Saturday, December 29, 2007

Just What I'm Looking For

Aren't those most afflicted with Bush Derangement Syndrome the very ones who were hysterical about the critics of former President Clinton, particularly during the days of impeachment? Aren't they the very ones who began the web sites like moveon and all those vehicles of hatred? Aren't they the same ones who claimed that Republicans will forever blame Bill Clinton for everything?

So, who are the BDSers going to blame for problems when the next president is ushered into office?

It is surreal how the level of political discourse has escalated in this country. It began with the 2000 election and the refusal of the far left to accept the Gore loss. Remember when the House was voting to verify the election results and the members of the Congressional Black Caucus rose to voice their refusal to vote in the affirmative? Yeah, classy. The tone was pretty much set by then. How about if the Republicans had done that to JFK when the election against Nixon was so close that it was determined that JFK won thanks to the dead and incarcerated in Cook County voting for him? No, Nixon didn't contest the election. Gore didn't have the good judgement to concede with dignity. He stretched everything out until he couldn't anymore and the Bush transition lost over a month of valuable time. Gore has since proven to be quite the selfish brat, still even today. Hey Al, move on.

I even read a post on a blog, granted the blogger is seriously BDS'd, that she blames Bush for the delay in her tax refund. Yeah. How's that for twisted logic? Congress is just now getting around to voting in the one year 'patch' for the AMT deduction that will affect millions of middle class taxpayers, like the blogger herself, after the Dem leadership held the vote while demanding a tax increase to offset the deduction. Typical Dem response - higher taxes. No breaks for the middle class while they claim they have the middle class in mind. Idiots. And the blogger is, too. Bush was prodding the Dem leadership for months to get to work on the problem. Only when the news articles appeared that refunds will be later than normal did they do something. And, by the way, if you are depending on a tax refund to solve some problems, maybe a chat with the payroll department is in order. Stop letting the government hold your refund money, interest free, through out the year.

The Bush administration has made their fair share of mistakes and the president has been guilty of letting his personal characteristic of loyalty get in the way of competent choices at high levels. Whether anyone chooses to acknowledge it or not, that is the way it is in all administrations. The attacks of 9/11 on our soil heightened some decisions and mistakes. That is what is different. The BDSers would have you believe it was all Bush's fault. In reality, the attacks were already happening against the U.S. and our interests overseas by the Islamofascists. Clinton proved unworthy to deal with the attacks. He was more concerned about his popularity in the polls. That is disgraceful.

Clinton was a disaster in the area of foreign policy. Think back to the beginning of his administration, his first term, when he made horrific mistakes in Somalia and the Blackhawk Down story. Now, Hillary is going around saying she is ready on day one to protect this nation. Why? She claims she traveled the world and talked with lots of world leaders. Maybe so. But in reality those trips were taxpayer funded road trips for her and her pals. Sometimes she brought along her daughter. It's been pointed out in other spots that during the ramping up of attacks against us by fanatic Muslims, she was barely speaking to the President, as he was finally caught in his disgraceful personal behavior in the Oval Office and for once could not talk his way out of it.

Obama mentioned he would support bombing Pakistan just a matter of months ago. Remember that? How does he look now?

Huckabee thought martial law was still in effect in Pakistan. He didn't read the NIE last put out. He thought we should 'apologize' for Bhutto's assassination. And, this guy is in first place in Iowa? What a nightmare.

So, here's where I am going with all this. Now is the time for grown-ups. Common sense. It is a continuing theme of mine, especially leading up to this Presidential election in 2008. I am on the edge of switching my support for Presidential candidates. It is no secret I was a Giuliani supporter up until now. Now, however, I no longer hold out hope that my party will grow up and support a truly qualified, strong candidate like Giuliani with a variety of governmental and private sector experience. I should have known better. My party has become obsessed with the God race and the pro-life litmus test. My party continues to disappoint me yet there is no way the other party is worthy of my vote. These days during the Iraq war have forever clinched that decision.

So, who? After the tragic death of Bhutto the dangers present in this world of ours are again brought to the forefront. As much as the far left wants to put their collective heads in the sand and play see no evil, hear no evil, the dangers lurk. It is not alarmist. It is reality. All those blaming America, or more specifically Bush, for the troubles of the world are just wrong and short-sighted. The tide has turned in Iraq and only a handful of Dems are willing to publicly acknowledge the successes of Petreaus and the military. What does it say that they chose to bet against their own country because of BDS?

John McCain is the grown-up. While the other candidates of both parties were falling over themselves to be the first to get to a camera and proclaim friendships with Bhutto and what must be done now, McCain was the only one to show some real maturity. While Clinton made it out to be more of a loss than it was to her and how she took Chelsea to meet her overseas, she quickly turned it into all about her. Again. Obama proclaimed it was Clinton's vote for the war that brought about the death. Edwards made a phone call to Musharref, he said to ask him to continue on with democratic reforms. Yeah, that'll do it, Johnny boy.

Huckabee was clueless. He was suggesting apologies. Romney faltered. Thompson put on the macho bravo stuff - gonna get those terrorists. Giuliani was in Florida and went into the mayor during 9/11 mode.

McCain? He was calm, thoughtful and serious. He spoke of his many visits with both Bhutto and Musharref over the years. He spoke of his travels to Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the dangerous area between them. The only candidate, by the way, with that experience. He said cries of cutting off aid to Pakistan is ridiculously nonsensical. He said we must continue to support Musharref and hope he isn't killed, too. Pakistan is a nuclear nation, a very unstable and complicated nuclear nation.

McCain showed a lot of common sense. A very reasoned response. He's the only one who'd truly be ready on Day One.

Just what I'm looking for in a candidate.

11 comments:

heidianne jackson said...

well, it doesn't often happen, but i have to disagree with you here. i believe that mccain had a great response, but i do not think thompson's response was macho bravo. he spoke sensibly of how we must walk a fine line because there is danger there, but pakistan has been our ally.

john is too liberal for me. with
his sponsoring of the mccain/feingold act (yeah, i know fred did too and it's the one thing i don't like about him), the mccain/kennedy immigration "reform" act, the "gang of 14" crap with confirming judges, his refusal to use anything other than straight out questioning of prisoners of war - and the list goes on.

but i will add, i'll vote for him more happily than anyone other than fred. great post for your endorsement, karen. thanks!

The WordSmith from Nantucket said...

Good post, karen.

I've softened on McCain during the campaign season. I think some of the Republican indignation and frustration with him is overblown and emotional, rather than reasoned out.

I've been careful not to bash any of the GOP nominees to heavily, as one of them might eventually being the man who I will have to vote for and defend in the general election cycle.

Jolene said...

Fred has disappointed me. He's never been a fire breather, so he didn't get the attention from the media like the others. Duncan Hunter is a candidate no-one is talking about, but I think has great ideas. I like Rudy, don't trust Romney, and Huckabee is on the way to being Al Gore, Jr. (shudder).

I do know this - I will support the final candidate because anyone ANYONE has to be better than Billary.

Right Truth said...

Who will they blame with Bush is gone? Good question. I still like Thompson. I could hold my nose and vote for McCain if I had to.




Debbie Hamilton
Right Truth

Me said...

You already know this... but I'll say it again. I love reading your views. ;)

I can just hear your voice saying it - I'm not just reading it.

McCain and Ron Paul are about equal in my book. Romney is almost a triple tie. It's a three way right now.

That Janie Girl said...

Speaking of Clinton, her majesty was here at our hotel in FW yesterday - supposedly. SS was here, too, or so the valet said. They said it was making all their work a wreck....

Anyway...she didn't show up at the Robert Earl Keen concert...;)

Happy New Year to you and yours, Karen! God bless!

Anonymous said...

I had high hopes for McCain the first time he ran for president. The more I see of him this time around, the less confidence I can muster. I don't know exactly what changed it for me.

While I find Fred's "take it or leave it" attitude about the presidency somewhat refreshing in our current political climate, his "good ol' boy" act has worn way thin on my already frayed political nerves.

And to your point about the degradation of political discourse in this country: Amen. Trouble is, it takes two to have a conversation, and one of them needs to be equipped to shut up long enough to listen in order for discourse to be thoughtful and considered. BOTH sides are guilty for the current state of affairs, in my opinion. Neither one is willing to stop screeching or howling at non-existent moons long enough for conversation to even be a honest consideration.

heidianne jackson said...

happy new year, karen!!!

AmPowerBlog said...

As you know, McCain's my man!

Have a great '08!

Incognito said...

Great post, as always.. i too have opened up more to MCCain ... but we shall see.

Also wanted to wish you a very Happy New Year!!! Hope it brings many blessings.

Beverly said...

thanks for always stopping by. I hope that this new year holds all good things for you, Karen.