Posted on 08/29/2002 1:00:30 PM PDT by feelin_poorly
Shortly after 9-11, TV talk-show host Sean Hannity said, "Thank God, we have an honest man in the White House!"
And when you think about it, a great deal of what you might believe about the so-called War on Terrorism is based on statements from George W. Bush. You have only his word, or that of someone in his administration:
Since America is endangered by the "you're either with me or against me" tactics of the Bush administration, it becomes vital to know whether we can trust the man in charge of our government.
The record
So does George Bush's record inspire confidence in his honesty?
Unfortunately, this is the same man who has referred to trillions of dollars in budget surpluses – even though the federal government hasn't had a budget surplus since 1956. (The appearance of any "surpluses" was created by taking excess receipts from Social Security and applying them to the general budget, even as the politicians swore they were protecting Social Security.)
Mr. Bush even has the chutzpah to refer with a straight face (well not exactly a straight face, he loves to smirk) to corporate executives "cooking the books." He neglects to mention that many of the corporate bookkeeping methods the politicians are so incensed about today were motivated by rules imposed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
And George Bush is the same man who in 2000 said he believed in "limited government." Most people assumed he meant a government limited by the Constitution. In fact, he took an oath in which he swore to uphold the Constitution.
But he's violated virtually every one of the first 10 Amendments – especially the Ninth and 10th Amendments, which are meant to impose precise limits on his power.
So his belief in "limited government" apparently means government limited to what he wants to do.
George Bush is the same man who in one breath tries to ingratiate himself with you by saying, "It's your money, not the politicians' money" – but in the next breath, he says he's entitled to one third of "your money."
George Bush is the same man who said he has learned more about political philosophy from Jesus of Nazareth than from anyone else. But he's proven by his actions that he doesn't really believe such things as "Blessed are the peacemakers." And "the meek" who Jesus said would inherit the earth are in Mr. Bush's eyes really just "collateral damage" in his plans to tell the world how it must live.
Is honesty important?
In these and in so many other ways, George Bush has proven that he's not an honest man – and that we shouldn't trust him with the safety of America.
In fact, Thomas Jefferson understood that we shouldn't put our trust in any politician. He said we should bind them down from mischief "by the chains of the Constitution." And a truly honest man wouldn't even ask you to trust him.
Contrary to what you might have thought, this isn't an article about George Bush. It's an article about you. Are you going to demean yourself by putting your faith in a man who has done so much to demonstrate the folly of such faith?
Are you going to let politicians stampede you into throwing away the Bill of Rights, based on "evidence" you never see, reassured by politicians who have proven that the truth is secondary to their own ambitions?
Don't you have enough respect for your own mind to make your own decisions, refuse to accept conclusions without evidence, and be something better than a cheerleader for a politician or a political party?
wow :^O
Not on this forum - at least not now.
It was that way, in times past, but not any longer....
The majority of Posers.....errr....Posters that have migrated up here couldn't even define 'grass-roots conservatism'.
. . . More's the pity . . .
Help me out here. Will two wars (the War on Terror and Iraq War II) make us twice as obligated to give mindless, voiceless obedience to GWB?
What was it you said about voting for Bush the last time??
But you've still not answered my question - and probably aren't going to attempt it, either.
Maybe because I am a little taken back that you choose to stand up and defend the likes of Bin Laden, Saddam and the rest of the POS that are bound and determined to destroy this county ..
What you seem to be claiming is that what happened on 9/11 is all our fault and that we paid these goons to murder close to three thousand Americans
You my friend are sick and in need of help
Remember that the original topic of the article was related to trusting government leaders. The actual thrust of the article.
"Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government of himself. Can he, then, be trusted with the government of others? Or have we found angels in the form of kings to govern him? Let history answer this question." --Thomas Jefferson: 1st Inaugural, 1801.
"I am not discouraged by [a] little difficulty; nor have I any doubt that the result of our experiment will be, that men are capable of governing themselves without a master." --Thomas Jefferson to T. B. Hollis, 1787.
There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty. John Adams, Journal, 1772
The public cannot be too curious concerning the characters of public men. Samuel Adams, letter to James Warren, 1775
A fondness for power is implanted, in most men, and it is natural to abuse it, when acquired. Alexander Hamilton, The Farmer Refuted, 1775
Your freedom can be preserved ONLY if every citizen is educated in the foundations of this government. You would find it entertaining an exhilarating to read the Founder's works:
"Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government. Whenever things get so far wrong as to attract their notice, they may be relied on to set them to rights." --Thomas Jefferson to Richard Price, 1789
"If once [the people] become inattentive to the public affairs, you and I, and Congress and Assemblies, Judges and Governors, shall all become wolves. It seems to be the law of our general nature, in spite of individual exceptions." --Thomas Jefferson to Edward Carrington, 1787.
Please - show the world any single posting in which I claimed to queue up behind the likes of them ???
Just one more item that you will NEVER be able to do - without doing a Klinton on what words I did use....
You've shot yourself in the foot so many times - you'll have to start aiming higher from now on....
Also - wrong again in claiming that I said that "...what happened on 9/11 is all our fault and that we paid these goons to murder close to three thousand Americans...". What I DID say was that our very own government (including this shrub that you seem to believe to be only one step removed from God) has been paying the likes of OBL, and his minions, for years. They allowed them to do whatever they wanted to with those dollors !! !!
Sure - I may 'need help' in some areas of my life. But knowing a good bit about what my own government is doing and not being afraid to say so isn't on that list.
Oh, forgive me. You're right. No one should be searched at airports. What was I thinking?
ya see, mol, she and I are married and use the same PC, somehow, I posted that message and it showed up with her, KW's, login info.
Not quite sure how that happened - but I'm workin' on it.
I feel like my ol' self, again.....
If I recall I didn't post that to you ..
Again .. I don't recall posting my comments to you
That is unless you have more then one screen name
Please see post # 991. Twasn't me...
Sure .. whatever .. right
Still your Turn....
.....to "Prove" to me, beyond all doubt, that "...They..." did everything - and not one $ingle US Dollor was used, or no American was involved, in any way, in that "...first swing..." against US ??
Still...doubting it.....I hear a great deal of Fluff but, as usual, no substance.
........
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........still waiting...........
I'll call the closest farm and see if their cows have come home, yet.
Gee - it must be so nice being Perfect all of the time.....
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....................still waiting....................
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