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"The Republican Circus!"
10 Comments - Show Original Blog
Greetings, James ~
Of course I dare. Everyone is entitled to his opinion, no matter how wrong it is. :-)
Your Marine training shows through loud and clear...attack, attack. No need for all the insults: saying I have Alzheimer's, need more intellect, and back to poetry "where you might have a small measure of believability, even promise". (I don't need you to judge my measure of believability or promise in poetry. In the past month my poetry has won $1,200 in prize money for finishing in 2nd Place, plus a High Distinction, in the 2008 Tom Howard Poetry Contest AND won Honorable Mention in Poetry in the 2008 Reader Views Literary Awards.)
It is quite a stretch going back to 1999 as the main cause of the current financial crisis. True at the end of Clinton's presidency Phil Gramm did sneak through provisions by attaching them in the 11th hour to a gigantic approriations bill that deregulated how the government regulated certain financial practices, which allowed the Enron scandal to occur. [You know Phil Gramm, McCain's economic advisor in the recent campaign (until his big mouth caused him to have to back away officially).] However, during eight long years Bush/Cheney/Rove did nothing to reverse this deregulation of Wall Street. In fact, lack of government regulation is a mainstay plank of Republican policy. You would have it that Bush/Cheny/Rove were powerless to force Barney Frank to do what they wanted? Bush/Cheney/Rove ran the most powerful Presidency in history, usurping illegal, unconstitutional powers for the presidency. They ignored/changed laws passed by Congress with added on signing statements, which they used more than any other president in history. They used lies, which they knew were lies at the time, to declare war on a nation that had nothing to do with the 9/11 attack on the U.S. The terrorists were mainly all Saudis. None were from Iraq. We declared war on another country because Bush wanted to. (The Muslim world is convinced we invaded to gain control of their oil fields.) They introduced torture and 'renditions' in the treatment of prisoners, ignoring the Geneva Convention guidelines. (As an ex-marine, I would think you would understand the importance of our abandoning the Geneva Convention guidelines for treatment of prisoners and what it could mean to American prisoners held by our enemies in times of war.) They subverted the Justice Dept into a political weapon against Democrat opponents, such as what they did to the governor in the Alabama election (which was later reversed by the courts). But Barney kept them buffaloed all those years? Right! The governor of NY actually tried to rein in the excesses of Wall Street using NY laws. The Bush administration stepped in and, using a law from the 1860s, made the state of NY stop their actions. The Bush administration took NY to court to keep the governor from trying to stop some of the unsafe practices! The governor documented all this in a letter to the newspaper and in several magazine articles. Bush/Cheny did what they wanted, regardless of the law, declaring in time of war there are no limitations of the power of the President. They made absolutely no effort to stop unsafe practices by the finacial industry. The resultant mess is theirs, not Clinton's and not the Democrats in Congress being in the majority for the last two of Bush's eight years in office. But nothing keeps Conservative Republicans from trying to re-write the history of the current disaster they caused.
True, we have not had another 9/11 attack on U.S. soil for years now. How much of this is due to Bush's war in Iraq is hard to prove either way. But we have generated a whole new generation of Muslims wanting to attack us in payback for Iraq. How many attacks were there on U.S. soil in the 10 years before 9/11? Whether the lack of another 9/11-style attack is due to the war in Iraq is, as we say in science, is an unprovable hypothesis.
Bush/Cheney/Rove were a disaster for America. That is why Bush left office with an approval rating below 30 %. That is why a panel of 65 historians recently ranked him as one of the worst presidents ever. That is why the Republican Party has an approval rating at present of 26 %.
As for your comment "the self-sufficient recovery by the people of Iowa after the summer storms of 2008 for a better perspective of how to deal with acts of nature" versus La's recovery after Katrina. Let's see. Did Iowa's storms displace over 1,000,000 residents for years? Did any city in Iowa lose over 1 and a half million in population from its 2-million population? Maybe your comparison lacks any validity then. Not to mention that the Bush administration gave twice as much recovery money to the Republican governor of Mississippi as it did to the Democratic governor in La, even though La had triple the damage of Mississippi. Hmmmm. Playing politics with disaster recovery? The good folks in La certainly think so.
As for your comment "...might help to endear you even more closely to that ever-shrinking, sick audience that you pander to.", that audience is quite a bit larger than your Conservative audience at the moment. Obama's plan has an approval rating of 60 % with the American public (versus the Republican's 26 %).
It has only been a few months so far and already the Conservatives are gnashing their teeth and moaning about being out of power. It will be a long eight years for Conservatives.
Finally, your comments about the U.S. national debt are totally confusing. When Bush entered office, the U.S. national debt stood at 5 trillion $$. When he left office eight years later, it stood at over 11 trillion $$. He more than doubled it! Bush added more to the U.S. national debt than had all the presidents combined that preceeded him! But you seem to be saying he left office with the U.S. national debt being only 500 billion $$ ("...your estimate of the national debt at the end of the Bush administration is off about 10.5 trillion...") Say what?
Are you confusing the national debt with Bush's annual deficit of over 1 trillion $$ when the Iraq War spending is not hidden?
Enough of this. We disagree. We will always disagree. No need for insults.
Cheers!
Harry
James M. Humperjohn said...
Lies, Rants, Gloats and Alzheimer’s
Ah, what a convenience poor long-term memory is! Alzheimer’s has arrived in the dark corners of your mind, Harry.
Come on now; try hard! Let's try to remember this: By December of 1999, a “laissez-faire ” US Congress had squandered the Clinton budget surplus. So much so that George Bush inherited a recession upon coming to office. For the next seven years his presidency presided over the greatest economic expansion in the history of our county. Only toward the end of his presidency (under a Democratically controlled Congress) did the beautiful idea "All Should Have a House" create an unimaginable economic crisis. Initiated in 1996 by Janet Reno (Attorney General of “Branch Davidians” fame to Bill Clinton) who forced Fannie May and Freddie Mac to provide unaffordable and unforgivable mortgages to people who would never be able to sustain them. Not then. Not now. And not tomorrow!
When Barney Frank and Richard Dodd were repeatedly warned by President Bush, Vice President Chaney and Alan Greenspan of the dangers ahead, all were rebuked by Barney Frank's characteristically famous retort: "I think everything is fine at Freddie and Fannie. There is nothing to fear!"
Then, of course, your estimate of the national debt at the end of the Bush administration is off about 10.5 trillion, the more accurate 500 billion debt being spent on recovery from a recession he inherited, followed too closely by 9-11, followed by the aftermath of bailing out a sad “welfare state” after hurricane Katrina (Please see the self-sufficient recovery by the people of Iowa after the summer storms of 2008 for a better perspective of how to deal with acts of nature).
And oh, yes, keeping America safe for a period of seven years from another terrorist attack by fighting the WARS (Yes, we are at war, Harry, duh! Of which there were many more than just Iraq and Afghanistan) against Islamic Religious Extremism on their shores, not ours. Yes, that too.
Let’s see now, I believe it was that very same president the Liberal, left-wing “Hate Media” taught us to hate (as in 1984 Newspeak) who actually kept us safe for seven years following 9-11. WOW! (Shusssssh, don’t tell anyone!)
Interesting when compared to the Clinton Administration that fired a rocket into an Arab tent in the desert, hit a camel in the ass, and then proceeded to finance its agenda of ultra-liberal socio-economic programs for the weak with funds generated from "blow-jobs" in the Lincoln Bedroom as overseen by Al Gore. (We forgive the “Big One” in the Oval Office, Harry. Mainly because we know you applauded (as gleefully as Nancy Pelosi) President Clinton’s response when asked: “Why did you do it?” “Because I could”, he replied. “Because I could!”)
You Liberals are such a clean and pure group! God bless you all and please, please get out of Washington, DC before it is too late.
Some of us will have eternal disagreements, Harry. At least try to be civil and know your history when pontificating. Actually, a little less ranting, a lot less gloating, and a lot more intellect on your part might help to endear you even more closely to that ever-shrinking, sick audience that you pander to. Get off the weak politics, Harry, and back to poetry where you might have a small measure of believability, even promise. Print this if you dare.
J.M. Humperjohn
Peace, Edwin ~
It is time we just agree to disagree and not let the conversation dissolve into unpleasantness and insults.
Cheers!
Harry
Harry
You say below that "Conservatives hate gays, abortion doctors, civil rights leaders, and liberals enough to kill them regularly."
That ridiculous statement proves the mindset (or lack thereof) that rational Americans must deal with regularly...
It may be time to replace that tin-foil hat...and you were a college professor?!!...wow!
Amen, Harry. Yours is the voice of reason. Continue to tell it like it is, and to hell with Limbaugh conservatism.
-gene.
Hi again, Edwin ~
RE:""HATED"...No..I leave hate to the liberals." Right! It's the liberals who are so well known for their hatred of diverse groups. Get real. Conservatives hate gays, abortion doctors, civil rights leaders, and liberals enough to kill them regularly. The Conservative Right with spokespersons like Limbaugh and Coulter lives on preaching hate for
anyone who does not believe as they do. Even noted Conservative evangelistic preachers preach hatred. (AIDS is God's revenge on gays, etc.)
Our national debt when Bush left office was about 11 trillion dollars.
Re:"..the current Administration (in just five weeks) has more than tripled our debt..." Tripled our debt? Is it really now over 30 trillions $$$ ??? That's sure news to me.
If Obama does not act to save Wall Street and the housing/banking/financial interests in this country through bailouts that are large enough to be effective, then the whole country could go bankrupt. The truth is we are a mere whisker away from national bankruptcy. That is why the stock market has not rebounded even after the large bailouts. Those in the know realize how perilous the situation truly is at present. The debt on Wall Street is enormous (some estimates in the 40-50 trillion $$ range), and many banks and investment firms, including most of the prime ones being bailed out, could not survive without government bailouts, such as the government now owns 35 % of Citigroup. Easy to say, just let the insolvent businesses all go bankrupt. But what will America be like if all the banks, investment firms, mortgage companies, car manufacturers, city and state governments, and hundreds of other businesses (from department store types to fast food restaurants to stores of all kinds -- seen the list of national companies that have gone out of business in the past six months?) currently insolvent all went bankrupt. No jobs, no credit, no new housing, no one buying much of anything not absolutely essential for survival...a financial wasteland. That is what Obama has to try to prevent. Then he can try to fix things. Avoid national financial disaster first!
Since Bush/Cheney/Rove and the Republican Party, who were in control of the country for the past 8 years, ARE to blame for the current financial disaster, of course, the Conservatives/Republicans don't want the blame game played. They lose!
I live in the real world also. Thank you for asking, but my retirement is secure through the LA Teachers Retirement System. As a retired university professor, my retirement benefits including state health insurance are guaranteed by the LA Constitution. Of course, if all America were to go bankrupt, LA might become insolvent as well.
It is nice that you have a 200-employee business. That makes you a Republican at heart since the Republican Party looks after tax cuts/tax breaks for businesses and the rich. What percentage of business executives in America are Republican (vs Democrat) would you guess?
Nice airplane, by the way!
Cheers!
Harry
"HATED"...No..I leave hate to the liberals. Yes, Bush began this trend in the last year of his administraion with the bailouts and the current Administration (in just five weeks) has more than tripled our debt and advanced ridiculous policies that thwart growth and hurt 95% of all businesses. The basic truth that you don't seem to get (Econ. 101) is that you can't spend your way out of a recession...Period. The NEW DEAL was a giant boon to our economy which was only revived by WWII
If a business like GM fails because it does not have a viable plan to compete with other manufacturers, and is held slave to high costs of labor and taxes so be it...Capitalism corrects itself.
Y'see Harry, I live in the real world. I have a business that employees up to 200 people at a time depending on the project. I care about them. I worked hard for what I have and give generously to charities (unlike Obama or Biden) You can play the blame game on Bush (even though you know the housing crisis began with Clinton), but Bush is not our President, and its time to own up. I do hope that your retirement account and Medicare (if you rely on it) isn't cut any time soon.
Finally...No, I am not a Republican. I am an Independent conservative who has voted for a few Republicans...most notably Ronald Reagan. We sure could use him now.
Regards
Greetings, Edwin Dante Larson ~
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Re: "... I believe in the wisdom of our Constitution and the vision of our founding fathers." You must have HATED Bush/Cheney then since they did NOT believe in our Constitution. Remember Cheney's "It's only a scrap of paper" remark. Plus the executive rulings under the Bush administration that the President has unlimited powers (i.e. dictator-like)in time of war and doesn't have to answer to Congress as prescribed in the Constitution. Then there was the matter of renditions and torturing plus subverting the Justice Dept for political purposes. Yes, you surely must have truly HATED Bush/Cheney/Rove since you believe in the Constitution.
RE: "...a SOCIALST agenda that is bringing this country to it's knees is exactly what we have with the current administration." Sorry, but Bush/Cheney already brought this country to its knees...or haven't you been paying attention to the economic crisis they caused. I know Republicans somehow hope to blame Obama and the Democrats for this financial disaster that threatens America's very survival as we know it, but this depression really is Bush/Cheney and the Republican Party's mess. Maybe that is why 60 % of Americans believe in what Obama is doing, whereas only 26 % approve of the Republican Party.
If you get your wish and the policies of this administration do fail, then numerous banks will close, many Wall Street financial institutions will go bankrupt, General Motors will go bankrupt, numerous businesses will fail, credit will dry up even further, millions will lose their homes, millions more will be unemployed, i.e. it will turn into a national tragedy of immemse proportions for all but the rich. Ready for that? Then you must be a Republican...
Cheers!
Harry
The Audacity of Blame (and opinionated misinformation seem to be the tools du jour :) Rush Limbaugh is not the voice of the GOP but rather the voice of true conservatives. This distraction by the adminiostration was served in order to drive a wedge between the public and Republicans and will not will not work! It may further galvanize the conservative minded folks. More than 50% of the American population do not trust govermnet right now as it is. Obama only won by a slim margin! 51.1% voted for him and 48.9% did not. That is not a landslide and Rush is correct when he says that anyone in their right mind would want Obama to fail if restructuring the country does not include, Capitalism, Freedom and our National liberties! These are part of our Constitution!
Capitalism is the engine that drives the Entrepeneur to dream and succeed and create the new business that will employ others and build our tax base!
I hope the Democrats push this for all it's worth because people are finally waking up. 3 TRILLION Dollars in new spending and and growing!!!!-A ONE-PARTY RULE with a SOCIALST agenda that is bringing this country to it's knees is exactly what we have with the current administration.
I believe (and pray) that the stage is being set for a true conservative like Ronald Reagan who brought us out of serious recession and into the biggest era of job growth and entreprenurial expansion in history! Personal wealth climbed at an all time high for almost all of us and the amount of opportunities more than doubled!
I too hope the policies of this administration fail as I believe in the wisdom of our Constitution and the vision of our founding fathers.
Joseph* OneLight*® said...
Give 'em hell, Harry!
I agree with you 100%. The Bush Administration was the worst in U.S. History. A total Economic disaster and a foreign relations nightmare.
It's always easier to make a mess than it is to clean it up. Obama and the Democrats have a lot of work to do to restore America to its former greatness.
Best Regards,
Joseph
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