> If so then, given the fact that he has consistently
> outmanuevered his opponents in contest after contest,
> time after time - just how dumb are the people he's
> beaten?
>
> It always amuses me that so many liberals, having been
> defeated time and again by the most tactically adept
> Administration of my lifetime, decide that the best
> defense they can make is "We were outsmarted by an
> idiot!"
>
There is a difference betweem tactical political skill which Bush and team obviously
possess and making policies that are rational and in the best interests of the country
and its citizens. Bush is a truly brilliant politician but that does not make in a
brilliant president. Our last president was also a brilliant politician but we was
seriously morally flawed as an individual and that prevented him from reachign his
potential. Bush's flaw is anti-intellectualism and his adherence to certain set
believes in the face of changing circumstances. We face the prospect of a war that
will cost a huge amount of money and will likely dirupt the world's economy for a
time. It is irrational to argue that providing the govermnent with less money at this
time is a fiscally sound policy. I heard one of the conservative think tank gurus say
that the looming disasterous budget crisis of nearly every state is a result of their
fiscal irresponsibility. Give me a break. The states must foot mo!
st of the bill for beafed up security. Where it this money to come from. Reductions in
medical services for the poor and cut backs in local law enforcement budgets will harm
our poorest citizens and in the end will cost us more money when we have to deal with
the problems that these cuts will create. NY has flourished because of the economic
boom but also because we increased the police force by about 40%. We will now have to
cut back which will inevitably result in a more dangerous city. Bush's handling of
North Korea has been a joke. He ignored them for two years except to call them the
axis of evil and then he said he wouldn't negotiate and now he will have to negotiate
because they have an advantage. They don't care if they start armegedon. He should
have known this going in. Now he is back to essentially the same policy as Clinton.
The policy derided by all the tough talking conservatives. The only policy we have
open to us. Now I am sure that Bush will be able to spin!
this in his favor. He will handle this in an astute way. But sooner o
r later the bad policies will come back to haunt him and us. He has alienated the rest
of the world with his high handed approach. We have very few friends left. In this
country he has been an expert politician but with the rest of the world he had been a
bully. Not stupid, street smart. But sooner or later it will come home to haunt us.
For instance limiting stem cell research in the US he is surely stimulating it
elsewhere in the world. Scientists who have come here to follow their careers have
been a boon to us and a brain draim to the rest of the world. Our best scientists will
now go elsewhere to pursue their reseach. We will be drained. The turning away from
technologic advances may lead to dire consequences. Once an initiative is lost it may
never be regained. Remember that the Chinese had enourmous fleets and controlled trade
in all of Asia (they may have reached america) but the Ming's shut this down for
ideologic reasons. China stagnated and lost its advantage. We !
are in danger of following this path. >
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