Obama may not have been able to heal the world in his first two weeks but at least he is trying not to make any new enemies. Diplomacy in action! The European Union warned the US yesterday against plunging the……

The floodgates have been opened lately, and there are a bunch of things you need to know about, so this post will hit a wide variety of topics. Here we go!…

Well, Colombia could always extend their trade agreements with China, and Japan, and South Korea…better products, cheaper, too. Leave us out of the loop.

coldwarrior on January 23, 2009 at 10:39 AM

That’s a laugh, as China and Korea only seem to make junk or copy off of other manufacturers.

Think about that when you look at a Kia Town & Country or Hyundai Accord.

Just a thought for where Uribe might want to focus his speech if he decides to speak to our nation.

Excuse me, I just made myself ill.

Texas Gal on January 23, 2009 at 4:10 PM

Very good post. I too am concerned about the entitlements proposed by the democrats. Last time it took us 40 years to get the scoundrels out of power. If we can defeat some of them in 2010 and some more along with gaining the presidency in 2012 we might still save the nation from socialism. If the democrats consolidate this much power beyond the next 4 years it will be very difficult if not impossible to turn it around. We need to start now in our neighborhoods and local areas getting good candidates. If you have some already continue supporting them.

You have good instincts for politics. Don’t get discouraged. Seize the opportunity we have to show the people what scum they have elected. At first they won’t believe you but keep plugging at it. As we lose more individual freedoms to the democrats the people will come around to our way of thinking. The sooner the better.

The war on drugs has been an absolute and total failure and a brilliant example of the power of free market economics. We’ve tried to buck the market and have nothing at all to show for it.

Legalizing and regulating it would be far more effective than anything tried to date, and cheaper and more effective than the waste of time that is the war on drugs.

True that! And look what that got them all in 06 & 08!

You’ve obviously had more exposure to GWB since you’re in TX. My Brother moved to Austin in 83 and my sister in law worked in the TX State Library in Austin, and met GWB a few times. I just felt him to be an honest man, who wanted to do right. And in 2000, what other choice did we have in the Republican primary?

I am grateful that GWB was our president in that time of crisis. I just wish the party had stuck to conservative values, instead of going off on a “please, like me!” spending spree. Govern as Republicans fer Pete’s sake, that’s why you were elected!

juanito on January 23, 2009 at 3:53 PM

Well, hopefully ’08 will result in at least back getting us back into more balance in Congress in ’10 and maybe back in control by ’12. Sounds terrible but I’m hopeful the economic situation is long enough to stop universal health and what will be truly amnesty. Those entitlements will have the ability to insure Democratic majority. If the same stuff goes on as did with the internet fund raising and ACORN we’re cooked if entitlements increase.

Yes, I do have a somewhat better view of Bush from Texas. I met GWB and Barbara Bush (mom) at the Republican Convention that nominated Bush Sr. and Bush Sr. was the first person I voted for as my Congressman years ago. I’ve always been a Republican. I have had the pleasure of meeting with Laura on several occasions as the First Lady of Texas in my previous job. They truly are sincerely nice people and very centered about who they are and their responsibility to others. I wish more people had more personal knowledge about them.

Honestly, the Democrats were so pissed off about 2000 that they were loaded for bear when Bush arrived in DC and the only small respite was right after 9/11. Bush mistake in judgment wasn’t so much about the temperament of the Ds it was his confidence that the Rs would stand with him, too many of them failed….

So it really was his own party that was the real problem. And in that respect I agree with you that the Republicans didn’t stick together to get things done when they had the chance.

Texas Gal on January 23, 2009 at 3:34 PM

True that! And look what that got them all in 06 & 08!

You’ve obviously had more exposure to GWB since you’re in TX. My Brother moved to Austin in 83 and my sister in law worked in the TX State Library in Austin, and met GWB a few times. I just felt him to be an honest man, who wanted to do right. And in 2000, what other choice did we have in the Republican primary?

I am grateful that GWB was our president in that time of crisis. I just wish the party had stuck to conservative values, instead of going off on a “please, like me!” spending spree. Govern as Republicans fer Pete’s sake, that’s why you were elected!

juanito on January 23, 2009 at 3:08 PM

I tend to believe in destiny. I’ve said before on another thread that I and a lot of my fellow Tex Republicans were pretty surprised when Bush won in 2000. We thought it would be close but thought it would be the other way and were really more focused on ’04.

And you’re right that Bush was more focused on domestic issues, some of those very ones that he did achieve were a part of his 2000 and ’04 platform such as prescription drugs and No Child. He’s been taken to task for those accomplishments. He always ran on a compassionate conservative agenda and that is what attributed to his election. As a matter of fact the only issue he did not follow through on was ‘no nation building’. And yes, 9/11 changed that. We’ll never know what he could have accomplished domestically. But I don’t think social security reform would have been one unless he had moved on it in his 1st 100 days. The Ds do not and will not make any reform to SS that moves away from mandatory contribution to government coffers.

Honestly, the Democrats were so pissed off about 2000 that they were loaded for bear when Bush arrived in DC and the only small respite was right after 9/11. Bush mistake in judgment wasn’t so much about the temperament of the Ds it was his confidence that the Rs would stand with him, too many of them failed. Too many of them saw him as not having paid his dues, so to speak. He was a cowboy for Texas who just happened to be the Governor. I think some of them greeted Bush much like Pelosi et al greet Obama, as in training. So it really was his own party that was the real problem. And in that respect I agree with you that the Republicans didn’t stick together to get things done when they had the chance.

BTW, did you know the first thing State Department did when the recession was confirmed under the passing days of the Bush Administration? It cut off aid to Colobia. Excuse? Recession.

If they had no money, why don’t they cut off aid to the UN and other useless international bodies?

promachus on January 23, 2009 at 2:56 PM

Not sure of your source, but that doesn’t pass my smell test. USAID is responsible for American foreign aid. The State Department can make recommendations to the President about foreign aid, but the current budget is in force until Sept ’09 I believe. I doubt we’ve reduced anybody s aid because of the recession. We just print more money!

Bye bye Colombia, we hardly knew ya. Note to Colombia. Elect a left wing socialist , redistibuter of wealth, and Obama will give you whatever you want.

MDWNJ on January 23, 2009 at 10:33 AM

Ding!

tom on January 23, 2009 at 2:16 PM

Pre-Carter Iran was an ally of the US. Post-Carter Iran is an ally of the Left. That’s the difference.

Remember these are progressives we are dealing with. For years, they saw the use of American power to stop the advance of communism by any means necessary, usually by the overthrow of the “dissidents”. Now, they want to use the same power to stop the check of democratic capitalism. Payback is a bitch isnt it?

As to what conservative ideals were promoted? How about Roberts and Alito. I think those were pretty significant accomplishments and will have long lasting legacies.

Texas Gal on January 23, 2009 at 1:48 PM

Indeed – Those appointments were significant. And you are correct that many Rs did not fall in line with GWB. In fact Reagan had a hard time with Republicans as well. In many instances, he had more help from Dan Rostenkowski than from other Republicans in the House. That is simply bizzare. But what I keep coming back to is that you lead from the top down. I just keep suspecting that GWB was so committed to the GWOT, that he had nothing leftover to use on any other issues (i.e. Social Security). Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful for how he conducted the GWOT, but I suspect that he leads smaller groups (loyalty) more effectively than larger groups, because of his ability at the personal level. Reagan was great on ideals, not so much with GWB. How much of that was due to the necessity to focus on the GWOT we’ll never know. Remember he was going to be a Republican President that worked on domestic issues, because his foreign experiences were so light.

What would the GWB Presidency look like if 9/11 had never happened? I suspect that he could have accomplished a great deal, since he is so tenacious. Without the “distraction” of the GWOT, he might have had more focus on ideals.

- The Cat

tom on January 23, 2009 at 2:16 PM

They have to do that because in their view anybody using US power or wealth is furthering the hegemony. To end the hegemony, you have to first end the clients of the hegemony.

In some cases, our allies then become our enemies. Like Iran.

The pre-Carter Iran was an ally of the US. The post-Carter Iran is an ally of the Left.

Remember, these are not liberals we are dealing with here. They are progressives. Just as the US used its power to topple governments around the world to stop Communism, they want to use the same American power to stop the advance of democratic capitalism. Payback is a bitch, isnt it?

If they had no money, why don’t they cut off aid to the UN and other useless international bodies?