McDuck's Post about 2008 Election

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Re: Greg's Post about 2008 Election

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[SIZE=+2]Ambushed By History[/SIZE]
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[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]By Michael Gerson
Wednesday, October 15, 2008[/SIZE]
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For all their talk about respecting the constraints of reality, conservatives generally hold to the "great man" theory of history. It is leftists who embrace economic determinism. Conservatives read biographies of Winston Churchill and wait in constant expectation for the second coming of Ronald Reagan. Charisma and truth, in this view, can always overwhelm material conditions.

And this often leads to the "small man" theory of electoral setbacks. A losing Republican is not merely unfortunate; he must be incompetent, politically blind and betrayed by his bumbling underlings. If he is not a winner, he is a fool.

John McCain has reached this stage of criticism among conservatives. Some attack him for "frenetic improvisation," while others urge him to frenetically improvise. His campaign is in a "defensive crouch" while also being "obnoxious" in its "phony populism." McCain's running mate is a "fatal cancer" who should "read more books."

This kind of cheap shot is, thank goodness, the prerogative of the commentator -- an option I will doubtlessly exercise in the future. But having once been on the political side of the divide, I remember how truly obnoxious such advice can become. If only the candidate would fire his entire campaign staff and travel the country in a used Yugo, speaking in the parking lots of 7-Elevens, the gap would be closed. If only the candidate would buy three hours in prime time and give a bold, historic speech (which has been helpfully sent under separate cover), the entire election would be turned around. If only the candidate would finally highlight his opponent's ties to Colombian drug cartels, the illuminati and the British royal family -- or perhaps abandon all this suicidal negativity -- the election could certainly be won. And yes, above all, the candidate must be himself.

McCain might benefit from shifts in strategy: a retooled stump speech has already been rolled out. But sometimes a candidate who is down in the polls is not an incompetent but a bystander. While America remains a center-right country, this may well be a Marxist election in which economic realities are determining the political superstructure.

The diverging political fortunes of Barack Obama and McCain can be traced to a single moment. In the middle of September, the net favorable rating for each candidate was about the same. By Oct. 7, Obama was ahead on this measure by about 16 points. Did McCain suddenly become a stumbling failure? No, the world suddenly went into an economic slide. Americans blamed the party with executive power, which is also the party most closely tied in the public mind to bankers and Wall Street. None of this was fair to McCain, who has never been the Wall Street type. But party images are vivid, durable and almost impossible to shift on short notice.

Previous to this economic free fall -- and after his transformative vice-presidential choice -- McCain was about tied in a race he should have been losing by a large margin. The public clearly had questions about Obama's leadership qualities. But the McCain campaign also proved itself capable of constructing an effective narrative: Obama as lightweight celebrity, McCain as maverick reformer. Until history intervened.

Following the onset of the crisis, McCain was left with flawed options. He reasonably chose to work for a responsible bailout while hoping the markets would stabilize quickly. Instead, the bailout proved politically unpopular and the markets gyrated like the Pussycat Dolls. Then McCain raised Obama's past association with William Ayers -- a valid attack if properly raised. (Can anyone doubt that the past political association of McCain with a right-wing terrorist would attract some attention?) But this accusation naturally looks small compared to the nation's outsized economic fears.

Obama's task has been easier. He needs only to ride a historical current instead of fighting it. And this plays to his greatest political strength: the easy, laid-back self-assurance of a 1940s crooner. During the financial crisis Obama has contributed nothing of note or consequence. His only recent accomplishment has been to say questionable things in the debates -- attacking Republicans and capitalism for a credit meltdown that congressional Democrats helped to cause, blaming America for Iran's nuclear ambitions, talking piously about genocide prevention when his own early Iraq policies might have resulted in genocide -- all while sounding supremely reassuring and presidential.

Obama's current success is not enjoyable for conservatives. But this does not make McCain an incompetent. Maybe he is a great man running at the most difficult of times.

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Re: Greg's Post about 2008 Election

Greg, I feel sorry for you. I really do.


The Iraqi yellowcake was there from pre=1981. It was to be used in the facility that Israel bombed. We knew it was there. The U.N. Inspectors monitored it for 12 years after the 1991 Gulf war. None of is was missing, none of it was processed, we guarded it, had access to it, the weapons inspectors went and looked at it, measured it, counted it before the Invasion.

It was not a threat to anyone.

We shipped it out via plane to Diego Garcia, and then by ship to Canada.

Would Saddam have turned it into a bomb?

He didn't have the technology to do it.

But you'll never believe it.

Sorry Greg, but dude, you really need to get a life.
 
Re: Greg's Post about 2008 Election

Greg, I feel sorry for you. I really do.


The Iraqi yellowcake was there from pre=1981. It was to be used in the facility that Israel bombed. We knew it was there. The U.N. Inspectors monitored it for 12 years after the 1991 Gulf war. None of is was missing, none of it was processed, we guarded it, had access to it, the weapons inspectors went and looked at it, measured it, counted it before the Invasion.

It was not a threat to anyone.

We shipped it out via plane to Diego Garcia, and then by ship to Canada.

Would Saddam have turned it into a bomb?

He didn't have the technology to do it.

But you'll never believe it.

Sorry Greg, but dude, you really need to get a life.

CountryBoy posted the info that you are referring to.

Jimbo, you must cracking-up !
"Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.”
- - Eleanor Roosevelt
 
Re: Greg's Post about 2008 Election

That's the only way I vote is my intelligence and beliefs................................
Just adding a little reality check to the subject.

CB


Look at the numbers of those who voted to give Bushy the authority to go to war. You will find the majority of Dems voted NO, and the majority of Repubs voted in lockstep/rubber stamp mode.

More reality checks..........

The information was cooked, and at least the Dems knew it. However, the Repubs brought forth the McCarthyism attacks...."If you aint wit us, you're either a xxx or an xxx". You know the words.

Classic, but getting old by now for sure. Hopefully, America learned it's lessons about Rubber Stamp politics. 10 Trillion PLUS in debt, the economy on the verge of collapse, cheap monetary policy and drunken sailers spending the loot in DC since 2000.
If the trickle down theory really worked, those tax cuts for all the wealthy that have been in place for many should have done much better than what's been handed to us by 8 yrs of ineptitude.
 
Re: Greg's Post about 2008 Election

I have no idea what you're talking about. If you have a problem with what the Archbishop said, then take it up with him.

Have you not read what the Dims (including a moderator) has been posting here?
It seemed you were implying something about fabijo that I doubt was true. I wouldn't be giving you a warning greg, but you seem to moving moving back toward the dark side as at least 95% of your posts are on the election lately. This is concerning to me. At least the others are still talking TSP occasionally.
 
Re: Greg's Post about 2008 Election

Look at the numbers of those who voted to give Bushy the authority to go to war. You will find the majority of Dems voted NO, and the majority of Repubs voted in lockstep/rubber stamp mode.

More reality checks..........

The information was cooked, and at least the Dems knew it. However, the Repubs brought forth the McCarthyism attacks...."If you aint wit us, you're either a xxx or an xxx". You know the words.

Classic, but getting old by now for sure. Hopefully, America learned it's lessons about Rubber Stamp politics. 10 Trillion PLUS in debt, the economy on the verge of collapse, cheap monetary policy and drunken sailers spending the loot in DC since 2000.
If the trickle down theory really worked, those tax cuts for all the wealthy that have been in place for many should have done much better than what's been handed to us by 8 yrs of ineptitude.
Bush didn't lie after all. Yellowcake was found in Iraq!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25546334/

It's only been in the last year or so that the economy has gone into the crapper. Which party has been in charge of the Budget and Appropriations committees in that time???....that's right, it's been the Democrats!
 
Re: Greg's Post about 2008 Election

Look at the numbers of those who voted to give Bushy the authority to go to war. You will find the majority of Dems voted NO, and the majority of Repubs voted in lockstep/rubber stamp mode.

More reality checks..........

The information was cooked, and at least the Dems knew it. However, the Repubs brought forth the McCarthyism attacks...."If you aint wit us, you're either a xxx or an xxx". You know the words.

Classic, but getting old by now for sure. Hopefully, America learned it's lessons about Rubber Stamp politics. 10 Trillion PLUS in debt, the economy on the verge of collapse, cheap monetary policy and drunken sailers spending the loot in DC since 2000.
If the trickle down theory really worked, those tax cuts for all the wealthy that have been in place for many should have done much better than what's been handed to us by 8 yrs of ineptitude.


So the majority of Dems voted NO, is not considered, by you, to be voting in party lockstep or being a rubber stamp for Pelosi, hmmm oookkk, you need to check on your history their bub. ;)

Go ahead and say the words, so they’ll be no misunderstanding. And you really, really ought to read your history if you think the cheap monetary policy is just a recent phenomenon. You do know that Greespan was being grilled by Congress yesterday for his 18 year role in the cheap monetary policy?

This policy goes back decades, but I know how it makes you Bush haters feel warm and fuzzy, believing that all the bad stuff that has occurred, only happened in the past 8 years, while you democrats just sit helplessly by and did nothing (google Barney Franks and the Maes for fingerprints), especially the last 2 years, so I’ll not even try to debate this subject especially on a Friday, with someone who accepts no responsibility for anything bad.

Democrats good, Republicans bad, I’ll not spoil that little dream, plus it’s a Friday and I try not to get into anything to heavy while I’m trying to get into the weekend mode of being carefree and having fun.

Oh BTW, I’m doing much better now than 8 years ago, all debt paid off and retirement savings bigger than I thought and I never believed I’d ever have a ROTH, much less 2, so don’t give me this are you better off crap, cause I am. :laugh: caused we saved our butts off. Of course we live pretty simple lives and don't require alot of frills to be entertained, we ejust enjoy each others company.

Have a good weekend,
CB
 
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Re: Greg's Post about 2008 Election

10 Trillion PLUS in debt, the economy on the verge of collapse, cheap monetary policy and drunken sailers spending the loot in DC since 2000.

If your going to try and make a derogatory reference to the men and women of the US Navy, at least capitalize the S and spell it write. An aside to this, I do believe "drunken Sailors" at least spend their own money.

Unless your referring to pirates, but then you should have just said so.

Happy Friday.
 
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