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2005-12-13 Home Front: Politix

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Posted by Criger Uleling7101 2005-12-13 10:45|| || Front Page|| [2 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 An imperial presidency would be one where we appointed their leaders and made them carry tribute, perhaps 10% of their annual GDP, to Washington. What some of these foreign leaders are angry at is the fact that we no longer automatically defer to their wishes. In the old days, we obeyed them in the interest of maintaining the various alliances and treaties we had in place. Today, we are coming round to the conclusion that (1) many of these treaties benefit them much more than they do us, (2) we are bearing the vast majority of the costs of these treaties, (3) we've run out of concessions we can reasonably make to preserve these treaties and (4) America's interests might benefit if these foreign countries do as they threaten and back out of these treaties towards which we have made so many concessions to preserve. Fareed Zakaria's position is the standard leftist view that foreign interests are more important than American interests. They try to obscure their position by stating that foreign interests are American interests, which is, of course, wrong.

Posted by Zhang Fei 2005-12-13 13:49|| http://timurileng.blogspot.com]">[http://timurileng.blogspot.com] 2005-12-13 13:49|| Front Page Top

#2 Oh my word!

It's that dirty Bushitler again!

Why, or why doesn't he listen to all them furriners and git their take on how the US ought to be actin'?

Oh, that's right. He's from Texass and everybody knows them Texicans are barely capable of dealing wit' their neighbors and all - or even listenin' to 'em. After all, nobody from Texass could possibly have anythin' higher'n a single digit IQ!

Heaven forbid that someone actually says this and then does exactly what they say they will!

Oh, the humanity! Why, or why won't this halfwit of a President just listen to anyone, 'specially thems whats in the State Dept. and the mainstream media (like the author of this drivel) or them durned furriners he's always goin' t' visit?

It's gotta' stop! It's gotta' stop, I tell you!

Posted by FOTSGreg">FOTSGreg 2005-12-13 13:57|| 2005-12-13 13:57|| Front Page Top

#3 FOTSGreg, Hitler met lots of "the people" of the countries he invaded, conquered, and occupied.

Therefore, Bush is worse than Hitler.

ZF, to follow on your thoughts, one thing that really bugs me is how the US is never entitled to "its own best interests" in international dealings. Ev'rybody insists that GWB must act upon behalf of the universe in matters related to borders, industry, economy, and security even as all the other countries pursue their policies based on the interests of their own citizens.

Posted by Seafarious">Seafarious 2005-12-13 14:20|| 2005-12-13 14:20|| Front Page Top

#4 Yo, Newsweek, this is not nearly as interesting as a good Koran-flushing story.

Posted by Matt 2005-12-13 14:26|| 2005-12-13 14:26|| Front Page Top

#5 What I find amusing is that Colin Powell travelled even less than Bush when he was Secretary of State, and the guy's whole job was to make nice with foreign heads of state. Has Zakaria ever commented on Powell's travel habits? What Zakaria can't get into his tiny brain is that a tiny part of Bush's job is to figure the objectives of American foreign policy and it is the Secretary of State's job to figure out how to carry it out. Foreign interests or junkets don't figure into this. What can't be worked out amicably - well, that's for the ~~War~~ Defense Department to deal with.

Posted by Zhang Fei 2005-12-13 16:30|| http://timurileng.blogspot.com]">[http://timurileng.blogspot.com] 2005-12-13 16:30|| Front Page Top

#6 The only way Dems are going to fix that is by concentrating on problem solving, rather than sloganeering.

No, the only way the Dems will fix anything is by leaving office, whether by retirment or natural causes, and making way for a new generation with new ideas. The current crop has neither the ability nor the desire to move off the old ideas. The same way the trunks were the me too party until Goldwater, the donks are now the negative party.

Posted by Jineth Sloper3800 2005-12-13 16:38|| 2005-12-13 16:38|| Front Page Top

#7 Not really relevant to this thread, but interesting nonetheless: the first Congresscritter to install a 1-800 phone line to his office so his constituents could reach him for free.....

Barry Goldwater.

Posted by Seafarious">Seafarious 2005-12-13 17:14|| 2005-12-13 17:14|| Front Page Top

#8 It would make a lot more sense to say "we can do it better"

That French senator from Massachusetts tried that:

"I would do it better, I would do it smarter"
How exactly??
"By doing it better and smarter"
Exactly, what does that mean??
"I would involve our allies"
You mean like France and Germany who never miss an opportunity to stab us in the back
"Also, I would do it better and smarter"
Thank you Mr. Kerry

Posted by DMFD 2005-12-13 23:02|| 2005-12-13 23:02|| Front Page Top

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