Posted on 12/28/2006 9:36:03 AM PST by ARealMothersSonForever
You're right about him being a fine human being. And for all his faults, the country would have been much better off choosing him over Carter in '76. But that was then...
And this is significant because...?
Gerald Ford was the Casper Milquetoast - or better yet, the Charlie Brown of presidents. That's not to bad-mouth Charlie Brown or Gerald Ford: I just didn't want Charlie Brown or Ford for president. It was obvious that he just wasn't up to it.
Would you vote for a 90 year old for POTUS and put national security in the hands of a person with probable memory loss , difficulty with problem solving and possible beginning stages of dementia?Whether I would vote for a 90 year old or not is a much different question. Probably not given the pressure of the office and the likelihood of failing health, possibly including dementia at some point. The office is know for a lot of pressure that could trigger health problems. Reagan himself probably had the beginnings of Alzheimers toward the end of his term.
To say that Ford's opinion of the WOT and Iraq, good or bad, in the twilight of his years, is the ultimate answer to the calling of this young generation is at least as absurd as any question I have asked you.You're the one trying to make his opinion the "ultimate answer to the calling of this young generation". Where did you get that? It's one opinion among many. It deserves a little more respect than most because he's been in the office and has a unique point of view.
So if you can't answer honestly, don't expect to convince me that you have a handle on the normal affects of aging on the cognition of the extreme elderly.I'm not in the habit of writing off all of the opinions of the elderly. Some 90 year olds are sharp as a tack, and some 20 year olds come close to dementia. I usually listen and then give it the weight I think it deserves. That dog just won't hunt.
Now, can we get on with mourning his death without exploiting him further for political purposes and TV ratings? Thank you.Now we can get on with honoring his life? His words are an important part of his legacy. Your welcome.
Who really gives a rat's rear end what Ford thought. They liked Ford because as minority leader he kow-towed to the RATS and was always on the losing end. His presidency was lacklustre at best.
Let me say it this way.........if we, the United States of America, had not intervened and saved Europe from the Third Reich and Asia from Imperialist Japan, and replaced those governments with forced democracies, there is no way to even speculate how great the world wide disaster would have been.
I note you ignored my assessment of isolationists like yourself, and did not choose to defend yourself or deny it.
The only options as I see it, for the motivation of isolationism are that America is a negative force in the world and should not 'impose' our way of government on other countries........a view shared by the left. Or, the other option is that you don't care what happens to anyone else in the world because you are either elitist, or completely self-centered.
I suppose a third option would be that you are all cowards, but I tend to think that your isolationist views stem from either the view that American democracy is a bad thing, or an elitism that says that people outside our borders neither want, nor deserve freedom, or self-absorbtion that results in apathy about the plight of anyone else except yourself.
I find none of those options acceptable, and all are completely repugnant to my own Christian world view.
But in the case of terrorism and the present war we are waging on those who want us all dead, your isolationist view is not only elitist and selfish, but is in reality, self-destructive, not only to your own personal well being, but to the well being of the country that we (both?) love. In other words, your POV with this enemy, is dangerous and potentially deadly, and I praise God that we have a President who doesn't share it, and pray daily that in 2008 whoever is elected will have the vision and courage to continue this fight, and will not cower in fear as would be your preference.
Although it did happen, I find it very hard to believe that Ford would sit for an interview with Woodward of all people. After the Casey fiasco, I'm surprised anyone would have anything to do with him.The Bush Administration invited him into the inner offices of the Administration to write about the war. He must have had some appeal.
if we, the United States of America, had not intervened and saved Europe from the Third Reich and Asia from Imperialist Japan, and replaced those governments with forced democracies, there is no way to even speculate how great the world wide disaster would have been.There's a good point for you in here but you ought to keep your history straight. We went to war with countries that declared war on us. We even allied ourselves with the Stalinist Soviet Union to win that war. Roosevelt wanted to intervene in Europe but was restrained by among others the Republican Isolationists. We gave extremely limited support to Brittan before Perl Harbor.
I note you ignored my assessment of isolationists like yourself, and did not choose to defend yourself or deny it.Are you or are you not a Communist Mr. Wright?
The only options as I see it, for the motivation of isolationism are that America is a negative force in the world and should not 'impose' our way of government on other countries........a view shared by the left.Possibly he thinks other people should fight for their own freedom with a little help from their friends. The French didn't win the Revolutionary War for us, they helped.
Or, the other option is that you don't care what happens to anyone else in the world because you are either elitist, or completely self-centered.An elitist thinks he knows what's best for everyone else. It's possible to care what happens to others in the world and also have the humility to know they have to take their own future in their hands. Try a little wisdom from a quote:
God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things which should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.I don't know where the line is but having the "grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed" does not make him elitist, self centered, or uncaring.
Reinhold Niebuhr (1892 - 1971), in a sermon in 1943
I find none of those options acceptable, and all are completely repugnant to my own Christian world view.So when are you planning to invade North Korea? There are a lot of truly awful governments in the world. If we want to make them all democracies then we need another strategy. America has more than just military power.
But in the case of terrorism and the present war we are waging on those who want us all dead, your isolationist view is not only elitist and selfish, but is in reality, self-destructive, not only to your own personal well being, but to the well being of the country that we (both?) love. In other words, your POV with this enemy, is dangerous and potentially deadly, and I praise God that we have a President who doesn't share it, and pray daily that in 2008 whoever is elected will have the vision and courage to continue this fight, and will not cower in fear as would be your preference.I think questioning his patriotism is pretty rank. He may be wrong but that doesn't make him a traitor. There is a patriotic place somewhere between total isolationism and unlimited interventionalism and I suspect you'll find him somewhere in there.
I was speaking hyperbolically ...And you still are.
The only false accusation I will state the truth to counter, was that I questioned Austin's patriotism. I did no such thing, so don't use that leftist emotional tripe on me.
What I do question is your legitimacy as a freeper and a conservative, and this post has made your status even more questionable.
Please don't post back to me. Saddam's about to die, and I don't have time to read any more of your fiction......
Austin and I may not agree, but I respect him and know he's sincere. I have no such confidence with you.
What I do question is your legitimacy as a freeper and a conservative, and this post has made your status even more questionable.Could you pass me the hemlock please. I've lost the will to live.
Austin and I may not agree, but I respect him and know he's sincere.Sorry, it's hard to interpret "that we (both?) love" any other way.
I have no such confidence with you.oh well, life's hard sometimes.
Now please leave me alone. I prefer to stick with trustworthy freepers, and with every post you slide further and further down the troll abyss......
I doubt that I am confused, oldster, and certainly entitled to my opinion of a past president who couldn't hold water to the current administration. I'm certainly old enough to remember Ford well....and for him to not say what he had to say regarding the war on terror to the current president certainly lacked strength and character. I believe I have the correct forum. Maybe you need to reconsider.
You're more than confused. You're a nasty person, and most likely a troll, making your opinions of no interest to me as a member in good standing of this conservative forum.
Good day.
America was always suppose to be the example of what self-Government could achieve.
We understand that different cultures are going to have different approaches.
America holds to nationalism, not the false internationalism of the League of Nations and the U.N.
The great achievement of America was the founding on the concept of individual rights, rights given by God and not government and that is what makes America unique to the World and is an enemy to all tyrants.
The change of Japan and Germany from tyrannical to Democratic nations is one of the greatest political sucesses in history.
Both Democratic nations had to be protected so they could survive long enough for the people to see that Democracy, though messy at times, can be effective.
I do not see why Iraq cannot follow in the same path if given protection and time to get on its feet.
What we have in Iraq is the MSM depicting the entire nation in turmoil, when a small fraction of it is directly effected by these terrorist attacks.
I am not saying that there will not be problems, nor that any particular type of Democratic Government be imposed.
The greatest threat to Islamic facism in the Mideast is the growth of representive Government in that region.
That is why they are fighting against it with such determination.
The fact that emperor was stripped of power was no big deal. He had become pretty much become a symbolic figure since the turn of the century and, prior ot the Meji restoration, had no power at all.
I only brought up the Emperor because you commented on his remaining in power.
The fact is that while the Emperor may not have political power, he was viewed as being divine and had great moral prestige, enough to end Japanese resistance in WW2.
Well said!
Others may disagree, but I believe that one of the underlying feelings in those who don't believe that America should help other countries create systems of government that share the values of our Constitution.....i.e. personal liberty........is arrogance.
It is definitely true in the case of Iraq. The elitists on this board, and the elitists in academia and the left in general don't think that the Iraqis are capable of living in freedom.
As a Christian, I firmly disagree. America's form of government is unique, but the God-breathed nature of all humanity is not. The desire for freedom is universal because cultures may be different, but human beings are innately the same, regardless of the place of their birth.
Amen to your post!
On this sad but honorable night in US history, it will take people like you who know the vision to keep our nation and mission strong.
I'm proud to know you Freeper Friend.
"You're a nasty person, and most likely a troll, making your opinions of no interest to me as a member in good standing of this conservative forum."
How extremely strange.
No more pings please.
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