Christian voters

[jad123]

I'm confused are you saying this is a good thing? We are told in the bible that we are to be good stewards of this earth. I'm not sure ignoring Kyoto protocol is being a good steward so if your list is a list of good things then maybe this shouldn't be on there.


The same Saddam Hussein they previously supported and helped arm. Just like they did with Osama Bin Laden and the Taliban!




It would be easy to do a large scale terrroist attack on US soil if one wanted to. Maybe they just don't want to.




Just to comment on how the US is viewed by many Arab nations. Does that have anything to do with the US supporting Israel even when Israel was in the wrong?

Here is something else for you to think about. Bush promised open trade between the US and Australia in return for Australia's support in the "War on terror" (which apparently isn't actually a war!). However when it came down to it the US govt made all kinds of exceptions and kept restricted trade on a number of products which basically are all ones they would know Australia has to trade. Or in other words Australia has free trade on resources it doesn't have. That should give you a bit of an idea as to why there is often a anti-american sentiment in alot of countries.

Viewed by the majority of peoples in the the Middle East, as referenced in the last post.

And the Foreign policy of the United States for last 50 years in that region has been one of fast and loose, which even a cursory glance at Middle Eastern history will tell you

Have you been to the mid-east? I have and never saw the hate except from the extremists.

 

[TheDag]

Yes. Whats your point. Sit back and do nothing like the rest of the UN? Pathetic.

The point is maybe the US wouldn't need to do anything if they hadn't got these people into power in the first place!

 

[Carey]

"The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true, given the source, right?

The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed, and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the President. In essence, 2/3's of the citizenry just isn't happy and want a change.

So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, ''What are we so unhappy about?''
Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?

Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter?

Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job?

Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time, and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

Maybe it is the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state?

Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter?

I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough.

Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and
provide services to help all, and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family and your belongings.

Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler or intrudes , an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss.

This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90 percent of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world?

Maybe that is what has 67 percent of you folks unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S. , yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have , and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.

I know, I know. What about the President who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The President who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same President who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The President that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks?

The Commander-In Chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me? Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn't take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad?

Think about it...are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the "Media" told you he was failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful behind every day.

Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go.

They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an ''other than honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable'' discharge after a few days in the brig.

So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans? Say what you want, but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds, it leads; and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells , and when criticized, try to defend their actions by "justifying" them in one way or another. Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book about "how he didn't kill his wife, but if he did he would have done it this way"...Insane!

Stop buying the negativism you are fed everyday by the media. Shut off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country. There is exponentially more good than bad.

We are among the most blessed people on Earth, and should thank God several times a day, or at least be thankful and appreciative.

"With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, "Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?"

 

[jad123]

The point is maybe the US wouldn't need to do anything if they hadn't got these people into power in the first place!

Understandable and I do see your point. The difficult thing is just how involved should the US or any other country be involved in that region? Our friends today may be our enemies tomorrow and our enemies today may be our friends. For example relations with Saudi Arabia. I do not doubt they are using us and we them. Ten years from now they may be the next Iran. It is a vicious cycle and all any country can do is what they feel is best at that moment in time.

 

[TheDag]

Don't if if the world likes us or not. Not really into globalism.

Seem as surgery was cancelled todayI can answer a bit more than what I had time to before flying out the door.

I don't care if I'm liked either but I still treat people decently. If I give them my word I stick to it rather than adding all kinds of conditions later.

 

[Ave Maria]

No thanks. I don't support the Republican party and probably never will.

 

[dayhiker]

I don't know who I'll vote for next time, but I have real problems with Bush.

He has driven up the national debt and appears to be making no effort to stop it.
He has used his EO's to not do what Congress has asked him to do. This is not the way the constitution say how the president is suppose to act.
I don't see the president being concern with our freedom that we fought for. The Patriact Act is us lossing our freedom.
The dollar is lossing its strength because of the way the finances of this country are being handled.

Those are my main concerns.
dayhiker

 

[Celticflower]

I'm happy to stay in independent and not owe alligiance to either party.

 

[Carey]

I agree the Republican party is not perfect.

I just know there are only 2 parties a vote is not wasted on.

The Republican party is just the lessor of the 2 evils.

 

[Jarvo]

This man was also a former minister.
If his heart is with God he will make better decisions on all the issues you referred to.
But Anyone who denies God and his creation of everything that is will not be able to make wise decisions to lead our country.

Right, here’s my opinion on the various matters that have been put forward in this debate so far. Firstly, I believe separation of the church and state is a good thing, as I don’t remember there being much of a biblical basis put forward by Jesus for Christians to go and rule the world – rather that we are called to be in the world but not of the world.

In terms of electing someone just because of their faith, I think that is totally naïve. Just because someone is a Christian does not in anyway mean they are going to be able to do the job of leading the country better than anyone else. If that was the case, then all Christians would be in positions of high authority and power due to their ‘amazingly higher ability at things than anyone else’. Now it’s quite obvious this isn’t the case in the world, and is a classic case of Christian arrogance to think that.

Bush has NOT gotten us into 2 wars. I find it sad that in todays fast food give it to me fast nation called the US we expect things to be dealt with in weeks or maybe months. Iraq is key to the long term stability of the region and of the US, I hope Bush goes after Iran before he is out of office just in case the left gets in . Let me ask you, have you ever been to that region? Have you ever personally seen how the US is treated and looked at by the Iraqi people or surrounding nations? I won't even discuss the falsehoods of that hypocrite named Al Gore. There is tons of evidence that climate change ( won't use global warming as the left has taken that out of its vocabulary since it is not true) is a natural occurrence and not man made. As for oil, this world works on oil, plain and simple. Dig away. We should be investing and researching legitimate means of alternate fuel but lets be realistic, oil is not going anywhere anytime soon. Wages for workers (not managers) has increased 3.9% since 1 year ago, the consumer confidence index is up (highest since June of 01). I am not cheering for Bush but I am not just bashing him because it the popular thing to do. I suggest you take your own advice and look at both sides. He has made mistakes and he has done things right. And hey no sex scandels anyway!!!!

In terms of George Bush and his outlook, I don’t for one minute agree with the propaganda that suggested the war in Iraq was crucial for US security, however I find it very ironic that the US gets attacked with the weapons they sold to Iraq less than 20 years ago. Not all that impressed that Britain joined in the war, but would like to think it’s very unlikely that any European country would follow the US into Iran.

If the US really was committed to helping the people of Iraq and other countries, can someone explain the absolute disgrace which was the allowance of the Rwandan Genocide? [Now I’m not saying that was only the US’s fault, but they had the ability and resources to stop it far far earlier – to avoid the death of 800 000 people.

As for the comment “this world works on oil plain and simple”, I hope you realise that this hasn’t always been the case. Yes, oil reserves around the world, especially in places like Canada will last for 300 years maybe, but not forever. Nuclear seems the way forward, but this isn’t helped by the US deciding they are responsible for saying which countries in the world can have access to nuclear power.

 

[jad123]

In terms of George Bush and his outlook, I don’t for one minute agree with the propaganda that suggested the war in Iraq was crucial for US security, however I find it very ironic that the US gets attacked with the weapons they sold to Iraq less than 20 years ago. Not all that impressed that Britain joined in the war, but would like to think it’s very unlikely that any European country would follow the US into Iran.

I hope that European countries stay out of our way in Iran as well.

If the US really was committed to helping the people of Iraq and other countries, can someone explain the absolute disgrace which was the allowance of the Rwandan Genocide? [Now I’m not saying that was only the US’s fault, but they had the ability and resources to stop it far far earlier – to avoid the death of 800 000 people.

Funny, when the US sits back we get criticized and when we are preemptive we get criticized. What a joke.

As for the comment “this world works on oil plain and simple”, I hope you realise that this hasn’t always been the case. Yes, oil reserves around the world, especially in places like Canada will last for 300 years maybe, but not forever. Nuclear seems the way forward, but this isn’t helped by the US deciding they are responsible for saying which countries in the world can have access to nuclear power.

As I stated, I firmly agree with developing and researching new energy sources. But today it is oil.

Iran concealed it nuclear program for 20 years from the IAEA. If they simply followed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty then they could have had a peaceful nuclear energy program without interference.

 

[TheDag]

What I find amusing is Bush's current stand on the situation in Burma but does nothing in terms of Tibet.

 

[Celticflower]

What I find amusing is Bush's current stand on the situation in Burma but does nothing in terms of Tibet.

Sometimes I wonder just how much Bush knows about what is going on in the world, esp in his own country.

 

[jad123]

What I find amusing is Bush's current stand on the situation in Burma but does nothing in terms of Tibet.

Ahh yes. When we react we get nailed, when we don't we get nailed. Maybe if the international community got off their rumps and actually did something the US would not have to pick and choose what to fight against.

 

[jad123]

Sometimes I wonder just how much Bush knows about what is going on in the world, esp in his own country.

Please tells us what is going in this country that Bush so clueless about.

 

[Celticflower]

He seems bllissfully unaware that his "no child left behind" program is creating a generation of children who test well but have no practical knowledge.

 

[Carey]

He seems bllissfully unaware that his "no child left behind" program is creating a generation of children who test well but have no practical knowledge.

Now my ex is a school administrator in one of the best
school systems according to grades and difficukty on children passing in the country TEXAS.

Please tell me how this no child left behind is doing anything other than making teachers work harder and complain nore than any time in history.

According to stats the toughest states on enforcement of this like Texas their kids are graduating and scoring higher on testing for college than the states who are not up to the no child left ebhind standards.

 

[Celticflower]

Now my ex is a school administrator in one of the best
school systems according to grades and difficukty on children passing in the country TEXAS.

Please tell me how this no child left behind is doing anything other than making teachers work harder and complain nore than any time in history.

According to stats the toughest states on enforcement of this like Texas their kids are graduating and scoring higher on testing for college than the states who are not up to the no child left ebhind standards.

Judging from your spelling you would not do well on tests.

Here in VA/TN area the teachers are teaching to the tests. That's it. They don't have time to go into any depth on a subject. The schools get good marks from the government, but the kids are learning facts, not how to use them. There are children who can parrot back mathmatical equations, but have no idea of when or how to use them. They just have to be able to fill in the blanks of the basic equations for the tests, not actually use them. One friend of my son outscores him on spelling tests quite regularly, but can't spell those same words two weeks later. Why? Because he is being brought up in a atmosphere that stresses the test and not the information. So he dismisses what he "learned" to "learn" the next batch of facts for the next test. And he is not the only one. It is not until high school that the kids get any substance to go with all the facts and actually learn to use some of them. But by then it may be too late to do some of them any good.

And this is a good thing??

 

[TheDag]

Ahh yes. When we react we get nailed, when we don't we get nailed. Maybe if the international community got off their rumps and actually did something the US would not have to pick and choose what to fight against.

I'm more looking at motives. If Bush had good motives for attacking Iraq then maybe he should have mentioned them rather than using what any impartial person could see was a lie. Other countries were willing to take action on Iraq but just not the same action the US wanted to take. That is why the US pulled the plug on the vote in the UN so it wouldn't be an illegal war. Of course under international treaties that the US has signed it says all POW's are to be returned to their country. However they decided not to call their attack on Afghanistan a war. Therefore they decided they don't need to follow the agreements they made. No wonder all the Americans I come across in this country have such a poor opinion of him. As I said earlier the US has supported Israel even though Israel were in the wrong. So it is clear that rather than taking action because it is the right thing to do but rather acting because it suits them.

 

[Jarvo]

Funny, when the US sits back we get criticized and when we are preemptive we get criticized. What a joke.

How about acting with punctuality. Take the Rwandan Genocide - one of the main reasons the US were so slow to act was the loss of a handful of soldiers in Somalia the year before. Now, like I said, it wasn't only the fault of the US, but of the UN and other Western countries. But given that Congress spent half it's time trying to decide whether or not it was technically a Genocide, they could have easily stopped the radio broadcasts in Rwanda which caused so much damage, with no risk to US troops at all.

I hope that European countries stay out of our way in Iran as well.

Well at least we agree on one thing.