I was drawing an analogy to the McCarthy trick of saying that he had letters in his pocket that proved that somebody was a communist, without actually producing the letters.
I am not a McCarthy basher btw, just bashing that tactic. I am sure that many people find me to be a creep, jerk, fill in the blank. I just think that saying that anonymous people agree with one through freep mail is kinda well uncool.
I do though genuinely apologize for my tone earlier. I am just feeling a sense of frustration with "your side". I do sense that it is becoming un p.c. here to be allowed to criticize the president. I am just venting btw. I still plan on voting for him. I just don't feel that pretending one thinks everything is rosy is not the best long term strategy.
It reminds me of the democrats I know, who would defend Clinton to the hilt, then years later admit that they found him profoundly flawed. I am not comparing Clinton to Bush by this. I am just drawing an analogy.
I am probably being more contrarian than I would typically be, just playing devil's advocate to those who fawn over the president. I detest the Cult of Personality. Doesn't matter who the personality is. Idolatry is one of the 10 commandments that I really get irked at when it is being violated.
If it doesn't apply to you or anybody else reading this, then do not take it personally or offense. I do sense a whiff of this though on the "isn't he so dreamy" threads.
He is a politician, not a pop star. It reminds me of the fawning over Clinton. Again, not comparing their attributes, just comparing the blind allegiance.
Sorry for being so long winded, but I ambushed OhioWFan a bit, and feel a bit counter ambushed, and I feel that some things might be misconstrued.
I was a republican before the president was president, or governor for that matter. Shall be one after he leaves. I see the same thing with Reagan worshippers. Both George Bush's are "no Ronald Reagan" with them. Reagan isn't the idealized Reagan. He made mistakes too. We all do. Come next August, I will be full time attacking the democrats. I just don't want my vote taken for granted, my objections pushed aside for the sake of "unity".
Dick Cheney used to hold my position on Iraq btw. He said that the reason we didn't take out Saddam in 91 was because it would fracture international alliances, be inordinately expensive, would require massive troops, massive money, and the exit strategy would be hard to come up with, with us most likely spending years upon years in country as occupying force with most of the world opposed to us.
Cheney changed his mind. But I would appreciate that those of us who believe he had it right in 1995 when he said that, or when Brent Scowcroft, or the President's own father just last year echoed similar thoughts, would not be treated as parriahs to the cause.
I believe Dick Cheney was dead accurate in fact. Everything that he said would happen if we toppled Saddam has in fact happened. I hope we are still allowed to differ here.
Thanks for/if ya read this long rambling post.
--dogbyte12--
I'm sure there has been freepmail about me .. heck I get bashed over at TOS all the time. Most times, I just ignore it, because no matter what I say, they will still call me all kinds of names.
But you do realize how this reference could be taken the wrong way, don't ya? Which is why I asked you what you meant by it, before jumping to the wrong conclusion ..
I do though genuinely apologize for my tone earlier. I am just feeling a sense of frustration with "your side". I do sense that it is becoming un p.c. here to be allowed to criticize the president. I am just venting btw. I still plan on voting for him. I just don't feel that pretending one thinks everything is rosy is not the best long term strategy.
I am glad that you genuinely apologize and I do hope that you and OhioWfan can some how work things out.
With that said, maybe you can understand "our side's" frustration at all the attacks we have recieved.
Personally, I don't have a problem with criticizing the President, but I do have a problem when false information that is being reported in the papers and then some believe it like it's gospel.
And no I don't think everything is rosey .. We are in a war on terror, people from around the world want to kill us. But I do think that President Bush is trying to fight these terrorists. Do I wish he could do more, You're damn right I do, but I also realize the political climate that we are facing.
And no matter how much you, I or anyone would like to hear Bush say "Let Roll, Nuke Mecca" .. he ain't gonna do it .. it might cross his mind ..but he ain't gonna do it.
It reminds me of the democrats I know, who would defend Clinton to the hilt, then years later admit that they found him profoundly flawed. I am not comparing Clinton to Bush by this. I am just drawing an analogy
I understand that you are not comparing Bush to Clinton .. but there are others that do. For which the life of me, I cannot understand. Bill Clinton is nothing but a worthless piece of sh**, that sold our country to the any bidder.
And YES, the thought of another Democrat in the White House, especially while we are at war scares the hell out of me.
No matter how bad some may think Bush is .. a Dem in the WH will be 100 times worse.
Also, I and many others don't fall all over Bush like loved sick puppies. We admire his character, his leadership, and the strength he has shown in some very difficult times.
The fact that he looks pretty good in a pair of jeans is a plus. ;0)
I was a republican before the president was president, or governor for that matter. Shall be one after he leaves. I see the same thing with Reagan worshippers. Both George Bush's are "no Ronald Reagan" with them. Reagan isn't the idealized Reagan. He made mistakes too. We all do. Come next August, I will be full time attacking the democrats. I just don't want my vote taken for granted, my objections pushed aside for the sake of "unity".
Bush is not Ronald Regan, there is only one Regan .. but I do think Regan would be proud of the things Bush has done. And yes, you are right .. both men have made mistakes .. but all the good they have done for our country outweight the bad.
And I totally agree, our vote should not be taken for granted. But I am of the thinking that this battle belongs in the primaries. Heck, I have not intention of voting for Arlen Specter in the primary .. but if he wins, then I will hold my nose and vote for him in the election, because keeping control is important.
I can also understand the beef about the 3rd party .. I have never ruled out voting for one .. It's just that they haven't brought forth one that catches my attention.
Plus, if there was a 3rd party canidate .. if the poll numbers aren't good for that person .. then I will not take the chance of getting a Dem in the WH .. I learned that lesson in 1992 (for the record, I didn't vote for Ross)
Dick Cheney used to hold my position on Iraq btw. He said that the reason we didn't take out Saddam in 91 was because it would fracture international alliances, be inordinately expensive, would require massive troops, massive money, and the exit strategy would be hard to come up with, with us most likely spending years upon years in country as occupying force with most of the world opposed to us.
I understand your point .. But that was then and this is now ... Yes, I agree .. This war will be expensive .. but what other choice do we have?
Should we have ignore Saddam untill he hit us, or he gave someone like Bin Ladin WMD to hit us??
That's what Clinton did .. and look what we got from it .. Thousands of people were killed because he didn't have the balls to go after the terrorists.
Some out there can call me all the names they want .. I don't care .. What I care about is our country and the people that live here. I care about my children, your children and the children across the country .. and I'll be damned if I'll sit back and let the liberal left like the Clinton's, Kennedy's Durbin's, Dashole's and Dean's hand our country over to the UN
Is Bush God .. hell no .. but I do think he was sent to us by God ... Bush is a step in the right direction .. a step in brining our country back on the right track .. brining it back to what our founding fathers intended it to be.
Can Bush do it all in 4 years .. hell no .. it took over 50 years for the left to get us to this points .. it's gonna take some time to get things right again.
So if all that makes me a Bush Bot ... so be it.
Well ... now it looks like it is me that has turned this into a long winded response
I just want you to know .. we are on your side too. We may have different opinions .. but we are not your enemy .. that is as long as you are not a Dem ;0)