Posted on 01/20/2005 9:21:56 AM PST by Diddle E. Squat
You know, his view of the world is sound. His goals are admirable. The communications effort of this day, from start to finish was amateurish. From Ashcroft's and Hatch's hackneyed lyrics to the deadpan phraseology of what could be called Lincolnesque ideals (delivered in Joe Biden phrases), I was left wondering, "Where the hell are the professionals".
The motorcade was a lumbering politbureau disaster. The timing was off on every event all day. The dress code of the dignitaries would have made ole' Ronnie Reagan barf. You'd think in a nation that can produce some spectacular Hollywood events, that there might be someone with an eye on the details. I guess when Hollywood and the fags are against you, the production values go straight down.
"Not because we consider ourselves a chosen nation; God moves and chooses as He wills."
Did you catch this? Interesting assertion of God's sovereignty and humility as well.
Under Bush, the AG's office and the Justice Dept. for the first time....the first time....applied the 2nd Amendment to individuals.
And yet you complain about his new nominee.
We must watch him to be sure. We do not know what he will do.
But, I prefer to look at the good that has been done and worry about the bad if it comes. I think Bush will not allow him to remove that policy.
I read that the laundry list (though even then, I doubt it will be that much of a laundry list.....why waste a rare prime time speech opp for the POTUS just listing priorities...Bush hasn't so far) will come with the SOTU.
I may be Mormon, and I may be Republican, but I dislike Hatch's politics immensely - and I dislike his lyris even more. The songs were so bad that I had to turn the volume down in the office as everyone was complaining. It was like fingernails on a chalkboard.
I did not get to watch it (was in class and it lasted longer than scheduled due to presentations going over). But, I just read it. All I can say is wow.
They closed in Jesus' name? Now that is really poking in Newdow's eye.
A manager will guide you through a thick forest by cutting the trees with a machete and instruct you to follow.
A leader will find the tallest tree, climb to the top and tell you which direction to go.
While I believe all Muslims are going to hell since they reject Christ, I have studied Islam, and frankly, the religion is really a fantastic faith when practiced properly.
It is still the wrong faith of course.
I disagree with your concern with freedom from want.
His mentioning of that line is connected to his brief discussion of his ownership society, in which people choose their own path via ownership etc.
It is not tied to govt. welfare expanding etc.
I am reading Henry Kissinger's Diplomacy for an international relations course right now....rather large book and I can't get to wade through it.
In any event, he focuses a lot on the influence Wilson had with regards to spreading American influence around the world in a mission-driven foreign policy, in contrast to Teddy Roosevelt's more pragmatic diplomacy.
He asserts that Wilson's mission-driven foreign policy is what most modern presidents look to when developing their own policy.
However, to my knowledge, no president, not even Reagan, has so adopted a mission-driven, America needs to get out and spread its beliefs around the world foreign policy than President Bush.
Rather remarkable.
He is night and day with regards to this when comparing his beliefs before 9/11 and after.
Two mentions of democracy, none of our Republic, -- or of our Constitution.
-- Bummer.
Then I looked at the speech as a whole and its message of liberty and freedom being, in essence, God's gift and desire for mankind, and Bush's commitment to support it and spread it.
Then it became apparent to me that the statement did stick out like a sore thumb, and that perhaps it was meant to. The message of liberty, human dignity, freedom, free choice and reason is not compatable with much of the Koran and the factions that have built up around it. That is obvious with any reasoned look at nations that have based their laws on those writings. There you have compulsion, hatred, and the seeds that produce the homocide/suicide mentality that proclaims that God approves of such murder of innocents and will reward such animlas with 72 of His precious daughters. The seeds of the very thing that the President's speech was aimed squarely against.
With these thoughts came a potential understanding that the President's speech was operating on several levels (IMHO) and if so, was masterfully done. He lays down a gauntlet for our waivering allies, he lays down a gauntlet for tyrants throughout the world, of any stripe...and he exposes the Koran and the radical islamic factions surrounding it for what they are. By including such a comment in his speech, he challenges Muslims everywhere to step up to the plate and test and compare the vision of liberty with the reality of their societies and the writings they are based upon. It fails that test. Bush is sowing the seeds for a potential major adjustment to and reformation if Islam...and using the military, diplomacy, economics and philosophy to do it. I believe that is the real essence of the speech in this regard.
...and philosophically he has done it with mild, even complimentary words.
I believe the speech, in retrospect is a masterpiece in that regard...and if the second component of it, the ownership society he speaks of here in the U.S. (as opposed to the liberals "great" society of pure socialization and marxism) is pursued witht the same type of commitment he has shown in the war on terror, then I believe the speech will overall prove to be a monumental philosophical masterpiece.
Now, that does not discount or quell the issues of too much government involvement in the quest for an ownership society IMHO..the free market can make that happen with very little government intervention IMHO, in fact was meant to. It also does not quell misgivings over the entire immigration and border control issues to date...but I do believe I see movement in this issue by the administration to a more sane and more comprehensive border control/legal process program I hope will be forthcoming...one that encourages legal processes for immigration, citezenship...but punishes, prevents, and detains the illegals. Or the CFR fiasco, etc. On all fronts, we shall see.
But overall, the mood is upbeat, the philosophy is on target and we shall just have to see how the President lives up to it and performs in his actions and influence with the legislature and judiciary. I believe he will do well...and we will thank that same Almighty Creator that he was in office as one whom the Creator can influence in this manner as opposed to Mr., Kerry or any of his ilk.
Best Fregards.
when a group of people's core beliefs come from a book which gives the supreme command to kill everyone who does not believe as you believe, it is not bigotry to renounce that religion and that group
Ya'll Stay safe !
Thanks bro...however you dice it, how refreshing to hear such a speech as we heard today from Bush as opposed to what we endured under Clinton, and what we would have faced with either a Gore (2000) or Kerry speech.
Thank you, Squantos.
I just got tired of being called a bigot for telling the truth.
I can certainly see which sentence set you off, and I agree with you 100% with regard to Islam. But that's just 1% of the speech.
In particular I object to the premise Bush made that eliminating tyranny is the goal of the war on terror; tyranny will never ever be eliminated, and to think that such elimination is possible is the errand of a fool.
But with regard to the speech you state that it is unremarkable, and I disagree with that because of what comprised the other 99% of the words.
I'm revisiting a historical speech which was made in Pennsylvania about 142 years ago by the American president in office at the time. That speech was also judged to be unremarkable by many influential sources of the time, and history proved them wrong.
I'm not a big fan of Bush, but you mark my words; this speech will someday be recollected as one of the great inauguration addresses of all time.
bravo gridlock.
In so doing, it will aid in bringing about a reformation. Those Muslims who seek liberty, who either flee from their lands to find it, or hope for it while living under the boot of tyranny (as millions in Iraq have done and are now showing) will realize that a reformation is in order. At least that is the theory.
If Bush's comment was made at this level...that comment not being so much for our consumption as a philosophical gauntlet and study in opposites laid down for the Muslims themselves...then it was mastrerfully and subtley done. A gauntlet for the tyrants themselves, and a not so subtle message towards reform to the masses living under them.
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