Posted on 05/12/2006 8:40:49 PM PDT by M. Thatcher
Im off on politics for a while
Ive decided that if Im going to keep blogging, Im going to have to leave off writing or reading about politics for a little while, because its all making me sick.
But as I put the subject away, I just have to ask all of you people - on every side - who have decided that immigration is one mans burden, and that every good thing President Bush has done is to be negated because he hasnt snapped his fingers and done what YOU think is the solution to the immigration problem what did Clinton do about immigration, what did Bush 41 do? What did St. Reagan do? What did Carter do? What has any president, congressperson or senator done about immigration for the last 30 years, except kick the issue down the road for someone else to deal with?
Reagan, if you remember, was the amnesty president. Clinton was the borders? Whats borders, everyone is our pal president.
Lots of bills that were ignored by past presidents, particularly during our vacation from history have come due on Dubyas watch. The whole world seems to be coming due on his watch, and damn him for not handling everything perfectly. What a loser, eh? And its easy to kick a guy when hes down, isnt it? AJ is getting weary of it, too.
Energy. We were promised back in the 1970s by President Carter that we would cease to be dependant on Middle East for our energy. Hows that been working out, all these years, all these presidents, later? Oh Bush DID try to get a comprehensive energy bill passed in congress. No go. Congress kicked it down the road for someone else to deal with. Whatever happened to expanding and strengthening the grid? What will we say this summer when the blackouts and brownouts occur? That bastard Bush he didnt fix this. No mention that congress kicked and kicked that ball away.
Social Security. Weve been told its the most important issue - or at least we hear it every election year but everyone knows its going to hell. Oh Bush DID try to get a comprehensive reform of Social Security passed in congress. No go. Congress kicked it down the road for someone else to deal with. Social Security is a joke, but its a joke with a lockbox, and the keys long throw-away.
Terrorism. Weve essentially been at war with Islamofascism since our countrymen were held hostage for 444 days, since our soldiers were slaughtered in their barracks. Since Saddam tried to kill a former president. This will not stand, yeah, yeah, yeah we heard it all. What did Carter do about it? What did Reagan? What did Bush 41? What did Clinton do - particularly when AlQ began to attack American interests, holdings and naval vessels on an average of every 20 months? What? Are those crickets I hear chirping?
Finally after 3,000 of our countrymen died action was taken, and the action continues and Bush has worked very hard to keep us safe and to destroy the infrastructure, funding and communications of Al Qaeda and their ilk, but you know its a bad thing for us to monitor the calling habits of AlQ and their co-horts. That would be an awful abuse of power, wouldnt it? Right up there with accessing FBI files on political opponants and other Nixonian tactics, right? Better to completely mischaracterize what hes doing and call a hero a tyrant and a traitor a hero because because well, because the truth is Bush is doing the job on terrorism too damn well, and we cant bring ourselves to report that.
And now, immigration one man is to blame, one man is at fault, one man must find the Solomonic solution. And if he doesnt, hes a bum no matter what else hes done. Meanwhile, the press cant get over the president who smiled and cried his way through two terms, and they still work on his legacy. Can you ever recall a time in history where 6 years after an administration ends, the ex-president is still breathlessly being polled-on, still being given (on most days) as much press as the current president? I cant.
Its not just about the president, though. There is a terrible toxicity to our political and social exchanges - there is little real thought and lots of shrieking going on, lots of noise, little real discourse and precious little honesty. There is no way to debate because - no matter which side tries to get serious - a well-thought-out discourse is immediately shot down by the other side with a one-line-sneer, usually a specious one, that distorts or misdirects and never allows a thought to go forward. The disrespect between sides is staggering, and completely unproductive. But non-productivity seems to be what people like. Its safe. If you dont do anything, you cant get blamed, right? More kicking things down the road. Let the guy who actually wants to take some action bear the brunt of your fear, your insecurity, your anger, your scorn, your impotence. If he doesnt do it all perfectly, hes a bum. Prof. Bainbridge and Ed Morrissey report that conservatives are abandoning Bush.
Ah, well I never did think of myself as a conservative, anyway more like a classical liberal without a home
I wonder who all those principled conservatives are going to vote for in 08. We did this hes not conservative enough for me, Ill vote principles or stay home thing once before, in 1992, didnt we? Howd that work out for you?
There are games within games, and strategies within strategies, and in the end, I wonder if anyone - anyone at all - is really looking out for America beyond their own interests. I think the president is. I think certain exceptional blogs and a few - very few - professional folks in the press are. But there is a great deal of stuff out there that is all about taking the easy route - cynicism is easy, sneering is easy, rabble-rousing is easy - in order to promote oneself or ones cause and its beginning to drown out the rest.
The roiling hate that is the driving force behind the MSM and some parts of the blogosphere and so much more cannot produce anything good. All of these negatives cannot create a positive. I cant be the only one who is feeling increasingly ill - not ill-at-ease, but physically ill - when looking at it. I have to think that there are folks on both sides, GOP and Dem, Liberal and Conservative who are looking at all of this and thinking Im not walking into that insanity. Seems to me both sides are completely infected with a blood-poisoning that could take down the nation. And I have no help to offer, because when I try to read about politics, lately - any story, be it a Kennedy car crash, or an imploding CIA, I want to puke. I physically want to vomit.
And so, for a while, Im off the subject. Well talk sex, religion, baseball, opera and even - Lord help us - television. But to stay in the middle of the deleterious snakepit of politics no there be monsters.
I think for the summer, my little boat will sail in the other direction.
BUMP!
Yup!!!
This is not a good post.
A "pox on both your houses" and hiding under the bed is no answer. This is a political forum not an invitation to catatonia.
Conservatives are not equally guilty with libs.
And Bush is wrong on immigration. Because Clinton is also a sinner, ever more egregious than Bush on virtually every issue, does not relieve Bush of responsibility where he is wrong. This posts reeks of relativism, defeatism, feel goodism and the posters are as bad as the author.
We are conservatives. Wake up and fight.Proclaim the right, decry what's wrong. Thats what we do. Stop the hand wringing and sniveling or after the election you will be crying.
Q.E.D.
There is a terrible toxicity to our political and social exchanges - there is little real thought and lots of shrieking going on, lots of noise, little real discourse and precious little honesty. There is no way to debate because - no matter which side tries to get serious - a well-thought-out discourse is immediately shot down by the other side with a one-line-sneer, usually a specious one, that distorts or misdirects and never allows a thought to go forward.
"Rather effectively disguised", was his reply.
Thanks for posting this. I'm pretty much in the same camp. I still check FR a few times a day to get the "real" news but I'm taking a break from MSM, Rush, Glenn Beck, and John Corby.
You can find me in the garden, on the river bank with a fishing pole, or join me while I sing along to my Rod Stewart albums...real loud.
I am angry at Reagan because he gave amnesty, although in fairness, that issue was not as pressing as it is now.
The issue was still not on the radar (and I was too young to realize) when Boosh the Elder was in charge.
KKKlinton is a scumbag who totally screwed our country with Algore's "Shitizenshit USA" in 1996, and other disasters like ushering in the type of liberal drek that STILL rule the federal government at all levels. He would get life in prison if I was Supreme Ruler because this issue became big again in the late '90s, and he should have seen the writing on the wall--except, if ruining the country was his plan all along.
After 9/11/01, we learned of KKKLinton's screw ups, and that THIS administration did next to NOTHING to FIX the problem, and actually did more to make it WORSE!!! giving a 50 grand raise to the State Department hack who OKed the hijacker's visas, the "vigilante" comment, the failing to close the borders the day after the attacks, failing to fire these government flunkies--and failing to fight the ACLU and other groups who were, in their own way, responsible for the events of 9/11/01 for taking place.
He is STILL more concerned with pleasing Fox than his base. This is AMNESTY, with NO real promise of Nat. Guard troops along the border. Using 10000 NG troops on the border sounds nice, but are they only going to come from the SW? Are they going to have to relocate these guys and their families? They have jobs M-F. This does not sound right to me.
I will NOT TOLERATE ANMESTY in exchange for troops along the border! WE WANT A WALL WITH TROOPS, and a WITHDRAWL OF MEXICAN TROOPS FROM THIS OCCUPIED COUNTRY!!!
Amen to your post- I have posted about the same thing many times- GWB is the president that we need for the war on terror, and that is the most important thing, and his judicial appointments, but so far he has been an idiot on immigration,and not much better on spending. I feel that Russia and Iran and China are very much beyond his sphere of influence.
I am so glad you posted her blog. She is one of the few bloggers I go to everyday. She is not a politico or some profesional blogger. Just a average mom ,with quite extradinory writing talent, trying to get through and enjoy life. Her original post on immigration is exactly where I am at on this issue and her thoughts are my thoughts.
That being said for those interested in her blog let me recommend a part of it to read. The most compelling writing and the writing that gave me so much peace was her posts on her brother in law and his death with aids in the hospice. For all people that have concerns about right to life, a dying friend, aging parents, or your on mortality her opening her family most intimate moments is quite an inspiration. She did it with humor, wit, and wisdom GREAT BEAUTY.
Anyway if interested go here. http://theanchoressonline.com/category/my-brother-s/
I recommend reading the post starting at the last page and reading it in order. Again its a little off topic I suppose from the thread but I always wanted to share with others that might be interested that great writing and insight she gave me.
As far as terrorism goes, I offer two examples: "Islam is a religion of peace" and the fact that Iraqi civillians are placed above our own soldiers (heroes) lives. He is cowering to PC, on this issue, as usual. If he valued our troops the way we Freepers value our troops, this war would have been over 2 years ago, we would have been through Iran and Syria, and ISLAM would learn what "submission" really means.
I sure wish she would post on FR. She is really good.
Thank you!
read later
Ya know, every brain fart doesn't need to be verbalized.
I agree. I think hers is a mind alive ~ brutally honest, and very often wickedly funny. I never miss her.
I agree totally. This is a brilliant post!
You've got a point, but I've grown sick of trying to urge politicians to do the right thing. I'm just sick of politics in general. I would love to see someone enter political office to fight for the Republic instead of their pocket book and power of office.
One example, for me, of the hopelessness of the political process: the offer of one hundred dollars in an attempt to quiet concerns over the price of fuel. Were these democrats who made such an offer, I would be nonplussed. It's expected of them. But when Republicans do it, having taken this mindset, all hope is lost.
Wow! Immigration has reached the status of religion and politics...unspeakable in polite conversation!
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