Posted by garnet71 on March 4, 2009, at 0:41:26
In reply to Re: Bush, a friend of Africa » garnet71, posted by 10derHeart on March 3, 2009, at 18:00:14
I can so relate to the message forum hostility of some political boards. I am 100% non partisan--which leads to getting beat up by both sides! I mean bullied and bashed. It is not at all an enlightening experience for me, so I avoid those places now. So there are like 50 plus political parties and I could never resign myself to one of them. http://www.politics1.com/parties.htm
I just base each issue upon their merit-from what I know from education and experience, and of course my own virtues. I don't understand how any one person could agree with the ideology of such a large group, but that's a personal choice of virtue I suppose. However, I do see that parties exist for a reason...just don't want to be part of that.
For example, look at free trade. I don't care if its a republican ideology--because I am for it, does not make me conservative or republican. I am no economic expert, but have had a few classes in that realm, read probably a dozen books, and learned that very few economists--and that includes those on the left-are against free trade. It is proven to benefit all parties. The problem is not free trade--but its how politics divy up the fruits. If you want to restrict it to save jobs for one group--say the auto industry--it hurts another group or even the country at large. What is not reported in the media too much is that a large part of our trade imbalance is due to the importation of manufacturing inputs for American businesses that produce and create jobs (though the gap is somewhat converging due to upward trends of service industry trade). When you restrict imports, it might save one group--but hurts the rest. Everyone else has to pay, in some way, to support the group who benefits. It just seems silly. Not only that, but it destroys competition--look at the state of our auto industries today. Yeah, even Japan's hurting in that industry right now, but their product is way above our par; superior to American cars. All the past auto protections did nothing but cost consumers and hurt the industry on the macro level. Republicans did offer protections to the steel industry--that led to dumping by other countries--it distorted the entire market, and again, hurt businesses outside the steel industry--more businesses depend on steel then just the steel industry. I think unions sabatoge themselves, I really do. So that's one issue.
I don't think Bush is the bad, evil person he is sometimes made out to be. I didn't like some of his policies, but Congress and the former Adminstrations are also responsible for the state of our country now. If you read some of the political blogs, each side blames the other in totality. I can't comprehend the action of blaming JUST the democrats or JUST the republicans. I do think Cheney was behind a lot of the policies though, not Bush. Maybe Bush wasn't such a good leader, but not a bad person overall. I really do admire Laura Bush though. Now Obama is getting hell for wanting to spend all that money in his budget to Congress--but I'd imagine he has top economists behind him. Government spending--WWII--got us out of the Great Depression, many economists believe. The difference bet. this war and that one was that it fueled increased production/ manufacturing. There really isn't too much else that can be done right now, imo. I think Obama is going to be a great president. I was pleased to see he hired both republicans and democrats for his Cabinet. I think perhaps some democrats may be a bit disappointed though when they find out he is more of a Realist when it comes to foreign policy, and is basically following the same national security strategies that were developed under Bush's Admin. For example, it wasn't Obama that called for a civilian Army--it's been in place for quite some time.
I think I hate politics-i guess that's what its all about--serving one group while sacrificing another group.
Yeah, like you, if I get in the mood (and seems tonight I'm in the mood), I can always post here w/o being torn apart. Glad to hear your ramble; I am paying you back with mine! lol. :)) Oh, and Bill Clinton was my favorite president of my lifetime, so I agree with you on that.
Ah the beauty of individual thought!!!
poster:garnet71
thread:883454
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/poli/20090221/msgs/883646.html