Leaders Who Won't Choose

[NATO AIR]

I think Zakaria is right on target...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9379241/

Leaders Who Won't Choose
In Washington, it's business as usual in the face of a national catastrophe.

ByFareed Zakaria
Newsweek
Sept. 26, 2005 issue - Adversity builds character," goes the old adage. Except that in America today we seem to be following the opposite principle. The worse things get, the more frivolous our response. President Bush explains that he will spend hundreds of billions of dollars rebuilding the Gulf Coast without raising any new revenues. Republican leader Tom DeLay declines any spending cuts because "there is no fat left to cut in the federal budget."

This would be funny if it weren't so depressing. What is happening in Washington today is business as usual in the face of a national catastrophe. The scariest part is that we've been here before. After 9/11 we have created a new government agency, massively increased domestic spending and fought two wars. And the president did all this without rolling back any of his tax cuts—in fact, he expanded them—and refused to veto a single congressional spending bill. This was possible because Bush inherited a huge budget surplus in 2000. But that's all gone. The cupboard is now bare.

Whatever his other accomplishments, Bush will go down in history as the most fiscally irresponsible chief executive in American history. Since 2001, government spending has gone up from $1.86 trillion to $2.48 trillion, a 33 percent rise in four years! Defense and Homeland Security are not the only culprits. Domestic spending is actually up 36 percent in the same period. These figures come from the libertarian Cato Institute's excellent report "The Grand Old Spending Party," which explains that "throughout the past 40 years, most presidents have cut or restrained lower-priority spending to make room for higher-priority spending. What is driving George W. Bush's budget bloat is a reversal of that trend." To govern is to choose. And Bush has decided not to choose. He wants guns and butter and tax cuts.

People wonder whether we can afford Iraq and Katrina. The answer is, easily. What we can't afford simultaneously is $1.4 trillion in tax cuts and more than $1 trillion in new entitlement spending over the next 10 years. To take one example, if Congress did not make permanent just one of its tax cuts, the repeal of estate taxes, it would generate $290 billion over the next decade. That itself pays for most of Katrina and Iraq.
CONTINUE AT LINK

 

[Annie]

I think Zakaria is right on target...

Yep, yesterday I posted that even FDR realized you can't do it all. Decisions to cut have to be made somewhere.

BTW Eddie, that's the same problem with Sudan-we can't afford to go it alone. On this, Bush hasn't jumped, but they can't vote.

 

[Adam's Apple]

Don't you just love DeLay's quote that there is no fat left to cut in the federal budget? That has got to be the Oscar winner of all time. He needs to get a new pair of glasses and take another look at the highway and energy bills. Bush must have needed a new pair of glasses, too, when he signed those bills. Unconscionable.

 

[Annie]

Don't you just love DeLay's quote that there is no fat left to cut in the federal budget? That has got to be the Oscar winner of all time. He needs to get a new pair of glasses and take another look at the highway and energy bills. Bush must have needed a new pair of glasses, too, when he signed those bills. Unconscionable.

 

[NATO AIR]

Yep, yesterday I posted that even FDR realized you can't do it all. Decisions to cut have to be made somewhere.

BTW Eddie, that's the same problem with Sudan-we can't afford to go it alone. On this, Bush hasn't jumped, but they can't vote.

With Sudan, its a matter of us hardly trying at all. If we actually gave a damn, we would use our influence, policies and power to get Egypt involved in a big way, as well as other Arab nations that have an interest there. Then let's not even go into how we're letting the African countries fail themselves, their people and their futures without nary a peep from any important American official.

This guy is just losing any semblance of an effective presidency, and taking America with him. At least we're getting two long-needed conservative supreme court justices, but is that worth all of this when it comes down to it?

 

[Annie]

With Sudan, its a matter of us hardly trying at all. If we actually gave a damn, we would use our influence, policies and power to get Egypt involved in a big way, as well as other Arab nations that have an interest there. Then let's not even go into how we're letting the African countries fail themselves, their people and their futures without nary a peep from any important American official.

This guy is just losing any semblance of an effective presidency, and taking America with him. At least we're getting two long-needed conservative supreme court justices, but is that worth all of this when it comes down to it?

Colin Powell said much. He's gone and I have to agree with you, since his departure, not much has been said, nothing done. I don't see that is going to change, sadly.

There is much about this administration that pisses me off, such as the grandiose plans for New Orleans. The cave-in on including FEMA into Homeland Security that he had fought for nearly a year. The out of control spending without oversites.

Internationally, much less to criticize. We were never going to get a broad 'coalition', we will continue to go with the 'willing.'

 

[Nuc]

But.......I thought Democrats were the party of big government!!!!!!!!!

 

[NATO AIR]

Colin Powell said much. He's gone and I have to agree with you, since his departure, not much has been said, nothing done. I don't see that is going to change, sadly.

There is much about this administration that pisses me off, such as the grandiose plans for New Orleans. The cave-in on including FEMA into Homeland Security that he had fought for nearly a year. The out of control spending without oversites.

Internationally, much less to criticize. We were never going to get a broad 'coalition', we will continue to go with the 'willing.'

Internationally, a lot to criticize for me.

Sudan, Uzbekistan, China, India, Pakistan, etc etc. This administration's diplomacy is worse than Carter's. We have gotten through these 4 years with the skin of our teeth, secured only by the bravery of our fighting men and women. Our diplomats suck, Rice and Powell included. We are utterly incompetent. If we ever faced an enemy that was not idiotic, conflicted or incompetent, we would be defeated easily. Between our weak population, our disasterous leaders and our inability to have any intelligent diplomats lately, we'd be a goner.

 

[NATO AIR]

Internationally, a lot to criticize for me.

Sudan, Uzbekistan, China, India, Pakistan, etc etc. This administration's diplomacy is worse than Carter's. We have gotten through these 4 years with the skin of our teeth, secured only by the bravery of our fighting men and women. Our diplomats suck, Rice and Powell included. We are utterly incompetent. If we ever faced an enemy that was not idiotic, conflicted or incompetent, we would be defeated easily. Between our weak population, our disasterous leaders and our inability to have any intelligent diplomats lately, we'd be a goner.

I'm sorry, but I just the American people, the American government,the American media, the American leaders... they suck... nearly every last one of them.
The common American is an idiot, they are brainwashed by an MSM that feeds them lies and half-truths, and they willingly accept it. They swallow bullshit and demagoguery from the right and the left, willingly. They're like sheep being led to the slaughter.
The rest of the world is no better, often a whole lot worse.
Even our exceptional leaders couldn't hold a candle to any of our greats before 1960... those who lionize bush as another FDR, TR, Lincoln, Washington, hell even Andrew Jackson.. they're smoking more crack than bobby and whitney. Kerry or ANY of the democrats couldn't even compare to an Adlai Stevenson or William Jennings Bryan.
The American media is Al-Queda's best friend. Look at how they fawn over Iran's fascist leader, how they condemn and jeer Bush and others.

 

[Gunny]

I'm sorry, but I just the American people, the American government,the American media, the American leaders... they suck... nearly every last one of them.
The common American is an idiot, they are brainwashed by an MSM that feeds them lies and half-truths, and they willingly accept it. They swallow bullshit and demagoguery from the right and the left, willingly. They're like sheep being led to the slaughter.
The rest of the world is no better, often a whole lot worse.
Even our exceptional leaders couldn't hold a candle to any of our greats before 1960... those who lionize bush as another FDR, TR, Lincoln, Washington, hell even Andrew Jackson.. they're smoking more crack than bobby and whitney. Kerry or ANY of the democrats couldn't even compare to an Adlai Stevenson or William Jennings Bryan.
The American media is Al-Queda's best friend. Look at how they fawn over Iran's fascist leader, how they condemn and jeer Bush and others.

Guess you aren't planning a bid for office, huh?

 

[NATO AIR]

Guess you aren't planning a bid for office, huh?

Never. I like telling the truth too much.

 

[Gunny]

I'm sorry, but I just the American people, the American government,the American media, the American leaders... they suck... nearly every last one of them.
The common American is an idiot, they are brainwashed by an MSM that feeds them lies and half-truths, and they willingly accept it. They swallow bullshit and demagoguery from the right and the left, willingly. They're like sheep being led to the slaughter.
The rest of the world is no better, often a whole lot worse.
Even our exceptional leaders couldn't hold a candle to any of our greats before 1960... those who lionize bush as another FDR, TR, Lincoln, Washington, hell even Andrew Jackson.. they're smoking more crack than bobby and whitney. Kerry or ANY of the democrats couldn't even compare to an Adlai Stevenson or William Jennings Bryan.
The American media is Al-Queda's best friend. Look at how they fawn over Iran's fascist leader, how they condemn and jeer Bush and others.

Had to look at this again. Define "the common American." Is that not you and I?

I can agree somewhat with your sentiment. Too many are often too willing to just follow the herd; which, is being led by the MSM. At the same time, how often is it that one agrees with a certain viewpoint and is automatically relegated to the herd?

And to compare today's politicians with our "greats" of yesteryear requires redrawing the political lines. While most are loathe to admit it, many moderate conservatives/centrists would have been called liberals a few decades ago. Most of us abandoned ship with Carter at the helm (and rightfully so!).

IMO, Bush's fiscal policies are an embarrassment to the right. They in no way reflect my beliefs, nor even the definition of "conservative."

And to make matters worse, Abe Lincoln is NOT waiting in the wings to step in come 2008. There's NOBODY out there I'm impressed with. If current trend continues, we'll just be back voting against a candidate rather than for one.

 

[NATO AIR]

Had to look at this again. Define "the common American." Is that not you and I?

If current trend continues, we'll just be back voting against a candidate rather than for one.

Yep, it is sad that we are that point. We were in 2000, we voted AGAINST AL Gore more than FOR George Bush.

"Common American"... person that reads their YAHOO! news or listens to NBC and doesn't question anything... more interested in their families and paychecks than the outside world. that used to cut it in the 20th century, but no longer.

 

[Gunny]

Yep, it is sad that we are that point. We were in 2000, we voted AGAINST AL Gore more than FOR George Bush.

"Common American"... person that reads their YAHOO! news or listens to NBC and doesn't question anything... more interested in their families and paychecks than the outside world. that used to cut it in the 20th century, but no longer.

Actually, I voted for Bush in 2000. He was a good Governor. Recall his initial attempts at bipartisanship? They worked here, unlike the rejection at the National level. No way he could have been Governor for two terms without bipartisan approval/support.

I don't think it cut it in the 20th century anymore than now. My favorite example (pending a better one) is Walter Cronkite declaring the Vietnam War unwinnable. His statement influenced an entire nation and our policy in Vietnam. But NOBODY ever thought Walter was anything less than the paragon of journalistic virtue. If he said it, it must be true, nevermind the fact that we pretty-much had North Vietnam on its knees. We quit and took all our toys home with certain victory within our grasp. Why?

Because the anchorman on the CBS Evening News told us to.

 

[Hobbit]

But.......I thought Democrats were the party of big government!!!!!!!!!

No, Republicans are the party of big government. Democrats are the party of bigger government.

 

[pegwinn]

The simplest decision would be to only provide matching funds for the rebuilding effort. I don't agree with rebuilding in a soup bowl. I think the port could be relocated and other ports upgraded.

Bulldoze the area and let the Mississippi silt cover it up.

But, in order to be PC, the feds will pay the bill. I believe that if we are gonna get a screwing, we might as well dictate the terms and share the risk. Business and Citizens would be matched dollar for dollar. "You put up 100 bux and so will I". Of course, I want that money paid back over a 10 year timeframe.