It may not have been what he intended, but last night President Bush ceded the ideological debate over the proper size and scope of government. Calling for “one of the largest reconstruction efforts the world has ever seen,” he made it absolutely clear where the responsibility for rebuilding the Gulf Coast region resides:
“Federal funds will cover the great majority of the costs of repairing public infrastructure in the disaster zone, from roads and bridges to schools and water systems.”
This new found faith in the vital role of government was echoed in his mea culpa of sorts, in which he acknowledged the abject failure of FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security:
“The system, at every level of government, was not well coordinated and was overwhelmed in the first few days. It is now clear that a challenge on this scale requires greater federal authority and a broader role for the armed forces, the institution of our government most capable of massive logistical operations on a moment’s notice.”
But perhaps most significant was the president’s acknowledgment that our nation is rife with deep and persistent poverty, that it is rooted in history and race, and that the government has an obligation to provide opportunity to all its citizens.
As all of us saw on television, there is also some deep, persistent poverty in this region as well. And that poverty has roots in a history of racial discrimination, which cut off generations from the opportunity of America. We have a duty to confront this poverty with bold action. So let us restore all that we have cherished from yesterday, and let us rise above the legacy of inequality.
Of course, the actual proposals and platitudes in last night’s speech are just so many words — the devil remains in both the details, and the execution. But the overall theme of big government lending a big hand to those in need, is more reminiscent of FDR’s New Deal than the Reagan Revolution. While I do not trust the president’s deeds to match his words, it is important to note that the disaster has forced his administration to adopt a classic liberal-progressive frame that neo-conservative think tanks have spent the better part of four decades drowning. Last night’s speech acknowledges that a strong, functioning, compassionate America requires a strong, functioning and compassionate federal government. It is not just a recognition of the need for good government, but rather, an implicit reminder that in a functioning republic, government is good.
As with the Mississippi flood of 1927, historians may look back on Hurricane Katrina and see a tidal surge of political change. Author John M. Barry writes that before this unprecedented natural disaster there was no national consensus that the federal government should fund large public works. But the Coolidge administration’s initial inept and callous response gave way under popular pressure to massive and widely successful reconstruction and employment programs… setting a precedent for FDR’s vastly larger New Deal a decade later.
In the immediate wake of Hurricane Katrina, President Bush — like Coolidge before him — seemed genuinely taken aback by criticism of the federal response. Taken at face value, “Brownie, you’re doing a heck of a job,” was a declaration that everything was going according to plan… a plan that clearly did not envision a decisive federal role in a regional emergency.
All that has now changed. Confronted with an angry public backlash and plummeting poll numbers, Bush has been forced to adopt the language of liberalism, if not the ideals themselves. This is an opportunity that must not be wasted, and it is imperative now that Democrats in Congress remain absolutely disciplined and vigilant… for only relentless oversight can assure a successful reconstruction. The stakes are high, not only for the people of the Gulf Region, but for the future direction of our nation. $200 billion in reconstruction can buy a lot of roads and bridges and schools… but if it is spent wisely, compassionately, and effectively, it will also make a large down-payment on restoring Americans’ faith in government.
Hurricane Katrina cut through the impenetrable bullshit of Grover Norquist and his fellow neo-cons as easily as it breached the concrete walls of the 17th Street Canal. By abandoning their rhetoric, President Bush may have sounded the death peal of a movement, and history may look back on last night’s speech as the moment a failed ideology drowned in a bathtub of its own creation: the flooded, corpse-ridden streets of New Orleans.
[Cross-posted at Daily Kos]
Republicans have always managed large government (they just pretend to prefer small government).
Also they always borrow and spend (hence the deficit/debt issues).
Nothing new here.
Goldy sez “and history may look back on last night’s speech as the moment a failed ideology drowned in a bathtub of its own creation: the flooded, corpse-ridden streets of New Orleans”
Goldy is absolutely right for the very first time! 60+ years of FAILED Democratic, liberal policies, programs, mismanagement and corruption in New Orleans!
” abandoning their rhetoric, President Bush may have sounded the death peal of a movement”
Your kidding right? We are back to Enterprise and Opportunity Zones, wherein every piece of the master plan of neo-cons and the removal of governmental oversight(particularly environmental, safety-health-pay of workers, contract auditing, etc,) will be implemented and made operational. There is not one bit of backsliding, just some changes in the label of the bottle. If one believes that corporate greed is an effective social justice mechanism(i will stipulate that it is very useful for redistributing wealth from the many to the few) then you probably will begin to lobby to buy into the new burbclaves and super condo developments being planned for the new NOLA and Gulf Coast. It will be such a luxury for you to live in a place free of the poverty of others (esp african americans), and free from the fear of threats from those that might feel the slightest bit offended that they can never move home again. As one Blackwater Security contracted security officer put it, assigned to guard a non-too damaged hotel in the French Quarter (scheduled to reopen next week) “it is just like the Green Zone here.”
The government has ballooned under the Repubs. I guess they figured out that people really want big government, they just want to pretend that they don’t. But at least Dems would tax to pay for spending. Combine the Bush tax cuts with all this spending, and it ain’t gonna be pretty with the sh*t hits the fan. Of course the result is going to be huge tax increases down the road. It is ironic but we’ll have Bush and the Repubs to “thank” for it!
Dear “small ‘M’ (and who knows what else)” mark,
Please find a new posting handle and quit sullying the good “Mark” name.
Mark@5 — You think you have some ownership of the name Mark?
mark – Sounds like you and spyder are right on the Mark. The tax-repeal-and-spend Republicans will spend us into the poor house yet. Simply because they want to borrow to pay for their programs, instead of pay for them. This is gonna be really bad news down the road… How I long for the good ol’ days when the worst thing in our Government was a little illicit sex, but the economy was BOOMING.
@ 7
Good times, getting a freakin’ hummer and making lots of money. What the hell is wrong with that? Unless, of course you’re some sort of uptight, hypocritical, relgious zealot ass hole like, Osama Bin Laden or Pat Robertson.
We’ll never really get a smaller government unless we’re willing to stop getting involved in the affairs of other countries. I think we need to turn our attention to ourselves and not worry so much about others. Of course, that means dealing at arm’s length with both our friends and out enemies (assuming we have some friends lefT!).
mark @6
Mark@5 – You think you have some ownership of the name Mark?
It does get confusing, at times. I know I am ‘marks’ but does the next reader? I would buy a vowel and change to ‘markus’ but I cut my teeth on this moniker and would rather not give it up.
Blah Blah Blah, next;
Thanks for catching up, 60 years later. The era of small Government died with the birth of the welfare state and the implementation of the New Deal.
Next thread please
fire_one @ 7
‘..but the economy was BOOMING.’
The economy was sliding downhill right at the end of Clinton’s term.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....ge=printer
Then we had 9/11 and war. And the tax cuts. With all of that how do we explain a steadily growing economy and level of tax receipts, especially the capital gains and corporate portions? Katrina will cause a slight dip and then Keynes will kick in to both boost GDP and increase the deficit.
Having said that, I am with lots of conservatives who think Bush and the repubs in Congress have tried to buy votes rather than earn them. Whether or not the Katrina rebuild ends up being a typical boondogle there will be a market for a real fiscal conservative in 2008.
Don’t count the Repugs out yet, Goldie. Remember, we are still in the clutches of a single party government with an authoritarian bent. The authoritarians love this reconstruction stuff. They hope for lots of loose cash to grease the skids of progress (defined as windfall profits for white, well connected, Republican businessmen) while re-inventing the government into their own slimy grafting image.
You can bet that when George W. Bush talks about reconstruction in the South he is thinking the kind of reconstruction now taking place in Iraq. Halliburton will soon be on the scene to suck up billions and FEMA, known for handing out 30 million dollars in fraudulent contracts to Republican contactors in Florida, will soon be patrolling the Gulf Coast states with billions of dollars to line the pockets of rich Republican Bush supporters.
No, nothing will change – – – nothing except that we may end up with a few American insurgents patrolling the south and stirring up trouble as our economy fails and America slips into civil strife.
Yes, it could happen here. The Republicans have so cleverly encouraged hatred between races and religious groups cultivating righteousness in their own quarter.
Katrina will be known in history as, not only the greatest natural disaster, but also the perfect storm upon the American body politic. Republicans Rule! (Unfortunately)
NoWonder @12
David Broder has a good take on where our conservative revolution is. GWB solidified it yesterday.
@ 13
Not for long. Mark my words, one year from now the Republicans be fighting for thier political lives.
mini-mark @ 6
Yes.
‘cuz I was here first!
OK well from now on I’m capitalizing the “M” just for you
Paul @13
The Republicans have so cleverly encouraged hatred between races and religious groups cultivating righteousness in their own quarter.
Stop pissing in your bed, dude:
Your co-conspirator comments here :(
And another one :(
and again. :(
At some point, somebody on your side ought to face facts: you hate, and you don’t even try to get out of the hating cycle.
I respond to your partner here. :)
Damn, into purgatory again…
Paul @13
The Republicans have so cleverly encouraged hatred between races and religious groups cultivating righteousness in their own quarter.
Stop pissing in your own bed, dude:
Your co-conspirator can be read here :(
And another one :(
and again :(
Somebody on your side should own up: you hate, and you don’t even try to get out of the hating cycle.
I respond to your partner here. :)
Marks – Nice yeoman’s work there Marks as an apostle of love, harmony, understanding, whatever…
Speaking of Texas, just had a chance to see “Enron: Smartest Guys in the Room”. The hallucinated state of that company reminds me of America under Bush.
Very sad but very true I’m afraid. I hope I’m wrong for all our sakes.
Can I play?
A year from now we will not be talking about New Orleans. In the world of 24 hour cable news, online media, instant info, no story last long.
Heck, last month you all thought some Sheehan lady was going to take down the President. Before that, some girl was missing in Aruba, before that, I don’t even remember what the hot story was. The elections are still a dozen major news events away.
This is the same mistake people make now days when they talk about approval numbers and try to compare them to ghosts of political past. I have no idea what we will be talking about in a year, but I know it isn’t this.
9 months ago, we were all experts on sea-floor spreading and geological plate techtonics. Now, most of us can’t even spell tsunami anymore.
Clueless @22
So you stand by your man?
Uh, Goldy, you should read (Digby instead of believing that crap Bush said last night (“By abandoning their rhetoric, President Bush may have sounded the death peal of a movement, and history may look back on last night’s speech as the moment a failed ideology drowned in a bathtub of its own creation: the flooded, corpse-ridden streets of New Orleans.” as you say.). I’m surpised you, of all people fell for it.
PieHole “I have no idea what we will be talking about in a year, but I know it isn’t this.” I know, HEADLINE: Republican collapse; Inability to shed themselves of the Neo-Con Albatross, GOP is now 4th largest political party in US.
“9 months ago, we were all experts on sea-floor spreading and geological plate techtonics. Now, most of us can’t even spell tsunami anymore.”
You watch waaayyyy too much FOX News, and hang out with too many Repugs. Of course you think no one has a memory, or can think for themselves. You are never exposed to anybody like that except from the non-TROLLs on this blog.
Where’s my sandbox! SANDBOX! SANDBOX! SANDBOX! SANDBOX! SANDBOX! SANDBOX!!!
And what are you talking about, anyway… Repugs are all about spending.. On supporting Israel.. About the military-industrial complex, insuring cheap junk for the peons… About corporate welfare in general… They’re pigs, and should be sent to Hormel…
Wow Donnageddon,
You sure must know me. How wonderful it must be to know everything about people you have never even met.
FYI, I don’t own a TV. Therefore, I don’t watch Fox News. I read more in a month than the average American reads in a decade (I didn’t make that up, I saw a study that said that). Did you know the average American 18 to ?? (somewhere in the 70’s, I don’t totally remember) only reads 2.5 books total a decade.
I don’t stick to just blogs (however, I do find them amusing). I highly recommend http://www.stratfor.com, http://www.wikipedia.org, http://www.globalsecurity.org, and believe it or not http://www.kcls.org. Your local library has some great databases of periodicals and peer reviewed journals.
Maybe you see the future, but I don’t. Anyway how can New Orleans take down the republicans when Terri Schiavo already did? (that’s euthanasia lady, in case you forgot)
Are denying that we live in a sensational world? Whatever the three stories getting their 15 days of fame closest to the election are, that is what will swing the 5 to 10 percent of undecided/may not show-up voters.
Marks @ 25
I stand by Paul not getting tarred with another’s intemperate remarks yes especially if the tarring is rather selective, i.e. no mention of JCH or Chuck’s recent posting of Jared Taylor’s white-supremacist screed.
And the Republicans do have to answer to history for their use of divisive tactics like wedge issue politics and the Southern strategy.
PieHole “FYI, I don’t own a TV. Therefore, I don’t watch Fox News. I read more in a month than the average American reads in a decade (I didn’t make that up, I saw a study that said that). Did you know the average American 18 to ?? (somewhere in the 70’s, I don’t totally remember) only reads 2.5 books total a decade.”
So, you mean you have read 3 books in the past decade? Someone pin a medal on this joker!
And Piehole, did you color those 3 books within the lines?
Go Clueless;
Your right, Damn that Abraham Lincoln for freeing the slaves. That really did divide the county. Heck, we went to war with eachother!!!
Damn those Republicans for fighting against the Dixiecrats of the South’s Jim Crow Laws. That should have been a states rights issue, huh!!!
Give me a break, The issue of race has been exploited by politicians since it became advantagous to do so. (Dems and GOP alike). Valet park your high horse. Niether party has clean hands on the race issues.
I prefer the Madlibs, to the color books personally. By the way, reading goes left to right, top to bottom, letters into words, words to sentences and so on.
You must have missed the “more in a month” not “more in a decade”. I know, what a problem. I am out of Madlibs.
Since your so brilliant, how bout ya, give us something here that is not a personal attack or a talking point off a website? Do have anything insightful to add? Any great plan? What would you do if you were President? Lets hear the wisdom!!!
Come on buddy, I here to get my learn on, up in dis jank!!!
re 35: I think Habitat for Humanity could use some of that 200 billion to build decent housing for the people who lost theirs while at the same time employing the poor of New Orleans in the rebuilding effort. Low interest loans and guaranteed sales to Habitat could go to set up a lot of deserving people in business supplying Habitat with materials who never had a chance in hell until now.
Well, there you go, PIE, the outline of a viable plan that would benefit the most people and spread the money around instead of all our hard earned tax money going into the bloated bank accounts of Bush’s cronies.
PiE – I won’t say I have better ideas. I am just a common Joe, but I sit here a watch our soldiers being killed, and I sit here and watch our deficit grow stratospherically, and I sit here and watch as cronyism kills people, and I sit here and watch as our prestige slips away, and I have to say I think almost ANYONE with minimal leadership skills could have done better… even you.
fire_one
You are one big fucking dud
Go P.I.E: Damn those Republicans for running the cleanest elections after Lincoln! That administration of General Grant’s was the cleanest of all time – only Dubya’s can claim higher moral purity! Oh and that election of 1876 of Hayes over Tilden! A true model for Dubya’s victory in 2000!
36
I wonder why they wont show more dead muslim terrorists. I mean if we are going to show our dead soldiers is it too much to ask to see a couple hundred dead terrorists.
2000 was payback for 1992. Perot was the man of the year in 1992 for you donks.
If any of you ever thought President Bush was a small govennment guy, you have been sadly mistaken; mistaken for 4.5 years now.
Relative to “fighting poverty” President Bush makes BJ Clinton and LBJ look down right stingy. (I was going to use an N word but most of you Lefties would understand it and you would jump all over me.)
Low Income Entitlement Speding:
FY2000 (Clinton) $191 billion
FY2005 (Bush) $368 billion
For all you slow at math, that is $10,000 per person under the poverty line.
Now, what part of that sounds like small government! And Jesse Jackson has the gall to say the federal government under President Bush has forgotten the poor.
PieHole @ 35 “Since your so brilliant, how bout ya, give us something here that is not a personal attack or a talking point off a website? Do have anything insightful to add? Any great plan? What would you do if you were President? Lets hear the wisdom!!!”
Ok: My Ten Point Plan As President
1.Immediately turn over the previous President and his Henchmen over to a War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague. Watch them have a fair trial. Televise their hangings.
2.Apologize to the rest of the world for the previous administration.
3.Go to the UN and NATO and negotiate a turn over of control of Iraq to peacekeepers. Remove every American Soldier from the theater and pay for the reconstruction of Iraq from the funds of Haliburton and the holdings of the know deceased previous administration and its henchmen.
4.Immediately and retroactively remove the tax-cuts-for-the-wealthy put into law by the now deceased previous administration.
5.Imprison every War Profiteer from the Iraq War. Confiscate their blood money to pay for the losses of those killed and maimed in the Iraq War.
6.Push through a constitutional amendment dissolving the Electoral College.
7.Push through legislation making all lobbying punishable by having to wear a clowns wig and floppy slippers whenever in public.
8.Political contributions of all types will be forbidden. Prospective politicians will be weeded out in ever expanding regional primaries. Debates will be held before each debate. Winners of each primary will be allowed an equal time on THE PUBLIC AIRWAVES to present their views and plans.
9.No person, or company will be allowed to own more than TV station, newspaper, radio station.
10.Sales taxes will be made unconstitutional. Progressive taxation will be the law of the land.
Gosh, I just solved a lot of immediate problems, but with about 40 more points to my plan, I could rid the world of poverty, physical and mental illness (Neo-Cons would be genetically identified before birth, and transferred to a poor family in Appalachia)
YO @ 37 My what dazzling repartee…
3. “Go to the UN”……..ROTFLMAO…….DON, You are a true Democrat!! [One World “Guvment”!]
42
What a good little commie.
42, Don…..”Progressive taxation will be the law of the land.” Marx would be proud!!
RUFUS @ 44 Stretch your brain a littlwe and point out ANY communist part of my 10 point plan.
Go ahead, have fun.
If not, how about we just call you Doofus from now on? Eh?
1.Immediately turn over the previous President and his Henchmen over to a War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague. Watch them have a fair trial. Televise their hangings.
2.Apologize to the rest of the world for the previous administration.-Comment by Donnageddon— 9/16/05 @ 9:51 pm
I agree heartily – display Clinton (both the dick wagger and his hag on a gallows!
6.Push through a constitutional amendment dissolving the Electoral College.
Snicker – the only way donks can win.
Ass, I know you are dumb… but that dumb?
Or, I should say, hope to win.
How can you be proud to be a dumb ass?
I really don’t know since I’m not a donkey nor an ASS, although I do cop to hanging out with you here.
Dumb Ass “6.Push through a constitutional amendment dissolving the Electoral College.
Snicker – the only way donks can win. ”
Yeah, something about DEMOCRACY that Neo-Cons will never embrace.
8.Political contributions of all types will be forbidden.
No person, or company will be allowed to own more than TV station, newspaper, radio station.
You are a commie. Freedom of speech is what it is… freedom of speech. You donks cant handle freedom.
Point 11. Send any dipshit who cannot tell that the previous administration to the Donnageddon Administration would be the Bush Administration to North Dakota.
Ass, you become more of an Ass with every idiotic post.
The government will not subsidize any TV station, newspaper, radio station.
Now that is freedom Donna.
RUFUS LOL Freedom of speech decries the monoplolization of speech you moron!
As for Political contributions… you think not having the leadeership of our country beholden to those who bought him is a communist idea?
You need some pills dude, you are crazy!
Hell RUFUS, I am all over not having the government supprt any media!
Dumbass.
And the “electoral College”? You support the fact that WE THE PEOPLE do not actually elect our president is a GOOD thing?
You cant have a monoply in a free market if no one if buying it. There is no such thing as a monoply on speech unless you are talking about PBS.. plain and simple. The sad truth is no one is buying what you donks are saying.
Sorry sweet cheeks, it’s managed to work and work well for over 200 years. I believe that’s why our founders chose it for our REPUBLIC.
The Founding Fathers were concerned with liberty, not democracy. In fact, the word democracy does not appear in the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution. On the contrary, Article IV, section 4 of the Constitution is quite clear: “The United States shall guarantee to every state in this Union a Republican Form of Government. The emphasis on democracy in our modern political discourse has no historical or constitutional basis.
Nice try, numbnuts.
PS, Just to be sure you know, while you are Democrats, you and your cronies are NOT members of the democratIC party
re 41: That’s a bald faced lie.
You know, the stuff that’s floating around in the rightie sphere is spookily reminiscent of JBS propaganda in the sixties. That Viguerrie “direct mail” wizard is still around and kicking. A more insane SOB never existed. The JBS is still around. But they are very hush hush and secret.
I think I need to find out more about this!
re 59: Have you ever read a book called, None Dare Call it Treason? You are parrotting the JBS of the ’60’s.
Hey! We can still make it happen: IMPEACH EARL WARREN!!!!!!!!!!
Back to the original post:
“This is an opportunity that must not be wasted, and it is imperative now that Democrats in Congress remain absolutely disciplined and vigilant… for only relentless oversight can assure a successful reconstruction.”
I think Goldy is only half, or 1/3, right. The last five years have shown that Rs can slosh federal funds around with the best of them. Unfortunately, GWB’s commitment to greater spending is by no means a good thing. On the receiving end we can’t trust how the recovery funds are being distributed (think Halliburton, “faith-based” charities, etc.). On the funding end, we KNOW he won’t increase taxes (indeed, he has yet to renounce even MORE tax cuts for his silver spooned brethren. The only alternative is to drive the deficit even higher. Taking a page from Reagan’s (and Norquist’s) book, this will doubtless suck up oxygen from other vital social programs.
From a progressive perspective, you can’t applaud increased federal spending without insisting on greater sacrifice. The obvious candidate for patriotic contribution would be the top 5% income percentile which has reaped obscenely inordinate benefits over the last five years of Bush tax pork. As the conservatives used to be fond of saying, there are no free lunches. Bill Clinton inherited an enormous deficit and turned it into a bountiful surplus. GWB has turned that harvest into a mound of dung. Don’t let folks forget it.
It’s only reasonable that Bush recognize the unique federal role in situations like Katrina. It’s only fair, however, that we insist that he fund the federal contribution equitably.
DumbAss @ 59 “The emphasis on democracy in our modern political discourse has no historical or constitutional basis.”
Then, what are we doing in Iraq again?
LOLOLOLOLOL
You calling GWB a liar when he talks about “Spreading Democracy”?
Ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha haHa ha ha ha ha
Dumb ass.
DOOFUS @ 58 “You cant have a monoply in a free market if no one if buying it.”
Uh… where to start… It is the MONOPOLY WHO FUCKING BUYS IT IDIOT!
Why waste the time on you doofus, you know absolutely nothing about absolutely everything.
Doofus “The sad truth is no one is buying what you donks are saying.”
Uh… Bush Approval 38% Republican Congress approval even less.
Hell, the truth is FREE DOOFUS. It is LIES that need to be sold.
Can we please get a higher quality TROLL here. These Morons are just too easy.
Uh… where to start… It is the MONOPOLY WHO FUCKING BUYS IT IDIOT!
So you are saying that right wing talk was force on us and that citizens are forced to listen to it? That tens of millions of people are forced to watch fox news? How do they do that?
You donks can’t handle the truth because you cant compete in the arena of free ideas. That is why the last time a majority of the voters voted for a donk president was in the 70’s… and even that was close!
Can donnnkey really be as dumb as he sounds?
I believe the quote, dumbass, is spreading “FREEDOM”, as opposed to living under the thumb of a brutal dictator like your heroes Fidel and Saddam.
You do understand the difference between the two, don’t you?
Can we please get a higher quality TROLL here. These Morons are just too easy.
Comment by Donnageddon— 9/16/05 @ 10:44 pm
Donna we waste pixels on you because it is fun.. not because we feel we have to defend ourselves. You are just another dumb donk.
Nope, Dumbass, Georgie says he is spreading “democracy” thruought the Middle East.
Really, DumbAss, you should write im a letter and tell him to stop doing that! It, being all “unconstitutional”, and all that.
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha
DumbAss, you are an entertaining bug on the windshield, I will give you that.
Doofus @ 71
What about ’96?
75
And what percentage did Clinton win with in 96 clueless. (God dam these donks are dumb)
Donn @ 44:
Thank you for proving my point. You have no really plan that might actually work on anything. All you have is partisan rhetoric and bomb throwing hate speak. I am left to only assume it is because you have not understanding of these issues beyond what you read here and maybe the Times or PI.
Out of sheer morbid curiousity I will ask you, under what specific international law, would you turn over President Bush to the Hague.
NOTE to all: The International Court of Justice in the Hague is set up to only deal with three crimes, genecide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Also, any reference Donn makes to the International Criminal Court statutes and authority is idiotic as the U.S. has not signed on to the ICC and any approval under his (or her, we don’t know) administration would not include retroactive offenses under the United Nations Charter.
So again I ask, what specific statue would you hand George W. Bush over under? I am hoping for something with numbers and decimal points, Not opinion, hate, and whatever else. ACTUAL INTERNATIONAL LAW)
NOTE Again; Besure to research the GWB’s defense will involve 17 United Nations Resolutions granting the U.S. authority to act against Iraq, the most recent being in OCT of 2002, UN Res 1441 if you would like to look it up.
Good luck Perry Mason. Lets see what you got.
Clueless
Here is a homework assignment for you. Look up the percentage of votes for Clinton in 1996 and compare that to the percentage of votes for Bush in 2000. Can you tell me which one got the higher percentage? This is a pass or fail type assignment.
Come on there has got to be one honest donk out there who can answer #78.
Did Al Gore get over 50% of the popular vote in 2000?
Name the last 3 presidents who received over 50% of the popular vote.
Hell, PiHole, as Commander in Chief, I would just throw Bush’s boney ass over the fence and let the world give him his due.
That was easy, PieHole, you got anything else?
“Bring it on!”
Hey, Rufus, Before Gore name the last president to have his election overthrown b y the Judicial Activist Supreme Court?
Be as honest as your Neo-Con Symp hypocricy will alow you to be.
83
Gore tried to pull a Gregoire and it didn’t work. Florida was to smart and the Judge wasn’t buying it. You donks had your bag-o-ballots ready but were never counted. That is why you whine because you couldn’t cheat. We Washingtonian neocons know better.
RUFUS, you can try to re-write history, but we are not like PieHole. The Supreme Court stopped the vote challenges.
Try again, Moron. But this time, use the wonderful power of TRUTH!
You know, the official John Birch Society website that I was prepared to hate turned out to be quite moderate and reasonable!!! I’m amazed….
85
The only reason the vote was challanged is that you donks came on the short end of the stick because you didnt cheat enough. You didn’t pay off enough crack dealers or buy enough street drunks the night to the election. The vote should have not been as close as it was. It was just that the outcome was as it was. All you have to do is look at 2004 to see how Florida reacted to 2000. Not close.
PieAss – All you guys know is hatespeak. It’s the Republican Party’s platform… and the theme song is “I got mine. Fuck you.”
Doofus @ all
Who won in 96′ after he was declared dead meat in 94?
The Chimp was “selected” in 2000 and most likely “selected” in 2004 as well through vote suppression in FL and OH if not outright fraud. Now look at his bewilderment in the face of the hurricane, his poor poll numbers and his mea culpas…
Sure sucks to be you DOOFUS..
89
Clueless
You are a typical donk…. cant face reality. Hey I am not saying that the repubs lost in 92 and in 96… they just didnt lose to Clinton. The lost to Perot.
HL @ 86, yeah the JBS are pussycats compared to the Neo-Con Fascist Society.
Bush was elected by over 50% of the vote… and it was probably more if you subtract all the fruadulent votes. Ohio and Florida is just a Mantra for you donks to feel better about being losers.
Ahh sweet memories. Here’s a pleasant blast from the past and a find example of Doofus’ kind of “reality”:
You tell them Steve #104. I am with you all the way. Us you voted for Chris just need to keep our head up and keep on voting Democratic… all my friend do.
Rufus– Cell Block 8
Comment by RUFUS— 6/6/05 @ 11:41 pm
DOOFUS’ felon fantasies – excepting those that voted for Rossi – proved by Dems in court and added to Gregoire’s total..
Now who cheated Doofus?
You know, “DONK” is the same sort of labeling thing as ,”NIGGER”. So if you want to call me a DONK, I’m going to call you a NIGGER—-NIGGER!!
The neo-con niggers are changing their tune now about government helping the least amongst us.
Ohh.. How could I forget? The R’s made such an excellent case before Bridges Doofus.
Have you made your check out to the WSGOP? You believe in rewarding excellence do you DOOFUS?
Your party’s in debt DOOFUS. Give.. 2006 is just around the corner…
Donnageddon
That is strike two on you;
I am serving up one more chance. Do you have anything to say that has not been printed in the PI, Stranger, State Dem website, or on a Michael Moore movie? Anything substantive, remotely analytical or suprisingly original? Anything what so ever?
Why don’t you just go ahead and call me the f-word, newcon, right-winger or a facist (which I would give you some credit if you did some research and posted the actual definition of facist).
Let me get you started http://www.m-w.com
Hint; If you double click the link, type in facist, left click and hold the mouse, drag it over the definition to highlight it, right click, go to copy, then come back here, go to post, right click again and hit copy. Your work will be done and I will give you a gold star. K, now be a good boy or girl (I don’t know your gender now do I care)
Seems that Mary and the Lib/Dems can find busses and drivers when it comes to getting votes to stay in power, but not to avoid a travesty aftewr a disaster.
Check it out for yourself in the New Orleans Times Picayune of November 9th, 1996, and basically what happened there was that Mary Landrieu was trailing badly in her race with Woody Jenkins for the Senate, and they found out that the inner city of New Orleans had not voted something to the tune of 186,000 people. They pulled out all the stops. Clinton was making phone calls. Clinton, Landrieu, and Harry Connick, Sr., put this whole thing together. The work to get African-American voters to the polls started at the True Gospel of Jesus Christ church on North Broad Street before the polling places opened. A thousand workers would hit the streets that day, 500 in the morning, and 500 that afternoon. And they went all through town. They put together parades with New Orleans music to go through the housing projects. They gave away red beans and rice… and they found busses. They found countless buses to get people to the polls. Now, the only reason I bring this up is to, once again, confirm that when they really want to move people, they can do it in New Orleans. When they really want to move them, they can do it.
The paragraph from the Times Picayune: “‘Within 45 minutes, we arranged a motorcade,’ Tucker says.’We found Mary and Marc [former Mayor Marc Morial], got school buses for workers and sound trucks with music and put on a parade to flush out our voters. Mary and Marc were in Norma Jane Sabiston’s little red convertible. (Sabiston was Landrieu’s campaign manager.) It was a tight fit for Marc, big as he is, but they were both up there waving. We moved them into the major housing project areas blowing horns and playing New Orleans music. We were doing what we do best in New Orleans, having a parade.’ The phone bank was operating at another location. Workers were calling voters asking them to get to the polls and asking them if they needed a bus. Surge time was 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. when large numbers of voters get off work and go to the places. There were more parades in key areas.”
So, you know, no big deal. It’s common. I’m just saying that when they want to use those buses to get people where they want them to be, they can do it.
ID(IOT)GAF:
Major brainfart, Mr. Relevance.
What hurricane and mandatory evacuation was in play on November 9, 1996?
Yep, everyone running for the lives and ID(IOT)GAF still clings to those buses. You forgot to link to that picture.
97 & 98: Still you have to admit it speaks very badly of a bunch of people so dumb they can’t drive busses. Assuming even a halfass effort was made, it should have been a snap to come up with a few hundred drivers.
Hell, in that town full of thieves, why weren’t the busses stolen?
Not that any of this dismisses the utter incompetence of our government, from the shrub on down.
You know, the fact this hit NoLa and not DC is just one more proof there is no god, or at least no good and just one…
Nope, Dumbass, Georgie says he is spreading “democracy” thruought the Middle East. -Comment by Donnageddon— 9/16/05 @ 11:07 pm
Dear Village Idiot, do you happen to know the definition of DEMOCRACY?
I thought not.
DEMOCRACY:
1. Government by the people, exercised either directly or through elected representatives.
2. A political or social unit that has such a government.
3. The common people, considered as the primary source of political power.
4. The principles of social equality and respect for the individual within a community.
How about FREEDOM?
FREEDOM:
1. The condition of being free of restraints.
2. Liberty of the person from slavery, detention, or oppression.
3. a. Political independence.
3. b. Exemption from the arbitrary exercise of authority in the performance of a specific action; civil liberty: freedom of assembly.
4. Exemption from an unpleasant or onerous condition: freedom from want.
5. The capacity to exercise choice; free will.
6. Ease or facility of movement.
7. Frankness or boldness; lack of modesty or reserve.
8. a.The right to unrestricted use; full access.
8. b.The right of enjoying all of the privileges of membership or citizenship.
9. A right or the power to engage in certain actions without control or interference.
So, yes, when it’s said that democracy is spreading through the Middle East, it follows that freedom does as well: freedom from tyranny, freedom from oppression, freedom to chose leaders, freedom to choose a constitution, freedom to form a representative government(you know, a REPRESENTATIVE REPUBLIC).
Do they teach you nothing in your Social Studies/History/Government classes, dear little HA V.I.?
Are you an equally cowardly classmate in the same remedial group as ballsless loony… too cowardly to admit you’re wrong or too dumb to even know it??
Damned HTML tags – PREVIEW BUTTON – I should have used the one generoulsy provided at http://www.soundpolitics.com/.
Oh well.
Too cheap for the preview button, suffer the consequensce of open tags…
DumbAss @ 59 “The emphasis on democracy in our modern political discourse has no historical or constitutional basis.â€
Then DumbAss like a true Neo-Con Liar tries to switch the debate
Nope, Dumbass, Georgie says he is spreading �democracy� thruought the Middle East. -Comment by Donnageddon� 9/16/05 @ 11:07 pm
Dear Village Idiot, do you happen to know the definition of DEMOCRACY?”
Yeah, I know the definition of Democracy, it is you who state it has NO HISTORIC OR CONSTITUTIONAL BASIS!!
You are so pathetic, DumbAss. DO you think no one can see through you verbal garbage?
Dear village Idiot, apples and oranges.
Get a clue… or better yet open your text book.
Really, is this the best you’ve got…parsing phraseology?
That why you are on team L O S E R!
C’mon… let’s be honest. Murla NEEDS Nawlins. Because Murka needs a place where college students can show their racks on Fat Tuesday so they get their pitchers taken for distribution onna innanet. Algore should be proud.
headless Has really flipped:
You know, “DONK” is the same sort of labeling thing as ,”NIGGER”. So if you want to call me a DONK, I’m going to call you a NIGGER—-NIGGER!!
I can’t believe you actually do anything at school. With your logic as the predominant education, I would have been tops at my school even without studying. Hell, even without brains. Oh shit, why have any thought process: Loocey will give you an “A” just for saying “Conservatives deserve to die in the most hellish fashion imaginable.”
Oh, yes, Goldy. You are making friends here.
marks: go visit the official JBS website and see what they think of GWB, W.F.Buckley, jr., neo-cons and the whole fucking Republican Party. Go learn what REAL conservatives think before you go spewing your ignorant fascist crap all over the internet. It’s me who will silence you— not the other way around— you ignorant , traitorous, fascist whore.
DumbAss @ 104 ” apples and oranges.”
You bet they are, DumbAss, that is what I was telling YOU, but you obviously are proof of PieHole’s dictum that Neo-Con’s have the attention span of a gnat, and the intelligence of 1/2 a gnat.
Goldy said: “All that has now changed. Confronted with an angry public backlash and plummeting poll numbers, Bush has been forced to adopt the language of liberalism, if not the ideals themselves.”
I ask you Goldy, what is the language of liberalism? Here are some examples I thought of here in Atlanta.
Yes, our liberal policies from Roosevelt in the 30’s to Johnson in the 60’s have ensured you will never have to work if you don’t want to.
Yes, we will allow you to receive even more money if you continue to have those fatherless babies out of wedlock.
Yes, we feel your pain, but don’t ask us to take in a po black family.
Yes, we have more government handouts just for you.
Yes, we do everything for the children, including aborting them.
Yes, it’s the government’s money so we feel you should have it.
Yes, let us help you build those government roads, schools and bridges, because locally, “You’re Too Stupid to Think For Yourselves”.
Yes, we have been running the cities for time immortal. We just need a little more time and a little more money and we can make this right.
Yes, we can fix the inner city schools. You a little more money and time please.
Yes, we don’t need military recruiters in high schools. Why should we give po minority children a way to escape poverty? Their welfare checks every month are just good enough thank you.
Do you need more?
Marks, good to see you here. In Lucite’s mind, eventhough the head is still up his ass;there are certain equations made, hypotheses created, and intergrals contemplated that no else would ever postulate. But then again, Lucite hasn’t answered Notorious PIE about shouting the N-word on the Hilltop in Tacoma. I visit a church not too far from there on occasion. I’m sure Lucite the Racist would feel at home there.
And so not to HIJACKson the thread topic, I ask you democrats who care so much about the buses: Let’s assume that the bus drivers did evacuate the city and the buses were left without drivers. Let’s assume that the drivers wanted to ensure their families safety. Let’s assume that in the panic of the evacuation it was every man/woman bus driver for themselves. Since the evacuation order came Sunday morning, ~20 hours before the storm hit, why didn’t the mayor move the buses to high ground BEFORE his evacuation order? Maybe he was CLUELESS?
As I was driving to my hotel last night here in GA, I was listening to the radio. They found NO police cars all over the south from policepeople who deserted their posts and took the cars with them. It looks like there may be some prosecutions for dereliction of duty. If you understand their oath, part of it is to uphold the constitution of the United States. But people say that LA is a Banana Republic and NO is way out there. But if these NO finest voted donk, do you think they should get off?
DOnk****don, since you know our attention span, answer this: What part on a democracy do you ignore? Or what part of a democracy to you decide not to implement? Let’s look inward toward NO. Bush’s need to spend down there is due to locally controlled wasteful spending from your side. LA Babana Republic Democracy in action. Mardi Gras monument anyone? Is that real democracy in action?
Look at the pull out of Israel from the Gaza strip. Do you condone the burning of synogogues? Who is showing democracy and whom isn’t? Please say you do so you can solidify my thoughts of your Israel hating. So much for democracy in the Middle East when you try and negotiate peace and your friends the Palestinians show what their democracy is made of.
David Goldstein, the author of the most widely read progressive blog in Washington state, cited our primary election results in his post today.
He writes:
But when we look back a decade from now, I’m guessing that the day