but against solar power until they can develop a better system to create the solar cells. I also support nuclear power, but the problem with that lies in what to do with the nuclear waste. (I say shoot it to the sun or something like that....just kidding).
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