Saltah'na
Chinese Canadian, or 75% Commie Bastard.
Member # 33
posted
I'm currently reading an article in Maclean's Magazine regarding George Bush, in which they claim that he is the worst US President in over 100 years.
Some highlights (or lowlights, whatever you call it)
Image Problems: "Asked to give a one-word description of the president, the most popular response was 'incompetent' followed closely by 'idiot' and 'liar'. A year ago, the top response was 'Honest'." My Take: Discounting the invasion of Iraq, I probably would have almost said the same thing. But the US is in Iraq right now, and it is not looking pretty. Especially with no WMDs found at all.
Foreign Policy Problems: "There is an old weakness in our foreign policy: we make the mistake of believing that inside every foreigner there is an american just waiting to emerge. It's just not true." My Take: Interesting considering the influences of Western Entertainment. But then again, there are those states who ban everything that is American
Fiscal Problems: "The United States Government would need an immediate cash infusion of US$43 Trillion Today, in order to meet all of its future obligations under Medicare and Social Security." My Take: It's interesting to note that the U.S. Senate voted 52-48 to increase the ceiling of the National Debt by $781 billion to $9 trillion, or roughly $30,000 for every man, woman and child in this country. This was done to avoid the first ever default on U.S. debt. At the same time, the House of Representatives then approved another $92 billion to support the war in Iraq.
Economy Problems: "Manufacturing has been the hardest hit, losing 2.9 million jobs since Bush took office, worse than the early 70s stagnation under Nixon, worse than the darkest days of Reagan's rust belt plant closures." My Take: I would go on a limb and say that the American Unions should shoulder some responsibility for this predicament. How the hell do you ask for insane raises and benefits and expect a company to keep going? And don't get me started about Garbagemen.
Iraq Problems: "The Whole notion that you can expect democracy at the point of a bayonet simply does not work." My Take: Of course, what do you expect? However, at the same token, leaving Iraq now would signal a victory for terrorism, and I don't think that is what we want to happen.
If we were to discount Iraq from all of this, Bush would still be considered one of the worse presidents to hold office. And this is speaking strictly from an economy point of view, ignoring the Iraq equation. This sort of explains Bush's efforts to "overhaul Social Security" whatever that means. For this Canadian, however, this contributes to my ideal that most politicians, when in power, use it in reckless and misguided efforts. George W. Bush is simply one more person in my personal hall of maligned politicians. Again, this is without taking Iraq into equation.
-------------------- "And slowly, you come to realize, it's all as it should be, you can only do so much. If you're game enough, you could place your trust in me. For the love of life, there's a tradeoff, we could lose it all but we'll go down fighting...." - David Sylvian FreeSpace 2, the greatest space sim of all time, now remastered!
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
Oh, why limited him to being the worst president for the last 100 years.
-------------------- Great is the guilt of an unnecessary war. ~ohn Adams
Once again the Bush Administration is worse than I had imagined, even though I thought I had already taken account of the fact that the Bush administration is invariably worse than I can imagine. ~Brad DeLong
You're just babbling incoherently. ~C. Montgomery Burns
Registered: Mar 1999
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"Asked to give a one-word description of the president, the most popular response was 'incompetent' followed closely by 'idiot' and 'liar'. A year ago, the top response was 'Honest'."
I'd have said "monkey".
Registered: Mar 1999
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Saltah'na
Chinese Canadian, or 75% Commie Bastard.
Member # 33
posted
Jay, you seem to have more of a personal, rather than political, hatred of poor little Bush....
care to elaborate?
-------------------- "And slowly, you come to realize, it's all as it should be, you can only do so much. If you're game enough, you could place your trust in me. For the love of life, there's a tradeoff, we could lose it all but we'll go down fighting...." - David Sylvian FreeSpace 2, the greatest space sim of all time, now remastered!
Registered: Mar 1999
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quote:Originally posted by Jay the Obscure: Oh, why limited him to being the worst president for the last 100 years.
I dunno...maybe the president 100 years ago was even worse? Quick bit of research turns it up to have been Theodore Roosevelt in the big chair from 1901 to 1909, so he would fit the bill for being the president 100 years ago...maybe he kicked puppies? Wiped his nose on his sleeve? Threw stones at old ladies? Littered? Really, the possibilities are endless.
-------------------- Quidquid latine dictum sit altum viditur
Registered: Nov 2004
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"Asked to give a one-word description of the president, the most popular response was 'incompetent' followed closely by 'idiot' and 'liar'. A year ago, the top response was 'Honest'."
I'd have said "monkey".
Does the term "motherfucker" count as just one word?
quote:My Take: Interesting considering the influences of Western Entertainment. But then again, there are those states who ban everything that is American
Like Florida or South Dakota?
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
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Saltah'na
Chinese Canadian, or 75% Commie Bastard.
Member # 33
posted
Fine, I meant countries. Whatever.
-------------------- "And slowly, you come to realize, it's all as it should be, you can only do so much. If you're game enough, you could place your trust in me. For the love of life, there's a tradeoff, we could lose it all but we'll go down fighting...." - David Sylvian FreeSpace 2, the greatest space sim of all time, now remastered!
Registered: Mar 1999
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quote:Originally posted by Saltah'na: Fine, I meant countries. Whatever.
I know. that's why it's funny allbeit in a sad way.
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
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"state, n. ... 30. a. A body of people occupying a defined territory and organized under a sovereign government. Hence occas. the territory occupied by such a body."
So, you meant states, too.
"I dunno...maybe the president 100 years ago was even worse? Quick bit of research turns it up to have been Theodore Roosevelt in the big chair from 1901 to 1909, so he would fit the bill for being the president 100 years ago...maybe he kicked puppies? Wiped his nose on his sleeve? Threw stones at old ladies? Littered? Really, the possibilities are endless."
Well, he was a bit of a racist, but, then, who wasn't? Regardless, the phrase used above was "over 100 years". So, they could very well have been referring to someone earlier. I'm not sure who that might be, though. Grant? I mean, he was a drunk who had no political experience whatsoever, but that hardly makes him worse than Bush.
Registered: Mar 1999
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Shik
Starship database: completed; History of Starfleet: done; website: probably never
Member # 343
posted
I do not like Bush, though I ponder it is very difficult to give him the title of "worst" President..
I think Andrew Jackson was a horrible president. The Indian Removal Act came under his presidency and was something he recommended and pushed through Congress� the Cherokee Nation sued the US government over it, and the Supreme Court sided with the tribes- Jackson ordered their removal anyway, and in doing so 1/4th of the Indian population east of the Mississippi River died. Jackson also completely destroyed the national banking system.
Tyler was so bad the Whigs expelled him from their party while he was in office.
Registered: Dec 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Saltah'na: Jay, you seem to have more of a personal, rather than political, hatred of poor little Bush....
care to elaborate?
Saltah'na, why does thinking he�s one of the worst presidents ever necessitate you thinking I�ve got a personal hatred of Mr. Bush.
I�ve got nothing personal against Mr. Bush. I�m sure that in interpersonal situations he�s a very personable and amiable man.
I was watching one of his talks he was giving and I figured out what it is about him. To me, Mr. Bush is a combination of a fraternity president and a fellow who�s seen too many bad westerns and thinks he�s a gunslinger.
The one glad-hands people he comes in contact with and does very well with individuals and small groups, making jokes and making people fell comfortable. The other makes snap decisions without much thought and walks away, never to revisit the decision, and feels the go it alone mentality of the movie cowboy.
The thing I have against Mr. Bush, and it�s political not personal, is that he�s hid behind surrogates who have dragged the political discourse into the gutter and has said and done nothing.
Politically, I can�t think of a policy initiative of his that has worked. And it�s not an opposition Congress holding him back.
Personally, I think the misuse of the mandate given him after the attacks of 9/11, will go down in history as one of the worst acts of any single president. Which is why I use the quote from John Adams in my signature.
-------------------- Great is the guilt of an unnecessary war. ~ohn Adams
Once again the Bush Administration is worse than I had imagined, even though I thought I had already taken account of the fact that the Bush administration is invariably worse than I can imagine. ~Brad DeLong
You're just babbling incoherently. ~C. Montgomery Burns
Registered: Mar 1999
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Saltah'na
Chinese Canadian, or 75% Commie Bastard.
Member # 33
posted
Amongst all Flareites here, I see you spitting out the most vitriol. Of course this pisses his defenders here to no end (but then I haven't been keeping up with Flameboard events lately).
I dislike Bush myself, but to me, Bush is representative of all politicians of all stripes, incompetent, bumbling idiot who always tries to cover up his mistakes......
-------------------- "And slowly, you come to realize, it's all as it should be, you can only do so much. If you're game enough, you could place your trust in me. For the love of life, there's a tradeoff, we could lose it all but we'll go down fighting...." - David Sylvian FreeSpace 2, the greatest space sim of all time, now remastered!
Registered: Mar 1999
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quote:Originally posted by Shakaar: I do not like Bush, though I ponder it is very difficult to give him the title of "worst" President..
Well, history will tell the tale- and Bush's decisions will have reprecussions long after he's out of office.
I'd say that there's a diffrence between being a bad President and an ineffective one. Bush did get a lot of his agendas going during his first term and going to Afghanistan was the right thing to do....
I cant really agree with any of his other decisions though- definitely not his hypicritical political policies.
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
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Da_bang80
A few sectors short of an Empire
Member # 528
posted
quote:Originally posted by Saltah'na: I dislike Bush myself, but to me, Bush is representative of all politicians of all stripes, incompetent, bumbling idiot who always tries to cover up his mistakes......
Amen to that!
-------------------- Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. The courage to change the things I cannot accept. And the wisdom to hide the bodies of all the people I had to kill today because they pissed me off.
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