I don't know, Steve. There is such a profound disconnect between what Bush says and what so often happens, that I simply can't get myself past the credibility problem that hangs over Bush. This is the president who got Democrats to sign on for the No Child Left Behind Act and then left them high and dry without funding and with a focus on parts of the program that were not part of the original understanding.
This is also the same president who wrote fine speeches about democracy just shortly before we found out about Abu Ghraib. The contradictions can't be reconciled without coming to the conclusion that Bush is the type of charming corporate salesman who's full of shit and drives a company into bankruptcy.
No one has ever questioned Bush's ability to deliver a speech that sounds reasonable when he chooses to do so though for me he was back to looking like a deer in the headlights. It's always what happens afterward that's the problem, including those curious signing statements....
Well, you already know this. You're about as sharp as they come. I suppose, at some point, a national dialogue has to begin again, but a lot more has to happen to get there.
Posted by Craig at May 16, 2006 01:23 AMDitto what Craig said.
Bush has promised so much and delivered so little.
Posted by idiosynchronic at May 16, 2006 04:29 AMHe gave a good speech after Katrina as well. They still haven't gotten all the refrigerators out of the trees.
Posted by ann at May 16, 2006 04:54 AMDitto what Craig said. Bush said he was going to halve the deficit and create a culture of life, too.
From "mission accomplished" to Mission to Mars this president is not known for his follow through.
Posted by raisin at May 16, 2006 05:07 AMThis is also the same president who wrote fine speeches about democracy just shortly before we found out about Abu Ghraib.
Craig: Bush has never written a speech in his life. He can't string a sentence together. Every word that is mangled by His Holiness was written by Rove and gang. Do not think otherwise.
Posted by tempus at May 16, 2006 05:24 AMWell, I guess that ought to get his poll numbers up and the focus off the two wars we are in danger of losing. On the bright side, however, we will all get a cheap nanny out of this and big business will get more $5 an hour carpenters and $6 an hour heavy equiptment operators to replace the american workers who won't do those jobs for that.
What a joke, except the joke is on us.
Posted by Hank at May 16, 2006 05:36 AMI'm with Craig on this. What happened to the Trip to Mars, The Bird Flu Pandemic, the Energy Crisis, the Addiction to Oil and all the other talking points Bush has pushed out over the years for political reasons only - never sound policy. He is on tv talking about immigration for one simple reason - he was losing the NutWing of his party over it and had to do something to keep from heading down to the teens on approval. It was politics purely.... and at that, even old politics..."bring the Guard home when the Border Patrol can take over" sounds quite like "bring the Guard home when the Iraqi security forces can take over".
Posted by T2 at May 16, 2006 06:12 AMDitto what Craig said. Remember, this is the man who was going to restore honor and integrity to the WH. This is a pResident that has never delivered anything he promised, unless it helped his cronies. This is a pResident who will look straight into the camera and lie through his teeth, all the while looking oh so sincere. This is a pResident who's word is never to be trusted, and who uses lies and charm to woo the audience into believing his lies. The speech on immigration is just one more meaningless speech. This too will be forgotten quickly.
Posted by Judith at May 16, 2006 06:15 AMI am going to sit on the fence this time. It's awful close to the election, and more people are watching since things are so sh*tty. I'm curious to see if there's any follow thru. But lotsa interested folks were watching after Katrina, and anyone still paying attention is very disappointed.
Posted by Sharon at May 16, 2006 06:26 AMI refuse to watch the man anymore. Nothing he says has any credibility. But from what I've read and heard I don't find to much to object to in what he proposed other than using the National Guard. I suppose the cost of that will make its way into another supplimental spending bill eh? I'm not holding my breath for the follow through however. It'll be interesting to see how the rightwingers respond. I don't think Bush has the sway to control the freaks in the House anymore. I stopped into RedState briefly and the overwelming response to his speech in the comments seemed to be "Bush sells out the conservative cause".
Posted by snark at May 16, 2006 06:28 AMSo Nero has demonstrated that the "Capital" Wing of the Capital & Crucifix Party is the one he truly serves---who doubted that. Serve up some more radical extremist judges for the braying Fundamentalists and all will be well.
It's hard to see how passing McCain-Kennedy and cramming it down the throats of the medieval pitchfolk-wielding Sensenbrenner bumpkins in the House will help the brownshirts in 2006. Perhaps the corporate funders of the party simply have decided "we need these cheap workers and we're gonna get 'em, politics be damned."
No mention made of whether Durbin pointed out Nero's obstinate refusal to request funding for the 10,000 new border patrol officers Congress authorized, and the resulting idiocy of having our heroic guardsmen handle this "border patrol" operation. Probably not, sure wouldn't want to make waves, or continue pounding on this administration's incompetence.
Posted by euzoius at May 16, 2006 06:40 AMBush appeared reasonable and he deserves credit for that even if I don't respect him in the morning...
What gave me pause was an segment on CNN immediately after the speech. Anyone else hear words to the effect that having a bunch of armed blacks and hispanics on the borders will be a problem? I wish I'd noted who said it, but it came across to me as blatantly racist.
Posted by Michael Miller at May 16, 2006 06:44 AMI agree with the others. If this speech had been given in early 2001, I would have believed him, but he's just got no credibility. And that part where he talked about speaking and writing English well...I was being good, keeping a straight face, then my husband looked over at me expectantly and I just busted out laughing.
Posted by CG at May 16, 2006 06:57 AMder Shrubenfueher gave a speech? Poll numbers must be off again.
He is a fucking liar who hasn't got a sincere bone in his body.
Gosh Steve, you sure are gullible.
Posted by marblex at May 16, 2006 06:59 AMSoto, alas, you're getting soft in the head. No disrespect, but you as well as I know when Bush is lying--he's giving a speech.
Never never never does Bush have to connect his words with his actions.
Posted by degustibus at May 16, 2006 07:01 AMThankfully I missed the speech and the pre-speech rehearsal. It worries me that the fly-paper strategy in Iraq has failed and we are having to retreat to within our own borders and fortify them against invaders to the Homeland.
Call out the Guard!!!
..oh, he already did that.
Why is no one complaining about the partial national ID card? What happens to the rest of us, if we look even vaguely non-white, when any citizen or soldier is authorized to demand we show papers? Imagine how screwed up *that* is going to be? If non whites have trouble "driving while black" or hispanic imagine what happens when *every single person* could be suspected of being an illegal immigrant sans papers when they haven't even issued papers to legal immigrants and citizens? Show up at an emergency room without proper ID *which you don't have because you are a natural born citizen*? What, are they going to refuse to treat your bleeding child because you can't prove you are a citizen--if you look non white?
This is a recipe for disaster--for the republicans, ultimately, but certainly for anyone caught in this dragnet in its botched early phases. And its a winner for the dems since it plays on the fears the far right has always had of ID cards. Its simple: ID cards can't work unless everyone has one, and carries it all the time, and they won't propose that for fear of the right wing base. So what are you left with? a system which unfairly and hugely impacts *legal* residents at a hundred tiny points while trying to punish or control illegal aliens.
aimai
Posted by aimai at May 16, 2006 07:09 AMOr is this whole thing a vicious political charade to allow the House Republicans to "stand up" to Nero and show they aren't just a rubber stamp?
I wrote earlier that the Capital wing of the party apparently wants this bill. But why? They don't need it---it's not like Nero is ever going to start enforcing the immigration laws against them, or "protecting" the (literally unprotectible) borders. They'll get their illegal workers under any scenario.
If the House has this crammed down their throats, then we'll know Capital demanded this bill. If the House successfully resists, however, then it's Rove's 2006 gambit that vitriolic White-wing hatred of Mexicans will save the Republican House's bacon.
What a party.
Posted by euzoius at May 16, 2006 07:21 AMSteve,
Take a couple Advils, go to bed, and try again tomorrow. How many times does Bush have to screw us before you learn the lesson, "Fool me once...."
Posted by islander at May 16, 2006 07:28 AMHe is on tv talking about immigration for one simple reason - he was losing the NutWing of his party over it and had to do something to keep from heading down to the teens on approval.
Well, Bush better hop to on the anti-gay marriage amendment lest he lose Dobson's support as well.
Posted by ann at May 16, 2006 07:29 AMBush was on the horns of a dilemma -- please the corporatists or the christo-fascists. On this issue, he can't do both. So this time he sided with the corporatists, because above all else, BushCo's ideology is crony capitalism.
The good thing from all this is that the GOP base, at least on this issue, is split and we have some of the wacko right even calling for Bush's impeachment.
But Steve, please be careful about ascribing anything "good" to what these guys do. It's not early 2001. They don't deserve the benefit of the doubt on anything.
Posted by Phil from New York at May 16, 2006 07:31 AMEspecially when the scum belong where Milosevic was - is.
Posted by jondee at May 16, 2006 07:47 AMIt's just more bullshit from one of the best bullshit artists of our times. It will make for a few good photo ops for Commander Empty Flight Suit visiting the "troops" down at the border.
Posted by red_neck_repub at May 16, 2006 08:02 AMthe appearance of doing something
Posted by Zappatero at May 16, 2006 08:21 AMThis administration is like a thousand shining points of light. Or at least it looked that way Saturday night after three pitchers of beer, a joint, and two whacks of blotter acid! Oh, and I forgot I was playing on stage... Take all of this with a grain of salt folks!
Posted by tempus at May 16, 2006 08:27 AMWhat did Golem say? Dont look at the lights?
Posted by jondee at May 16, 2006 08:29 AMAs a good friend of mine said about Raygun: The Clothes have no Emperor.
Posted by jondee at May 16, 2006 08:42 AM"This administration is like a thousand shining points of light."
Tempus, ah yes, the "shining points of lights." Now where did I hear that phase before? Let me see. Was it big daddy Bush? Yes, that's it. At least little Bush Junior comes by the bullsh*t legitimately.
Posted by Judith at May 16, 2006 08:45 AMGo visit NRO and see what the wingnuts think about Chimpy's speech. It ain't pretty. Actually, I love it when "Wingnut World's Collide."
Posted by red_neck_repub at May 16, 2006 08:47 AMStv, nthr Bsh str ws whn h ppsd th Mxcns lglzng drgs.
Nvrthlss, lttl Bsh shwd cwrdc whn h mntnd 'nt mltrzng' th brdrs. Th lttl bstrd xpcts lw bdng ctzns t rn th rdcls scrty gntlt wth vry rprt vst, yt fdgts lk grl whn t cms t mkng th crrct, yt tgh dcsn cncrnng rl f lw t th brdrs. nd dn’t s n dcnt crp srvnt bl t frnt s pssbl ldr n th hrzn. Prhps Bsh wll gt mr blls whn hs nmbrs gt lwr.
Those crazy minutemen.
scout you could belong if you want.
Maybe he could pull them back from the abyss of depravity.
Posted by wellofdegradation at May 16, 2006 10:01 AMSvn, r crp lrds spnd thsnds f lvs, nd bllns f dllrs t scr th l flds f svrgn ntns, mng thr prft nd pwr gls drng th pst 100 yrs. Thy prdc hystr f r kk rhds f vtng g by sng vrs mthds, mng ths r th rprt scrty msrs vn fr dmstc flghts. By sng th rprt fr strtgy, nd qt fw thrs, th chs f fr prdcs dcl mss f gts.
Nvrthlss, w smtms sly nt th crprt cntrdctns, mstly whn thy hv tw cnflctng strtgs tht hv th sm gl. Whl ctzns r trtd s crmnls, r brdrs llw pwrds f 50 mlln llgls t crss. cn tll y frm prsnl xprnc tht t lst 20% r cnvctd flns lkng fr sy mny n th S. Frthr, pwrds f 60% smggl hrd drgs, f nly t prtlly py th smgglr, nd thn t prvd nst gg t strt lvng n rthr xpnsv plc t lv. ldr dy lbrrs brng prsnl spply f ccn fr nrgy. Th smgglr, n trn, hnds vr th drgs t vrs gngstrs, strt, crp, r gvrnmnt.
Th bv s th tp f th cbrg f mckng f st plcs f brdr prtcl. (Y s, crprtns gnr lws jst s vrydy ppl rtnly gnr pstd spd lmts. vl s s vl ds.) Th mckry f th lw, lk mny thr scl rltns dsgnd fr th ttl dstrctn f ll r scl nstttns bgnnng vr 150 yrs g, cclrts frthr chs t ll lvls f scty. Th nd rslt s cnfsn t th vrydy lvl f ndrstndng: ths s th gl f r crprtn lrds nd thr mny hndlrs. T thm, scl cnfsn qls dclty. r, scl cnfsn crts 23,000 kk ds nd thrs bt hw t ndrstnd smpl scl prblms, tht, f crs, dd t th cnfsn snc ch kk thght s grndd s sllnss crtd by th crp md r th crp dctn ppndg f scntsm nd dctnsm.
Svn, ’v ntd sm f yr wrtng. Y’r thghtfl. D nt blv nythng sy, d y wn rsrch, nd d s tryng t tst ny prr cndtnng. Fr prr cndtnng s mst prbbly frm yr cllgt bckgrnd…nd r crp bys tk tht trf bgnnng rnd 1900, nd cntnd t dmnnt ll thnkng t th prsnt, ncldng wht lttl bsc rsrch s lft, bt spclly ppld rsrch, (hw t mk prft frm whtvr).
dn’t knw thng bt th mdrn S mlts. Bt knw ngh nt t wst ny ctl swt t bck th crprt prgrm: ’ll ls.
Wllf, n n cn stp th sld nt th byss. Fnlly, whl Jhvh wll dstry ths rlty, H s th nly n tht hs th blty t grnt mrcy, bt nly t ths H chs bfr crtn tslf. Nw, vn thgh hmnty s dstnd fr dstrctn nd rsrrctn, vn f th rblls, thr pprs t b hrrchy n tht prvrbl ‘hll,’ th rlty tht mny lv t wrt bt, f nly t prdc hrrr flms. Th mnng pprntly s tht ths tht dsps th trth f th Bbl, t th lwst rdr, r nvr hrd f th Bbl d t whtvr, wll b mr nhppy, rltvly spkng, thn thr dmn brthrs nd sstrs. Nw tht’s rltv dprvtn.
Based on the zeal and immediacy of the reaction of the House Tancredo Wing, the theory that this is a political ploy to have the courageous House stand up to the president, so they can argue that they're not rubber stampers, looks increasingly likely.
Remember, policy NEVER drives anything Nero does, EVER. Especially with an historic election five months away.
Posted by euzoius at May 16, 2006 11:12 AMAfter the House refuses to pass McCain-Kennedy, part of the Right Wing story for the 2006 election will be that because Nero has dangerously alligned himself with the Lib'ruls on immigration, the Republican House MUST be returned to save the nation from the illegal Mexican horde.
Nero will be somewhat weakened by this strategy, but he will be saved from Congressional investigations and Republicans can loot the treasury for another two years. And bring their War on the Constitution to a successful conclusion.
This is very clever, and it should work in our single issue Idiot Nation.
Posted by euzoius at May 16, 2006 11:50 AMThe little bastard expects law abiding citizens to run the ridiculous security gauntlet with every airport visit, yet fidgets like a girl when it comes to making the correct, yet tough decision concerning rule of law at the borders.
The female officers I have had the honor to serve with are a hundred times tougher than you, scout. They would kick your ass to Antarctica. god, you are an idiot...
Posted by tempus at May 16, 2006 12:20 PMBy using the airport fear strategy, and quite a few others, the chaos of fear produces a docile mass of goats.
scout, I've noticed you seem to have a thing about goats. Was it a childhood trauma, or do you just like copulating with them. I bet they don't get near the thrill you do!
Posted by tempus at May 16, 2006 12:29 PMtmp, dn't tk nythng sy prsnlly. m mrly cmprng sclgcl stff f tdy wth ystrdy; knd lk thnkng bt pltcs t ld.
Th 'gt' symblsm s Bblcl; gts rprsnt th nsvd, ths sltd fr sprtl dth. Whlst, shp pctr th svd, 'svd' frm Jhvh's dstrctn f tht bv rlty w cll hll.
Hnstly, 'v wrkd wth mny, mny fml dpty shrffs nd thy d ndd hv sm sflnss. n sttn n prtclr s hvng th fml dpty d th srch n fml prptrtr, r fml nttr. Thy r sfl fr dng ppr pshng f ll srts.
Hwvr, fmls wrkng n lw nfrcmnt s mrly pstrng. Thy r nbl sht, lft, fght, drv, fllw drctns, nd ll srts f vrs bck-p fnctns, thr thn cllct vdnc. Fmls dlt vry rgnztn tht thy nfltrt. Ths dltn tctc s drctly csd by r crp lrds nd thr mny hndlrs s mjr wknng f r scl nstttns. Wmn n plc wrk, n mst nstncs, s smply nthr mjr rblln gnst Bblcl Lw. Ths s th chn f cmmnd: Chrst, hsbnd, wf, nd chldrn. Scndly, thr s t b n fml thrty vr mls, prd. Whnvr Bblcl Lw s gnrd, w hv scl chs; nd scl chs s xctly wht r crp lrds nd thr mny hndlrs dsr. Fr scl chs crts dcl sbmssn.
n lght f th bv, s thr ny wndr why w hv sch bzrr pltcl scn, nd, n tp f ths, th nr ttl lck f ny dsr f r ‘lctd’ fft t smmn th crg t ld, t mk th rght dcsns, nd t d th rght thng. Why? Bcs f th ttl dltn f ll f r scl nstttns sng th frml f dstrtn, frgmnttn, dfrmtn, nd pr rwllnsm t ntt th pblc ccptnc f th mrgnlzd rbldng f r scl nstttns mdld pn dmnsm.
Nw, tmp, f y’r grl, dn’t tk thng sy prsnlly; try t b mn lt t rll ff yr bck lk dck. Dd y wnt m t tll y wht y wntd t hr? Trth, t scpthc scty, s lwys slty.
[Editor: ignore=off]Females dilute every organization that they infiltrate.
Fuck off, scout. Really, just fuck off.
Posted by ann at May 16, 2006 01:28 PMI can tell you from personal experience...
Please, elaborate scout!
Posted by Seven of Six at May 16, 2006 01:32 PMscout you're the only sociopath around here...
Posted by headxray at May 16, 2006 01:34 PMSo whats the real story Scout? Did you guys start those fires from inside the compound, or was it the ATF smoke bombs that did it?
Posted by jondee at May 16, 2006 09:34 PMHonestly, I've worked with many, many female deputy sheriffs and they do indeed have some usefulness. One situation in particular is having the female deputy do the search on a female perpetrator, or a female nutter. They are useful for doing paper pushing of all sorts.
However, females working in law enforcement is merely posturing. They are unable shoot, lift, fight, drive, follow directions, and all sorts of various back-up functions, other than collect evidence. Females dilute every organization that they infiltrate. This dilution tactic is directly caused by our corp lords and their money handlers as a major weakening of our social institutions. Women in police work, in most instances, is simply another major rebellion against Biblical Law. This is the chain of command: Christ, husband, wife, and children. Secondly, there is to be no female authority over males, period. Whenever Biblical Law is ignored, we have social chaos; and social chaos is exactly what our corp lords and their money handlers desire. For social chaos creates docile submission.
scout, you are getting dangerously close to pissing me right off, and you really don't want to do that. You either apologize to every woman you have insulted on this site, or you will be meeting your god a little earlier than you thought.
Posted by tempus at May 17, 2006 12:20 AM