Replies

I guess we're at a fundamental disagreement, VMI, about what is practical/politic and what is preferable. I'll gladly side with the former if I cannot get the latter. Perhaps an example from my experience will illustrate my viewpoint better.

I had a friend once who managed a hotel in a very competitive tourist town. Lots of hotels/motels in a very small area. He had a nice place, but there were lots of nice places. His room rates, determined by his corporate bosses, were supposed to rent for around $65 a night. (This was years ago!) His average rate per room hovered around $50 per room.

Let me explain. People would drive in off the highway, go straight to his hotel, the first off the highway, and ask for a room and a rate. Of course he told them $65. If they were tired and weary, and not wanting to drive any further, of course they took it. Often, however, they weren't too tired to drive another couple of blocks to see if the Motel 6 down the street was any cheaper.

As people turned to leave, he'd say, "Of course, I might be able to get you a (business rate, corporate rate, military rate, family rate, trucker's rate)." This would knock a percentage off the rate. If it were REALLY late at night, and the person was walking out the door, he might say, "Whoa, wait a minute...how much are you looking to spend?" And sometimes he'd sell a $65 room for $35. His theory: "Head in a Bed". He told me he'd risk upsetting his corporate bosses to get the revenue. 100% of SOMETHING is better than 100% of NOTHING.

The result, he moved on up the corporate ladder. The suits in the big city rewarded him for doing something with his resources, getting some kind of revenue, even if he didn't always meet the targets they thought he should meet.

I hope I didn't ramble too much here, but my point is the President is moving the country, by and large, in the right direction. He doesn't always get 100% of what he wants. What President does? Not even Ronaldus Magnus got all he wanted. Not even FDR. None of 'em.

GW Bush is doing great, in my opinion, of satisfying his base (I'm part of his base) and at the same time appealing to moderates and even Democrats. Remarkable, considering the hostility the press and Democrat Party leadership volley at him nearly every day!

I understnad what you are saying, RD, but squeaky wheels also get the grease. Go in that hotel and start shouting and, while you may not be popular, you will get what you want. People who do not speak up become doormats -- especially when there are so many competing voices.

We need to make sure he knows he will pay for every betrayal. We put him there; we can remove him.

He may have the noblest intentions in the world at all times, but everyone needs criticism and direction from time to time. Never forget, he is ALWAYS being pushed by the other side.

Right, and if he had whores in the place he could have charged a premium. Then he would be declared a marketing genius and would have rocketed up the corporate ladder. Later, he would change his name to Karl Rove and get a job in the White House, but he would never lose his affinity for whoring.