72 replies to this topic

[Nello]

This question just begs to be asked: Is there actually such a thing as an easy presidency? Every single US president has faced important issues that forced them to make decisions that some people disagreed with. Black segragation, World Wars, Economic Crisis, Health Care, Scandals or Terrorism are just a few examples. Being what I believe to be the most powerful person in the world is never an easy job. Politicians can never please everyone. They have to try to please the majority of people if they want to stay in power. The KKK didn't like the black equality movement, many people protested against WW2, the wars on Iraq and Afghanistan, and health care cut backs. It's impossible to please everyone.

[thiskid13]

i'm not a total pacifist or anything like that, but with all this war money thats being thrown around, wouldn't it have done more good and cost fewer lives to just invest it in a starving country where everyone lives in slums. Bush had his reasons to go to iraq but if the war money went to one of those countries where everybody is starving to death it would have gotten more bang for the buck. i doubt bush really wanted to help anybody though and going to war is much cooler so he chose that. people have already said this but 12b could solve a hell of a lot of problems in the world. i don't think sending a couple of guys to mars is worth the price tag. we should probably spend our money fixing up the problems on earth before we think about screwing up other planets, and by 'we' i mean 'you' because i'm canadian and it isn't my money thats being thrown away by a dumbass

Edited by thiskid13, 30 March 2004 - 12:23 AM.

[hellsangel]

He had several reasons for going to the war, just because he left a lttle of the les justified reasons out, he still has a great reason to go there, and even if he did lie about it, he got rid of Saddam.

He didn't leave some of the less justified reasons out, he lied about the reasons he used to justify the war. He took a country to war under false pretenses. He's killing American soldiers under false pretenses. He's condemned us to bankruptcy and condemned an unknown number of American soldiers to death under false pretenses. And not only that, but when he was running for presidency, he said he was against Nation-Building! Which I guess is true, because he sure as hell isn't helping Iraq build up their infrastructure.

He didn't have reasons to go to war and would have done so even if we hadn't had the terrorist attacks.

[Formerly Sane]

Bush wants to discontinue the head start program, which helps young children belonging to poor families. How is his education plan good again?

ps. I must have some kind of ad software on my computer that sees what I'm looking at, because I've gotten like three pop ups saying "Who do you think will win? Kerry, Bush, or Other?" Creepy

Edited by Formerly Sane, 30 March 2004 - 06:26 PM.

[Blaster]

Bush wants to discontinue the head start program, which helps young children belonging to poor families.  How is his education plan good again?

ps. I must have some kind of ad software on my computer that sees what I'm looking at, because I've gotten like three pop ups saying "Who do you think will win?  Kerry, Bush, or Other?"  Creepy

Wow....... that's just....... sheer........ utter........ stupidity....... I can't believe he would honestly consider ending a program like that. By the way Formerly, where do you get your information (besides the news), are there any particular websites you go to to retrieve your information? Just asking because I try to talk about this stuff to my class but when I mention that it came from here they all (teacher included) immediately dismiss it, thinking that because you guys play with nerf guns your information is invalid. Sad thing is the majority, oh hell, all of you sound smarter than my teacher as it is. Anyways any links would be greatly appreciated.

EDIT- Upon further investigation and searching into this subject I found something out. Formerly the Bush administration does not want to discontinure the Head Start program but he does want to do something that will put it at risk. You're more or less right however as what he wants to do puts it at the risk it does. For the full story go here.

http://www.hdonline..../27/OPlist3.htm

Edited by Blaster, 30 March 2004 - 10:27 PM.

[cxwq]

Play around with Google News.

Example: Bush education

Google News owns all because it pulls stories from online news sources worldwide. Don't limit yourself to the popular US news sources - they're all owned by the same half dozen companies and have their agendas.

The only consistently good US news source, in my opinion, is NPR. If you'd rather hear it, click on "stations" on their web site to find a radio station near you that broadcasts their shows.

Here's an interesting article that correlates watching Fox News, holding one or more major incorrect views about the war in Iraq, and supporting the war in Iraq.

[Ice Nine]

I really like NPR.
Yes, I am this young and still enjoy listening to it.

I like it because they don't twist the news in one way or another, they just tell it the way it is. Stuff like CBS warps it to something like "Americans killed in action, wasn't their fault," when really they were the ones that fired first.

[merlinski]

Here's an interesting article that correlates watching Fox News, holding one or more major incorrect views about the war in Iraq, and supporting the war in Iraq.

Yeah, that's one of the statistics that Franken quoted when I heard him speak. I like his interpretation:
"The more you watch Fox News, the stupider you get"

[Blaster]

Thanks Cx, maybe now she'll shut her friggin piehole about stuff she didn't even bother researching. I'll make sure to let them know that this information came from Nerfhaven and that they got it from reliable news sources. Still pisses me off that she wouldn't take you guys seriously though. Thanks once again.

[Jappo]

I personally like the idea of Bush investing money into the space program, after the huge cuts that NASA has had. Its too bad that it takes a war to get anything done in the space program. But alas since the US is the only remaining super-power and doesn't really have many equals, a cold war is pretty hard. I'm all up for money into the space program but this money is far better in other places. As a Canadian I don't have much say in what the US spends it money on, but I wish it would cut some from its military and give it to foreign aid. With half the US' military budget, the money could be used to solve many, many, many world problems.

But I guess you need someone to "keep" the law.

[cxwq]

Bush wants to spend $12B on mars and the moon, $11B of which is to be stolen from NASAs other programs while only $1B is new funding. He has given NASA an unfunded mandate to do what he thinks is popular rather than what scientists want.

Guess you didn't read the thread.

Bush is not actually giving NASA very much new money. He's forcing them to use existing money for his lame ideas.

[Maverick]

i disagree with you entirely. Maybe you should follow up with the topic from more than one perspective. Just think of the scientists' reactions when they get a lab on the moon! I'm pretty sure they'd be happy.

Edited by Maverick, 01 April 2004 - 02:20 PM.

[Oroku Saki]

Read the thread before you post. Like Cx said, the government would be better off upgrading the Hubble instead of making a base. Besides, the money being used on the moon and Mars could be put into better use, for both science, and helping our country's more important programs. Many members of the scientific community agree that Bush's proposed plans are unnecessary at this time.

[cxwq]

i disagree with you entirely. Maybe you should follow up with the topic from more than one perspective. Just think of the scientists' reactions when they get a lab on the moon! I'm pretty sure they'd be happy.

I'm glad you have your own opinion, though it doesn't seem as if that opinion is based on anything. Perhaps you could share some of your reasons for disagreeing with me? Advocacy and argument is built on fact and analysis, not vague supposition.

I don't think the scientists would particularly like a base on the moon. They can perform science more effectively on the ISS, but Bush has gutted the research component of our ISS participation for a savings of only 2.5M. Why perform experiments in low gravity when you can perform them in zero gravity? Why put an observation station in a fixed orbit when you can put one in a satelite with an arbitrary orbit? Do you really think scientists are all that eager to go get more moon rocks?

Scientists are furious that Bush is leaving them stuck with fully developed multi-million dollar experimental payloads that will never reach space because he told NASA to spend all their money on the moon and mars. Scientists are furious because Bush doesn't have the first clue about what they do and what would benefit science. Scientists are not, however, surprised. After all, 20 Nobel laureats and over 60 other respected scientists signed a petition calling on the Bush administration to restore scientific integrity to his administration.

[LDM]

A pretty consistent TV channel is "Free Speech TV."

About Bush finding Saddam Hussein . . .

There's a rumor, a rumor, but it could very well be true. It says that we didn't find Saddam, and that the Turks did. They told us where he was, we looked, still couldn't find him, then the Turks showed us where he was.

It's based on some news on an underground news site, but hey, it's the internet.

One of the things I dislike about Bush is his thing against affirmative action. He has been helped all his life with AA. That's how he got into Yale, actually. Basically because of his dear father.

Also, Bush associates the War on Terror with Iraq. Iraq has nothing to do with it. It's Saudi Arabia and other countries. I think. I'm not too good with this stuff.

[Jappo]

A pretty consistent TV channel is "Free Speech TV."

About Bush finding Saddam Hussein . . .

There's a rumor, a rumor, but it could very well be true. It says that we didn't find Saddam, and that the Turks did. They told us where he was, we looked, still couldn't find him, then the Turks showed us where he was.

When I read the report in the paper, it said that some Iraqi's had spotted him, and that they led the US soldiers to him... not entirely sure if it true or not.

[Famine]

It doesn't matter who found Saddam. What matters is that we're never going to see him again. Doesn't it bother anyone that since his capture, there has been no mention of Saddam? No trial for war crimes, no bringing him before the world court. Sure, there have been a few lame sound bytes saying something like "He will have to answer to the Iraqi people and face their judgement", but do you think we'd ever actually let Saddam stand trial? With everything he's done and all that we've depended on him for over the years there's no way we're going to let that man speak to the world ever again.

[Oroku Saki]

The latest news about Saddam has been rahter spotty. As far as I know, lately he hasn't given very much info to US interrogators, and they are arguing over how he will stand trial. Last I heard, some French lawyer is going to defend Saddam in his case. Even though it's obvious what he's done, he still gets due process under international tribunal laws, no matter how much we all just want to kill the fucker and be done with it.

[Famine]

Even though it's obvious what he's done, he still gets due process under international tribunal laws, no matter how much we all just want to kill the fucker and be done with it.

I'm sorry. This is where I get kind of hazy. What exactly did he do? Or let me put it this way, what was he doing that isn't still being done by other countries including U.S. allies?

[Talio]

Holding Oil.

[cxwq]

What exactly did he do?

1. Gas his own people.

2. Mention that he doesn't like Iran.

3. Regan sends Rumsfeld to present him with silver spurs as a sign of our friendship.




Oh wait, other US allies are doing those things... Nevermind.

[Famine]

Ok, I can see holding the Rumsfeld thing against him but still....

[LDM]

The funny thing is, America founded him a while back. We were friends with him. It'll be interesting to see if that comes out in the trial.

[Oroku Saki]

I guess we'll all find out when he finally does go to trial.