Bush's "conversation" w/troops staged

[JoeEpcotRocks]

Dear Sweet Joe - how old are you? I ask this because you mentioned health insurance and I've had the pleasure of dealing with health insurance first hand recently. You see my Father is approaching that age when his body is starting to fail him. I'll remind you that my father is also a veteran of the Vietnam war. He has had 3 eye surgeries due to blood vessels behind his eyes bleeding out due to untreated diabetes. He is currently worried about losing his big toe on his right foot. His high blood pressure almost caused a heart attack and he has emphesema. Yes he should have taken better care of himself in the age where smoking was common and growing up on the good ole boy midwest diet of meat and potatoes. But he is taking the steps now to help himself. On his less then $30,000/per year job his prescriptions that run him $80-$175 per month are a big chunk of his budget. Not to mention the pile of medical bills from specialist and the surgeries that he has to pay because it isn't covered under his health insurance and he can't afford more.

So you see - I don't give a damn about health insurance over in Iraq when I have a father who can barely afford his insulin. And with the way our economy is going - the stock market not stabalizing, short term lending rates increasing, and the price of gas it is only a matter of time before he can't pay his bills and he will have to move in with us in order to save the rent money for his other bills. Can you imagine how humiliating it will be for a 55+ year old man having to move in with his daughter because he can't afford his bills?

You'll have to excuse me if the life and liberty of Iraq is not the top priority in my list. I would rather see the issues of our country addressed first. I guess I'm selfish that way.

~Amanda

I'm 46 and sorry to hear about your dad.

I still stand by my statements regarding the overall picture of this country.

While I said health insurance has improved -- I agree it could be better still (that could be a whole thread on the DIS unto itself).

I don't understand your statement re the stock market. My investments have been stable or slightly up over the last 2 years (the NYSE has been in the same price range for the last year or so.) I'm in the business world (25 years), and the economy is doing well overall. Short-term lending rates are up only slightly and still quite low as compared to the past. Katrina certainly has had a big impact on gas prices, which is very unfortunate, but hopefully short-term.

I can understand why Iraq would not be a priority for you, but those 25 million people count too (and it's essential to our war against terrorism).

 

[What the Heck]

I'm the one who mentioned the lack of body armor and corrected that to lack of proper body armor.

I know the body armor is coming, but for crying out loud, the Pentagon spends half a trillion dollars a year and our troops aren't equpped out the wahzoo? God bless our troops who scrounged around and made what they needed. God bless the ingenuity. But, for Pete's sake, why do they even have to. The war has been going on for 2.5 years and we still don't have the proper equipment. There's something seriously wrong.

The troops are doing the best they can in a genuine cesspool of religious intolerance, tribalism, brutality, etc. I lived in the Middle East and my perspective is completely different than many here. There are conflicts going on there that we cannot comprehend because they're based on an incident that happened 1000 years ago and yet poets in the cafes tell those stories as if they happend yesterday.

This war needs leadership and not canned teleconferences. This war needs new thinking and not just someone thinking how to spin the next disaster. Somebody has to hold this administration's feet to the fire for the lack of planning and the mistakes that were committed. That's why those on my side of the aisle will never give up that fight.

I agree with everything you said, except for the last couple of sentances. Those from the right don't believe that the Democratic side of the aisle has taken up that cause. If they did, they would pick up a lot of seats in the next election - but it is a very tough case to prove when you have Howard Dean as the Chairman of the DNC. As long as your loudest speakers are him and anyone with the last name of Clinton, it is very hard for anyone at any spectrum of the right to believe that they aren't holding "this administration's feet to the fire" for any reason that just because it is this administration.

Everything else you said, well said. I would only say that we should look further than 2.5 years back for the body armor part, but your analysis of the middle east I believe is bang on (to quote a British friend of mine).

 

[septbride2002]

I'm 46 and sorry to hear about your dad.

I still stand by my statements regarding the overall picture of this country.

While I said health insurance has improved -- I agree it could be better still (that could be a whole thread on the DIS unto itself).

I don't understand your statement re the stock market. My investments have been stable or slightly up over the last 2 years (the NYSE has been in the same price range for the last year or so.) I'm in the business world (25 years), and the economy is doing well overall. Short-term lending rates are up only slightly and still quite low as compared to the past. Katrina certainly has had a big impact on gas prices, which is very unfortunate, but hopefully short-term.

I can understand why Iraq would not be a priority for you, but those 25 million people count too (and it's essential to our war against terrorism).

The stock market still suffers from high and low fluctuations. So while it does not effect every stock the Nasdaq does still have 100 point drops in a day. These types of fluctuations make novice investors a tad bit nervous and keeping their money out of play. Or at least this is what the 197 Financial Consultants in L.A. that I work with tell me.

Yes the short term rates are still at a historical low when you consider in 2000 the Prime rate got as high as 9.25% I believe. But if you read the Wall Street Journal the last 11 months they have raised prime from 4% of mid last year to 6.75% today. This type of increase has people slowing down on their borrowing money and keeping it close to the vest. Trust me - I work with short term lending and I am making a whole lot less this year on commission then I did last year. WSJ did an article this week that banks are having to over enticing rates to clients to even get them to apply - this cost the bank money in the long term. And people are still not borrowing.

Credit card debt and over extension is now the American way of life. And while people have less money to play with (since gas prices have increased so much) and the new law about the minimum payment with credit cards (they are going to double in the next few months) I think you are going to get a whole new wave of what is considered the working poor.

And that is why I don't think our economy is all that great.

~Amanda

 

[JoeEpcotRocks]

The war -- liberated 25,000,000 + Iraqi's and making steady progress with a new democratic nation while fighting terrorists dogs - at the cost of 10's (100's?) of thousands of innocent Iraqi lives. Number is ever growing.

Economy -- steady and growing - you have a nation of middle income folks with high credit card debt -- oh yeah and a deficit of ... is it trillions yet?

Health insurance -- improved --

Environment -- this country does a great job. No comment.

Homeland security -- no terrorist attacks since 9-11. Yeah but we created a terrorist nation (Iraq)

Yes, God Bless our President and our troops and allies. :sunny OK, I'll buy that.

Blame the terrorists for the number of deaths. And no, we did not "create" a terrorist state. We've helped to create a democratic state.

 

[MizBlu]

Dear Sweet Joe - how old are you? I ask this because you mentioned health insurance and I've had the pleasure of dealing with health insurance first hand recently. You see my Father is approaching that age when his body is starting to fail him. I'll remind you that my father is also a veteran of the Vietnam war. He has had 3 eye surgeries due to blood vessels behind his eyes bleeding out due to untreated diabetes. He is currently worried about losing his big toe on his right foot. His high blood pressure almost caused a heart attack and he has emphesema. Yes he should have taken better care of himself in the age where smoking was common and growing up on the good ole boy midwest diet of meat and potatoes. But he is taking the steps now to help himself. On his less then $30,000/per year job his prescriptions that run him $80-$175 per month are a big chunk of his budget. Not to mention the pile of medical bills from specialist and the surgeries that he has to pay because it isn't covered under his health insurance and he can't afford more.

So you see - I don't give a damn about health insurance over in Iraq when I have a father who can barely afford his insulin. And with the way our economy is going - the stock market not stabalizing, short term lending rates increasing, and the price of gas it is only a matter of time before he can't pay his bills and he will have to move in with us in order to save the rent money for his other bills. Can you imagine how humiliating it will be for a 55+ year old man having to move in with his daughter because he can't afford his bills?

You'll have to excuse me if the life and liberty of Iraq is not the top priority in my list. I would rather see the issues of our country addressed first. I guess I'm selfish that way.

~Amanda

Did you catch Bush's interview with Matt Lauer. Now, I'm not fan of Matt Lauer, but even I've got to admit he asked the $64,000 question:

"Q: She said that we aren't asking the people of Iraq to pay back the money we're spending there -- why are we asking the people of the Gulf Coast, requiring them to pay back this money. How would you respond to that?"

And Bush's answer: "Well, the people of Iraq are paying a heavy price for terrorism. A lot of people are dying, Matt. These people are working hard to establish democracy and they're paying a serious price."

Bush had a look on his face as if Lauer had just taken a whizz in his coffee. No wonder he likes his interviews canned.

Here's the interview in all its glory:

http://www.usembassy.ro/Washington_File/200/eur201.htm

 

[JoeEpcotRocks]

The stock market still suffers from high and low fluctuations. So while it does not effect every stock the Nasdaq does still have 100 point drops in a day. These types of fluctuations make novice investors a tad bit nervous and keeping their money out of play. Or at least this is what the 197 Financial Consultants in L.A. that I work with tell me.

Yes the short term rates are still at a historical low when you consider in 2000 the Prime rate got as high as 9.25% I believe. But if you read the Wall Street Journal the last 11 months they have raised prime from 4% of mid last year to 6.75% today. This type of increase has people slowing down on their borrowing money and keeping it close to the vest. Trust me - I work with short term lending and I am making a whole lot less this year on commission then I did last year. WSJ did an article this week that banks are having to over enticing rates to clients to even get them to apply - this cost the bank money in the long term. And people are still not borrowing.

Credit card debt and over extension is now the American way of life. And while people have less money to play with (since gas prices have increased so much) and the new law about the minimum payment with credit cards (they are going to double in the next few months) I think you are going to get a whole new wave of what is considered the working poor.

And that is why I don't think our economy is all that great.

~Amanda

The Fed has been raising the Prime Rate due the improving and growing economy (which is certainly part of the reason for the increase in short-term rates.)

As for credit card debt (and over extension), yes it has become for many the American way of life, but it that started a long time ago. In most cases, I question whether is out of necessity or people who just want, want, want. (When some of these chickens will come home to roost and its significance on the US economy is hard to say.) As far as minimum payments doubling -- I think that's a good thing -- the minumin is too low and encourages people to overextend.

Yes, there are people out there who are hurting (as sadly there always is), but I don't share your pessimism about the economy overall.

 

[MizBlu]

I agree with everything you said, except for the last couple of sentances. Those from the right don't believe that the Democratic side of the aisle has taken up that cause. If they did, they would pick up a lot of seats in the next election - but it is a very tough case to prove when you have Howard Dean as the Chairman of the DNC. As long as your loudest speakers are him and anyone with the last name of Clinton, it is very hard for anyone at any spectrum of the right to believe that they aren't holding "this administration's feet to the fire" for any reason that just because it is this administration.

Everything else you said, well said. I would only say that we should look further than 2.5 years back for the body armor part, but your analysis of the middle east I believe is bang on (to quote a British friend of mine).

Either events are going to drive someone's vote or they aren't. The result of voting for the Republicans because you don't like Howard Dean is more of the same. If you're happy with that, God Bless you, because that's what you're going to get.

If you think this country is headed down the wrong path, and 71% of Americans polled believe that, you don't vote for the Republicans because you don't happen to like Hillary Clinton or Howard Dean or any other Democrat. That will get you more of the same. That is the reality.

And you're right, the body armor problem goes further than 2.5 years and it is a disgrace. It's been said the 3rd rail of American politics is Social Security. No, the 3rd rail of American politics is the defense budget. We're spending half a trillion of our tax dollars every year and what do we have to show for it? As of 6 PM today, 70% of Baghdad had no electricity and much of Baghdad had nt water. The insurgency can strike at will. And for this, we pay $500,000,000,000 per year.

Keep voting for the Republicans and you get more of the same.

 

[Frank Cross]

Blame the terrorists for the number of deaths. And no, we did not "create" a terrorist state. We've helped to create a democratic state.

Actually Joe we did create a terrorist state. Provide us with one scrap of evidence that AQ was operating out of Iraq prior to the invasion.

Please explain what your criteria is for a victory in the war on terrorism.

Four plus years and Bush hasn't brought OBL to justice. OBL the man responsible for the terrorist attacks on 9/11. Scott Free! NO JUSTICE UNDER BUSH!

"Wanted dead or alive"-GWB. Lot's of tough talk. He never has delivered has he? In my book that is the definition of a loser.

Nothing, nada, zip. Four years and the most powerful nation on earth can't run a 6'5" gimp with kidney failure into the ground. Bush doesn't even talk about OBL!
Bush is a failure.

 

[Puffy2]

Originally Posted by JoeEpcotRocks
Blame the terrorists for the number of deaths. And no, we did not "create" a terrorist state. We've helped to create a democratic state.

Have to agree with Frank on that one, Joe. Not only has the US created a terrorist state in Iraq - a breeding ground and homeland for all terrorists from around the world - the US also managed to take a country which, although run by a dictator like many other nations in this world, was orderly and relatively peaceful , a place where men and women attended university and ran businesses and had homes and families and plunged that country into a Civil War between the moderates and the religious fundamenalists.

Also when it comes to the "terrorists" that are importing into Iraq to fight this thing with the fundamentalists, why is it that only Syria and Iran get the threats from the US when the vast majority of them come from SAUDI ARABIA??? Why won't the diehard Bush fans call Bush on THAT?

 

[Puffy2]

As for credit card debt (and over extension), yes it has become for many the American way of life, but it that started a long time ago. In most cases, I question whether is out of necessity or people who just want, want, want. (When some of these chickens will come home to roost and its significance on the US economy is hard to say.) As far as minimum payments doubling -- I think that's a good thing -- the minumin is too low and encourages people to overextend.

Gas prices more than doubled in the past year and a half. Have gone from $1.17 a gallon to , in my area yesterday, $2.97 a gallon. They say our natual gas and heating will increase by 40 - 70% this winter. Grocery bills are up (our grocery bill last month was an increase of about $200 - I'm guessing that's due to the increased gas prices). Our "bug man" rasied his rates about 10% (again due to gas).

How many of you or your family out there got a 10% raise this year? 100% raise? 40 - 70 % raise? How many of you or your family out there were laid off? Fired?

It doesn't take a rocket scientist (or ecomnomic genius) to figure this stuff out.

More republicans, more of the same... you want a change, vote democrat or independent.

 

[Wonderlandmom]

I think the beef with the body armor is that it's taken too long to get it into the hands of the soilders. 4 years is a bit much.

The troops HAVE and have had for quite a while body armor. They are sending them upgraded armor. DH went over last summer and he left with and came back with the good armor. All the troops on his plane returned the armor stateside. And since early this year or sooner, he had to be in an uparmored vehicle to leave camp. It was the rule.

I get aggravated when people speak of old news and don't realize it is not news anymore. Or they think everyone was running around without armor from the getgo. So many things I read are simply not true and I cringe.

BTW, I wish DH could have spoken to Bush. He has lots of good things to report from his tour. He was proud to be a part of it.

 

[septbride2002]

The Fed has been raising the Prime Rate due the improving and growing economy (which is certainly part of the reason for the increase in short-term rates.)

As for credit card debt (and over extension), yes it has become for many the American way of life, but it that started a long time ago. In most cases, I question whether is out of necessity or people who just want, want, want. (When some of these chickens will come home to roost and its significance on the US economy is hard to say.) As far as minimum payments doubling -- I think that's a good thing -- the minumin is too low and encourages people to overextend.

Yes, there are people out there who are hurting (as sadly there always is), but I don't share your pessimism about the economy overall.

Well if you are in the same financial bracket as I am - you really have nothing to worry about. You have money left over every paycheck to put into savings, or invest if you want. Rise and fall of gas prices don't really amount to much for you.

I am one of the few white collar workers in my family and come from blue collar roots. I watch my brother, father, and other family members struggle in today's economy. My brother is very close to becoming one of the working poor with $0 credit card debt, $0 car payment, and $0 mortgage. Yet while he is educated in car mechanics - can barely find a job making over $22,000/year and his student loans need to be repaid.

There are people out there who have been struggling to get by. Which is why you'll again have to excuse me if I am more concerned about our economic situation here then I am anywhere else in the world.

~Amanda

 

[rcyannacci]

The Fed has been raising the Prime Rate due the improving and growing economy (which is certainly part of the reason for the increase in short-term rates.)

As for credit card debt (and over extension), yes it has become for many the American way of life, but it that started a long time ago. In most cases, I question whether is out of necessity or people who just want, want, want. (When some of these chickens will come home to roost and its significance on the US economy is hard to say.) As far as minimum payments doubling -- I think that's a good thing -- the minumin is too low and encourages people to overextend.

Yes, there are people out there who are hurting (as sadly there always is), but I don't share your pessimism about the economy overall.

Well, you should just pack up your bags and move into the Magic Kingdom, because you are already living in a fantasy world.

Those of us living in the real world and paying attention to the events around us know that the economy is in bad shape.

No amount of over-bloated rhetoric is going to convince a mother whose grocery bill has gone up $40 a week that the economy is sound, who'se paying 30% more on gas than was in the monthly budget, who'se now having to decide what to cut to pay for medicine for her child.

Things are bad out there, and if you don't see it, it's because you aren't looking. People are struggling and you are giving empty platitudes. That's heartless.

 

[MizBlu]

Well, you should just pack up your bags and move into the Magic Kingdom, because you are already living in a fantasy world.

Those of us living in the real world and paying attention to the events around us know that the economy is in bad shape.

No amount of over-bloated rhetoric is going to convince a mother whose grocery bill has gone up $40 a week that the economy is sound, who'se paying 30% more on gas than was in the monthly budget, who'se now having to decide what to cut to pay for medicine for her child.

Things are bad out there, and if you don't see it, it's because you aren't looking. People are struggling and you are giving empty platitudes. That's heartless.

You ain't seen nothing yet! Wait until the home heating bills start coming in.

Oh, but, hark what's that I hear: So Bush is responsible for the cost?

 

[MizBlu]

The troops HAVE and have had for quite a while body armor. They are sending them upgraded armor. DH went over last summer and he left with and came back with the good armor. All the troops on his plane returned the armor stateside. And since early this year or sooner, he had to be in an uparmored vehicle to leave camp. It was the rule.

I get aggravated when people speak of old news and don't realize it is not news anymore. Or they think everyone was running around without armor from the getgo. So many things I read are simply not true and I cringe.

BTW, I wish DH could have spoken to Bush. He has lots of good things to report from his tour. He was proud to be a part of it.

The questions that should be asked is why the hell a country, with a military cost greater than most of the economies of the world, be sending upgraded armor? Why the hell isn't it already manufactured, stockpiled, and issued?

And why the hell are people so willing to settle and be grateful for it? If half a trillion dollars can't buy you damn-near perfection, what hell can?

 

[TDC Nala]

Good grief, all these presidential things are staged.

 

[yeartolate]

Good grief, all these presidential things are staged.

This president has a history of screening out dissenters in what should be open town hall meetings. Are you saying this is typical? (at least to the degree that it has been done in this administration)

I think many people wonder if his people screened the soldiers in question to make sure they had all the "correct" answers. I am in no way insinuating the soldiers are lying, I am saying that if you hand pick soldiers that are on the same page as you are, it is different from taking a random sample and getting a better idea of what the "pulse" of the military is.

 

[Missy1961]

Gas prices more than doubled in the past year and a half. Have gone from $1.17 a gallon to , in my area yesterday, $2.97 a gallon. They say our natual gas and heating will increase by 40 - 70% this winter. Grocery bills are up (our grocery bill last month was an increase of about $200 - I'm guessing that's due to the increased gas prices). Our "bug man" rasied his rates about 10% (again due to gas).

How many of you or your family out there got a 10% raise this year? 100% raise? 40 - 70 % raise? How many of you or your family out there were laid off? Fired?

It doesn't take a rocket scientist (or ecomnomic genius) to figure this stuff out.

More republicans, more of the same... you want a change, vote democrat or independent.

Excellent points. I got a small raise (about 2%) in 2001, haven't had a raise since then. Meanwhile, my company has downsized twice (and this is a company that had never downsized before). On top of all the increases you mentioned, I've gone thru a few increases in commuting fares (LIRR).

I just hope that everyone remembers all this stuff next year during the mid-term elections.

 

[sodaseller]

Excellent points. I got a small raise (about 2%) in 2001, haven't had a raise since then. Meanwhile, my company has downsized twice (and this is a company that had never downsized before). On top of all the increases you mentioned, I've gone thru a few increases in commuting fares (LIRR).

I just hope that everyone remembers all this stuff next year during the mid-term elections.

But it's the GEICO system - Bush's base says " there is good news - I just saved a bunch of money on my taxes!

 

[DawnCt1]

Gas prices more than doubled in the past year and a half. Have gone from $1.17 a gallon to , in my area yesterday, $2.97 a gallon. They say our natual gas and heating will increase by 40 - 70% this winter. Grocery bills are up (our grocery bill last month was an increase of about $200 - I'm guessing that's due to the increased gas prices). Our "bug man" rasied his rates about 10% (again due to gas).

How many of you or your family out there got a 10% raise this year? 100% raise? 40 - 70 % raise? How many of you or your family out there were laid off? Fired?

It doesn't take a rocket scientist (or ecomnomic genius) to figure this stuff out.

More republicans, more of the same... you want a change, vote democrat or independent.

Please, Puffy, do tell, how will democrats who have been stonewalling the building to additional refinaries in this country, who want to obstruct the drilling of additional oil in Alaska, who will not permit anymore off shore drilling in Calf, Fla, etc, who want to tax businesses, individuals and confiscate more of your money, going to improve your standard of living and lower energy prices. Energy prices is a function of supply and demand. Its a world market and China and India are consuming more and more oil every day. We had a supply interuption issue. We have limited refinary capacity because the Democrats have not permitted an additional refinary to be built in this country in 30 years, yet demand has gone up. We need oil for plastics, getting goods to market, air travel, etc. Conservation alone will not solve the problem. When you vote democratic, you are voting for more restrictions on the economy, more restrictions on the individual and someone in Washington deciding that they can spend your money better than you. BTW, I see gas prices going down. I filled up for $2.56 yesterday.