Do you think President Bush and his administration are doiing their best?

POSTED BY: chrisisall
UPDATED: Monday, June 13, 2005 15:48
VIEWED: 4643
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SIGNYM

Friday, June 10, 2005 6:47 PM

Geezer- Ijust linked to the first article that google pulled up. I apologize for the quality, I could have chosen others but I was on my lunch half-hour and pressed for time.

I'm not sure I can sum up the motives of an entire Administration in one easy package. I think that Bush himself is a mass of walking, mostly unconscious self-contradictions, and the remainder of the Administration both individually and collectively have a mixture of motivations. Providing you with a cast of characters and analysis would require enough material for dozens of doctoral theses or a dozen good books....

some of which have already been written
"Price of Loyalty" Paul O'Neill
"Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" John Perkins
"The Great Unravelling" Paul Krugman
"Blowback" Chalmers Johnson, and even
"Collapse" Jared Diamond

...but oil and money definitely bubble up to the top of the list for many of the major players.

However, and perhaps in a more scientific vein, I could also tackle it by telling you what I can EXCLUDE as motivations by pointing out the contradictions between their stated goals and their means. Any preference?

SIGNYM

Friday, June 10, 2005 7:27 PM

Reavermadness- oooh. ouch. touche.

CHRISISALL

Friday, June 10, 2005 7:43 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Geezer:
But I'd really like to know what this "agenda" that you keep talking about consists of; in a bit more detail than 'it's the oil', or 'pillaging the country'.

Geezer, do you think the Bush administration is doing their best? Are they trying to look out for the average American? Are you yourself better off than you were ten years ago? If you went abroad, would you be more respected as an American than you would have been ten years ago?
Use this thread to duke it out with SingyM if you like, heck, highjack it completely if you want, but I'm really interested to know how you stand on this.(I'd understand if you'd like to goof on me a little too, if you respond, I got it coming)

All's fair Chrisisall

CHRISISALL

Friday, June 10, 2005 7:46 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by ReaverMadness:
I think they are doing their best.

Think about that for a minute.

There is a kind of ultimate simplicity here that cannot be ignored.

He's a man of few words Chrisisall

RUE

Saturday, June 11, 2005 2:50 AM

Quote:
"Yeah, I think Virginia Bottomley's doing the best job she can. Just a pity that it's crap."

Well, THAT got me laughing and brightened my day. The end certainly wasn't what I was expecting.

My opinion of Bush & Co. hasn't changed - it's the perfect storm of mendacity.

There's the PNAC people going for American Imperialism; the corporations looking for fat government contracts and, oh yes, the new age of the robber barons; the Rapturites trying to hurry up God's plan for the end of days because otherwise they'd have to wait, like, forever; the general opportunists going along to get along (don't want to be like Shinseki); and the front man GW who laughs at executing people and then calls himself a Christian. All focused together on their one common goal, and braying FREEDOM.

Anyone with a shred of human decency and human integrity got out or was forced out.

RUE

Sunday, June 12, 2005 4:33 AM

Quote:
What would you do?

First of all I'd finish the 9/11 investigation. Remember, only the first half was completed. The other half was supposed to come out close to the election, but the chairman said there wasn't enough time to finish and that they'd get to it later - which looks like never. (And to remind you - a large, foreign, deadly and presumably unanticipated attack occurred on US soil - and Bush had to be shamed into an investigation which only got started a year and a half later.)

I would find, charge, try, and if convicted, punish the person/s who 'outed' Valerie Plame to the full extent of the law. He/she/they are a proven security risk to the US.

I would engage with mid-east countries to remind them that the country that penetrates Iraq best gets an advantage over everyone else - and that maybe they have a vested interest in watching the borders, and in watching everyone else watching the borders as well.

I would halt the establishment of permanent bases in Iraq. The US will not be able to control the entire mid-east (it can't even control one country), and militarily over-matched bases there will only create rebellion against the US and anyone associated with it.

I would withdraw troops from Iraq immediately. There is no benefit to anyone to the US staying, and there is no graceful way out. So the only thing to do is is get out - awkwardly, clumsily, abruptly, but out.

I would pressure Israel to return to its original borders. I would recommend that they inform settlers that the government will be withdrawing military and police protection, supplies and utilities; and that while the settlers could stay if they wanted, they would have to provide these things on their own. And vis-a-vis the active interest of the countries in which they were living.

I would re-establish a good working relationship with allies and the UN. Terrorism can't be fought on a battlefield, it must be fought with mutual cooperation of governments.

I would stop supporting dictatorships and corrupt goverments just because they call themselves anti-terrorist. It is as futile as supporting dictatorships was just because they called themselves anti-communist. Look how well that worked in South America (not).

I would forgive all loans and shutter the World Bank and IMF.

I would dissolve nuclear weapons development programs (yes, new nuclear - or 'nukular' - weapons are being actively developed, including 'bunker-buster' nuclear warheads for tactical use) and the 'Star Wars' program.

I would pour money into making the US as energy-independent as possible. The first step would be to vastly improve energy efficiency. The US uses 50% more energy per capita than Japan and Europe - that level of efficiency is a proven, achievable goal even for high-tech first-world economies. Cutting US energy consumption by 1/3 would alter the global US economic and political position for the better.

There is so much more to say, but I have other things to do.

SIGNYM

Sunday, June 12, 2005 5:21 AM

YEEE HAAA!

Dang, Rue. Are you running for Prez? I'll vote for ya!

GINOBIFFARONI

Sunday, June 12, 2005 6:15 AM

Well, not to go into the detail Rue has...

I would FULLY sign on to the ICC..

I would go through the files and expose previous huge friggin errors in sanity... Chile, Iran in 1953, etc

I would see to it Saddam was tried in a public, impartial international court so the world can see him for what he is... and I would see the Americans ( Wolfy and Rummy to start ) who helped him commit the crimes go up as accessories

I would likely take two in the back of the head from the secret service for even thinking about any of this.....

Oh yeah, just to add to the original question

" Do you think President Bush and his administration are doing their best? "

I think Colin Powell did his best, or at least tried to until he with the admin too much

I think Anthony Zinni tried his best until with the admin too much

" Looking for a place to happen
Making stops along the way "

SERGEANTX

Sunday, June 12, 2005 7:33 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by lynchaj:
Yes, its easy to sit back and nitpick, malign, and insult from the safety of whereever you are. So, if you disagree, let me ask of you this simple question:

What would you do?

...

Did you get all that down? Maybe GW could have a look at this thread. Or have someone read it to him anyway.

SergeantX

"Dream a little dream or you can live a little dream. I'd rather live it, cause dreamers always chase but never get it." Aesop Rock

CONNORFLYNN

Sunday, June 12, 2005 11:25 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by lynchaj:

I believe the results speak for themselves and the current administration has done more for the long term and a stable world peace than any previous to date with the possible exception of President Ronald Reagan.

Before you can have long term peace, you need to have peace. At the rate we are going, all I see ahead of us is longterm war.

As for Bush, Yes, I think he "believes" he is doing his best. The administration "believes" it is doing its best to achieve its goals, both economically and through foreign policy.

Fundamentalist Christian Faith healers believe they are healing the sick when they slap their healees on the forehead. The question is "Are they really?"

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