Bush, GOP Approval Ratings Hit New Lows

[Lightning Bolt]

To answer a few of your numerous questions --

I am now a registered Independent, I just switched from Republican because the GOP, in my judgement, does not represent my views either on the domestic or international front for a while now. I began to feel this way shortly after George W. Bush was elected, and his tumultuous years since have only bolstered my opposition. My evaluation of the man was established during his run for office in 2000. It was not swayed by 9/11. It has not changed one iota since.
I honestly wish it could

To make progress in our war with terrorism, we now have to show a flexibility to work with any allies that this president hasn't soured, and regain an international presence in our effort to train Iraqi security forces. It is no secret that we are stretched too thin when you look at all the fronts that we maintain a military presence on. Not my opinion, this has been confirmed by many already in high-ranking positions, and many generals who have already participated in this war. ("Rumsfeld must resign"...sound recently familiar?)

It is not as simple as saying, "Oh, he's a Dem anyway. He'd flip on a dime"
It doesn't matter asking, "How would Al Gore or John Kerry handled this?"

They're not the C.I.C., Bush is, and it was his choice to bring our country to this point in history.

He owns/deserves all the credit and blame for the results.
If he could've learned an ounce of humility from his silver spoon upbringing, he may have succeeded as his father did in fostering international support and goodwill in his efforts turning Saddam back in '91.
It is not too late to shift course, show a willingness to acknowledge failures by adopting fresher outlooks toward international involvement.

I doubt this will happen. But you asked what I'd do...

Now, how do you fix this?

[jonesbeach10]

After reading all the back and forth, I am going to say one more thing.

For the past 6 years, this administration has refused to take accountability for any mistakes it has made. September 11th occured, and if memory serves me correctly, it is possible that it could have been prevented, but never was taken seriously. So we attack Afghanistan and the Taliban to get rid of a government that was blatently anti-American and supported al-Qaeda, where we have been largely successful. The next step in the war on terror was Iraq, where it was believed that Saddam was building WMD's. We sent in inspectors who found nothing. Nevertheless, we invaded and gutted Saddam's government (and possibly outed Valerie Plame in response to the fact that there were no WMDs). However, there seems still to be no exit strategy while insurgents continue to attack our soldiers.

Am I not supporting the war because I feel that we should not have been in Iraq as long as we have been? No. Would it be out of the question to over the course of the next year to speed the process of stablizing and instituting the Iraqi government, while slowly withdrawing troops? I know it's easier said than done, but the Afghani government seems to be doing fine. In the process of withdrawing troops, we increase the number of troops hunting down OBL and the Taliban in the mountains along the Afghni-Pakistani border. Then we also step up and with the UN, put some real pressure on Iran to stop the building of its nuclear program, with troops and planes ready to attack, if necessary (hopefully not). I just don't think Iraq was the real problem in the first place, and I think we should be much more worried about a "president" who was apparently one of the guys who held the US consolate in Tehran hostage.

Back to the sidelines. Who's got the butter?

[Sam]

To answer a few of your numerous questions --

I am now a registered Independent, I just switched from Republican because the GOP, in my judgement, does not represent my views either on the domestic or international front for a while now. I began to feel this way shortly after George W. Bush was elected, and his tumultuous years since have only bolstered my opposition. My evaluation of the man was established during his run for office in 2000. It was not swayed by 9/11. It has not changed one iota since.
I honestly wish it could

To make progress in our war with terrorism, we now have to show a flexibility to work with any allies that this president hasn't soured, and regain an international presence in our effort to train Iraqi security forces. It is no secret that we are stretched too thin when you look at all the fronts that we maintain a military presence on. Not my opinion, this has been confirmed by many already in high-ranking positions, and many generals who have already participated in this war. ("Rumsfeld must resign"...sound recently familiar?)

It is not as simple as saying, "Oh, he's a Dem anyway. He'd flip on a dime"
It doesn't matter asking, "How would Al Gore or John Kerry handled this?"

They're not the C.I.C., Bush is, and it was his choice to bring our country to this point in history.

He owns/deserves all the credit and blame for the results.
If he could've learned an ounce of humility from his silver spoon upbringing, he may have succeeded as his father did in fostering international support and goodwill in his efforts turning Saddam back in '91.
It is not too late to shift course, show a willingness to acknowledge failures by adopting fresher outlooks toward international involvement.

I doubt this will happen. But you asked what I'd do...

Now, how do you fix this?

ONE. I don't care what party you beong to and it does not matter. I did not ask you what party you belong to. I do thank you for providing the informtion. Not that it is of any of real use, or has has anything to do with ansering what I asked.

TWO. WHAT has President Bush soured with our allies? Care to say Our troops and the Coalition forces have as of yet to accomplish anything or do anything successful in Iraq?

THREE. Take a long hard look at some of the countries and see just how involved they really were with Iraq/Sadam.

FOUR. For every RETIRED General with an opinion AGAINST the war...... tell me how many RETIRED Generals have voiced an opinion in support of the war. Are they not out there? or are they just not getting Mainstream Media (MSM) attention becayuse they are not politically expediant or newsworthy or whatever?

FIVE. You have condemned the way the war on terror is being fought and as of yet said how you would fight it.

SIX. How much do you REALLY KNOW about what is REALLY on in Iraq or Afghanistan? Are you aware that members of the maninstream media have admitted THEY ARE NOT TELLING US OR SHOWING US THE WHOLE TRUTH? >>>NOTE THIS INCLUDES A VP FROM ABC.<<<<<

SEVEN. Let me know when you decide to answer my question on, how you would fight the war on terror. What strategy would you use? Where would you fight them and how? You ( and others) seem to have a problem
with the way it is currently being fought. So what corrections can you provide to better the way the war should be fought?


EIGHT. How many countries that were against the invasion were also getting kickbacks and whatnot FROM Iraq?


NINE. THE UN IS A JOKE. How many cases of Genocide or ongoing to this day cases of slavery have they prevented or stopped or allowed other attrocities?
Can you say Pol Pot and Cambodia? Can you say Rwanda? Can you say Zimbabwe? I can name numerous others where the UN has shown just how corrupt it is and allowed these sort of things to continue. Shouls they be allowed to continue because the UN and the rest of the Modern world choose to turn a blind eye to them? How many MILLIONS of people have died or lost their homes or have become enslaved ? Or should I gues that such is ok and shoud be allowed to continue, and no one should take any action against such conduct, simply because the U.N. and apparently the rest of the world does not really care? Yet the U.S. and President Bush are apparently wrong for defending people that were suffering under a madman.

TEN. You tell me. You seem to know all of the problems with the way the war on terror is being fought, but as of yet , you have not offered any solutions or a better way to fight it.

[SMLCHNG]

[Lightning Bolt]

To answer a few of your numerous questions --

...To make progress in our war with terrorism, we now have to show a flexibility to work with any allies that this president hasn't soured, and regain an international presence in our effort to train Iraqi security forces.

...It is not too late to shift course, show a willingness to acknowledge failures by adopting fresher outlooks toward international involvement.

Now, how do you fix this?

FIVE. You have condemned the way the war on terror is being fought and as of yet said how you would fight it.

SIX. How much do you REALLY KNOW about what is REALLY on in Iraq or Afghanistan? Are you aware that members of the maninstream media have admitted THEY ARE NOT TELLING US OR SHOWING US THE WHOLE TRUTH? >>>NOTE THIS INCLUDES A VP FROM ABC.<<<<<

SEVEN. Let me know when you decide to answer my question on, how you would fight the war on terror. What strategy would you use? Where would you fight them and how? You ( and others) seem to have a problem
with the way it is currently being fought. So what corrections can you provide to better the way the war should be fought?


EIGHT. How many countries that were against the invasion were also getting kickbacks and whatnot FROM Iraq?


NINE. THE UN IS A JOKE. How many cases of Genocide or ongoing to this day cases of slavery have they prevented or stopped or allowed other attrocities?
Can you say Pol Pot and Cambodia? Can you say Rwanda? Can you say Zimbabwe? I can name numerous others where the UN has shown just how corrupt it is and allowed these sort of things to continue. Shouls they be allowed to continue because the UN and the rest of the Modern world choose to turn a blind eye to them? How many MILLIONS of people have died or lost their homes or have become enslaved ? Or should I gues that such is ok and shoud be allowed to continue, and no one should take any action against such conduct, simply because the U.N. and apparently the rest of the world does not really care? Yet the U.S. and President Bush are apparently wrong for defending people that were suffering under a madman.

TEN. You tell me. You seem to know all of the problems with the way the war on terror is being fought, but as of yet , you have not offered any solutions or a better way to fight it.

yada yada yada, Sam

Fool me once, shame on me....
I gave you answers to your questions... you spin and ask more empty ones.
Much like last year's debate over someone's human rights,
you promise answers but only deliver endless questions and pablum.

I'm done here.

[Sam]

To answer a few of your numerous questions --

...To make progress in our war with terrorism, we now have to show a flexibility to work with any allies that this president hasn't soured, and regain an international presence in our effort to train Iraqi security forces.

...It is not too late to shift course, show a willingness to acknowledge failures by adopting fresher outlooks toward international involvement.

Now, how do you fix this?

FIVE. You have condemned the way the war on terror is being fought and as of yet said how you would fight it.

SIX. How much do you REALLY KNOW about what is REALLY on in Iraq or Afghanistan? Are you aware that members of the maninstream media have admitted THEY ARE NOT TELLING US OR SHOWING US THE WHOLE TRUTH? >>>NOTE THIS INCLUDES A VP FROM ABC.<<<<<

SEVEN. Let me know when you decide to answer my question on, how you would fight the war on terror. What strategy would you use? Where would you fight them and how? You ( and others) seem to have a problem
with the way it is currently being fought. So what corrections can you provide to better the way the war should be fought?


EIGHT. How many countries that were against the invasion were also getting kickbacks and whatnot FROM Iraq?


NINE. THE UN IS A JOKE. How many cases of Genocide or ongoing to this day cases of slavery have they prevented or stopped or allowed other attrocities?
Can you say Pol Pot and Cambodia? Can you say Rwanda? Can you say Zimbabwe? I can name numerous others where the UN has shown just how corrupt it is and allowed these sort of things to continue. Shouls they be allowed to continue because the UN and the rest of the Modern world choose to turn a blind eye to them? How many MILLIONS of people have died or lost their homes or have become enslaved ? Or should I gues that such is ok and shoud be allowed to continue, and no one should take any action against such conduct, simply because the U.N. and apparently the rest of the world does not really care? Yet the U.S. and President Bush are apparently wrong for defending people that were suffering under a madman.

TEN. You tell me. You seem to know all of the problems with the way the war on terror is being fought, but as of yet , you have not offered any solutions or a better way to fight it.

yada yada yada, Sam

Fool me once, shame on me....
I gave you answers to your questions... you spin and ask more empty ones.
Much like last year's debate over someone's human rights,
you promise answers but only deliver endless questions and pablum.

I'm done here.

I don't know about what in the past you are referring to.

I do know you did not ever answer my questions. I also note how the usual "I am leaving" or "evading" response is typical when it comes to answering. No, not you in particular, just people in general.

Need I be more specific in my questions to you on and as to how how you would fight the war on terror or should I just not expect an answer?

Are you saying hat the war on terror and in Iraq is ok but we need more support from our allies or what?
I am asking you how YOU would fight the war on terror, since you do not like the way it is currently going on. Rather than tell me you would work more with our allies or whatever. Start at the beginning and go through your plan and why it is better than what is currently going on over there.

As for you answering what I asked, nope I don't see the answers you claim to have provided anywhere.

Easy to criticize the situation but you have, as of yet, no cure or suggestions of a cure, viable alternatives, or a better way to fight the war, do you?

Peace be with you.

[Quiet and Shy]

We (as a country) have made a huge mess of things in the Middle East. And we now have a responsibility to (try to) clean that mess up. The more I see of Bush and his administration, the less confidence I have of an even mediocre outcome. And that perspective is apparently shared by many.

Iraq, Iran, India, Afganistan, Pakistan, Israel, Palestine...I'm hoping we haven't started WWIII.

[markruble]

Do I need to post the obvious here? We have two parties and one is just as bad as the other. This is a well documented fact! If you don't see this, then maybe you'r part of the problem. So who is at fault? WE ARE! We elected these yahoos into office and WE can do something about it. Don't expect the republican party or the democratic party to offer a solution. Their job is to put a spin on the truth to make the other party look bad come election time. We must filter out the crap and make the right choice. So far we have done a lousy job electing the proper people in office. This is my opinion and for now I still have this right!

Now that I've voiced my opinion and the FEDS are probably branding me as a threat to national security. I'm heading to the sidelines with a big box of buttered popcorn waiting for the FEDS to arrive.

[Elrod]

You hit the nail on the head Mark!

We should expect more from the people that we elect.

[markruble]

Thanks Elrod. Want some buttered popcorn?

[East Texas Parrothead]

You hit the nail on the head Mark!

We should expect more from the people that we elect.

It's not just at the national level.

______________ County elected a Buford Pusser wannabe for sheriff. I kid you not. He's on a mission from God. His boys are running amok. Told a 61 year old nurse who had been arrested by DPS -- a whole other story -- that, no, she wasn't having a heart attack in the jail...it was anxiety. She said, no, she was a nurse, her husband was a doctor and she was definitely having a heart attack. Sheriff's boys called the EMTs because she insisted...they took her vitals and rushed her to the hospital. She was indeed having a heart attack. Or so the woman says.

The county had a choice between this guy and a woman who had the most exemplary record. Trouble was, she was a Democrat and he was a Republican and he swept in on W's coat tails.....he'd been a guard at the federal building ...and had run for everything but dog catcher as a Democrat. Hitched his wagon to the Republican party's star and got right in. Now, even they don't know what to do with him.

One of his officers busted a woman who supposedly had stolen merchandise. HE WAS THERE when the officer called up the supposed owners of the property and told them to come pick up their stuff. Their stuff never made it to the EVIDENCE ROOM. In fact, one of the items in question is now hanging in the office of the Parks and Wildlife Ranger. This is fact. Ongoing case that gets weirder with each court hearing.

Sheriff's boys arrested a young man already in a trouble for being at the wrong place at the wrong time and left him shackled to a bench for 5 hours while they repeatedly threatened to arrest his mom and dad. Or so the boy says.

______________County elected a snake oil salesman as a judge. You can't help but like him, but he filed bankruptcy in January and all his vehicles were repossessed last week. Fact. I have the court papers. The vehicles are parked inside a chain link fence compound behind the bank.

__________County, Precinct ___ elected a man as Justice of the Peace who called CPS on one of his opponents then lied to the grand jury about it.

Testified in front of the grand jury that he believed he talked to the principal when he called to report the abuse -- just doing his civic duty, doncha know? Thing was, the PRINCIPAL was a sitting member of the grand jury who just happened to be out on school business the day the JP tesitfied. Fact. A jury found him guilty in November.

I can't make this sh!t up.

We've *GOT* to start electing qualified people whose *ONLY* agenda is to serve and make things better.

Forget party lines. Get to know your candidates and ask hard, tough questions. WE must hold them accountable or we're going to implode, starting at the lowest county levels.

[Lightning Bolt]

You hit the nail on the head Mark!

We should expect more from the people that we elect.

Agreed.

When we hear those dreadful campaign commercials that are ALREADY starting
six months ahead of the mid-term elections this Fall...

please.... let's not all fall so quickly for the hate-filled negative ads
that promotes a candidate solely through ripping their opponent.
I, more than ever, question the character of a candidate who's best qualification for office is...

"Vote for me... I'm not the other guy!!"

[markruble]

I'd vote for you Lightning Bolt if you were running for office, however it would have to be discrete. If any of the Pittsburg Pirates found out I voted for a Padres fan I'd be in big trouble.

[LIPH]

So who is at fault? WE ARE! We elected these yahoos into office and WE can do something about it.

From the comic strip Pogo - We have met the enemy and he is us

[Quiet and Shy]

So who is at fault? WE ARE! We elected these yahoos into office and WE can do something about it.

From the comic strip Pogo - We have met the enemy and he is us

Ah, we've circled back yet again...we need to get rid of the gerrymandering that "rigs" the elections along party lines. But then, the legislators need to vote for it...and we all know that will happen the day after they reform campaign financing, term limits, etc.