"What I came in time to believe is that the great shortcoming of this White House, the great thing it is missing, is simple wisdom," Peggy Noonan wrote in a Wall Street Journal column today. "Just wisdom — a sense that they did not invent history, that this moment is not all there is, that man has lived a long time and there are things that are true of him, that maturity is not the same thing as cowardice, that personal loyalty is not a good enough reason to put anyone in charge of anything, that the way it works in politics is a friend becomes a loyalist becomes a hack, and actually at this point in history we don’t need hacks."
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
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79 Comments
From Noonan’s column:
“One of the things I have come to think the past few years is that the Bushes, father and son, though different in many ways, are great wasters of political inheritance. They throw it away as if they’d earned it and could do with it what they liked. Bush senior inherited a vibrant country and a party at peace with itself. He won the leadership of a party that had finally, at great cost, by 1980, fought itself through to unity and come together on shared principles. Mr. Bush won in 1988 by saying he would govern as Reagan had. Yet he did not understand he’d been elected to Reagan’s third term. He thought he’d been elected because they liked him. And so he raised taxes, sundered a hard-won coalition, and found himself shocked to lose his party the presidency, and for eight long and consequential years. He had many virtues, but he wasted his inheritance.”
I really couldn’t agree more!
Hank
Jerry Seinfeld used to have a bit about sports fans and how, in this era of free agency, players go from team to team. What Red Sox fans or Yankees fans or Chiefs fans are left with is booing this year at the guy you cheered for last season. It ends up, we’re cheering for laundry. For the shirt a guy’s wearing.
Poor Republics and conservatives have been forced to cheer for George WMD Bush simply because he wear’s the Republic Party’s shirt. Republics say they’re for a balanced budget, smaller less-intrusive government, against nation-building and deployment of military forces without an exit strategy…
Shrub’s approval rating is in the 20th percential and all 10 GOP candidates are forced to root for the laundry; because George WMD Bush is nothing but an empty suit.
These gems also from the Noonan article:
*****For almost three years, arguably longer, conservative Bush supporters have felt like sufferers of battered wife syndrome. You don’t like endless gushing spending, the kind that assumes a high and unstoppable affluence will always exist, and the tax receipts will always flow in? Too bad! You don’t like expanding governmental authority and power? Too bad. You think the war was wrong or is wrong? Too bad.
But on immigration it has changed from “Too bad” to “You’re bad.”
The president has taken to suggesting that opponents of his immigration bill are unpatriotic–they “don’t want to do what’s right for America.” His ally Sen. Lindsey Graham has said, “We’re gonna tell the bigots to shut up.” On Fox last weekend he vowed to “push back.” Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff suggested opponents would prefer illegal immigrants be killed; Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez said those who oppose the bill want “mass deportation.” Former Bush speechwriter Michael Gerson said those who oppose the bill are “anti-immigrant” and suggested they suffer from “rage” and “national chauvinism.”*****
I would only differ with Noonan on the point that Bush and his supporters have always demonized the opponents.
Steven – his approach is similar to some here on the blog. Call you opponents “terrorist-lover”; “America-hater”; “Wichita-hater” etc. It is unfortunate because such an approach is deliberately used to shut down debate.
That had been part of the problem with Gingrich as discussed on that thread. Sadly, although I think that Gingrich has a lot to offer many of us tend to tune him out because of that past. Bush is now running into the same thing. There might be those of us who could agree with him at least in part on immigration but the walls are now too high.
Ben, I don’t think that the Republican Party realizes that after Gingrich and impeachment, there are many, many progressives and liberals that will never even consider voting for a Republican. The wound runs that deep and there is no amount of time that will heal it.
Hey LTP,FTL. . .
If you’re going to use the ‘team’ analogy I’d do it a little different.
Instead of cheering for ‘laundry’ because the players have been traded I think we are now cheering for a team that has abandoned it’s philosophy. We use to be a team that wanted to win in order to advance our ideas. I think now the ‘players’ are merely doing things in order not to lose.
As a result, we are doomed to lose.
Hank
Fortunately, there is reality outside of this blog as the Liberal Democrats will find out in 08. :D
I am surprised that no one has jumped in to defend their illustrious leader in the White House.
Fortunately, there is reality outside of this blog as the Reactionary Republicans found out in 06. :D
And will find out even more in 08.
Of course you’re surprised brian.
Like the other liberals on this BLOG you constantly argue against your percieved notions instead of trying to really understand the conservative viewpoint.
I very seldom mindlessly respond to the liberal mindless attack.
Hank
The Democrites won’t survive until 08, they are already feasting on the bodies of their own in Congress.
Reagan left a vibrant country? Since when is it okay for our president to hand over weapons to Saddam and then Bush Junior declares the very same Saddam a terrorist and needed to be toppled by our soldiers?
We are now reaping what Reagan and Daddy Bush did in the 80’s and you think Reagan is sitting next to God? In your dreams Hank.
Dear cat,
You might check to see if maybe someone hasn’t got in your medicine cabinet and switched some labels around.
Your last post is irrational, even for you.
Concerned BLOGer,
Hank
What did CAT say that wasn’t true, Mr. Price?
What exactly was it in response to, Mr Clark?
I’m not surprised you don’t find it irrational!
I still love ya, you make the conservatives look good!
Hank
“Since when is it okay for our president to hand over weapons to Saddam and then Bush Junior declares the very same Saddam a terrorist and needed to be toppled by our soldiers?”
What part of that statement by CAT was not true, Mr. Price?
Ah the great weapons deal with Iraq as brought up by cat. He forgets at one time we were talking to Iraq as the enemy of our enemy, Iran.
BTW, we also negotiated F-15s for Iran when the Shah was in power.
We were trading partners with both Germany and Japan in WWI and WWII.
The Liberal Democrites need to stop revising history and note that foreign countries sometimes go bad. Republicans live in reality.
Democrites invent their own reality.
Walk on by…….
There’s a partying goat ropin ladWho rode in on the tail of his dadWas prince of the realmNow asleep at the helmWe’re paying the price in Baghdad
“Fortunately, there is reality outside of this blog as the Liberal Democrats will find out in 08. :D”Sorry Republican I could not help while reading this having the image of Custer shouting to the last of his troops, “Hang on boys… There can’t be that many more Indians!” LoL
Keep that image in your mind dog, perhaps the sugar plum fairies will be dancing in your head as well.
It’s not a statement, Mr. Clark.
It’s a question and I don’t agree with the premise.
Now if you want to ask me a question, go ahead. But first respond to mine.
Hank
WSClark evidently ignores the truth and my posts Hank. :D
“Like the other liberals on this BLOG you constantly argue against your percieved notions instead of trying to really understand the conservative viewpoint”
1. I am a strict independant. I do not claim the label of liberal or conservative, thus I am free to choose what I think the best stance is on every issue.2. I always try to understand a logical and well reasoned arguement, whoever it is from. I may have ideas going into an issue, but I am always willing to admit I am wrong if I am present with a case for that.
oh, and Hank, I missed how your post was generated in response to my recognition that no one was standing up for Bush.
This was the question, Mr. Price.
“Since when is it okay for our president to hand over weapons to Saddam and then Bush Junior declares the very same Saddam a terrorist and needed to be toppled by our soldiers?”
What part of that statement by CAT was not true, Mr. Price?
Posted by: WSClark | June 01, 2007 at 04:53 PM
And I am sorry to say that I did not see any question other than that address to me – if there was, I apologize, please ask it again.
Hank’s right we were trading partners with Germany in WWII.That is, until they declared war on us. In fact grand daddy Bush kept running the bank owned by the NAZI’s until the feds shut him down in late 1942.Ole Ronny gave 1000 tow missiles to Iran in an attempt to free hostages in Lebanon
Who in their right mind would even think Reagan was a rational thinking man? Reagan tried to get catsup labeled as a fruit for school lunches. What a loon (and that was BEFORE his Alzheimers).
“I hear it said that West Berlin is militarily untenable – and so was Bastogne, and so, in fact, was Stalingrad. Any danger spot is tenable if men – brave men – will make it so.
Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.
The cost of freedom is always high, but Americans have always paid it. And one path we shall never choose, and that is the path of surrender, or submission.
The tax on capital gains directly affects investment decisions, the mobility and flow of risk capital… the ease or difficulty experienced by new ventures in obtaining capital, and thereby the strength and potential for growth in the economy.
There is always inequality in life. Some men are killed in a war and some men are wounded and some men never leave the country. Life is unfair.”
John F. Kennedy
Well, let’s see Sam, a tomato is technically a fruit and tomatoes are the primary ingredient in catsup so therefore catsup is a vegetable.
By the way, mustard is made from mustard seeds which could be considered a grain therefore mustard would fit into the food pyramid quite nicely.
Whoops!
(Don’t tell the Republicans I said that.)
The repubs are not defending Bush because Rush is mad at him!
Ahahahaha! I wondered how long it would take for the Democrites to use their trolls instead of singing “walk on by.”
ahahahahaha!
“We use to be a team that wanted to win in order to advance our ideas. I think now the ‘players’ are merely doing things in order not to lose.
“As a result, we are doomed to lose.”
I presume the “we” here is the GOP and if that was what you were saying, I think you are correct here, Hank. But, does that mean you won’t be betting on the outcomes of the ‘08 elections?
“Bush kept running the bank owned by the NAZI’s until the feds shut him down in late 1942.”
You know I really hate defending Bushes, but since the cons won’t do it… Prescott Bush was very likely giving information to the OS about what the Nazi’s were doing. The OS was the precurser to the CIA. This point is covered extensively in the following source:
Phillips, Kevin (2004). _American Dynasty: Aristocracy, Fortune, and the Politics of Deceit in the House of Bush_. Viking Press: New York.
So rather than being a traitor, he was performing a valuable service for his government. Never mind that he was getting rich in the process…
Holy crap, Augustus Stupidus lost Peggy Noonan!?!
Jesus, I never thought I’d see the day that a thinking righty got tired of being bitch-slapped by Augustus Stupidus.
Guess ‘ol Peg (for one) must be getitn’ kinda uppity on “Mr. Wisdom.” If Bush ain’t careful then before you know it she’ll be wantin’ kissed first!
Let’s see… Republican posted a quote from a Democratic President, so it seems fair for a Democrat to post a quote from a Republican President.
Enjoy!
“When the strongest nation in the world can be tied up for … years in a war … with no end in sight, when the richest nation in the world can’t manage its own economy, when the nation with the greatest tradition of the rule of law is plagued by unprecedented lawlessness, … and when the President of the United States cannot travel abroad or to any major city at home without fear of a hostile demonstration – then it’s time for new leadership for the United States of America.”
– Richard Nixon, 1968
Phillips, Kevin (2004). _American Dynasty: Aristocracy, Fortune, and the Politics of Deceit in the House of Bush
So your info comes from Nixon’s Karl Rove?
Sorry, I’d rather go with the government’s take on it.
That was a campaign speech bashing the Democrats for their failed policies Roxann. :D
Yes republican and Roxanne. Nixon correctly blasted the Texas Democrat for a failed war policy; now a Texas Republican is following a virtually identical failed war policy.
So what has failed Ben? Explain it to me. :)
Rox, you should be aware that a certain republican-type poster has been put on ignore for his nic-stealing and trolling habits.
You know my direct e-mail addy if you need more information.
The White House is missing more than “wisdom”. It is missing brains too. Just so you know, I am ashamed that President Bush is from Texas.
I can’t speak for Ben, but I’ll take a shot.How about failing to be a conservative?
Ben,
IMO, the current failed policy is much worse than the past one. Consider all of the consequences if the M-E region becomes destabilized.
And the huge irony when the climate “tipping point” becomes obvious, and oil demand drops sharply.
Kev,
It should be noted that he’s not a native Texan.
What has failed Republican? How about the whole G-D war? Mission Accomplished. Flowers greeting our troops. Ahmed Chalabi. Weeks, maybe months, NOT YEARS. Jeffersonian democracy right after invasion. Oil revenues paying the total cost of the war.
And now what had been victory in Afghanistan is slipping away.
Conservative and a what if statement…
Hmmm, I don’t see any answers for a failed war policy.
Alleycat:”So your info comes from Nixon’s Karl Rove?”
Yes, it does. He is the man who predicted that the south could be made the republican base. He turned out to be right. Would you not agree?
Interesting that he hates the Bushes so much, isn’t it?
Truth be told, Reagan thought GHW Bush was a pussy and someone he did not trust at all. His insticts in that case and in the case of GHW’s progeny turned out to be right, wouldn’t you say?
Missioned Accomplish is a sloganFlowers greeting our troops is a gesture.Ahmed Chalabi is PhD in mathematics who didn’t do so well in the Iraqi political climate.Oil Revenues are doing well in the Kurdish sector.
So, where is the failed war policy?
Republican – my answer was not a “what-if”. f you think this war has been successful then you even disagree with Bush now.
We posted at the same time, the “What if” was referring to Cosmos’ posts.
Ben,
Republitroll is being ignored by people on this blog who have some degree of integrity. Please join us.
Some degree of integrity sounds like an oxymoron.
Oil was to pay the entire cost. Chalabi was to successfully take over the country for us. We were not supposed to be bogged down in a civil war 4 years later. Remember, the whole thing was weeks, maybe months, not years. It was then going to lead to wonderful sweeping changes throughout the Middle East.
Yes, it DID lead to major changes – Iran on the ascendancy, former Arab allies alienated and/or their governments weakened. Not exactly what the Bush administration predicyed.
“Some degree of integrity sounds like an oxymoron.”
Whereas, anyone who knows anything, knows that your are just at f*cking moron… Thankyou for proving my point, as*hole.
Sorry, “your are” should be “you are”
“Oil was to pay the entire cost” – A nice plan, plans don’t always work out.
“Chalabi was to successfully take over the country for us.”He was a candidate who was selected in advance, but the people of Iraq spoke with their dyed fingers, you know – that Democracy thing.
“Remember, the whole thing was weeks, maybe months, not years” A war isn’t a MacDonald’s Drive through.
“It was then going to lead to wonderful sweeping changes throughout the Middle East.” Don’t recall reading about that. Your statement?
“Yes, it DID lead to major changes – Iran on the ascendancy.” How is that an Iraq War failure?
“Arab allies alienated and/or their governments weakened.” Exactly who would that be? Jordan, Quran? Kuwait? Saudi Arabia?
“Not exactly what the Bush administration predicyed.”State of the Union 2004:
“Having broken the Baathist regime, we face a remnant of violent Saddam supporters. Men who ran away from our troops in battle are now dispersed and attack from the shadows. These killers, joined by foreign terrorists, are a serious, continuing danger. Yet we’re making progress against them. The once all-powerful ruler of Iraq was found in a hole, and now sits in a prison cell. (Applause.) Of the top 55 officials of the former regime, we have captured or killed 45. Our forces are on the offensive, leading over 1,600 patrols a day and conducting an average of 180 raids a week. We are dealing with these thugs in Iraq, just as surely as we dealt with Saddam Hussein’s evil regime. (Applause.)
The work of building a new Iraq is hard, and it is right. And America has always been willing to do what it takes for what is right. Last January, Iraq’s only law was the whim of one brutal man. Today our coalition is working with the Iraqi Governing Council to draft a basic law, with a bill of rights. We’re working with Iraqis and the United Nations to prepare for a transition to full Iraqi sovereignty by the end of June.
As democracy takes hold in Iraq, the enemies of freedom will do all in their power to spread violence and fear. They are trying to shake the will of our country and our friends, but the United States of America will never be intimidated by thugs and assassins. (Applause.) The killers will fail, and the Iraqi people will live in freedom. (Applause.)
President George W. Bush delivers his State of the Union Address to the nation and a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2004. “We must continue to pursue an aggressive, pro-growth economic agenda. Congress has some unfinished business on the issue of taxes,” said the President, calling on Congress to make the tax cuts permanent. White House photo by Paul MorseMonth by month, Iraqis are assuming more responsibility for their own security and their own future. And tonight we are honored to welcome one of Iraq’s most respected leaders: the current President of the Iraqi Governing Council, Adnan Pachachi.”
“at” should be “a”
“Truth be told, Reagan thought GHW Bush was a pussy and someone he did not trust at all. His insticts in that case and in the case of GHW’s progeny turned out to be right, wouldn’t you say?”
Yes!What I find interesting, when some kind of major sh*t goes down, there’s a Bush connection somewhere.
I wonder if “some degree of integrity” is like half-smart, half brave, half-blind, some inkling of common sense, some enchanted evening… :D
Alleycat is added to the scroll over list. Kahn is still a con; you folks with any degree of intelligence know what to do… Thank you.
You know, SD, the atmosphere on the blog is much better when the trolls are not fed – let’s keep them hungry.
Notes that Steven Davis was not in the finals of the National Spelling Bee. :D
There he goes again, “any degree of intelligence.”
That means all of you knuckle-dragging Liberal Democrats with low IQ’s can get in on the action or should I say inaction. :D
Here’s Republican, aka “blank”, aka the STOLEN nic of J M Walker.
http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/2007/05/open_thread_28.html#comment-71041282
Walk on by….
Clark you are correct. I apologize for feeding the bloated dumb asses that populate this blog.
Walk on by … was a term I came up, I think…
yes, I did that Cosmos,
…hangs head in shame and snickers.
:D
Here’s what Cosmos kisses daily -
Gores’ (Y)
http://ipcc-wg1.ucar.edu/wg1/wg1-report.html
“Alleycat is added to the scroll over list. Kahn is still a con; you folks with any degree of intelligence know what to do… Thank you”
What’s up with that?
It’s the tactic employed by the cheese-eating surrender monkey Liberals to avoid being challenged in their posts.
A bit better than the last time, they got mad as a group, stormed off in a huff and called themselves Fisters. :D
Do what I do, ignore that they are ignoring me. They will usually respond in some way.
The Libs have a “stick to factor” of about one month max, then they go back to their old ways. ROFL!
Walk on by…
Perhaps in the next election we should elect the person with the least political experience. Not having been involved in politics as much may mean there is a chance it has not yet rotted any wisdom out of their minds.
Sad truth is there’s nobody behind the curtain!
“Some degree of integrity sounds like an oxymoron.”Posted by: Republican | June 01, 2007 at 10:50 PM
As if you knew anything about integrity or had any.
Ah, another Fister in his troll disguise. And they complain about me!
Democrats, Hypocrisy is they name.
“Democrats, Hypocrisy is they name.”Posted by: Republican | June 02, 2007 at 06:11 AM
Hypocrisy?Now there’s a subject you’re an expert on.
“Ah, another Fister in his troll disguise. And they complain about me!”
“Fister”? Is that supposed to be some kind of threat?
It was a nice try Freddy, but IP addresses tell all. :D
“It was a nice try Freddy, but IP addresses tell all. :D”Posted by: Republican | June 02, 2007 at 07:00 AM
Impress us with your computer skills. What’s my IP address?
Keep that image in your mind dog, perhaps the sugar plum fairies will be dancing in your head as well“.
They often do Republican, but it is more a sad nightmare the fairies all look like Ronald Reagan and they are walking not dancing. They cry at the sight of what has happen to the Grand ole party. They express fears that the trolls that have taken over will be the lasting legacy. They grasp to threads of the once great fairy land and shutter at the on slot of the armies of the Neo-con trolls and RR demons that assail the land daily. The providence of the GOP is being torn down to make way for the large office building of “Big Government Conservatives”.
But take heart, the sadist and most true statement ever said is “It does not matter which party is in majority now… They all screw it up in time”. The Democrats will have their way for now and as bad as it has been screwed up by the rank and file of the GOP not paying attention to whom we picked. Allowing special interests groups to gain control of the party. We will be back in ten years, maybe another thirty as before, by then the Democrats will have crapped in their own nests too. Then the GOP will be ready trim and fit and back to the once core that made it the Grand ole Party in the first place.
But until then shall we both just dream, I will still have the fairies and you can have what ever delusions that make you happy. Them there Indians have to run out of arrow sometime! Hey maybe Sitting Bull will lead his people into attacking the Iraqis too!Just think of it, the beleaguered Cavalry surrounded by the terrorists then suddenly in the distance there is a war cry! The second Lieutenant shouts to the surrounded troops, “ITS THE SIOUX!… WE ARE SAVED!”
Come on Republican, what’s my IP address? Who’s my service provider?Put it up! I dare you. Double dare, lol!