<p>I find the delusional responses of Bush supporters interesting. That people put Rush and thinking into the same sentence is facinating.</p>
<p>Anyone who thinks the nations economy has improved under the Bush administrations are …wrong. These are the same people who think middle class and low income Americans should support the oil war by sacrificing family members, but think paying for the war with taxes is an irrational sacrifice. </p>
<p>His approach to helping the elderly afford prescription medicine forbids negotiating price by the federal government. If you were about to buy two million zocor tablets, wouldn’t you expect wholesale? The taxpayers and the seniors deserved much better.</p>
<p>Now that I have said something bad about the Bush administration, I expect someone will think they are clever by pointing out that a middle aged man had sex with a yougn woman…sex sex sex…bad President Clinton,off the couch…there I said it…now you talk about Bushes great leadership. </p>
<p>By the way they caught the person responsible for all the prisoner abuse in multiple prison camps…darn that reservist private. I never knew they had so much power… buck stops there…no there…over there</p>
<p>UCLAri- “None of this explains to me why Bush’s fans, despite being so-called conservatives, are still so staunch in their support”</p>
<p>They are staunch and IMHO not looking at the facts…I know many democrats that do the same- They argue specific issues and not bigger picture. As an independent (the staunch people dislike us from both parties), I try to call them as I see them. Katrina reminded me again that we really have not accomplished as much as the democrats or republicans claim in their election speeches. The greatest most powerful country in the world?- they claim. The wealthiest? Then why do we still have poor people? For me I blame both parties. The old pogo saying “I have seen the enemy and he is us” …</p>
<p>Jeeeezzz driver. I never thought you’d shed tears of sympathy for Clinton.</p>
<p>I am not sure I can do pure sympathy for Rush…hang on…give me a moment. </p>
<p>(It’s not his conservative viewpoint that disturbs me, it’s the underlying rage he spouts to get the ratings. Though he might have opened up the hegemony (if there was a hegemony), so many of his listeners pantomine his rage. His followers have lost the distinction between ‘discussion’ and ‘debate sensationalized for radio or television’. I put my father, JFK supporter turned Republican, in that camp. To be honest, my father is no longer able to rationally discuss idealogical matters of any substance. He parrots Rush and Rush’s emotional rage. Consequently, friends and family avoid meanigful topics and stick to idle chat. That’s a pity because my father was an active participant in the Civil Rights movement. He’s lived through 76 very interesting years).</p>
<p>But…okay…I don’t know why Rush is compelled to put such **** (dangerous drugs) in his body. I am sure it must be a worry for his family and co-workers. I hope he gets treatment and can overcome his addiction. </p>
<p>Personally, I find shedding tears for any politician just a tad disingenous. I don’t give any president support just because he’s the president. </p>
<p>TR, in his wisdom, once said:</p>
<p>The President is merely the most important among a large number of public servants. He should be supported or opposed exactly to the degree which is warranted by his good conduct or bad conduct, his efficiency or inefficiency in rendering loyal, able, and disinterested service to the Nation as a whole. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that there should be full liberty to tell the truth about his acts, and this means that it is exactly necessary to blame him when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right. Any other attitude in an American citizen is both base and servile. To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about any one else.</p>
<p>This recent fervor in the nation, whereby the President (because of a disaster) is above reproach, is DISGUSTING. Having nutjobs like Coulter telling us that criticizing Bush is tantamount to treason is the furthest thing from what I expect from a democratic republic. In fact, it’s closer to fascism than democracy. The idea that Democrats should fall in line and join the pew like the rest of Bush’s cadres and staunch supporters flies in the face of everything that the Founding Fathers and the nation’s greatest political thinkers have suggested is at the heart of American republican mores.</p>
<p>I’m tired of watching my party just sit there in silence as the Republican Congress and White House spend money frivilously, sully our name with our allies and neutral parties, and disenchant the nation. The only treason when it comes to the President is to stand idly by as a spectator as he dismantles what you believe is right.</p>
<p>Just some more information. Muppet had asked about any moves among Repubs to cut spending. This is out this morning. Worth a read if you’re interested in behind-the-scene budget/spending politics. Muppetcoat–I heard on the radio this morning that the USPS is releasing muppet commerative stamps today. Kermit, Miss Piggy…didn’t catch the rest. Hope there’s a Cookie Monster stamp.</p>
<p>I’m a huge fan of Laura Ingraham too–former editor of The Dartmouth Review, where our dearly departed FountainSiren has just gotten her first assignment. I look forward to her columns–and her radio show, eventually</p>
<p>I have it on good authority she already has it: Fridays 9-12, on the Dartmouth Radio Station, 99Rock (though it is only about the music for now).</p>
<p>UCLAri said:I’m tired of watching my party just sit there in silence as the Republican Congress and White House spend money frivilously, sully our name with our allies and neutral parties, and disenchant the nation. The only treason when it comes to the President is to stand idly by as a spectator as he dismantles what you believe is right.</p>
<p>I am tired also of Bush and gang also… as an independent however,I find myself saying the same about Democrats when they are in power that you just made about Republicans. To me they are all the same…</p>
<p>Say did anyone see the PBS special the 60’s last night? I somehow missed the fact that JFK and Johnson (both democrats) lied about the Vietnam war to the public and was bombing LAOS and keeping the public, press and military in the dark. and more troops were killed over that lie than IRAQ. Although Bush’s lie is just as bad IMHO!</p>
<p>In addition the fact that anti-war protestors went after the democrats at the convention (1968) and according to the head of the anti- war crowd they should have protested the republican convention. As the dissention eventually led to Nixon winning the presdidency. Fascinating. Nothing new under the sun. Same old stuff different decade! I’ll say it again ,when you peel back the layers, both parties contain scoundrels!</p>
<p>Cover story in the Economist magazine on how the conservatives are having problems. (But we know that:))
<a href=“http://www.economist.com%5B/url%5D”>www.economist.com</a></p>
<p>That article in the NY Times…what kind of country are we living in?</p>
<p>IF a program is worth doing, isn’t it worth setting up a revenue scheme to pay for it. The Republicans are bankrupting this country…with their spend and taxcut, spend and taxcut approach our children won’t be able to afford to live here.</p>
<p>speaking of economics - I wish we had good access to info about the old Soviet Union and its financial picture. This country takes credit for the fall of the USSR as a result of the arms race. But I wonder how much of the economic downfall may have been affected by their 10-year war in Afghanistan. And if so, what does that mean to us?</p>
<p>I remember when Jimmy Carter refused to sell grain to the USSR or participate in their Olympic games, because of Afghanistan. For us to continue to spend money in the Mideast when we can’t even protect our own citizens from weather is absurd.</p>
<p>I miss the Clinton/Gore years when the national debt was being reduced along with poverty. The Republicans have reversed both.</p>