Frist should prescribe himself some "mean pills!"
THE PING!Posted on 05/27/2005 5:14:52 PM PDT by The Spirit Of Allegiance
I seem to have experienced the same thing here in West Michigan during the last election. In 2000, after several nights of working the phones, I called the local GOP office to volunteer on election day...they had nothing going on. In 2004 the Bush campaign had organized but the locals still looked disinterested and wouldn't as much as answer questions about the Bush campaign activities, even as they met in the same office. My brother-in-law, a precinct captain, was given his literature for neighborhood walking, by the locals, and there wasn't a single Bush piece in the bundle.
It's nuts and has in the past been disheartening, but we see it as an opportunity. I'm not interested in the locals dress up parties and teas that they keep writing me about. I like your approach, we are working on something similar.
It's a flat-out falsehood to say that this whole Bolton controversy is summed up as pro-UN vs anti-UN. It's only pro-Kofi vs anti-Kofi. Well, guess what: If you ask me, I say keep Kofi right where he is. He's the perfect symbol for what the UN is all about, always has been all about, and always will be all about for as long as we suffer it to live.
"I don't know how many people actually are aware of this, but Bolton is pro-UN. He's just against the current leadership."
I've seen video of Bolton saying "there is no UN" and other things. What's your source on this, please?
Great post. You're 100 percent right. Sitting around finger-pointing and complaining and whining is not going to change one thing. That's especially true for those whose fingers are pointing at their own. (Disclaimer: I don't consider John McCain and the six weasels our own, so I feel free to point all I want in that direction.)
Do I think mistakes were made? Almost certainly. I think President Bush could have been more publicly vocal about this, and put more public pressure on the weinies in the Senate. Someday we'll probably find out why he didn't, but he still has that opportunity. It's not a knockout, the administration just lost this round.
Decisions related to political infighting are probably not simple or easy, and when you're fighting an opponent totally without conscience and scruples, and you have those, it's even harder. It doesn't help that they have virtually every media mouthpiece in the U.S. working their propaganda for them.
Let's get back to fighting for our side. It's what's got us where we are and it's what will win the next battle. And there will always be another battle, no matter what. We can't afford to leave the field to the other side because we're disgusted that this particular battle was lost.
You don't half-suck.
Remind me to tell you how I REALLY feel sometime.....
I am outraged, and I am sick and tired!
In fact, I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired! (So I made it my new tagline)
"Remember, If you're not outraged, it means you
haven't been paying attention!"
Let's not live in outrage. That's for the DU and Moveon.org guys. They continually bask and glory in the "anger of the American people."
I'm not angry at anyone. But I intend to see that certain butts are kicked and certain names are taken.
Shamelessly borrowed by Iron Maiden @ "The number of the beast".
OK. Do you think the DNC blockage of Bolton is purely for show? I do not and this article doesn't convince me. The Dems have spent a LOT of political capital on Bolton, as has the Bush admin.
DITTO to what you said.
Tora, Tora, Tora! -- the Battle of Midway is at hand!
He understands the separation of powers. He can hardly wield strong Executive powers, while poking his nose into legislative branch powers. When he does that sort of thing, it has to be done behind the scenes. His Constitutional responsibility is more important than his position in his party.
Someday we'll probably find out why he didn't, but he still has that opportunity. It's not a knockout, the administration just lost this round.
This round is not even over yet, much less lost. As long as there are people in the ring getting bloody, the round is still going on. Landing one punch against us is not scored as a win in the round.
The round doesn't end until the votes are counted in the '06 election. It will be scored by how many seats in both houses have been picked up or lost ~and~ how many lifetime judicial positions have been gained. The big event is the Supreme Court. If the 5-4 split there is made more conservative by '08, we will have won big! Every Circuit Court that is turned in our favor is also a big win.
The UN position... If the WH doesn't get who they want there, it drifts further towards League of Nation status. IOW, it becomes more irrelevant. OTOH, if the WH can start cleaning house there, it could start to go back towards being what it was meant to be, a service organization.
Correct. It is supposed to be a service organization, not any kind of governing body.
THE PING!Being vocal in the media about supporting the need for nominees to have an up or down vote, even maybe publicly backing up the integrity of his judicial nominees and cabinet nominees, hardly seems to be a breach of constitutional responsibilities. After all, he campaigned VIGOROUSLY about the need for judicial nominees to be appointed and passed who upheld the constitution. If he could say it then, why not now? I'm not saying he doesn't have his reasons, clearly he does have. But I don't understand that particular argument.
Well, you're right that this round is not over yet, not by any means. I was using a metaphor, maybe not a particularly apt one. I agree with you that even this particular fight is far from over.
I also agree that Bolton's nomination seems to have more symbolic significance than real. The UN will probably be what it is regardless of whether Bolton is there or not. The only argument I can think of against that conclusion is the ferocity with which the left is fighting it. Why go to the mat on that one if Bolton won't really have an impact? I'm trying to understand that one, it's strange to me. I'm not into conspiracies, but I'm wondering if the fear is that he might find out something more damaging than is already known.
That is what the administration has done. Every time the media asks the WH about the things that are going on in the Senate & they are regularly asked, the answer has consistently been "the President asks that his nominees be given an up or down vote." The President's answers have always been along the same lines. They haven't stopped saying it, but the MSM doesn't see the answers as news, so it's not getting reported. Read through the transcript's of a few daily WH briefings.
Blocking Bolton is pure politics, though the left would like to see someone quiet & unassuming in the position.
"surely a BILLION all around the world--people hope and pray for the continued success of the Bush Doctrine."
I spend roughly 15 hours every day, working for:
1)the defeat of socialist, marxist liberalism
2)the defeat of islamofascism
3)the defeat of Hillary Clinton
I shall continue my work.
Sincere thanks for your own effort.
Char
Perhaps you're right about the media not giving the President's statements much credence if they don't want to hear it. On the other hand, he hasn't been aggressive about bringing it up in public (press conferences, radio addresses, town halls, etc), either.
I have no doubt that there's plenty of behind-the-scenes wrangling. I'm sure the administration has its reasons, I just don't understand the seeming reluctance to use the bully pulpit on this matter. I wonder if the Terry Schiavo matter has made them slightly gunshy. I think that is a possible explanation, or partial one.
If Bolton is pure politics, that seems to me to be a bad move on the part of the Dems, because they will get very little long-term benefit for the disruption they've created. Seems to me they're shooting an awful lot of their ammunition at the Bolton nomination, and will likely be punished for it at the ballot box, at least some ballot boxes.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.