Politics is HELL! RWD members are desperate to get away!

[The Natural]

One more thing, wanting to come to America is not the same as being desperate to get out.

If a foreign girl is desperate to get out and she think freedom is to be found in the USA, she is desperately wrong. In my view, in the western world, the most unfree and at the same time most patriotic people reside in the US.
 
After all, this is a nation of people who, in a majority, feel themselves to be superior to EVERYBODY else on planet earth and will thus set themselves up to be swallowed up themselves, like any other citizens of a great empire. It's just history; all empires live and then they die.
 
Otherwise intelligent citizens of this great country subscribe to the official policy of agression abroad. They sit in bars and cheers as the bombs are dropped in places they've never heard of before and they wonder why they are so unpopular nowadays when they were so popular when Hitler was kicked out!
 
Yeah, you go right ahead and vote for Obama. Or for Romney. Or whatever. You may think it's voting for the lesser of two evils, but you'd still be voting for evil. How about voting for NOBODY as you've put away a chance for real change by dismissing Mr. Ron Paul?
 
Oh, this empire is going down, right before our eyes. It lasted about 100 years. Who's next?

[OlgaH]

After all, this is a nation of people who, in a majority, feel themselves to be superior to EVERYBODY else on planet earth and will thus set themselves up to be swallowed up themselves, like any other citizens of a great empire. It's just history; all empires live and then they die.

I'm not sure... I have not noticed such attitude among our friends and acquaintance. By my own observation there are more people who are very disappointed with economical, social and political situation in the country.

[Doll]

If a foreign girl is desperate to get out and she think freedom is to be found in the USA, she is desperately wrong. In my view, in the western world, the most unfree and at the same time most patriotic people reside in the US.
 
 

I agree.

[LiveFromUkraine]

If a foreign girl is desperate to get out and she think freedom is to be found in the USA, she is desperately wrong. In my view, in the western world, the most unfree and at the same time most patriotic people reside in the US.
 
After all, this is a nation of people who, in a majority, feel themselves to be superior to EVERYBODY else on planet earth and will thus set themselves up to be swallowed up themselves, like any other citizens of a great empire. It's just history; all empires live and then they die.
 
Otherwise intelligent citizens of this great country subscribe to the official policy of agression abroad. They sit in bars and cheers as the bombs are dropped in places they've never heard of before and they wonder why they are so unpopular nowadays when they were so popular when Hitler was kicked out!
 
Yeah, you go right ahead and vote for Obama. Or for Romney. Or whatever. You may think it's voting for the lesser of two evils, but you'd still be voting for evil. How about voting for NOBODY as you've put away a chance for real change by dismissing Mr. Ron Paul?
 
Oh, this empire is going down, right before our eyes. It lasted about 100 years. Who's next?

I must be going to different bars since I haven't seen anyone cheering at bombs being dropped.  I have seen a lot of protesters against wars as well as wall street corruption.

From your flag, it says Norway.   I would be interested in your first hand knowledge of all your opinions.

I do agree that America won't be the same as it was.  Maybe not a bad thing.

[noelscot]

If a foreign girl is desperate to get out and she think freedom is to be found in the USA, she is desperately wrong. In my view, in the western world, the most unfree and at the same time most patriotic people reside in the US.
 
After all, this is a nation of people who, in a majority, feel themselves to be superior to EVERYBODY else on planet earth and will thus set themselves up to be swallowed up themselves, like any other citizens of a great empire. It's just history; all empires live and then they die.
 
Otherwise intelligent citizens of this great country subscribe to the official policy of agression abroad. They sit in bars and cheers as the bombs are dropped in places they've never heard of before and they wonder why they are so unpopular nowadays when they were so popular when Hitler was kicked out!
 
Yeah, you go right ahead and vote for Obama. Or for Romney. Or whatever. You may think it's voting for the lesser of two evils, but you'd still be voting for evil. How about voting for NOBODY as you've put away a chance for real change by dismissing Mr. Ron Paul?
 
Oh, this empire is going down, right before our eyes. It lasted about 100 years. Who's next?

There are more privileges and chances for advancement afforded to a U.S. citizen than a FSU citizen. You're in a Western country, like I am, where we tend to take these privileges for granted.


Your musings about America being an empire are a stretch of the imagination, as this article states so well: http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/GJ04Aa01.html


Empire or not, the next superpower isn’t going to be as benevolent as America. The Chinese have a curse, "May you live in interesting times." Things will be very interesting once American hegemony ends, indeed.
 

[Boethius]

After all, this is a nation of people who, in a majority, feel themselves to be superior to EVERYBODY else on planet earth and will thus set themselves up to be swallowed up themselves, like any other citizens of a great empire. It's just history; all empires live and then they die.
 
Otherwise intelligent citizens of this great country subscribe to the official policy of agression abroad. They sit in bars and cheers as the bombs are dropped in places they've never heard of before and they wonder why they are so unpopular nowadays when they were so popular when Hitler was kicked out!

As a non American and practically a communist by their political standards, I think this is too broad, in some ways.  But there is some truth to it as well.

Many, many Americans did support the war in Iraq, many did cheer the invasion, and most of those are on the right of the political spectrum.  Go to a forum like freerepublic, and what you will read about Muslims is appalling.  You will even encounter posters here who still bleat the mantra of Iraq's WMD.

However, at the same time, there were millions of Americans who opposed the war, and did so from day 1.  They viewed it as illegal under the Constitution (many of them, BTW, particularly registered Democrats, did not accept Bush as their legitimate president in term 1, thanks to the hanging chads and the SCOTUS decision.  I was pretty shocked at that, actually).  There are many who are still disappointed that Guantanamao has not been closed, and those held there not given civil trials. 

Natural, here is the link of an AW who is a bit loony, but she does, in fact, get a lot of things right (a lot wrong, too though).  Her parents worked for the CIA in the 1940's to 1960's, and she had an interesting childhood because of that (she is now in her late sixties).  She will give you a different perspective on how diverse Americans are in their beliefs.  You may particularly like her rant on Romney's Silver Spoon solution.

http://emsnews.wordpress.com/


Here's another one - the Evil GOP Bastard of the Month gives you a nice overview of how some Americans view political issues of the day.  It is also a fun site.

http://evilgopbastards.com/


This was the take of some Americans on their country immediately after Kerry's loss to Bush (the blue states voted Kerry, the red, Bush) -






I don't think you can really ascribe one way of thinking to the U.S.  Yes, it is one nation, but it is geographically, and demographically, a huge country with diverse thought.  It is not monolithic, by any means.

I have travelled extensively in the U.S., have relatives who live there, my sister lived in the midwest for some time, her husband in the South (doing their post grad fellowships), and we have all found the people to be friendly and kind.  There are some things Americans do much better than anyone else in the West - particularly service industries.  They go crazy when they come to Canada as tourists, and encounter our indifferent service, LOL. 

[TheTraveler]

If a foreign girl is desperate to get out and she think freedom is to be found in the USA, she is desperately wrong. In my view, in the western world, the most unfree and at the same time most patriotic people reside in the US.

Freedom has both a political and economical component, and they are both intertwined.
 
Therefore, some Americans are much more 'free' than others.
 
Chew on that thought...

[ECOCKS]

If a foreign girl is desperate to get out and she think freedom is to be found in the USA, she is desperately wrong. In my view, in the western world, the most unfree and at the same time most patriotic people reside in the US.
 
After all, this is a nation of people who, in a majority, feel themselves to be superior to EVERYBODY else on planet earth and will thus set themselves up to be swallowed up themselves, like any other citizens of a great empire. It's just history; all empires live and then they die.
 
Otherwise intelligent citizens of this great country subscribe to the official policy of agression abroad. They sit in bars and cheers as the bombs are dropped in places they've never heard of before and they wonder why they are so unpopular nowadays when they were so popular when Hitler was kicked out!
 
Yeah, you go right ahead and vote for Obama. Or for Romney. Or whatever. You may think it's voting for the lesser of two evils, but you'd still be voting for evil. How about voting for NOBODY as you've put away a chance for real change by dismissing Mr. Ron Paul?
 
Oh, this empire is going down, right before our eyes. It lasted about 100 years. Who's next?

Ah Natural, I had hoped for better from you.......

Still, it's "NATURAL" to listen to the Europeons making their sideline remarks about America. I contrast it with the people who come up to me after class and ask if I know anyone at the Embassy who can get them a visa or whether there is any chance that they can get an American education. I don't get many who ever want to talk about going to schools in Greece, Italy or Norway though....imagine that.

Ron Paul dismissed himself a decade or so ago. Rand may emerge as a contender someday but Paul never had even the proverbial ice cube's chance.

Romney is not the candidate I would have chosen but he is a candidate who seems to take seriously the notion that he will actually have to do something during his terms other than shoot hoops, take vacations, claim credit from the actions of others and cast blame on anyone other than himself (even his own party members). He may fail and probably won't be wildly successful (unless the electorate pays attention to the actual record) but he cannot be more divisive, less energetic or nearly as inept as this administration has proven itself to be.

[ECOCKS]

As a non American and practically a communist by their political standards, I think this is too broad, in some ways.  But there is some truth to it as well.

Many, many Americans did support the war in Iraq, many did cheer the invasion, and most of those are on the right of the political spectrum.  Go to a forum like freerepublic, and what you will read about Muslims is appalling.  You will even encounter posters here who still bleat the mantra of Iraq's WMD.

However, at the same time, there were millions of Americans who opposed the war, and did so from day 1.  They viewed it as illegal under the Constitution (many of them, BTW, particularly registered Democrats, did not accept Bush as their legitimate president in term 1, thanks to the hanging chads and the SCOTUS decision.  I was pretty shocked at that, actually).  There are many who are still disappointed that Guantanamao has not been closed, and those held there not given civil trials. 

Natural, here is the link of an AW who is a bit loony, but she does, in fact, get a lot of things right (a lot wrong, too though).  Her parents worked for the CIA in the 1940's to 1960's, and she had an interesting childhood because of that (she is now in her late sixties).  She will give you a different perspective on how diverse Americans are in their beliefs.  You may particularly like her rant on Romney's Silver Spoon solution.

http://emsnews.wordpress.com/


Here's another one - the Evil GOP Bastard of the Month gives you a nice overview of how some Americans view political issues of the day.  It is also a fun site.

http://evilgopbastards.com/


This was the take of some Americans on their country immediately after Kerry's loss to Bush (the blue states voted Kerry, the red, Bush) -






I don't think you can really ascribe one way of thinking to the U.S.  Yes, it is one nation, but it is geographically, and demographically, a huge country with diverse thought.  It is not monolithic, by any means.

I have travelled extensively in the U.S., have relatives who live there, my sister lived in the midwest for some time, her husband in the South (doing their post grad fellowships), and we have all found the people to be friendly and kind.  There are some things Americans do much better than anyone else in the West - particularly service industries.  They go crazy when they come to Canada as tourists, and encounter our indifferent service, LOL.

Ah B, when I think of Canada, the word indifferent never crosses my mind.

Talk about painting with a broad brush........

We'll see what the future says. Personally, I believe that history will place GW far, far higher on the list of effective Presidents than this current bozo.

You might also notice that world opinion on American foreign policy has taken a decidedly downward turn over the last three years, despite the media hype in the post election period and attempts at presenting the clown-in-chief as a man of the world who is bringing rationality to our Department of State.

The truth is coming out, despite the media attempt to paint a different picture.

[SFandEE]

I have decided that this video of Republican Party candidate Mitt Romney campaigning for POTUS by singing America the Beautiful is the most appropriate political statement that can be made for any conversation.  He loves America and thinks it's beautiful!  This is entertaining to all political views for different reasons, speaks to the quality of political candidates and the process in America that they overcome to be nominated.  I also find it especially revealing about the kind of person who would vote for Romney and the criteria that they have for a candidate.  You will notice he can't get anyone to join in with him though--but he wants to sing about America so he persists with his message.  He is determined to be POTUS and make the bad things go away.

[SFandEE]

We'll see what the future says. Personally, I believe that history will place GW far, far higher on the list of effective Presidents than this current bozo.

George W. Bush is a perfect test for the political or the patriotic for conservatives, traditionalists, and political right.  His performance as president is without question to politics easily defined for all.


Worst loss of American citizen life in the history of the country due to terrorism/war.  GWB
Worst economic collapse due to government and corporate collaboration and corruption since 1929.  GWB
Worst loss of human life over the past 100 years of the US due to natural disaster.  GWB
Inherited a surplus in federal income left with the financial collapse of the world underway.  GWB


What was great about that guy?  He served the Boomers well and his oil/military/multi-national masters well.  This was not a good leader, this was a very, very bad man leading a political machine in the dismantling of the best interests of Americans for selfish purposes.


I don't think by quoting this poster that I will convince him--he has drank the whole political "Kool-Aid" program to be able to say something like that.  No critical thinking offered, just false hope/faith/belief.  Republican good/Democrat bad.


GWB nor Republicans have been held accountable for their bad behavior.  Having supported them in the past, it is my hope to be able to do so again or see them go away forever, perhaps replaced by a reincarnation of the "Bull Moose Party", but they must be held accountable.  There will be no national love for GWB ever.  He was a very, very bad president, unless achieving what I laid out earlier were his objectives--then he was a very, very good president at hurting America.

[ECOCKS]

George W. Bush is a perfect test for the political or the patriotic for conservatives, traditionalists, and political right.  His performance as president is without question to politics easily defined for all.


Worst loss of American citizen life in the history of the country due to terrorism/war.  GWB
Worst economic collapse due to government and corporate collaboration and corruption since 1929.  GWB
Worst loss of human life over the past 100 years of the US due to natural disaster.  GWB
Inherited a surplus in federal income left with the financial collapse of the world underway.  GWB


What was great about that guy?  He served the Boomers well and his oil/military/multi-national masters well.  This was not a good leader, this was a very, very bad man leading a political machine in the dismantling of the best interests of Americans for selfish purposes.


I don't think by quoting this poster that I will convince him--he has drank the whole political "Kool-Aid" program to be able to say something like that.  No critical thinking offered, just false hope/faith/belief.  Republican good/Democrat bad.


GWB nor Republicans have been held accountable for their bad behavior.  Having supported them in the past, it is my hope to be able to do so again or see them go away forever, perhaps replaced by a reincarnation of the "Bull Moose Party", but they must be held accountable.  There will be no national love for GWB ever.  He was a very, very bad president, unless achieving what I laid out earlier were his objectives--then he was a very, very good president at hurting America.

Bad President! Bad, bad!

Keep saying it enough times, get all your media buddies to chime in and maybe it will come true (try clicking your ruby slippers together a couple of times too!).

As I said, I believe history, in the form of future citizens, historians. academics and even other governments, will view GW far better and the clown far worse than anyone can imagine. Fifty years from now, feel free to come piss on my grave if it doesn't happen.

GW causes hurricanes and tornadoes?!? Talk about sipping the Kool-Aid!

Your history is a bit spotty too.

[The Natural]

Ah Natural, I had hoped for better from you.......

Still, it's "NATURAL" to listen to the Europeons making their sideline remarks about America.

Well, we make remarks about USA because we love the nation and care about what direction it takes. It is the most important country in the world, still. Of course I know perfectly well that it's much more diverse than a a few words can describe and as one of the other posters mentioned, it is disturbing to think about what we will have if USA is no longer the superpower of the world, but for example China.

[Muzh]

 
I am totally and utterly disgusted by the way my country of Norway has been dragged into a dirty war by the fascist NATO alliance. I said it before it happened and I say it now; we have no business there in the middle east or any other place for that matter. We better mind our own business and that goes for the US and UK too, but it's not the people who decides, it's the "elected" facists whos the water boys for special interest groups. IN MY OPINION!

I'll grant you that point since I believe that we (the USA) have move away from a representative form of government and become a government for sale.
 
Ooops, did an American say that?
 
Roy, you CANNOT say that the vast majority in this country are a bunch of blood-thirsty warmongers. You can say that the vas majority of those who yell the loudest are a bunch of blood-thirsty warmongers.
 
I know you are an intelligent man and understand what I said.

[GQBlues]

....Here's another one - the Evil GOP Bastard of the Month gives you a nice overview of how some Americans view political issues of the day....

LOL! "...political issues of the day", Boethius? It's the same recycled whacky rhetoric for decades...from both sides.

The proof is in the pudding, granted I've only gone back 40+ years... *Archie Bunker*, no less (that's a DC quib-code for *Our Chief's gone Bonkers*!)...but still aptly applies for 'political issues of today'. Every line, every issue, every semantic, every current matter in Archie's script.

[SFandEE]

GW causes hurricanes and tornadoes?!? Talk about sipping the Kool-Aid!

I was hoping this would get placed on another thread or just go away, but if the Archie Bunkers of RWD are going to post their political beliefs without facts about things like how the quality of GWB's presidency will rise in glory over time and that "Bozo" will be exposed for the horrible job he did at fixing the GWB 2001-2009 years. Here we go.


This will hopefully connect with others so that people will see the actual voices of the people who are a challenge to progress and repairs in the United States.  As aptly self-identified they often resemble Archie Bunker, but they also resemble Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin, and Cletus from the Simpsons.


Katrina was a known homeland security issue to the major US ports of New Orleans and Southern Louisiana.  This was four years post-9/11 with Homeland Security, unfunded, but in full force.  The Iraq war to protect American security from nuclear weapons getting to the US was unfunded but in full swing.  The major ports of the US were under natural threat and as we all learned the Federal government had nothing to offer.  The excuse of Archie Bunker is that it was New Orleans and the state of Lousiana's job to address this national threat.


This was the tell all to me about GWB.  No port security, war in Iraq (Iraq has no air force, no navy to threaten US land), no federal strategy to protect the water ports of the US or evacuate the port cities if a threat were revealed say four days in advance.  Iraq was an elective war by GWB.  The US should not be having elective wars, no president who chooses elective wars should ever ascend to greatness and no president who neglects the homeland should ascend to greatness.


As I have stated he failed fiscally too.  So as I have pointed out claims have been made without any facts, just opinions about the greatness of GWB.  What was great about GWB?  As to my history, you failed to point out what was off.  If you just see RWD as a place to throw up your opinions, I guess that's what you did.  If you want to back them up.  Let's start seeing some critical thinking behind your claims.


Many Americans who see GWB as a failure are not just democrats, many voted for him, twice.  He was the "friend" who stabbed America in the gut, not the back.  Looking at us in the eyes and telling us lies.  The US is not about Democrat or Republican any longer, the battle is about corruption.

[GQBlues]

It would greatly help Americans, especially in these zany times, to understand at least half of what it is they sputter out...

...Katrina was a known homeland security issue to the major US ports of New Orleans and Southern Louisiana.  This was four years post-9/11 with Homeland Security, unfunded, but in full force. The Iraq war to protect American security from nuclear weapons getting to the US was unfunded but in full swing.  The major ports of the US were under natural threat and as we all learned the Federal government had nothing to offer.  The excuse of Archie Bunker is that it was New Orleans and the state of Lousiana's job to address this national threat.

It isn't an excuse. Katrina was not a federal issue. It was still and always had been first, a local then a State matter. There is that 'pita' constitutional protocol whether folks want to believe it or not. Ever hear announcement that say - *Disneyland had now been classified as a FEDERAL DISASTER!* Ever wonder what had to take place for that to happen?

...This was the tell all to me about GWB.  No port security,...

Almost 4 years after GWB, 11 years after 9/11...there ARE still no credible port security around. There just isn't such a beast. Anymore than there will be ANY border security to prevent coyotes from illegally trading humans south through our border, than there is stopping any terrorist coming through it, or any other ports. e.g. Xmas day bomber post-GWB.

...war in Iraq (Iraq has no air force, no navy to threaten US land), no federal strategy to protect the water ports of the US or evacuate the port cities if a threat were revealed say four days in advance.

Yup. Iraq being the 3rd wheel on the silly axis of evil, I would bet you can't say that about Iran and North Korea today, eh? Neither can ever be a threat to the US -directly...but man, I believe they're far more capable of full global chaos at worst, or global political instability at best. No need to believe me, just read current news.

You can't evacuate folks who refuses to leave. The city couldn't. The State could not. People refused to leave. It wasn't until it became a Federal matter that an army General took charge of the LA's national guards to restore order and rescue efforts.

Katrina became nothing more than a very convenient and timely political leverage for the Dems. Note: The Mississippi floods the Mid-west literally every year. Much in the same way Katrina did to LA. Can you at least notice the difference since you seem to failed at noticing the similarity.

... Iraq was an elective war by GWB.  The US should not be having elective wars, no president who chooses elective wars should ever ascend to greatness and no president who neglects the homeland should ascend to greatness.

GWB didn't declare war on Iraq to have it pinned as GWB's elective war. Congress did, which for the most part included your very own Democrats still serving DC today.

...As I have stated he failed fiscally too.  So as I have pointed out claims have been made without any facts, just opinions about the greatness of GWB.  What was great about GWB?  As to my history, you failed to point out what was off.  If you just see RWD as a place to throw up your opinions, I guess that's what you did.  If you want to back them up.  Let's start seeing some critical thinking behind your claims.

You really do sound a lot like the '08 campaigning Barry 'I'll change the world' Obama. Remember how sure he was GWB's administration was merely conning the masses and that he can in fact 'close Gitmo' in one year's time?

Yeah, our DC cronies put a lot of hurt in this country...but I strongly believe the damages they caused is nothing compared to the damages caused by the gullibility of it's population.

[Muzh]

It would greatly help Americans, especially in these zany times, to understand at least half of what it is they sputter out...

It isn't an excuse. Katrina was not a federal issue. It was still and always had been first, a local then a State matter. There is that 'pita' constitutional protocol whether folks want to believe it or not. Ever hear announcement that say - *Disneyland had now be classified as a FEDERAL DISASTER!* Ever wonder what had to take place for that to happen?

Absolutely.
 
This is a little bit more complicated than the PITA constitutional protocol. Louisiana and New Orleans (SEMO) did not have a levee breach nor flooding evacuation plan, at all. How do I know? That was one of the first things we (NYS) asked when trying to coordinate help. A place that is below sea level and does not have a mass flooding and isolation by flooding plan is either suicidal or irresponsible or both. There are no risks from a levee breach of that magnitude in NYS and we have one since the late 1950's. What happened next was one of the most tragic events in the history of that city. The only way an emergency preparedness plan to be implemented under these conditions required the use of heavy-lift helicopters and those are not part of the state fleet.
 
IF there is no local or state response, the Federal Government steps in, all this under the coordination of the Governor's Office State Emergency Management Office.
 
Now, you can take it from here.
 
[Sarcasm]
Step by step, the immediate mobilization of the National Guard. The coordination of State Police and the National Guard (when they showed up eventually). The Superdome and the aftermath.
[/sarcasm]
 
Heckuva job Brownie.
 
 

[GQBlues]

...What was great about GWB?...

In the overall scheme of things, this may either be taken as minor or major achievement, but that would depend upon your personal conviction on the matters.

I'll give you two...

GWB's refusal to ratify the Kyoto Protocol (Carbon Credit - ka-ching!) and our inclusion to the ICC (laughable i.e. Libya's bombardment) despite tremendous pressures from our noble and holy European constituents. One way or another, they need perpetual US tax dollars infused into their system so that their general population can continually flaunt how their non-sustainable social system is so much better than ours. Ratifying those silly programs are just another 'cute' way of acquiring our tax dollars through a political by-pass pipeline (where did 100 billion dollar US tax dollars go to AIG? Will we ever see it paid back?).

It doesn't amaze me at all Obama received the Nobel Prize just as your Al Gore did. That may not mean much for folks but consider for a minute all the things that had taken place since, and lately.

PEPFAR. Regardless what aisle you sit along the scrutiny line.

How's that for conviction?

[ECOCKS]

I was hoping this would get placed on another thread or just go away, but if the Archie Bunkers of RWD are going to post their political beliefs without facts about things like how the quality of GWB's presidency will rise in glory over time and that "Bozo" will be exposed for the horrible job he did at fixing the GWB 2001-2009 years. Here we go.


This will hopefully connect with others so that people will see the actual voices of the people who are a challenge to progress and repairs in the United States.  As aptly self-identified they often resemble Archie Bunker, but they also resemble Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin, and Cletus from the Simpsons.


Katrina was a known homeland security issue to the major US ports of New Orleans and Southern Louisiana.  This was four years post-9/11 with Homeland Security, unfunded, but in full force.  The Iraq war to protect American security from nuclear weapons getting to the US was unfunded but in full swing.  The major ports of the US were under natural threat and as we all learned the Federal government had nothing to offer.  The excuse of Archie Bunker is that it was New Orleans and the state of Lousiana's job to address this national threat.


This was the tell all to me about GWB.  No port security, war in Iraq (Iraq has no air force, no navy to threaten US land), no federal strategy to protect the water ports of the US or evacuate the port cities if a threat were revealed say four days in advance.  Iraq was an elective war by GWB.  The US should not be having elective wars, no president who chooses elective wars should ever ascend to greatness and no president who neglects the homeland should ascend to greatness.


As I have stated he failed fiscally too.  So as I have pointed out claims have been made without any facts, just opinions about the greatness of GWB.  What was great about GWB?  As to my history, you failed to point out what was off.  If you just see RWD as a place to throw up your opinions, I guess that's what you did.  If you want to back them up.  Let's start seeing some critical thinking behind your claims.

Many Americans who see GWB as a failure are not just democrats, many voted for him, twice.  He was the "friend" who stabbed America in the gut, not the back.  Looking at us in the eyes and telling us lies.  The US is not about Democrat or Republican any longer, the battle is about corruption.

Ah don't worry SF&EE I was hoping you would go away too but the fates won't oblige.

Corruption? Coming from someone pushing this administration that's a laugh. For more and more Americans it's becoming less a matter of corruption and more a matter of dealing with the ineptitude.

Anyway, I'll be watching how history analyzes and compares this administration among the procession of Presidents. I'm pretty confident that rational people will make the right judgments.

Take care!

[Kuna]

Geez you guys are bored...

[Gator]

We can blame GW Bush for the war in Iraq.  However, you can not blame him for the financial crises of 2008, the Katrina disaster,  and some other stuff that democrats try to assign to him.   
 
There is another event GW caused that you have ignored.    And I will have trouble forgiving him.    GW's mistakes in Iraq and his inability to get a fair shake in the press were so great that an anti-Bush vote grew enough to usher in a new President who seemed the complete antithesis of Bush, even to the point of not having any of Bush's relevant experience.
 
The rest of this is about Katrina.  And I do know a lot about this event.     If you must blame someone, first point your finger at Mother Nature.  Then point your finger at "Man."  Politically, point your finger at the City, the State and the Feds in that order.   It is absurd to make GW the fall guy, so I conclude that GQ is closest to the heart of the matter.
 
I mention "Man" because flood control, land development, oil production, etc. have removed much of the natural wetlands that would have lessened the impact of a storm surge.  And do not forget that "Man" made the decision to live below sea level.
 
Accurate FEMA Flood Insurance Rate mapping studies were done in the 1970s in Louisiana (a couple of my engineers worked on these projects, and I still recall their returning home  and calling the place "Lousy-ana").     The US Army Corps of Engineers has spent billions in the area on levees and other flood control structures.  Their height was based on design storm events.   The design storm event is specified by Congress and usually is one not to be exceeded but once in 100 years ( i. e., 1%-annual-chance flood elevations ).   
 
That is a major storm event.   yet, some may ask why not the 200-year event or something even larger.  The answer is tradeoff between dollars and degree of protection.   The larger the storm event, the larger the levee.     A limit must be set somewhere.  The Netherlands designs for greater storm events because much of the country and its economy is at risk.
 
In New Orleans Mother Nature delivered Hurricane Katrina.  While a hurricane, when Katrina made landfall it had weakened based on wind speed to a Category 3 of 5 hurricane - intense but not the strongest.     However, the barometric pressure was one of the lowest ever measured and  the storm followed a path just east  of the City.  The wind direction caused by this eastern path worsened the flood surge from Lake Pontchartrain with a flood surge greater than the design storm.    The levees were overtopped in places and some broke.   There was also some failures due to underseepage, which is an engineering failure.
 
That Gulf area has a long history with hurricanes, so there was no panic as Katrina approached, even when it was Category 5..  As the storm approached, the mayor of New Orleans did not ask for a voluntary evacuation until 40 hours before the storm hit.  The next morning the mayor ordered a mandatory evacuation, the first such order in the city's history.   Even President Bush pleaded on television for the residents to evacuate.   
 
This mandatory order was just 24 hours before the storm hit, not enough time for many of the City's residents who did not have private transportation.   Oddly, the City had a large fleet of school buses which it did not use, yet even those would not have been enough for those who had no way out..   No agency was prepared for what happened as people found their way to a "refuge of last resort" such as the Superdome and there lived like rats.   

[SFandEE]

I will try and make my point as best I can as briefly as I can as to GWB and Katrina (the failure of the feds to have a legitimate evacuation plan for a major US city) 


First some facts for clarifcation--were levees possible targets in 2005 for terrorists?  Were the consequences of bombed levees federal concerns?  If not--why is New York a federal concern and New Orleans is not?


The tell is that is was a GWB ruse is that he had failed to provide for the evacuation of a major US target for terrorists.  The port city of New Orleans.  What a great opportunity for GWB  had to demonstrate the work of his government to provide for the common good of citizens.  Clearly wind and ran and weak federal levees were not something a man like GWB could have addressed.  But defense!!!  Protection!!! Security!!!  Evacuation of the masses!!!! Good speeches on rubble.  GWB was the man.  So worst case in the best case GWB could have shown all the world he and his government had done over four years in preparing for a terrorist attack of a major US city by implementing their preparedness in New Orleans.  He could have dazzled the world and impressed all Americans, instead we got to see bloated bodies floating down Bourbon St. and little old ladies dead in their wheelchairs covered by a blanket.   According to some of you they should have grabbed their SUV and gone to a Holiday Inn up the road.  Sophisticated, cosmopolitan understanding of your country no doubt.  I am sure you apply it to your FSU operations as well.


Those who keep sniping at me as a democrat, you only validate that you don't listen, just talk.  I am not a democrat.  I just get sick of your posting unsupported opinions about GWB on a non-political thread in RWD and wonder why the Adminstrators allow you to hijack the threads with your opinions.  I don't care what any of you think about GWB or Obama--so why am I reading about it on a thread titled "Russia is HELL!  Women are desperate to get out!"


I would prefer to come to this site and not hear your political opinions and I promise if you title a thread I love GWB why don't you?  I won't be looking or posting.  How thick are the walls to not hear that?

[GQBlues]

..The tell is that is was a GWB ruse is that he had failed to provide for the evacuation of a major US target for terrorists.  The port city of New Orleans.  What a great opportunity for GWB  had to demonstrate the work of his government to provide for the common good of citizens.  Clearly wind and ran and weak federal levies were not something a man like GWB could have addressed.  But defense!!!  Protection!!! Security!!!  Evacuation of the masses!!!! Good speeches on rubble.  GWB was the man.  So worst case in the best case GWB could have shown all the world he and his government had done over four years in preparing for a terrorist attack of a major US city by implementing their preparedness in New Orleans.  He could have dazzled the world and impressed all Americans, instead we got to see bloated bodies floating down Bourbon St. and little old ladies dead in their wheelchairs covered by a blanket.   According to some of you they should have grabbed their SUV and gone to a Holiday Inn up the road.  Sophisticated, cosmopolitan understanding of your country no doubt.  I am sure you apply it FSU as well.

HUH?!? What the..... I'm glad you 'clarified' your thoughts well enough.

...Those who keep sniping at me as a democrat, you only validate that you don't listen, just talk.  I am not a democrat.

If it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck...

...I would prefer to come to this site and not hear your political opinions and I promise if you title a thread I love GWB why don't you?  I won't be looking or posting.  How thick are the walls to not hear that?

Translation: If you don't challenge my posted conviction, regardless how moronic it is, I'll continue to grace you with my presence.

IMO...heat...kitchen...git.

[SFandEE]

HUH?!? What the..... I'm glad you 'clarified' your thoughts well enough.

I'm pretty sure I am talking to a brick wall--so it's not on me.  Can't make you a critical thinker.  Some people just don't have that in them.  I think you are one of those people.