<p>“Were there contacts between Saddam’s government and Al Qaida? I am sure there were some contacts. So also there were contacts between our own government and Al Qaida. So by your logic just because we once supported Osama should we have bombed Washington DC?”</p>
<p>What logic? Can you quote me? I simply asked if you’ve read the report. Have you?</p>
<p>It is incredible that just because someone doesn’t like this war, they are then being flipped into being “liberal” and appearing ignorant.</p>
<p>I am not liberal. I do think Bush is about the worst president ever, and that the country is in a lot worse shape as a consequence of his presidency. The economy is very bad for the average person, unemployment is rising, the country became involved in a preemptive highly debatable (at the least) war, and there is obviously, judging by this thread, more polarization and hatred being spewed than has been in a long time.</p>
<p>As to John McCain, I think he is a militaristic nut who has passed his prime! Now I am obviously the only one here who thinks so, so I assume he will be the next president of the US, if this group on CC highly is representative of the voting public. I can only hope it isn’t, because I would then foresee more preemptive wars and strikes based on fear and bad intelligence, and less strength internally in the US. That’s the GWB legacy, unless he does something fast. </p>
<p>And sending out $300 checks won’t turn the economy around. Another lame idea that avoids real issues. Is McCain in favor of that one too?</p>
<p>“I do think Bush is about the worst president ever, and that the country is in a lot Pworse shape as a consequence of his presidency.”</p>
<p>That’s exactly what you can’t know. Has Gore been elected, perhaps there would have been more attacks on our country. Perhaps not. You can’t know that which didn’t happen, you can onl move on from here. As far as McCain is concerned, I’m a conservative republican and am not a fan, but I wouldn’t call him a war monger. My personal opinion is that in an era when people strap bombs onto folks with Down’s and fly planes into buildings, the military option must always be credible and available.</p>
<p>"As to John McCain, I think he is a militaristic nut who has passed his prime! Now I am obviously the only one here who thinks so, so I assume he will be the next president of the US, if this group on CC highly is representative of the voting public. I can only hope it isn’t, because I would then foresee more preemptive wars and strikes based on fear and bad intelligence, and less strength internally in the US. That’s the GWB legacy, unless he does something fast. </p>
<p>And sending out $300 checks won’t turn the economy around. Another lame idea that avoids real issues. Is McCain in favor of that one too?"</p>
<p>Swatparent, I agree with you.</p>
<p>Do you not see the irony of these two statements in the same post?
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<p>So, we are led to believe that it is Bush’s fault that you spew polarized hate talk?</p>
<p>This column was in our local paper today. It is by Thomas Sowell, discussing McCain. Why I found it thru google on a jewish web site idk, but I couldn’t find a link from our paper. What do ya think?</p>
<p><a href=“http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/sowell020108.php3[/url]”>http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/sowell020108.php3</a></p>
<p>A lot of accusations and not enough substance in that article.</p>
<p>Is it that horrible that McCain doesn’t always toe the party line? Both parties are wrong quite often. </p>
<p>McCain is definitely not my first choice. Among the current frontrunners, he is the best choice (IMO).</p>
<p>“So, we are led to believe that it is Bush’s fault that you spew polarized hate talk?”</p>
<p>Yes he has spawned an unbelievable amount of chaos and confusion among the average person. I am polarized. Yep, I am amazed at what this country is doing in Iraq. I am tired of seeing so many people in my state living paycheck to paycheck or going on unemployment, which is being funded by a decreasing number of employed people. </p>
<p>I do not think that the economy could have become much worse up to this point, but it will get worse until Bush is out. </p>
<p>And I do think that McCain does not have the ability to unite this country. Or fix the economy. </p>
<p>In his new budget, just published, Bush is cutting Medicaid and Medicare by $200 billion dollars, and asking for $200 billion dollars for the war in Iraq, plus $500 + billion in addition for the Defense Department.</p>
<p>The Medicare and Medicaid cuts are going to be seen in less reimbursements for providers, and hospitals, and in cutting back on payments for the uninsured.</p>
<p>So more Americans and Iraqis get killed and maimed in Iraq and less Americans get medical care. Hmm, that is just plain evil.</p>
<p>And my guess is that McCain will be quite pleased with this distribution, and with the deficit, which is also going to be $100s of billions. Did someone say Republican?</p>
<p>Excuse me, but McCain is def NOT going to like a deficit - he’d like less spending tho’.</p>
<p>BTW, this assertion is amazing:</p>
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<p>To blame THAT on George W. Bush is really laughable. That takes the cake!</p>
<p>Your argument blaming your divisiveness on Bush reminds me of the old Flip Wilson line “The Devil made me do it!”</p>
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<p>You say that like the Democrats weren’t behind this bill as well…</p>
<p>But I guess they have to do something, considering they have the lowest congressional approval ratings ever :rolleyes:</p>
<p>"Your argument blaming your divisiveness on Bush reminds me of the old Flip Wilson line “The Devil made me do it!”</p>
<p>Yes you could compare Bush to the devil, if that makes you feel better to put your ideas in a religious sense (Huckabee suporter?) I did not choose to place this in religious terms, and was being more literal.</p>
<p>The devisiveness in this country is palpable. This I do attribute in part to poor leadership at the national level, in the names of Bush and Cheney.</p>
<p>A lot is due to the economy, high gas prices, etc, and the pressure on the average person from these kinds of stressors. Bush has had 7 years to do something positive, but there are huge deficits and increasing unemployment. This was done on his watch.</p>
<p>I am not lauding the Dems. They are disappointing as well. But Bush, Cheney and the Halliburton crew have the primary responsibility for devising this war.
And as much as many of you are so in favor of the Iraq war, to many of us, it is one of the saddest endeavors by the US ever. Too many people maimed and killed. And for what?</p>
<p>If everyone can think back to the debates McCain, was the only one to say waterboarding is torture (I would think he has the experience to claim it is). I believe he will make sure on his watch that waterboarding does not occur.</p>
<p>McCain also was one of the first Senators to demand Rumsfields resignation, many months before Rummy resigned. I would believe who ever he selects as SOD will have a better plan.</p>
<p>How can anyone sit there and lump him in with Bush, last time I checked his last name is McCain not Bush. ANyone doing that is doing it because he has an R behind his name</p>
<p>Swat have you ever been to Europe? They are paying $7-8 a gallon. I was there two years ago and that was what they were paying…is that Bush’s fault…nope…I lived in the UK in the late 80’/early 90s they were paying 2x as much as we were then also.</p>
<p>Our jobless rate jumped this month to 5.2% the highest in 52 months. It is not the governments fault that people bought homes they couldn’t afford, or parents decide to spend money on tvs and cars and cell phones for 12 yr olds. Nobody said you must have an XBOX 360. The people I know with financial stressor are there because they spent the money. The stock market has increade by 25% in the last 5 years, not bad return.</p>
<p>What was the war for…it was for democracy and not dictatorship, it was for civil rights, it was for hope of ending an oppresive regime</p>
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<p>It’s not Bush’s fault. It’s taxes fault. The European governments put huge taxes on gas. They pay the same price that the US does for crude oil on the open market - then the taxes kick in.</p>
<p>Ever drive through Luxembourg? The entire country is only about 3 exits wide on the freeway. But as soon as you hit the first Luxembourg exit nearly every vehicle pulls off the freeway to buy gas, because the gas taxes are a lot lower there. Drivers from all over try to limp into Luxembourg on an empty tank in order to fill up there. High gas prices in Europe are not a function of an open market.</p>
<p>“Yes you could compare Bush to the devil, if that makes you feel better to put your ideas in a religious sense (Huckabee supporter?) I did not choose to place this in religious terms, and was being more literal.”</p>
<p>Did you miss the reference to Flip Wilson or did the pop culture reference just escape you?</p>
<p>Who do you consider to be “in favor” of the war?</p>
<p>BTW, I just heard a statistic today that I was not aware of - a commentator was making reference to the fact that this country was headed for recession when Bush took office.</p>
<p>Do you all think this is true? If so, then it’s been a pretty good run for this administration - especially given the economic tailspin that could’ve occured after 9-11. It is near miraculous that this economy has stayed as strong as it has over the past six years. In the long run, Bush will probably get a lot more credit than he does right now.</p>
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<p>Who has said they are in favor of the war - in fact, I’ve made quite a point of saying (several times) that NO ONE is "in favor’ of war. Even the folks out there FIGHTING the thing aren’t “in favor” of it. No one likes it, no one wants it, but we’re in it because they attacked US, remember? </p>
<p>And remember, we aren’t fighting “Iraq”, we’re fighting al qaida - or “radical islamic extremists”, whichever you prefer. “Terrorism” is just their weapon. Iraq is the battlefield - best place to engage the enemy - w/ the added benefit of neutralizing Saddam (AND his money AND his weapons) while bringing freedom & democracy to an oppressed nation. THAT part was good strategy.</p>
<p>“while bringing freedom & democracy to an oppressed nation”</p>
<p>Yea it sure is full of freedom and democracy now.</p>
<p>Somebody’s been buying the propaganda.</p>
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<p>There was no Al Qaida in Iraq prior to our unprovoked invasion. We plowed, fertilized, and planted that field for Al Qaida. And sure enough, a whole new crop of terrorists has sprung up.</p>
<p>“There was no Al Qaida in Iraq prior to our unprovoked invasion”</p>
<p>Have YOU read the 9/11 Commission report?</p>
<p>I saw the “Straight Talk Express” on my way to work this morning. Nice bus.</p>