BUSH TRANSFIGURED

Andrew Sullivan.com ^ | Tuesday, January 29, 2002 | Andrew Sullivan

[Exigence]

disent

And "dissent" too.

[Exigence]

You didn't hear GWB's speech, tonight did you? He begged Congress to permit future deficit spending to cover his plans.

I didn't hear any begging. What I did hear was a logical explanation about why defense and our war on terror would require deficit spending. Shall I cut and paste the pertinent passages for you?

Bush said:
"Once we have funded our national security and our homeland security, the final great priority of my budget is economic security for the American people. To achieve these great national objectives – to win the war, protect the homeland and revitalize our economy – our budget will run a deficit that will be small and short-term so long as Congress restrains spending and acts in a fiscally responsible way. We have clear priorities and we must act at home with the same purpose and resolve we have shown overseas: We will prevail in the war, and we will defeat this recession."

Now, using loaded words like "beg" is a favorite rhetorical trick of the left. It's a good way to distort the point for those trying to promote their own agendas over the truth.

[prognostigaator]

This thread is remeniscent of what FR once was, only better..

Your observations ,and other thoughtful contributions opened my naive eyes, at least , to the underlying philosophies which the freedoms in this country permit.

What a great country; what a great President.

[Buckeroo]

"I didn't hear any begging. " --Exigence

Yeah you did. You put your ear-muffs on during the parts you don't want to deal with.

[Aristophanes]

So ... basically he's gonna "change the hearts and minds" of America on abortion by ... what? ... ESP?

Do you actually believe that people's minds will be changed by doing nothing and not talking about it? That's an interesting strategy he has there.

[Aristophanes]

I'm starting to think that Bush has a problem with math. He doesn't seem to realize that 40 million is a bigger number than 3,800. (As in number of American babies murdered by abortionists vs. number of Americans murdered by foreign terrorists.)

[Exigence]

Yeah you did. You put your ear-muffs on during the parts you don't want to deal with.

I just love the arrogance. I don't agree with you so I "don't want to deal with" it. A bit self-centered in your logic, aren't you "pal"? ROFL

If you have anything to discuss besides euphenisms, generalizations, and ad hominem attacks, let me know. But, reading your responses to others on the thread, I won't count on it.

[Buckeroo]

Just so you know (for what's it's worth) GWB faced the US Supremes while discussing, "the dignity of all human life." It was a clear underscore about his concept for the removal of government funding upon abortion.

[nopardons]

I don't drink alcoholic beverages much at all, and NEVER turn to them for solice. Is that your problem ?

Please, I don't need a lecture, from you nor anyone else, about what the STATE OF THE UNION speech is. Unlike you I understand podlitics, and what's what, to boot. More than you are able to understand, I and others do know just how neatly, the Dems were boxed in. We also understand , unlike you and those who agree with you, that there are the realms of the possible, and the realms of the impossible. I have patience, as well as knowledge and understanding. You need much more of both.

Did I like / agree wit EVERYTHING the president proposed ? Of course not. Still, it was a superior, brilliant speech, an incredibly savvy political move, and I know that there shall be more things I lke, coming down the road. " NIGHTMARE " ? Only in your fevered, fervid imagination. THE NIGHTMARE IS OVER ; WAKE UP !

[Lancey Howard]

After the speech, Democrats, who have staked out fiscal responsibility as their issue, were sputtering about how we were going to "pay" for all this.

I heard McAuliffe uttering this refrain on Hannity and Colmes.
I could not believe my ears.

We win. Hands down, we win.

Raising taxes (or screwing with the scheduled ones) is a non-starter. Period. It will never happen.
So.... The Democrats have gleefully jumped straight into the quicksand by complaining about "dafficit spending" and asking "How are we going to pay for all this?". The answer from Republicans (if they can keep a straight face) is obvious: "Well, uh, .... so what programs do you Democrats want to cut?"
ROTFLMBO !!!

[Exigence]

Do you actually believe that people's minds will be changed by doing nothing and not talking about it?

He has made no secret as to his stance on life. That is not "nothing" when you are President.

As to changing minds, I know with absolute certainty that the heavy-handed approach you both preach and practice will turn more people away from pro-life stances than the pro-aborts will ever convince on their own. We can't convert folks to being pro-life by the methods you suggest any more than we could convert them to Christianity using the same tactics. Your way will not save lives. It will only mobilize and harden the opposition.

[nopardons]

How VERY correct you are !

Nice to see you again, BTW. : - )

[Buckeroo]

Good God! I got this critter off my back! Thank you.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

He doesn't seem to realize that 40 million is a bigger number than 3,800.

Nevermind that the war on terror is a non-negotiable if we want to save the lives of every American citizen - man, woman, and child. We have no choice. It has to be our NUMBER ONE priority.

It certainly is interesting to see your lack of regard for the victims of the Pentagon, the WTC and Flight 93 on display, however.

[Aristophanes]

So merely mentioning the "A" word is "heavy-handed" and therefore verboten now?

I see....

[nopardons]

You are slinging mud, right here, in the post I am replying to. And you had the gall to even try to upbraid me ? What an abjecy weasle and hypocrite you are. Where is your " common curtesy" ? Were is your civility now ?

[Aristophanes]

It certainly is interesting to see your lack of regard for the victims of the Pentagon, the WTC and Flight 93 on display, however.

And it is certainly interesting to see your lack of regard for the 4,000 murdered babies that died today. (And yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that, ....)

[goldstategop]

Yeah and Bush touted only programs that help people who've given something back to this country: like people who lost jobs through no fault of their own and need a helping hand to help them pay their bills til they're back on their feet and to help our grandparents pay for their prescription drug expenses. That's reasonable to me since the latter have paid taxes while working for their Social Security and Medicare and deserve to be looked after in their old age. The President did NOT propose a large list of entitlement programs, which is more interesting than what he mentioned the government should do for those TRULY in need. There's the difference between a compassionate conservative who thinks government should do a few things and a few things well and a liberal who thinks government should do everything without concern for the ultimate results. When someone asks conservatives if they are mean spirited and don't care they can say with pride we do but we want help to truly change the lives of people to whom its offered.