The Misunderestimated Man

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Bowfinger

Lifer
Nov 17, 2002
15,776
392
126
Originally posted by: hokiezilla
Originally posted by: Bowfinger
That's a nice rant. It's a shame you don't see how disconnected it is from reality.

For example, you say you admire Bush because he "has the stones to take a stand against those cowardly goat-humping punks who hit us on 9-11." Unfortunately, those "goat-humping punks" were in Afghanistan, not Iraq. By detouring into Iraq, Bush undermined our ability to aggressively and successfully pursue bin Laden and al-Qaida.


I'm sorry, when did we leave Afghanistan? My cousin is there right now looking for that turd-knocker. So what?s your point? How has it undermined our ability to pursue bin Laden? Do you think if we showed up with 500,000 troops in Afghanistan that the Afghan mountains would somehow magically crap him out because of overwhelming numerical superiority?

We are doing what is correct and proper in Afghanistan. We have partnered with the Afghani?s to find him. They know the country and the people better than we ever will.
The invasion of Iraq divided our attention and stretched our resources. We were no longer able to focus on fighting terrorism as well as we could have, as well as we should have. Iraq became the focus; terrorism became a sidebar. Even worse, by shunning world opinion and invading Iraq, we lost the support and whole-hearted cooperation of many of the countries that could help us fight terrorism -- real terrorism, not the sham "terrorism" in Iraq. Bush's cowboy antics make America and the world more dangerous.


Originally posted by: Bowfinger
Once he started beating the drums for Iraq, Bush even stopped referring to bin Laden, effectively reducing pressure on him.


So because Bush stopped talking about him incessantly before the press, we still aren?t trying to pursue him? Gee where did you come by that info? Wow, you?re one to talk about cognitive dissonance.
You are welcome to your opinion, no matter how ill-informed it might be. Half the battle is psychological, both with our targets and with onlookers and potential allies.


Originally posted by: Bowfinger
Now, 2 1/2 years later, we still don't have bin Laden. We do have hundreds of dead Americans, thousands of dead Iraqis, $200 billion in reckless spending, alienated former allies, and an inflamed Arab world providing hundreds of new recruits for terror against the western infidels.

Way to go, George! Bring 'em on!!! :roll:



You know, I think the reason that a lot of Americans who are opposed to this war are simply afraid to face the inevitable. One way or another will we have to fight these a**holes. What?s the difference between now and 5 years down the road? Does it take getting hit again like we did on 9-11 for some of you people to understand that you can?t play nice, you can?t negotiate, and you can?t reason with terrorists. The only thing they understand, fear, and respect is brute force. I?m not an internationalist, but I?m sure as hell not an isolationist either. Some things you cannot avoid.
You continue to confuse terrorism and Iraq. I fully supported our efforts in Afghanistan. So did most of the rest of the world. Iraq, on the other hand, did not need to be dealt with now. Even Bush now admits Iraq posed no imminent threat to America or our allies.


... Thus, the only thing driving Islamic terrorist groups is power, hatred of America, and a COMMON ideal- radical Islamic fundamentalism.
Exactly. By invading Iraq, we poured gasoline on those flames of hatred. We proved everything bin Laden said about the U.S. to be right.


Do you posit that Saddamn had no connections to international terrorism? That?s like saying a bear doesn?t fart in the woods. To say that there exists no possibility that terror groups or terror leaders have no affiliation, and do not assist each other is both preposterous and schizophrenic.
No, Saddam had no significant involvement with international terrorism. You don't have to take my word for, ask your feckless leader in the White House. Even though he constantly connected Iraq to 9/11 through innuendo, when pressed on it directly, he acknowledges there was no connection. If you want to go after countries supporting terrorism, start with Saudi Arabia. Of course they've been in bed with the Bushes years, so that's not going to happen.

The rest of your mini-rant is a red herring. I suspect the tinfoil may be poisoning the blood around your brain.


Saddamn is/was a murdering bastard. He violated sanction after sanction with impunity.
That part is true. That's not sufficient reason to invade another country, especially when the U.N. did NOT support an invasion. (You remember the U.N., right? The guys whose resolutions Iraq violated.)

He sponsored terrorism and he had links to Al Queda. According to the UN, Germany, France, and the U.S. he had WMD. He had the will and intent to produce them. The world is a better place without that pig-eyed sack of sh*t.
This part is standard-issue, Bush apologist tripe.


As for ?former allies?- I think that?s a bit of wishful chicken-little hyperbole.
I'm sure you do, but we've already established reality is not your strong suit.


Originally posted by: Bowfinger
You also claim you "will not vote for the party who has proven over the past 50 years that their ONLY answer is MORE government." You also claim you will vote for Republican Bush. The two comments are contradictory. Both parties have shown an insatiable appetite for expanding government.


Those two comments are not contradictory. I thought I made it plain that I know Republicans are not hell-bent on bringing us smaller government- at least not like they used to. OTOH, when is the last time that the Democrats have offered or actually given us a tax break? I think you have to go back to the era of the real ?JFK? to find that happening.
When's the last time Republicans balanced a budget? Isn't it irresponsible to cut revenue below expenditures? You're the one who claims you support Republicans for something that you then admit they don't do.

Tax breaks are a matter for a different thread. Briefly, however, where is your evidence we need a tax break at all? Americans make and keep more money than almost anyone else in the world. By international standards, our net incomes make even lower-income Americans fabulously wealthy. Other than naked greed, how do you justify your cries for tax breaks?

My point is you continue to support Republicans even though their elected politicians do the opposite of what the Party claims they'll do. One of the definitions of insanity is continuing to do the same thing yet expecting a different outcome. If you want to change the Republican Party, you (and millions of others) need to change your behavior. You need to stop rubber-stamping their hypocrisy.




That's enough. The rest of your post was more empty party-line rhetoric bearing no resemblance to reality.


.
 

Bowfinger

Lifer
Nov 17, 2002
15,776
392
126
Originally posted by: Crimson
What Republican President HAVEN'T the democrats tried to call stupid in the past 25 years? They even try to use Reagan's disease to discredit him to this day. They can't argue on issues and results, because they will lose.. so they will fall back on the "Yeah, but he's dumb" argument. Seems like the democrats are the stupid ones who can't figure out how to keep these 'dumb' Republican Presidents out of office.
I don't remember anyone calling Bush Sr. dumb. In the 2000 campaign, people noted Bush-lite's intellectual limitations long before the RNC annointed him. I heard no such comments about McCain. The real question you ought to be asking is why do Republicans keep nominating candidates who don't appear to be very sharp.
 

DealMonkey

Lifer
Nov 25, 2001
13,136
1
0
Originally posted by: Bowfinger
Originally posted by: Crimson
What Republican President HAVEN'T the democrats tried to call stupid in the past 25 years? They even try to use Reagan's disease to discredit him to this day. They can't argue on issues and results, because they will lose.. so they will fall back on the "Yeah, but he's dumb" argument. Seems like the democrats are the stupid ones who can't figure out how to keep these 'dumb' Republican Presidents out of office.
I don't remember anyone calling Bush Sr. dumb. In the 2000 campaign, people noted Bush-lite's intellectual limitations long before the RNC annointed him. I heard no such comments about McCain. The real question you ought to be asking is why do Republicans keep nominating candidates who don't appear to be very sharp.
Exactly bow. If it quacks like a duck, it's a duck. I know of plenty of Republicans who are sharp, intellectually-curious individuals. Unfortunately, the RNC must have decided that for the 2000 elections, a more modest mind for a candidate would help them connect them to the average voter. One who thinks anything smarter than a paper clip is an "elitist" and/or is "talking down to them."
 

Ldir

Platinum Member
Jul 23, 2003
2,184
0
0
I heard Karl Rove gave Dubya the book "Politics for Dummies." Dub only read the cover. ;)

Dubya and Reagan are bound to look dumb next to Clinton, a Rhodes scholar, and Carter, a nuclear engineer. Republicans should enjoy their dumbness. It sets them apart from Democrats.
 

kage69

Lifer
Jul 17, 2003
31,747
48,574
136
I don't remember anyone calling Bush Sr. dumb. In the 2000 campaign, people noted Bush-lite's intellectual limitations long before the RNC annointed him. I heard no such comments about McCain. The real question you ought to be asking is why do Republicans keep nominating candidates who don't appear to be very sharp.


While Bush senior had his waterhead moments, none of them compare to the steady stream of stupidity that constantly flows from Bush-lite's mouth. I can't watch him on TV without once cringing and wondering what kind of impression foreigners get of us when we have Corkey as our foremost spokesman.
McCain seems to hold a certain amount of respect with members of both main parties, and rightly so IMHO. The only criticism I've ever heard of him has come from hardliner Republicans, usually to the tune of 'well no one takes him seriously because he has an illegitimate black daughter!'
That would be cop out on it's own merit, nevermind the fact that Strom Thurmond was in the same boat yet somehow it was never an issue amoung the Republicans.
The Republicans are run by big business and the christian right. Imposing their agenda would be difficult with a nominee who wasn't an easily-controlled simpleton, hence the trend - republican leaders are heavy on charisma, and light on actual know-how. At least Bush senior didn't puss out when it came to going into combat. It really looks bad for a party-hard coward to send others in to get shot at and then compound it by talking sh!t to the enemy (Bring it On!). The only thing Bush has ever defended was his spot in the keg line.
 

conjur

No Lifer
Jun 7, 2001
58,686
3
0
Originally posted by: kage69
I don't remember anyone calling Bush Sr. dumb. In the 2000 campaign, people noted Bush-lite's intellectual limitations long before the RNC annointed him. I heard no such comments about McCain. The real question you ought to be asking is why do Republicans keep nominating candidates who don't appear to be very sharp.


While Bush senior had his waterhead moments, none of them compare to the steady stream of stupidity that constantly flows from Bush-lite's mouth. I can't watch him on TV without once (usually several times) cringing and wondering what kind of impression foreigners get of us when we have Corkey as our foremost spokesman.

Did you see the video of Bush defending Rumsfeld? Where he pauses for several seconds, searching for the complex compliment:

"He's a very, very good Secretary of Defense."
 

kage69

Lifer
Jul 17, 2003
31,747
48,574
136
Did you see the video of Bush defending Rumsfeld? Where he pauses for several seconds, searching for the complex compliment:

"He's a very, very good Secretary of Defense."


Yep, I gagged on my Crown & Coke and choked/laughed for a full 10min after that display of cranial brawn. Still, it wasn't as entertaining as watching him attempt to hold his first solo question-answering session with the press. Now THAT was comedy; who needs The Daily Show? :laugh:
 

Zebo

Elite Member
Jul 29, 2001
39,398
19
81
Originally posted by: kage69
I don't remember anyone calling Bush Sr. dumb. In the 2000 campaign, people noted Bush-lite's intellectual limitations long before the RNC annointed him. I heard no such comments about McCain. The real question you ought to be asking is why do Republicans keep nominating candidates who don't appear to be very sharp.


While Bush senior had his waterhead moments, none of them compare to the steady stream of stupidity that constantly flows from Bush-lite's mouth. I can't watch him on TV without once cringing and wondering what kind of impression foreigners get of us when we have Corkey as our foremost spokesman.
McCain seems to hold a certain amount of respect with members of both main parties, and rightly so IMHO. The only criticism I've ever heard of him has come from hardliner Republicans, usually to the tune of 'well no one takes him seriously because he has an illegitimate black daughter!'
That would be cop out on it's own merit, nevermind the fact that Strom Thurmond was in the same boat yet somehow it was never an issue amoung the Republicans.
The Republicans are run by big business and the christian right. Imposing their agenda would be difficult with a nominee who wasn't an easily-controlled simpleton, hence the trend - republican leaders are heavy on charisma, and light on actual know-how. At least Bush senior didn't puss out when it came to going into combat. It really looks bad for a party-hard coward to send others in to get shot at and then compound it by talking sh!t to the enemy (Bring it On!). The only thing Bush has ever defended was his spot in the keg line.

Chistian right is all you need to win elections. I heard a political commentator saying they hard chistain right comprising Assembly of God, Babtists, and other hard line protestant and non-demominational faiths comprise 30% of the US population. And they all vote like seniors. Well 30% in you pocket when only 48-50% is needed to win the presidentcy is very doable. Traditional liberal faiths of Catholics, Lutherans and Black Babtists simply don't vote in the numbers needed to win because of the abortion issue Dems cling to like its a natural right put thier otherwise liberal midset off and make it very difficult to cast a vote.
 

Crimson

Banned
Oct 11, 1999
3,809
0
0
Originally posted by: conjur
Originally posted by: kage69
I don't remember anyone calling Bush Sr. dumb. In the 2000 campaign, people noted Bush-lite's intellectual limitations long before the RNC annointed him. I heard no such comments about McCain. The real question you ought to be asking is why do Republicans keep nominating candidates who don't appear to be very sharp.


While Bush senior had his waterhead moments, none of them compare to the steady stream of stupidity that constantly flows from Bush-lite's mouth. I can't watch him on TV without once (usually several times) cringing and wondering what kind of impression foreigners get of us when we have Corkey as our foremost spokesman.

Did you see the video of Bush defending Rumsfeld? Where he pauses for several seconds, searching for the complex compliment:

"He's a very, very good Secretary of Defense."

Right, don't argue his points like usual... argue the way he says them.
 

Genesys

Golden Member
Nov 10, 2003
1,536
0
0
Originally posted by: TechJunkie95242
BAHAHAHA!

Don't even try....
Democrats and Liberals are infact and have proven throughout history to typically have more open-minded beliefs.

so, its been proven throughout history that Democrats and Liberals are not capable of making a decision?
 

conjur

No Lifer
Jun 7, 2001
58,686
3
0
Originally posted by: Crimson
Originally posted by: conjur


Did you see the video of Bush defending Rumsfeld? Where he pauses for several seconds, searching for the complex compliment:

"He's a very, very good Secretary of Defense."

Right, don't argue his points like usual... argue the way he says them.

If he had made a point, I'd be able to argue it. Instead, he utters inanities like that.
 

conjur

No Lifer
Jun 7, 2001
58,686
3
0
Originally posted by: Genesys
Originally posted by: TechJunkie95242
BAHAHAHA!

Don't even try....
Democrats and Liberals are infact and have proven throughout history to typically have more open-minded beliefs.

so, its been proven throughout history that Democrats and Liberals are not capable of making a decision?

Nice distortion. :roll:

You see, it's like this. Thinkers engage in debate and come upon a solution after listening to various viewpoints. Ideologues like Bush and his pals move in a one-dimensional direction. Anyone that thinks counter to their views is unpatriotic.
 

Zebo

Elite Member
Jul 29, 2001
39,398
19
81
When's the last time Republicans balanced a budget? Isn't it irresponsible to cut revenue below expenditures? You're the one who claims you support Republicans for something that you then admit they don't do.
----------------
Repulicans have full control of the US governemnt and spend more than any democrat ever. Reagan himself quadupled the national debt from 1 trillion (or 4% intrest on reciepts) to 4 trillion (or 21% on reciepts). This money is now tied up, paying off mostly wealthy bond holders and foreign banks and serves us no good by in large ( Before Someone pipes in to say how many bonds you hold it's insignifigant relative to foriegn banks and institutiomal investors. Two hundred maybe? don't make me laugh, your holdings are insignifigant to the forign bond holders)

The amount of government assistance that is given to the poor is really is quite minimal at around 2% in poor welfare so you can't really assign blame to that. Seniors do kill us, but that all comes from SS and Medicare tax not income. What happens under repulicans administrations is the hook up their constituants for thier warez. From wholesale tax benefits to large businesses to contracts to do all sorts of government work which costs us more. Then repulicans increase the size and scope of government from the patriot act to the drug war which requires more officers, more rules, more prisons, more money. The these little adventures in Iraq and which has cost already 200 billion. No they are socialists too, instead of giving our hard earned tax monies to people begging and starving in the streets just to get through the day, they give it to thier boys on wall street.
 

Crimson

Banned
Oct 11, 1999
3,809
0
0
Originally posted by: conjur
Originally posted by: Crimson
Originally posted by: conjur


Did you see the video of Bush defending Rumsfeld? Where he pauses for several seconds, searching for the complex compliment:

"He's a very, very good Secretary of Defense."

Right, don't argue his points like usual... argue the way he says them.

If he had made a point, I'd be able to argue it. Instead, he utters inanities like that.

Well, somehow he was smart enough to Graduate from Yale, fly jets, become Governor of one of the largest states in the country, and President of the United States... and here you sit making your political points on a Technical bulletin board.. What exactly would a SMART person do with their life?
 

conjur

No Lifer
Jun 7, 2001
58,686
3
0
Originally posted by: Crimson
Well, somehow he was smart enough to Graduate from Yale, fly jets, become Governor of one of the largest states in the country, and President of the United States... and here you sit making your political points on a Technical bulletin board.. What exactly would a SMART person do with their life?

Just goes to prove any idiot can become President with the right connections and enough money to run a campaign.

BTW, a 'C' average isn't much to brag about. Neither is being grounded from flying jets due to failure to appear for a physical. Oh, and what about the missing attendance?
 

Zebo

Elite Member
Jul 29, 2001
39,398
19
81
Originally posted by: Crimson
Originally posted by: conjur
Originally posted by: Crimson
Originally posted by: conjur


Did you see the video of Bush defending Rumsfeld? Where he pauses for several seconds, searching for the complex compliment:

"He's a very, very good Secretary of Defense."

Right, don't argue his points like usual... argue the way he says them.

If he had made a point, I'd be able to argue it. Instead, he utters inanities like that.

Well, somehow he was smart enough to Graduate from Yale, fly jets, become Governor of one of the largest states in the country, and President of the United States... and here you sit making your political points on a Technical bulletin board.. What exactly would a SMART person do with their life?

Grade infaltion is a well know pheomina at the Ivys and even with that he managed a C average which is basically failing.I hear it's hard not to get all A's and B's but bush somehow managed. He was suspended from flying. He failed at every business he tried except the texas rangers franchise sell, which he ripped tax payers a new one for a new stadium included in the "deal" which was the majority of the franchise cost. Frankly in suprised he did'nt do much better comming from a very wealthy and polically connected family as him. And finally he's failing as president when even repulicans have a hard time finding what good he's done besides cut thier immediate taxes by 2-5%.

I can't speak for his govenorship, but as my dad always said, "once a loser, always a loser";)
 

Thump553

Lifer
Jun 2, 2000
12,839
2,625
136
Originally posted by: Crimson
What Republican President HAVEN'T the democrats tried to call stupid in the past 25 years? They even try to use Reagan's disease to discredit him to this day. . .

On the contrary, I disagree. I think most people think Bush senior was an extremely intelligent person. Most would concede Reagan was intelligent. His check-box style of management was a 180 degree change in style from Carter's micromanagement but that doesn't mean he was perceived as stupid. In retrospect, I think most would concede that Reagan's style was effective for him. About his Alzheimer's, there were some very disturbing signs of it late in his second term, which were hotly denied by the administration. Personally, I find the concept of a disease impairing the mental abilities of a sitting President to be both deeply disturbing and highly relevant.

Your cutoff point excluded Nixon, whom no one considered stupid by any stretch.

Raw intellectual power is not the a key factor in determining the success of a President. I think most people would rank Jimmy Carter as probably the most intellectually strong recent President, and also one of the most ineffective.

This Bush's genius is his ability to have middle class Americans identify with him and his causes. He has an aura of sincerity which makes him a awesome salesman for his policies. However, I think you would have to go back many, many years to find another President which such limited intellectual capacity or drive. He personifies the gentlemen C's.
 

Zebo

Elite Member
Jul 29, 2001
39,398
19
81
Ya how many people think Dick Cheney is stupid? Evil genious is more like it.
 

DAPUNISHER

Super Moderator CPU Forum Mod and Elite Member
Super Moderator
Aug 22, 2001
32,470
33,516
146
Originally posted by: Zebo
Ya how many people think Dick Cheney is stupid? Evil genius is more like it.
That's how I perceive him as well. He and Rove are the real powers that be.