rdubnpk I can only say this. A recent poll here in NW Florida, the staunchest of Republican strongholds (generally in all elections, 80% or better vote Republican) and also the home of the largest Air Force base in the world, Eglin, and a second local Air Force base, Hurlburt (in other words, largely populated with military and retired military) asked readers if they felt the War in Iraq was worthwhile. 73% answered no. Unless noone but Democrats read the newspaper (which may well be the case, lol), then even the Republican faithful have figured out (finally) what a monumental mistake we made going in there. As to invading countries just because we don't like their leaders, we could invade Cuba, Iran, Korea, Nicaraugua. Libya, Somolia................where should we begin?
I know you're being sarcastic but out of those I'd pick Somalia. It really needs a kick in the A$$. Personally I think the US should focus on those countries that need aid and provide security while they get back on their feet. Haiti is a perfect example. The EU needs to ruck up and start pushing their weight around with places like Somalia and stop letting the US take the brunt.
Canada was in Somalia at the same time. Like Rwanda, those people have nothing but really need our help.
twini said: You've often spoken of the need of people to start taking responsibility for their lives and actions on this forum, twini. In this, you've been referring mainly to individual responsibility for private actions. But, the really important decisions, made by those with the power to make them, affect many, or all. The greater the degree of impact of a decision, the more important that those who make it get it right, and their level of responsibility is correspondingly higher, unless they deny it, altogether, as some have done, which I consider dishonorable. (George Tennant should have said, "Thank you Mr President, for considering me for the Presidential Medal; however, I cannot accept it, as I screwed up horribly on the most important judgment I ever made in my life.") Bush was a classic case of one who talked about taking responsibility, and being responsible, while in reality denying any, though he had, by offering himself to be President of the United States, assumed about as much responsibility as it's humanly possible to do. I'm reminded of the time when he was asked if he had made any errors of judgment, while President: he hemmed and hawed for an embarrassingly long time before the cameras, unwilling to take any, or admit any responsibility for any significant, bad judgment as President. President Bush was action oriented, and made a lot of judgments critical to the future of his country, but showed a reluctance to belly up to the bar when those judgments proved erroneous. ____________________ Obama has now come along, promising much, and yet leaving people feeling somehow there is a vacuum at the top. A society that will not insist its leaders take responsibility, and hold its leaders accountable for serious bad judgment in important matters, has ceased to care enough about itself to survive, and just changing from one group of reprehensible politicians to another, at election time, is not what I'm talking about....
V, your point is well taken, and I agree that Bush did not step up th the plate and take responsibiltiy for his actions. The only recourse we have for bad leadership is what we can execute at the ballot box. The examples that I gave are fairly typical of American politics. I will use Kennedy as the primary example. His Vietnam war was the most divisive war we had ever fought. Yet, he is revered by many to this day. Carter was a disaster as a President and probably the one American politician most responsible for the rise of Islamic fanaticism as a political movement. His punishment? He is that he is looked upon as an elder statesman and no negativity associated with him. Obama is the same as nothing is his fault but can only be blamed on Bush and the GOP. Sorry Barry, but you done screwed up big time and you need to admit it. Will he? Of course not. It's business as usual in Washington. Hopefully Americans will use this year's election to throw the bums out from both parties. It's time for REAL Hope and Change!
Agreed. Mad as they are, those of the Tea Party are not made enough to suit me about incompetent, dishonest leadership, focused as they are on tax cuts and spending cuts. It's character we need in our leaders. Get rid of the liars, panderers, populists, warmongers and any other low life that walk the corridors of power in this county. Replace them with people who care more about the public good than their private benefit, and who will not take actions or advocate any program, just to buy votes- whether by tax giveaways, or otherwise. I cringe to think about the prospect of returning to power those who brought us the Medicare Drug Benefit; the concept of a war that could last generations; the Collateralized, Mortgage Backed Security, or any other of the lunacy we've seen in the last decade that has left us where we are today. ______________________
rdubnpk Has anyone said term limits??? A career politician is one who has learned to do only one thing...work the system in order to get himself reelected. One cannot ger reelected without a ton of money and that ton of money, for the most part, comes from special interests. The average guy is represented only at election time when the ton of money buys propaganda that fools us all in to thinking he or her has our interest at heart, then it is back to business as usual. Term limits is the only way to guarantee fresh blood.
Term limits are way, way overdue. That and how about English as the official language of the US? Am I the only person who is really sick of "For English press 1?"
Thats the free market talking silly. If I had a business and having Swahili spoken as an option helped my bottom line you bet I would do it!
