America

[Sara Sheppard]

Well for ALL of our shortcomings, failures, and general bad decisions...I still believe this is the best country on earth. :) And I believe that no matter what President we have or what party controls the house or senate.

For the most part, I'm not fond of many political folks but it still feels good to go to the polls and all by myself with NO influence from anyone else at that monent, make a decision and cast my vote for various issues related to our great democracy.

I think most of our nation is a combination of blue and red. If a really great person with a dynamic personality, well defined message, and enough capital to support the campaign...I think an independent could take the Pres. office. If the DEMS had a very well defined message - they could/would have taken even MORE seats this time and would be on strong track for the Pres. in 2008.

My basic take on the election results is this:
The Pres. has a message.(especially on the war)
This nation (generally speaking) doesn't support his message.
The DEMS have NO message/alternative message.
This nation is so fed up with the Pres's message they are willing to risk it on the DEMS and hope the DEMS come up with a message and that it will be better than the Pres's message.

Just my .02

Sara

[Andrew Henck]

Well said Sara.

It was a neat thing today to see "I voted" stickers virtually everywhere and participate in the beautiful process of democratically electing the leaders in government for the first time today!

It will be interesting to see how the next two years go and how "moderate" the winners really are as many of them claim when they talked to various press members this evening.

Enjoy the day!

[Mark Doble]

Well for ALL of our shortcomings, failures, and general bad decisions...I still believe this is the best country on earth. :) And I believe that no matter what President we have or what party controls the house or senate.

For the most part, I'm not fond of many political folks but it still feels good to go to the polls and all by myself with NO influence from anyone else at that monent, make a decision and cast my vote for various issues related to our great democracy.

I think most of our nation is a combination of blue and red. If a really great person with a dynamic personality, well defined message, and enough capital to support the campaign...I think an independent could take the Pres. office. If the DEMS had a very well defined message - they could/would have taken even MORE seats this time and would be on strong track for the Pres. in 2008.

My basic take on the election results is this:
The Pres. has a message.(especially on the war)
This nation (generally speaking) doesn't support his message.
The DEMS have NO message/alternative message.
This nation is so fed up with the Pres's message they are willing to risk it on the DEMS and hope the DEMS come up with a message and that it will be better than the Pres's message.

Just my .02

Sara

What you say, seems to me, from what I have herd is correct. I also heard the DEMS will not give any more money to the Iraqi war. Is that not playing a dangerous political game? In the end it may put your troops in grave danger.
And the nearly 3,000 soldiers that have already given their lives to the cause, is now a political acceptable statistic.

Just wondering...

Edit to say; Here in Canada our minority Gov't is changing and the DEMS want to cut and run from Afghanistan. Leaving the other coalition forces left behind to fend for themselves!
I do not agree with that... Again, it is political wrangling with the lives of our troops in the balance. Talk about a moral defeat...

[Billy Cox]

What you say, seems to me, from what I have herd is correct. I also heard the DEMS will not give any more money to the Iraqi war. Is that not playing a dangerous political game? In the end it may put your troops in grave danger.
And the nearly 3,000 soldiers that have already given their lives to the cause, is now a political acceptable statistic.

Just wondering...

Edit to say; Here in Canada our minority Gov't is changing and the DEMS want to cut and run from Afghanistan. Leaving the other coalition forces left behind to fend for themselves!
I do not agree with that... Again, it is political wrangling with the lives of our troops in the balance. Talk about a moral defeat...

If you consider how difficult it was for the US to get out of Vietnam, it is unlikely that the Democrats have the political will to cut off funding for the Iraq war...which is, after al,l the only they that the Congress can effect a return of the troops.

[Bruce Carriker]

If you consider how difficult it was for the US to get out of Vietnam, it is unlikely that the Democrats have the political will to cut off funding for the Iraq war...which is, after al,l the only they that the Congress can effect a return of the troops.

I'm not sure that's correct, Billy. The President had to have Congressional authorization to use force in Iraq (ask Chris Shay). Was that authorization an open-ended blank check, or can Congress rescind authorization?

Either way, the "cut and run" rhetoric is exactly that...rhetoric. The GOP very successfully (or perhaps not, given the election's outcome) portrayed the Iraq situation as having only two options: Stay the course, or "cut and run". There are dozens of points between those two extremes.

I wish everyone here went to church at such a time that it allowed them to see Congressman Rahm Emmanuel on Meet the Press Sunday morning. I just hope the Democrats are faithful to the points he made. Emmanuel is the real leader of the Democratic party, not Howard Dean, and he articulately and intelligently laid out their agenda for the next two years; as opposed to Sen. Elizabeth Dole, who came across as not only a cheap, shrill, tape-recorded message, but also rude. I always liked her when she ran the Red Cross, and I voted for her husband for both Senator and President when I lived in Kansas. On Sunday, she was an embarrassment to herself and her party.

[Judy Hamilton]

Either way, the "cut and run" rhetoric is exactly that...rhetoric. The GOP very successfully (or perhaps not, given the election's outcome) portrayed the Iraq situation as having only two options: Stay the course, or "cut and run". There are dozens of points between those two extremes.


.

the dozens of points in between the two extremes that you mentioned Bruce..can you eleborate on a couple of them?? this is an honest question

Judy

[Barbara Moulton]

Edit to say; Here in Canada our minority Gov't is changing and the DEMS want to cut and run from Afghanistan. Leaving the other coalition forces left behind to fend for themselves!
I do not agree with that... Again, it is political wrangling with the lives of our troops in the balance. Talk about a moral defeat...

I take it from this Mark that you think the Conservatives will fall in the next election?

That makes no sense to me. Liberals send our troops to Afghanistan. Conservatives honour that committment and get punished for it. Voters put Liberals back in?

BTW, I look at the list of those running for leadership of the Liberal party and shudder. Gerard Kennedy or Bob Rae as Prime Minister? Oh my!

[Mark Doble]

I take it from this Mark that you think the Conservatives will fall in the next election?

That makes no sense to me. Liberals send our troops to Afghanistan. Conservatives honour that committment and get punished for it. Voters put Liberals back in?

BTW, I look at the list of those running for leadership of the Liberal party and shudder. Gerard Kennedy or Bob Rae as Prime Minister? Oh my!

I do not understand for the life of me why Bob Rae is running for PM. It just baffles my mind. Unless they figure he won Ontario last time and may think he can again? NO WAY HOSEA! Bob stole $245 a month from my paycheque for a year last time he was in. My memory is long... Like they really screwed up big time in a lot of ways.

I don't think the PCs will fall, I think another minority gov't is possible. If the DEMS have more pull with the BLOC and LIBS the PCs may be forced to cut and run from Afghanistan. Or rethink their roll over there.

[Anita F. Henck]

Congratulations on exercising your first right to vote! I'm happy for you and proud of you!

And, I'm still sorry that you weren't born two weeks earlier in 1986, so you could qualify to vote in the November 2004 presidential elections. You missed it by 10 days or so. Believe, me, I would have been happy for you to be born earlier (Mr. 9 lbs, 12 oz!). I know that US politics is important to you ... so you will really enjoy a chance at a presidential election in 2 more years.

And, I take it that you mean that your campus was filled with students, faculty, staff, and administrators wearing the "I Voted" stickers? That's a good sign, too!

Much love,
==Mom==

[Billy Cox]

I take it from this Mark that you think the Conservatives will fall in the next election?

That makes no sense to me. Liberals send our troops to Afghanistan. Conservatives honour that committment and get punished for it. Voters put Liberals back in?

BTW, I look at the list of those running for leadership of the Liberal party and shudder. Gerard Kennedy or Bob Rae as Prime Minister? Oh my!

The title of this thread is "America"!! Where do you get off talking about Canadian politics?? :basic03

[Gina Stevenson]

Just "shaddup" and be a good neighbor, will ya!? :basic05

They are a part of America ... last I looked, their country was still in America. We might be the United States of that particular entity, America, but our good neighbors, the Canadians, are a part of ... "AMERICA!" But we think you knew dat, anyway, huh? ;)

Sorry, just hadda bug ya! :fav18

The title of this thread is "America"!! Where do you get off talking about Canadian politics?? :basic03

[Bruce Carriker]

The title of this thread is "America"!! Where do you get off talking about Canadian politics?? :basic03

Well, since the title of the thread is "America" and not "United States of America", I suppose it could be understood to apply to everything from Hudson Bay to Cape Horn.;)

[Mark Doble]

Well, since the title of the thread is "America" and not "United States of America", I suppose it could be understood to apply to everything from Hudson Bay to Cape Horn.;)

BARBARA DID IT EH!!! :eek:

[Mark Doble]

BARBARA DID IT EH!!! :eek:

I am half American anyway... Ethnitically anyway (that is a new word)

[Sara Sheppard]

I knew that title would cause at least a comment or two when I titled it "America". I love to push buttons on naznet...threads are way more fun that way. LOL

Sara

[Mark Doble]

You button pusher you!...

[Billy Cox]

Well, since the title of the thread is "America" and not "United States of America", I suppose it could be understood to apply to everything from Hudson Bay to Cape Horn.;)

'America' is shorthand for 'USA' everywhere in the world. If someone wants to refer to Canada, Mexico, or Argentina, they don't say 'America'.

[Gina Stevenson]

'America' is shorthand for 'USA' everywhere in the world. If someone wants to refer to Canada, Mexico, or Argentina, they don't say 'America'.
Yeah, we know this, too, Billy. But, as Sara already said, it's more fun to push buttons sometimes. HA! :basic05 :cool: :rolleyes:

[Gina Stevenson]

... this might be an appropriate post. It's a bit long to copy/paste, so we'll put a link to it. [just heard it via radio a bit ago, so went looking for it]

http://breakpoint.org/listingarticle.asp?ID=5795

it's Chuck Colson's commentary on not only the unfairness, but the dangerous idea, of some of our country's "elite" [or those who consider themselves as such] avoiding military service altogether. This practice by those who have a good chance of being involved in running our country someday leaves them with no idea as to what military life is like, what those serving face daily, etc ... eventually even leading to therefore misusing the troops, putting them more in danger than they realize, etc, etc. Anyway, I'll let you read what he says better than I could tell you.

He also mentions some attitudes people have had about the military ... reminded me of J Kerry's comments the other day. He then mentioned how some attitudes quickly changed once 9/11 happened, and people began to be glad there was some ready military personnel to step up to the plate.

[Hans Deventer]

'America' is shorthand for 'USA' everywhere in the world. If someone wants to refer to Canada, Mexico, or Argentina, they don't say 'America'.

Kind of similar to "Holland" and "The Netherlands". "Holland" was originally only a part of the country, but it used to be (and probably still is) the most prominent part. It was one of the "Republic of the Seven United Netherlands" that started out in 1572. I presume the other 6 were less known (would be a nice trivia, who would know the names?). But Holland became so well known that nowadays even the Dutch use it to refer to their entire country.

[Gina Stevenson]

Kind of similar to "Holland" and "The Netherlands". "Holland" was originally only a part of the country, but it used to be (and probably still is) the most prominent part. It was one of the "Republic of the Seven United Netherlands" that started out in 1572. I presume the other 6 were less known (would be a nice trivia, who would know the names?). But Holland became so well known that nowadays even the Dutch use it to refer to their entire country.

Uh, let's see ... Drenthe, Zeeland, Overeisel (not sure re this one); give me time ... might think of some others. But then I've got an advantage here; there are little towns around here with the names of your country's "netherlands" ... including Holland, where that one huge tulip festival takes place every May. ;)

[Hans Deventer]

Uh, let's see ... Drenthe, Zeeland, Overeisel (not sure re this one);

No, not Drenthe. There are currently 13 provinces, but only 7 started out in 1572.

[Gina Stevenson]

No, not Drenthe. There are currently 13 provinces, but only 7 started out in 1572.

OK, if not one of the original seven, is it one of the now-13? BTW, haven't taken time this afternoon to recall the little towns around here that I hear are carryovers from the Netherlands to the US. ;)

[Hans Deventer]

OK, if not one of the original seven, is it one of the now-13?

Yes.

[Barbara Moulton]

'America' is shorthand for 'USA' everywhere in the world. If someone wants to refer to Canada, Mexico, or Argentina, they don't say 'America'.

True. America is America. I have only ever heard one Canadian refer to himself as an "American" based on the idea that we are all part of North America.

The reality is that although Mark and I introduced Canadian politics into this thread, there is a some similiar dynamic between the "right" and the "left" as there is in the States.

However, my observation is that while our "left" is farther left than yours (hence my fear of Bob Rae becoming Prime Minister) our "right" is not as far "right".

[Mark Doble]

True. America is America. I have only ever heard one Canadian refer to himself as an "American" based on the idea that we are all part of North America.

The reality is that although Mark and I introduced Canadian politics into this thread, there is a some similiar dynamic between the "right" and the "left" as there is in the States.

However, my observation is that while our "left" is farther left than yours (hence my fear of Bob Rae becoming Prime Minister) our "right" is not as far "right".

BARBARA!

If you mention the words Bob Rae and Prime Minister again in the same sentence..........

I'M GUNNA PUKE, K... :basic04

I Tremble convulsively to think of it, OMG! :eek:

I pray to God it NEVER happens! And can not for the life of me figure out WHY they are letting him run. There must be some hideous hidden agenda.

[Barbara Moulton]

BARBARA!

If you mention the words Bob Rae and Prime Minister again in the same sentence..........

I'M GUNNA PUKE, K... :basic04

I Tremble convulsively to think of it, OMG! :eek:

I pray to God it NEVER happens! And can not for the life of me figure out WHY they are letting him run. There must be some hideous hidden agenda.


Now you see...yet another think about which we agree (although perhaps not the vomiting part). LOL