Quote:
Originally posted by Scipio
The GOP has controlled the House for almost 10 years.
|
Since 1955 the Republican Party has not controlled both houses of Congress during the term of a Republican President. Every Democrat elected President since 1955 has had his party control both Houses of Congress for at least half of his term in office. This has given the Democrats the ability to push their agenda over the objections of the opposition. That is what I call control.
Quote:
Originally posted by Scipio
What American Dream are you talking about? The one where everyone has equal opportunity, affordable health care, safe streets, a foreign policy that keeps America safe, a government that stays out of our bedrooms, a protected environment, and a budget that doesn't make our grand children pay trillions of dollars in debt?
|
The American Dream I'm talking about is what drove our forefathers to settle this country since 1776. It has nothing to do with taking money from me to appease your guilt. It seems odd to me that equal opportunity to succeed, which was many an immigrants dream when they set out for the "land of opportunity", has been supplanted by equal opportunity to fail, an adequate description of our welfare state. Our federal government was set up to give us equal protection under the law, not shelter some from the past. This country no longer fosters the individuals success but seeks merely to cash in on it.
Quote:
Originally posted by Scipio
I thought red-baiting died with the Iron Curtain, but I guess in the days of Michael Savage and John Podhoretz, calling someone a communist still counts as an argument. If you think the Democratic party is a socialist party, then West Germany has been living under communism for 50 years, Canada is Marx's utopia, and Bill Gates just put $80 million in my checking account..
|
Communism would be defined as a socialist state with one political party in control, see above. Red baiting would liken itself more to name-calling, something not beyond the tactics of many of the more prominent Liberals.
Quote:
Originally posted by Scipio
For what it's worth, Reagan was a pretty good president. I'm not going to bash him. He was the last "good" conservative, back when the GOP meant something besides opposing abortion and taxes.
|
Many conservatives embrace the same philosophies Ronald Reagan did.
Quote:
Originally posted by Scipio
What values? Invading other countries? Pissing off our allies? Care to elaborate?
|
The value I seem to treasure most is my family. I also don't consider myself bad for worshipping God. George Bush seems to take it in the shorts a lot for these two things.
Quote:
Originally posted by Scipio
Geez, lay off on the Europeans.
|
If you look back at the origins of this thread I believe it was about the Europeans bashing us.
Quote:
Originally posted by Scipio
Saying the Europeans did nothing to end the Cold War is fallacious and ignorant. Saying they just cashed in on Reagan's accomplishments is just plain mean. Germany, France, and the UK have some of the best and most sophisticated militaries in the world. They aren't big offensive juggernauts like the US, but they know how to fight.
|
I didn't say the Europeans had nothing to do with the Cold War, but they did benefit from its demise, especially the Germans. I seriously doubt that the outcome would have been the same without a strong U.S. presence in Europe. I agree that their militaries are among the finest in the world, especially the Brits.
Quote:
Originally posted by Scipio
Criticism is what opposition parties are for. I suppose the 49% of Americans that vote Democrat don't matter to you?
|
Criticism is what makes America great. When criticism isn't respected and treated as a learning experience for both the critic and the criticized it becomes a tragedy.
Quote:
Originally posted by Scipio
I don't always disagree with what Bush does, but I almost always take issue with how he goes about it, and I do respect him. However, saying he never hides his agenda is preposterous. He said he was going to put a new government in Afghanistan, and get rid of the Taliban forever, but his real intention was to invade and forget.
|
The Taliban was the government in Afghanistan, and now it is gone. If that is what Bush said he was going to do then that's exactly what he did.
Thanks Scipio. Great return fire. There is nothing finer than a "gentlemanly" debate.