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kernel crash
October 27th, 2005, 03:12 PM
I think this one article just about sums up EVERYTHING!

"I refer to the sheer scope, speed and urgency of the issues that go to a president's desk, to the impossibility of bureaucracy, to the array of impeding and antagonistic forces (the 50-50 nation, the mass media, the senators owned by the groups), to the need to have a fully informed understanding of and stand on the most exotic issues, from Avian flu to the domestic realities of Zimbabwe.

The special prosecutors, the scandals, the spin for the scandals, nuclear proliferation, wars and natural disasters, Iraq, stem cells, earthquakes, the background of the Supreme Court backup pick, how best to handle the security problems at the port of Newark, how to increase production of vaccines, tort reform, did Justice bungle the anthrax case, how is Cipro production going, did you see this morning's Raw Threat File? Our public schools don't work, and there's little refuge to be had in private schools, however pricey, in part because teachers there are embarrassed not to be working in the slums and make up for it by putting pictures of Frida Kalho where Abe Lincoln used to be. Where is Osama? What's up with trademark infringement and intellectual capital? We need an answer on an amendment on homosexual marriage! We face a revolt on immigration.

The range, depth, and complexity of these problems, the crucial nature of each of them, the speed with which they bombard the Oval Office, and the psychic and practical impossibility of meeting and answering even the most urgent of them, is overwhelming. And that doesn't even get us to Korea. And Russia. And China, and the Mideast. You say we don't understand Africa? We don't even understand Canada!"

http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/pnoonan/

TrailBate
October 27th, 2005, 03:48 PM
If the President is so overwhelmed, maybe he should step down.

Let's all have a pity party for the poor, dumb president. boo hoo.

vinnycactus
October 27th, 2005, 03:53 PM
tree hugging liberals make me laugh ;D

kernel crash
October 27th, 2005, 04:17 PM
"If the President is so overwhelmed, maybe he should step down.

Let's all have a pity party for the poor, dumb president. boo hoo."

I don't think that was the point. It has nothing to do with Democrats or Republicians. This is not an article about Bush, but about what can we reasonably expect from any man sitting in that oval office. In an age where the president is expected to have an answer and a solution for everything that comes across his desk, has the job become too overwhelming for any one man or women to handle? When do we sit back and realize we are all on our own like the "elites" that she refers to. The trolley is off the tracks and my head just bounced off the ceiling!

Slider
October 27th, 2005, 04:53 PM
At a minimum, we can expect the president to:

Provide accurate intelligence on major issues so that the Americans and our legislative bodies can make sound decisions.
Avoid pointless, unwinnable wars that cost hundreds of billions of dollars.
Honor the laws of that land that govern our treatment of undercover agents.
Make sound policy on foreign relations issues.
Make sound financial and fiscal policy.

Unfortunatley, Bush not only fails on all counts, but he actually embraces incredibly self-destructive policiies that have left us vulnerable both economically and militarily. We're screwed, and Bush did it.

Slider

kernel crash
October 27th, 2005, 05:01 PM
"Avoid pointless, unwinnable wars that cost hundreds of billions of dollars."

That may be easy to say in hindsight. You can have wars that are unwinnable, (war on terror), that are not necessarily pointless. They can be used to slow down your enemy, keep them on the defensive etc.

"Honor the laws of that land that govern our treatment of undercover agents."

The jury is still out on this one. We'll have to wait for the dust to settle.

"Make sound policy on foreign relations issues."

Yes but there are times when the interest of your own country comes first regardless of what side your allies are on.

"Make sound financial and fiscal policy."

I guess Bush falls flat on his face on this one. I got nothing.

catbbq
October 27th, 2005, 06:00 PM
No, things aren't as bad as people may want them to be. Its just people watching a lot more TV which has a lot more "news".

Actually things are really good which is why everyone has so much time to think about this stuff and worry about it. You don't see hungry people working 18 hour days worrying about all the crap going on in the world. They are worrying about dinner.

If the elites were really just getting theirs, then most presidents would retire after their first term. They got the library, pension, S.S. for life. Why put up with the hassle of another 4 years of one of the hardest jobs in the world? Bush Senior had it right. Get out while the getting is good.

TrailBate
October 27th, 2005, 09:27 PM
If the elites were really just getting theirs, then most presidents would retire after their first term. They got the library, pension, S.S. for life. Why put up with the hassle of another 4 years of one of the hardest jobs in the world? Bush Senior had it right. Get out while the getting is good.



Yeah. Bush lost his re-election on purpose. ::)

TrailBate
October 27th, 2005, 09:30 PM
"Avoid pointless, unwinnable wars that cost hundreds of billions of dollars."

That may be easy to say in hindsight. You can have wars that are unwinnable, (war on terror), that are not necessarily pointless. They can be used to slow down your enemy, keep them on the defensive etc.


A lot of people knew this was a pointless war before it happened. Including George Sr.

And is this "slow down your enemy" the new Iraq war excuse? I can't keep track anymore.

catbbq
October 28th, 2005, 07:36 AM
If the elites were really just getting theirs, then most presidents would retire after their first term. They got the library, pension, S.S. for life. Why put up with the hassle of another 4 years of one of the hardest jobs in the world? Bush Senior had it right. Get out while the getting is good.



Yeah. Bush lost his re-election on purpose. ::)


I'm not saying he lost on purpose, but at the time, I seem to recall a lot people saying he didn't seem to be trying very hard.