Dr Guitar - Bush has protected us from the terrorists (laugh, cringe, smile).
He’s lowered our taxes, particularly on the upper income levels. Of course, that has made the deficit go up.
I can’t think of anything else he’s done?
Ya know, I guess as a thinking person, I have grown tired of the people in power who are causing real problems blaming everyone but themselves for the problems they cause. They have thrown up so much smoke and mirrors that people have started to believe that they are no worse than their democrat counterparts. I guess if I was a democrat I would be offended by this but since I am not it just looks pitiful and deceitful.
Folks, if you are going to run the country take credit for your actions. If you are going to shoot a horse, don’t blame the horse for stepping in front of the bullet. 
Did you see Bush on TV recently talking about the high oil prices. He said we gotta do something about it. Dahhhh…
| Quote (TomS @ April 24 2006,11:13) |
| I promise I won't ridicule. I have tried really hard, and I can't think of a major thing that Bush ahs done well or correctly. Honestly. In the end it might just come down to you believe that X was good, and I don't - which would be interesting - but even more interesting is if you pointed out something that I could agree was a good thing. We're talking major things here, however - I think it's great that Bush has spent time in kindergarten classrooms, for example. Every president ought to do that sort of thing, to help children learn about the office and democracy in general. So there, I did find something he has done that I think is good. But how about the major issues? |
I appreciate your effort at being honest. If you can't think of anything or just aren't willing to admit any major accomplishments (which itself is a very qualified expression) by Bush, then it's completely pointless for me to list anything. It would either become debate fodder or an excuse for you or someone else to make personal attacks, which has already happened aplenty.
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| The Democrat’s don’t act like idiots. |
Sure they do. IF they had acted LESS idiotic than the Repubs, we’d be bitchin’ about THEIR administration. I am of course going waaay back to the elections. I mean Al frickin’ Gore??? C’mon… trying to choose between GWB and Gore was like trying to choose between Black Plague and Botulism. Kerry was a slight improvement but basically had no chance.
Give us a decent choice next time OK fellas?
D
| Quote (DrGuitar @ April 24 2006,12:14) |
| I am being completely honest when I say I can not find anything good GW has done for the average american. |
Exactly as I predicted. So there’s really no point in me coming up with a list that I believe in just to have you rant about it inconsolably.
| Quote (DrGuitar @ April 24 2006,12:14) |
| And Tom, I do not believe that photo ops count as a positive for the average american. You are not the first ksdb to not be able to find a positive side of the president. |
No, I’ve found plenty of things. You’ve finally admitted that you won’t accept any of them, so now I don’t have to spend time reading the inevitable spin and deflection that would result.
| Quote (DrGuitar @ April 24 2006,12:14) |
| Since I am a devout independent, I have asked this question of both my republican and democrat friends. And this question only came about after years of lies by the white house. Neither my republican or democrat friends can think of any real good the current administration has done. A few of the republican friends have pointed out the “tax break”, but all of them qualified it with “the money went to the wrong people”. |
Your friends are probably just trying to stay on your friendly side and don’t want to be caught in an ugly and awkward debate with you. They’ve obviously recognized in person what I recognized online.
| Quote (DrGuitar @ April 24 2006,12:14) |
| So although you seem to be able to spin with the best of them, it is still smoke and mirrors you are spinning. |
There’s no spin. You’ve admitted what I suspected. I’ve made no other claims on which to spin.
| Quote (DrGuitar @ April 24 2006,12:14) |
| The question is not about you or me, it is about an administration that does not seem to be able to put a positive program together for the average american. And since democrats are not the ones in power in any way, you cannot continue to blame the democrats for our current debacle. |
You’re reading things between the lines. I haven’t blamed Democrats for anything. I’ve only pointed out that they add nothing constructive to the polticial landscape and they don’t.
| Quote (DrGuitar @ April 24 2006,12:14) |
| Well you can, but it is nothing but a transparent lie. |
IOW you just shut off the potential for honest debate and dialogue because you already have your mind made up. Sad, really.
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| No, I’ve found plenty of things. You’ve finally admitted that you won’t accept any of them, so now I don’t have to spend time reading the inevitable spin and deflection that would result. |
yeah… right…
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| There’s no spin. |
Uh huh… careful standing up…
I’m dizzy from all that spin.
BTW, I can name a couple of items…and will.
1- I felt the trade restrictions GW put on Canada and Japan were justified and should have been handled by Clinton. Canada and Japan were dumping steel in the US at the cost of American Steel Companys and their workers. It was illegal and I believe in tough steps instead of pidly fines. The Republican party along with the Democrats did not agree fully with GW but let the sanctions go ahead. Remember the European Union wanted to boycot us. That was funny.
2- Harriet Meyers. I had no problem with her and neither did GW.
3- GW’s immigration plan sucked the LEAST of all to me.
4- GW’s hydrogen cell initiative is a good idea albeit 4 years late. Better late than never. I believe as a leader he should have initiated a bypartisan energy program back when he had the numbers to support him. It was a lost opportunity at a time when it would have been an easy sell.
As much as I think GW is a poor leader much of the blame for the state of our union falls at the feet of the most useless Senate and House we’ve had in my lifetime. If they would have fulfilled their proper role, and the President had fulfilled his, there would have been more discussion and working on these problems then we’ve seen.
The Republicans came to office with an agenda which they’ve seen fit to implement. The Democrats don’t have and haven’t had the numbers in the House and Senate to refute anything the Republicans REALLY want to do. The best the Dem’s can do is to take it to the people and scare the Republicans with voter disapproval as they did with the Social Security Privatization idea. The Dems have been left out of discussions in Congress so to say that they don’t have any ideas is simply false. I’ve heard this alot about Gore and Kerry…that they had no ideas. You weren’t listening. In fact Kerry laid out his solutions to EVERY problem brought up. Go ahead and spin that but spinning it will only prove you weren’t listening.
I detest a liar. I was brought up that way. My dad taught us that there is nothing lower on this earth than a liar. When you lie you lose your reputation and you soil the family name for not only yourself but for the rest of your family. Even Dante has a lower place in hel*l for liars than he does for fornicators.
KingFish
Thanks King, I had forgotten the trade restrictions and the hydrogen inititive is a good idea (more like 10 years late) but that would not concern Bush. So I think you have slightly dispelled my anger for this current administration. The other two “positives” you mentioned I have some disagreements with but you done good.
I also detest liars. For me it was because of my lousy memory. I learned early on that as long as you never lie, you never have to remember anything. Plus, I have no problem eating crow. I learn more from mistakes than any other way. 
Thanks again…
I dunno, Diogenes, I rather liked and still like Gore. He has his head on straight about environmental problems.
I realized from KingFih’s list that when I hear a Texas Oil Man talking alternative power I jump to the conclusion that he doesn’t really mean it. Now, if he starts arguing for fundamental changes in the way we use energy, then I wil listen very closely.
OK, no president is totally bad. But Bush is still the worst president ever.
| Quote (KingFish @ April 24 2006,19:42) |
| Canada and Japan were dumping steel in the US at the cost of American Steel Companys and their workers. It was illegal and I believe in tough steps instead of pidly fines... |
cough...cough...cough...softwood lumber...cough...cough
| Quote (BillClarke @ April 24 2006,11:58) | ||
cough…cough…cough…softwood lumber…cough…cough |
I take it you’re implying that Canada also dumps softwood lumber on the American market?
Actually Bill, I don’t know this issue. Please lay it out.
Thanks
KingFish
| Quote (KingFish @ April 25 2006,02:12) |
| I take it you're implying that Canada also dumps softwood lumber on the American market? Actually Bill, I don't know this issue. Please lay it out. Thanks KingFish |
Here's some background info - Softwood Lumber Backgrounder
Basically, since the end of the Softwood Lumber Agreement in 2001 the U.S. has collected $5.2 Billion through tariffs that the WTO and NAFTA panels agree should not have been collected. The tariffs are based on the erroneous conclusion that Canadian stumpage fees form a type of subsidy - they don't but even if they did, both NAFTA and the WTO say they have been calculated incorrectly and could only be justified at about one half of the level used - IF they could be shown to be a subsidy.
Kingfish - these ideologues don’t think Bush has lied to us, even though we learn more about his lies everyday. Did anyone see this A Spy Speaks Out.
This article doesn’t tell us anything that many of us didn’t know already, i.e., that Bush’s policy was to go to war in Iraq & they were looking for justification to do so. However, it does have a CIA official go on record admitting this.
If the Congress goes Democratic this fall, and I pray this it does, there were will numerous investigations into Bush’s lies. There will also be followup on the WMD report which the Republicans never really finished.
| Quote (Mr Soul @ April 25 2006,11:21) |
| If the Congress goes Democratic this fall, and I pray this it does, there were will numerous investigations into Bush's lies. There will also be followup on the WMD report which the Republicans never really finished. |
MrSoul proves my point once again how the Democrats are only interested in being dividers.
ksdb, Bush has said he has not and will not follow the law. That is grounds for impeachment. I said the same thing when Clinton perjured himself. We have rule of law here, and no one of either party can be allowed to subvert it, in any circumstances. That’s the difference between a democracy and totalitarianism. This is n’t about being dividers, it is about preserving basic democratic processes. the Constitution says he needs warrants, the law provides a way to do it, and he had repeatedly said he has and will ignore both.
Impeach Bush now.
| Quote (TomS @ April 25 2006,13:02) |
| ksdb, Bush has said he has not and will not follow the law. That is grounds for impeachment. I said the same thing when Clinton perjured himself. We have rule of law here, and no one of either party can be allowed to subvert it, in any circumstances. That's the difference between a democracy and totalitarianism. This is n't about being dividers, it is about preserving basic democratic processes. the Constitution says he needs warrants, the law provides a way to do it, and he had repeatedly said he has and will ignore both. Impeach Bush now. |
When did Bush say he will NOT follow the law??
| Quote (ksdb @ April 25 2006,01:43) |
|
When did Bush say he will NOT follow the law?? |
He made that statement very plainly and clearly in several press conferences and then Alberto backed him up in a Senate briefing and press conferences that this president is above the law.
This administration has broken several laws, both international and domestic, in it’s term. The Senate and House have been remiss in calling the administration on these issues since they are busy with their own graft and corruption schemes.
KingFish
| Quote (KingFish @ April 25 2006,15:00) | ||
He made that statement very plainly and clearly in several press conferences and then Alberto backed him up in a Senate briefing and press conferences that this president is above the law. This administration has broken several laws, both international and domestic, in it's term. The Senate and House have been remiss in calling the administration on these issues since they are busy with their own graft and corruption schemes. KingFish |
Since it was said very plainly and clearly then you can provide some actual citations where Bush said "I'm ignoring the law and won't follow it??"
It’s not being a divider for the Congress to over-see the Executive branch. Please do a little research on how our government works.