From Our Troops in Iraq

[SkipperSue]

I'm sure just about everyone has heard all the ruckus about what Sen. Lurch,
ahh, I meen Kerry has said about our troops in Iraq. So have our troops over there.

[madjack]

[PaulC]

I'll double that MJ

Cheers
Paul

[sdtripper2]

I must be a Republican:

Today I got swamped by those email signs from Iraq and our troops.

The curfuffle that John Kerry set in motion sure played into the hands
of Carl Rove. Gets the media on to the Dem's and off the talking points
that might make sense for American lives in the future.

We Americans sure get a pig in a poke choice every election day now.
With the gerrymandering that has been firmly set uP now through out almost
every congressional district. There are so few seats that actually can be
changed that the outcomes are almost set in stone.

We will see if the "Look over there and not behind the curtain" tactics will
prove once again to work for the power brokers of US politics.

[Joseph]

No, we can't have distractions from important issues like Mark Foley - that story stayed in the headlines for weeks after Foley was history, while I'll bet this story will be buried today. No media bias, oh no.

But since the war is a significant issue in this election, I’d say this is hardly a distraction. Kerry’s statement portrays exactly what the Democratic leadership thinks of our military and our country: people who join the military are uneducated losers who can’t find a job because America doesn’t provide any opportunity. And that’s the NICEST thing they think about them. Kerry, Kennedy and Murtha have portrayed them as no better than the terrorists they fight. This is “supporting the troops?”

The curfuffle that John Kerry set in motion sure played into the hands of Carl Rove. Gets the media on to the Dem's and off the talking points that might make sense for American lives in the future.

OK, here are some talking points that make sense for American lives in the future:
The stock market is at a new all-time high and America's 401K's are back.
Unemployment is at a 25 year low.
Oil prices are plummeting.
Taxes are at a 20 year low while Federal tax revenues are at an all-time high.
The Federal deficit is down almost 50%, just as predicted.
Home valuations are up 200% over the past 3.5 years.
Inflation is hovering at a 20 year low.

Yeah, we need a “new direction” away from all that.

Joseph

[Outlaw]

I came out of the post office the other day and overheard two old~timers saying how this country is in the worst shape it's ever been in. Were these guys smokin' gericrack???? Furthermore, I'd like to ask some of the so~called poverty stricken Americans that live in my community about their horrible lives. You may have a few of these in your community . . .

> Live in brand new townhomes that are "low income" (1 1/2 baths, private parking, on-site storage units for their toys, etc)
> Drive new vehicles that are bought with a down payment "voucher" from the welfare office
> Can affored to smoke cigarettes
> Have wireless phones, cable, internet service
> All expense paid government medical benefits
> Shop at Walmart in the middle of the night so their friends don't see them loading their food stamped purchased groceries in their new car
And, many of these residents have jobs that pay cash so the that's just the icing on the cream filled Red, White, and Blue cake of theirs.

Want to send somebody to Iraq?

[Joseph]

Well, if you are willing to take one person's comments and extrapolate it to the whole party...

I'm not - I've heard not only Kerry but Pelosi, Kennedy, Murtha, Reid and a host of smaller players, to say nothing of the host of talking heads that do their bidding. They all sing the same tune.

Joseph

[Ira]

I seriously don't get the ruckus over this, but maybe it's because I'm such a hard-core democrat.

When Kerry made that statement, I immediately thought he was referring to Bush--not the soldiers. That's how I took it.

I understand that politics have been getting extremely ugly and nasty on both sides, but as a Democrat, I'm AMAZED how the Republicans can claim that Kerry, who served, is a coward or anti-military. When not one high-level person in Bush's inner-circle, himself included, ever served.

The logic is laughable.

The same logic that has made so many Republicans elevate Rush Limbaugh as an authority on ANYTHING--including Michael J. Fox and Parkinsons.

By the way--Ann Coulter may be indicted for voter fraud, and Mark Foley handled his scandal so admirably by blaming everyone else and publicly outing some old priest.

You're gonna equate what Kerry said to this?

[MOKI SEAKER]

Ira, you are mistaken about President Bush. He did serve He patroled the Mexican Border in an F-16. I believe it was during that southeast asia thing. Jim G

[Joseph]

I’m going to ignore the comments about Limbaugh and Coulter. They’re right wing pundits who represent no one but themselves. Nobody elected them and they are accountable only to their advertisers and audiences.

I seriously don't get the ruckus over this, but maybe it's because I'm such a hard-core democrat.

How’s that Kool-Aid taste?

When Kerry made that statement, I immediately thought he was referring to Bush--not the soldiers. That's how I took it.

That’s because Kerry told you to. The Democrats who are running for office recognized immediately that it was a slam on the troops and scrambled to put as much distance between themselves and Kerry as possible. It has LONG been a Democrat talking point that the all-volunteer military suffers from the “poverty draft” - poor uneducated people are drawn into it because it’s their only hope for a future. He was stating that talking point and it backfired on him. It couldn’t possibly be about Bush, because he said if you got a good education, you could do well. Bush is educated – in fact, his education is identical to Kerry’s – same institution, same course of study, same GPA. (Some argue that Bush’s is slightly higher, but one point is hardly significant.) And of course, he’s done well, having been elected President of the United States. Then he said, “If you don’t, you go to Iraq.” I can’t imagine how ANYONE could believe this was about Bush. I do agree it was a joke – he stated the “poverty draft” talking point with a build-up and a punch line. But our troops were the butt of it, not the President.

I understand that politics has been getting extremely ugly and nasty on both sides, but as a Democrat, I'm AMAZED how the Republicans can claim that Kerry, who served, is a coward or anti-military.

No one has called him a coward. However, he is most definitely anti-military. He said “If anyone thinks a veteran would criticize the more than 140,000 heroes serving in Iraq and not the president who got us stuck there, they're crazy.” Oh really? What about your remarks about our troops “going into homes of Iraqis in the dead of night, terrorizing kids and children, you know, women,” on Face the Nation? What a crock - his career is FOUNDED on criticizing and deprecating the military, starting with his Senate testimony in 1971.

When not one high-level person in Bush's inner-circle, himself included, ever served. The logic is laughable.

If military service is a requirement to comment on the military, then tell Pelosi, Kennedy, Reid, the Clintons and the rest to SHUT UP!

I recall one of America’s greatest generals – one who served far more valiantly than Kerry ever did, who was SERIOUSLY wounded, not just scratched, on the battlefield. A man who contributed far more to the United States of America in the few short years of his service than Kerry has throughout his entire life. And yet, for some reason, we don’t remember Benedict Arnold as a hero.

Mark Foley handled his scandal so admirably by blaming ever=yone else and naming some old priest. You're gonna equate what Kerry said to this?

No. I’m equating the Dems whining about the “distraction” of the Kerry story to their delight in the Foley story, keeping it alive for weeks after he was gone. It’s never about issues.

Joseph

[Ira]

Joseph, it's very easy to see how so many believe it was intended just for Bush--he had that hostile look in his eyes when making that comment.

So I took it the way he meant to deliver it, and no one has the right to say I'm wrong for taking it the way he intended it, or that he intended it otherwise!

The world is full of people on all sides who misinterpret meanings of the people they don't agree with--or they understand the original intention all too well, but twist and exploit it anyway for their own purpose. This is a CLASSIC case of that.

But I do believe pedophilia in Congress is a slightly more egracious offense than free speech.

[Joseph]

But I do believe pedophilia in Congress is a slightly more egracious offense than free speech.

Agreed. Which is why the Republican leadership made sure he resigned, even though apparently the only thing going on was highly inappropriate e-mails. Likewise, in the 1983 sex scandal, Republican Dan Crane was deposed for having sex with an uniderage female page. But the Democrat, Gerry Studds, who admitted to having had sex with a 17 year old male intern in 1973, kept his seat until he retired in 1997.

Joseph

[Miriam C.]

But I do believe pedophilia in Congress is a slightly more egracious offense than free speech

Then why did the Democratic side of Congress applaud when one of thier own refused to resign when he got caught having sex with an intern.
Answer= There are no underage (to have legal sex) interns in the program. It is still exploitaton.

Foley ran as a conservative Christian with all it's implied values and behavior expectations. He lied to his electorate.

Study hard or end up in Irag, means just that. The college "out". Classism at it's finest. Kerry was not saying George Bush is out to get you. And if he did, what does that imply about all those other Presidents who presided as Commander and Chief.

Had he won the election---would he still have said study hard so you don't end up in the military---or would he have said, equal service, inspite of class or race, or educational status.

[Joseph]

Then why did the Democratic side of Congress applaud when one of thier own refused to resign when he got caught having sex with an intern.

Speaking objectively as a Libertarian, I'd have to say that the Republicans at least try to hold their own to a higher standard.

Joseph

[Elumia]

Joseph,
On this matter, I'd have to disagree with you. I think Politicians from both side of the aisle tend to protect there own and run for cover if they think they will get caught up in the fracas. I got your back unless it affects my front!

Mark