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Getbig Main Boards => Politics and Political Issues Board => Topic started by: MM2K on April 06, 2009, 11:32:09 AM
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A ROOKIE PRESIDENT by Thomas Sowell
http://townhall.com/columnists/ThomasSowell/2009/03/31/a_rookie_president
Someone once said that, for every rookie you have on your starting team in the National Football League, you will lose a game. Somewhere, at some time during the season, a rookie will make a mistake that will cost you a game.
We now have a rookie President of the United States and, in the dangerous world we live in, with terrorist nations going nuclear, just one rookie mistake can bring disaster down on this generation and generations yet to come.
Barack Obama is a rookie in a sense that few other Presidents in American history have ever been. It is not just that he has never been President before. He has never had any position of major executive responsibility in any kind of organization where he was personally responsible for the outcome.
Other first-term Presidents have been governors, generals, cabinet members or others in positions of personal responsibility. A few have been senators, like Barack Obama, but usually for longer than Obama, and had not spent half their few years in the senate running for President.
What is even worse than making mistakes is having sycophants telling you that you are doing fine when you are not. In addition to all the usual hangers-on and supplicants for government favors that every President has, Barack Obama has a media that will see no evil, hear no evil and certainly speak no evil.
They will cheer him on, no matter what he does, short of first-degree murder-- and they would make excuses for that. Even former Reagan speech writer Peggy Noonan has gushed over President Obama and even crusty Bill O'Reilly has been impressed by Obama's demeanor.
There is no sign that President Obama has impressed the Russians, the Iranians or the North Koreans, except by his rookie mistakes-- and that is a dangerous way to impress dangerous people.
What did his televised overture to the Iranians accomplish, except to reassure them that he was not going to do a damn thing to stop them from getting a nuclear bomb? It is a mistake that can go ringing down the corridors of history.
Future generations who live in the shadow of that nuclear threat may wonder what we were thinking about, putting our lives-- and theirs-- in the hands of a rookie because we liked his style and symbolism?
In the name of "change," Barack Obama is following policies so old that this generation has never heard of them-- certainly not in most of our educational institutions, where history has been replaced by "social studies" or other politically correct courses.
Seeking deals with our adversaries, behind the backs of our allies? France did that at Munich back in 1938. They threw Czechoslovakia to the wolves and, less than two years later, Hitler gobbled up France anyway.
This year, President Obama's attempt to make a backdoor deal with the Russians, behind the backs of the NATO countries, was not only rejected but made public by the Russians-- a sign of contempt and a warning to our allies not to put too much trust in the United States.
Barack Obama is following a long practice among those on the left of being hard on our allies and soft on our enemies. One of our few allies in the Middle East, the Shah of Iran, was a whipping boy for many in the American media, who vented their indignation at his regime-- which now, in retrospect, seems almost benign compared to the hate-filled fanatics and international terrorism sponsors who now rule that country.
However much Barack Obama has proclaimed his support for Israel, his first phone call as President of the United States was to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, to whom he has given hundreds of millions of dollars, which can buy a lot of rockets to fire into Israel.
Our oldest and staunchest ally, Britain, has been downgraded by President Obama's visibly less impressive reception of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, compared to the way that previous Presidents over the past two generations have received British Prime Ministers. President Obama's sending the bust of Winston Churchill in the White House back to the British embassy at about the same time was either a rookie mistake or another snub.
We can lose some very big games with this rookie.
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A ROOKIE PRESIDENT by Thomas Sowell
http://townhall.com/columnists/ThomasSowell/2009/03/31/a_rookie_president
Someone once said that, for every rookie you have on your starting team in the National Football League, you will lose a game. Somewhere, at some time during the season, a rookie will make a mistake that will cost you a game.
We now have a rookie President of the United States and, in the dangerous world we live in, with terrorist nations going nuclear, just one rookie mistake can bring disaster down on this generation and generations yet to come.
Barack Obama is a rookie in a sense that few other Presidents in American history have ever been. It is not just that he has never been President before. He has never had any position of major executive responsibility in any kind of organization where he was personally responsible for the outcome.
Other first-term Presidents have been governors, generals, cabinet members or others in positions of personal responsibility. A few have been senators, like Barack Obama, but usually for longer than Obama, and had not spent half their few years in the senate running for President.
What is even worse than making mistakes is having sycophants telling you that you are doing fine when you are not. In addition to all the usual hangers-on and supplicants for government favors that every President has, Barack Obama has a media that will see no evil, hear no evil and certainly speak no evil.
They will cheer him on, no matter what he does, short of first-degree murder-- and they would make excuses for that. Even former Reagan speech writer Peggy Noonan has gushed over President Obama and even crusty Bill O'Reilly has been impressed by Obama's demeanor.
There is no sign that President Obama has impressed the Russians, the Iranians or the North Koreans, except by his rookie mistakes-- and that is a dangerous way to impress dangerous people.
What did his televised overture to the Iranians accomplish, except to reassure them that he was not going to do a damn thing to stop them from getting a nuclear bomb? It is a mistake that can go ringing down the corridors of history.
Future generations who live in the shadow of that nuclear threat may wonder what we were thinking about, putting our lives-- and theirs-- in the hands of a rookie because we liked his style and symbolism?
In the name of "change," Barack Obama is following policies so old that this generation has never heard of them-- certainly not in most of our educational institutions, where history has been replaced by "social studies" or other politically correct courses.
Seeking deals with our adversaries, behind the backs of our allies? France did that at Munich back in 1938. They threw Czechoslovakia to the wolves and, less than two years later, Hitler gobbled up France anyway.
This year, President Obama's attempt to make a backdoor deal with the Russians, behind the backs of the NATO countries, was not only rejected but made public by the Russians-- a sign of contempt and a warning to our allies not to put too much trust in the United States.
Barack Obama is following a long practice among those on the left of being hard on our allies and soft on our enemies. One of our few allies in the Middle East, the Shah of Iran, was a whipping boy for many in the American media, who vented their indignation at his regime-- which now, in retrospect, seems almost benign compared to the hate-filled fanatics and international terrorism sponsors who now rule that country.
However much Barack Obama has proclaimed his support for Israel, his first phone call as President of the United States was to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, to whom he has given hundreds of millions of dollars, which can buy a lot of rockets to fire into Israel.
Our oldest and staunchest ally, Britain, has been downgraded by President Obama's visibly less impressive reception of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, compared to the way that previous Presidents over the past two generations have received British Prime Ministers. President Obama's sending the bust of Winston Churchill in the White House back to the British embassy at about the same time was either a rookie mistake or another snub.
We can lose some very big games with this rookie.
I wish more African Americans followed Dr. Sowell as opposed to Obama and Sharpton.
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I wish more African Americans followed Dr. Sowell as opposed to Obama and Sharpton.
Yep. Dr. Sowell is one of the greatest philosphers of modern times. And most African Americans probably dont even know who he is. Such a shame.
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Sowell is douche. Always has been.
He says nothing substantive in this article and he plays to the prejudice of his target audience.
We now have a rookie President of the United States and, in the dangerous world we live in, with terrorist nations going nuclear, just one rookie mistake can bring disaster down on this generation and generations yet to come.
Easily covers Bush the lesser
Other first-term Presidents have been governors, generals, cabinet members or others in positions of personal responsibility. A few have been senators, like Barack Obama, but usually for longer than Obama, and had not spent half their few years in the senate running for President.
Unless you are president of the US, you have no presidential experience. End of story. Otherwise one could get mired in the benefits of having a McDonald's crew chief as president. After all, he would have executive experience.
What is even worse than making mistakes is having sycophants telling you that you are doing fine when you are not. In addition to all the usual hangers-on and supplicants for government favors that every President has, Barack Obama has a media that will see no evil, hear no evil and certainly speak no evil.
Where was this douche when Bush was getting ballwashed by his servants? WMDs in Iraq? Sure thing. War on the cheap? Yup. Evil is evil. Install a democracy? Great! And wasn't it the NY Times & Was. Post that helped spread the Bush administrations planted stories on WMDs in Iraq? There's that liberal media again.
I see a media that is critical of Obama to a fault. When did Paul Krugman become a national pundit-tv/magazine covers? Certainly not when he called, with pinpoint precision, the economic disaster of Bush. Nope, his career took off after he disagreed with Obama.
Barack Obama is following a long practice among those on the left of being hard on our allies and soft on our enemies.
A democratic president won WWII. It was under a republican president that the US lost in Viet Nam.
Does anyone remember October Surprise? How about the Iran/Contra Affair? Arming one's enemy is pretty soft.
However much Barack Obama has proclaimed his support for Israel, his first phone call as President of the United States was to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, to whom he has given hundreds of millions of dollars, which can buy a lot of rockets to fire into Israel.
Typical hitnrun bullshit from a pathological rightwing loser. Someone should tell this douchebag to look at which side has inflicted the most casualties since 2005 by a factor of 15. It's not the Palestinians coming out on top.
All-in-all a pedestrian effort by a pedestrian writer/thinker.
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Obama got rolled by a porn addicted miget...they had customers lined up to watch the launch. Imagine if a US based weaposn system smoked it soon after launch. They would have all got the message first hand. Now we have a bunch of assholes planning to fuck with barry. But thats ok lib douchbags, u won't have to worry about it, none of u serve in the military and will be forced to clean up another Dem foreign policy disaster.
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Obama got rolled by a porn addicted miget...they had customers lined up to watch the launch. Imagine if a US based weaposn system smoked it soon after launch. They would have all got the message first hand. Now we have a bunch of assholes planning to fuck with barry. But thats ok lib douchbags, u won't have to worry about it, none of u serve in the military and will be forced to clean up another Dem foreign policy disaster.
Biden was right. Obama is going to get rolled and the presidency is no place for on the job training.
6 months is approaching just like Biden said.
Hey Mr. Soetoro, how is that disarmament working out for you???
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Obama got rolled by a porn addicted miget...they had customers lined up to watch the launch. Imagine if a US based weaposn system smoked it soon after launch. They would have all got the message first hand. Now we have a bunch of assholes planning to fuck with barry. But thats ok lib douchbags, u won't have to worry about it, none of u serve in the military and will be forced to clean up another Dem foreign policy disaster.
We're not all as tough as super-con George F. Will, but damnit, we're trying.
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What did you guys think about Obama's comments when addressing the Turkish parliament?
Here is an unedited excerpt:
"So let me say this as clearly as I can -- the United States is not and will never be at war with Islam," Obama said, to a round of applause.
Obama, who spent part of his childhood in Indonesia, underscored his personal connection Monday with Muslim culture and said the United States seeks "broader engagement" with the Muslim world than just the fight against Al Qaeda.
"We will listen carefully, we will bridge misunderstanding, and we will seek common ground. We will be respectful, even when we do not agree. And we will convey our deep appreciation for the Islamic faith, which has done so much over centuries to shape the world -- including in my own country," Obama said. "The United States has been enriched by Muslim Americans. Many other Americans have Muslims in their family, or have lived in a Muslim-majority country -- I know, because I am one of them."
He added: "This is not where East and West divide -- this is where they come together."
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Personally, I think Islam is a backward religion which is similar to Christianity and its less than venerable history in past centuries. He speaks for himself on that one. He's kind of an appologist, pleaser of all. I appreciate him trying to reach out in the name of peace and having better communications with other nations. Bush did not work with other countries enough and it harmed our standing in the world, however, this is odd as well...just in a different way.
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What did you guys think about Obama's comments when addressing the Turkish parliament?
Here is an unedited excerpt:
"So let me say this as clearly as I can -- the United States is not and will never be at war with Islam," Obama said, to a round of applause.
Obama, who spent part of his childhood in Indonesia, underscored his personal connection Monday with Muslim culture and said the United States seeks "broader engagement" with the Muslim world than just the fight against Al Qaeda.
"We will listen carefully, we will bridge misunderstanding, and we will seek common ground. We will be respectful, even when we do not agree. And we will convey our deep appreciation for the Islamic faith, which has done so much over centuries to shape the world -- including in my own country," Obama said. "The United States has been enriched by Muslim Americans. Many other Americans have Muslims in their family, or have lived in a Muslim-majority country -- I know, because I am one of them."
He added: "This is not where East and West divide -- this is where they come together."
I really despise this jerk.
What has Islam ever done for us other than give us our present TOTUS???
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What did you guys think about Obama's comments when addressing the Turkish parliament?
Here is an unedited excerpt:
"So let me say this as clearly as I can -- the United States is not and will never be at war with Islam," Obama said, to a round of applause.
Obama, who spent part of his childhood in Indonesia, underscored his personal connection Monday with Muslim culture and said the United States seeks "broader engagement" with the Muslim world than just the fight against Al Qaeda.
"We will listen carefully, we will bridge misunderstanding, and we will seek common ground. We will be respectful, even when we do not agree. And we will convey our deep appreciation for the Islamic faith, which has done so much over centuries to shape the world -- including in my own country," Obama said. "The United States has been enriched by Muslim Americans. Many other Americans have Muslims in their family, or have lived in a Muslim-majority country -- I know, because I am one of them."
He added: "This is not where East and West divide -- this is where they come together."
Wow.
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Wow.
He is a disgrace, a fraud, a con artist, and a liar.
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He is a disgrace, a fraud, a con artist, and a liar.
Sounds like he's trying to be all things to all people.
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I read this article last week. Great read and, as usual, Sowell is dead on with his analysis.
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Sounds like he's trying to be all things to all people.
His speech in Turkey today was embarassing.
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His speech in Turkey today was embarassing.
Didn't hear it.
How has the Islamic faith done so much for the U.S.?
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Didn't hear it.
How has the Islamic faith done so much for the U.S.?
Pretty much. We are looking weaker and weaker by the day in America. We just keep opening the door to be punched right in the mouth.
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I have no idea. I though it was a very odd comment that did not represent a U.S. consensus but his own opinions. Seemed like he was trying to please them with these comments.
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Pretty much. We are looking weaker and weaker by the day in America. We just keep opening the door to be punched right in the mouth.
1984, Animal Farm, Twilight Zone, Manchurian Candidate, all wrapped up in to one.
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1984, Animal Farm, Twilight Zone, Manchurian Candidate, all wrapped up in to one.
True Dat!
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He is a disgrace, a fraud, a con artist, and a liar.
But do you approve of his job performance?
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But do you approve of his job performance?
Absolutely not.
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You guys are chattering like a bunch of old hens at best and hicks at worst.
The Muslim faith has helped shape the way I see things.
I've read all about it.
I've taken the oath of faith so I'm saved.
I did the same thing with the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita.
Also with Zen and German idealists.
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You guys are chattering like a bunch of old hens at best and hicks at worst.
The Muslim faith has helped shape the way I see things.
I've read all about it.
I've taken the oath of faith so I'm saved.
I did the same thing with the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita.
Also with Zen and German idealists.
9/11, the Cole, Khobar Towers, etc was enough for me. Islam is a cancer.
I was down there three days after it happened and could smell the death and burning in the air.
F.U.B.O.
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.
I've taken the oath of faith so I'm saved.
What is it?
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What did you guys think about Obama's comments when addressing the Turkish parliament?
Here is an unedited excerpt:
"So let me say this as clearly as I can -- the United States is not and will never be at war with Islam," Obama said, to a round of applause.
Obama, who spent part of his childhood in Indonesia, underscored his personal connection Monday with Muslim culture and said the United States seeks "broader engagement" with the Muslim world than just the fight against Al Qaeda.
"We will listen carefully, we will bridge misunderstanding, and we will seek common ground. We will be respectful, even when we do not agree. And we will convey our deep appreciation for the Islamic faith, which has done so much over centuries to shape the world -- including in my own country," Obama said. "The United States has been enriched by Muslim Americans. Many other Americans have Muslims in their family, or have lived in a Muslim-majority country -- I know, because I am one of them."
He added: "This is not where East and West divide -- this is where they come together."
Nope..Barry's right..I know hate a massive amount of people with a burning passion bordering on insane. They did so much for us..on Sept 11, 2001. They woke many of us up.....fuck Barry and fuck the ragheads.....
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Nope..Barry's right..I know hate a massive amount of people with a burning passion bordering on insane. They did so much for us..on Sept 11, 2001. They woke many of us up.....fuck Barry and fuck the ragheads.....
Like it or not America needed 9/11. What else would have waken the US up to the fact that it is going down hill in a handbasket. We are the world's fattest, laziest, arrogant country. We've taken our eye off the ball to focus on trivial pursuits and material gain. All the while other nations are working to pass us. Now, the fact that the cold has been knocked out of eyes, see the deal, no the score, and it's time be at the top again. And we will.
All bad things have a silver lining. A lesson to be learned.
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What is it?
It's something like this: There is no god but allah and Muhammad is his messenger. You repeat that and BAM, you are saved.
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The inexperienced charges were levied against another American President in the past. His name was Abraham Lincoln and he turned out okay.
Anyone hoping to learn more about it should read With Malice Towards None. Lincoln was called an inexperienced hick and was ridiculed, with people going so far as to make unflattering impersonations of him during the elections.
Actually, a couple of years before he was elected he suffered a humiliating defeat for a lower office, but I can't remember what that was right now.
Like Lincoln, Obama steps into office with a monumental challenge facing him. It is no surprise to me that Republicans are already bashing him. The Democrats probably were furious that Lincoln didn't end the civil war withing 60 days of taking office.
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So, garebar, do you think it was appropriate for Obama to say Islam has shaped the U.S. and we have a deep admiration for the Islamic faith? We means who?
I think even most hardcore liberals would disagree with having admiration for the Islamic faith. It is a religion which has been mostly resistant to change and still believes in sharia law. Look it up if you are not familiar with sharia law, its shocking.
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So, garebar, do you think it was appropriate for Obama to say Islam has shaped the U.S. and we have a deep admiration for the Islamic faith? We means who?
I think even most hardcore liberals would disagree with having admiration for the Islamic faith. It is a religion which has been mostly resistant to change and still believes in sharia law. Look it up if you are not familiar with sharia law, its shocking.
I don't think it was so inappropriate considering we will need the help of Islamic nations in order to combat radical Islam. You would be hard pressed to find assistance from, say Pakistan, if you declared an all out war against Islam.
It is important to note that American Muslims have participated in the war on terror. Let us not dissolve ourselves into blaming that faith for everything, lest we become Hitleresque in our quest to defend ourselves. Fact is, a large percentage of this world is Islamic, like it or not.
In all fairness, however, I don't see how that faith has shaped us to any discernable degree, except in the fact that we are tolerant of all faiths (with the unfair exception of polygamists).
I understand Sharia law and also know that many Muslim nations do not want it themselves, but have it thrust upon them by an oligarchy (see the Taliban for details).
I appreciate how you phrased your question as well. You did it respectfully, which is a rarity on these boards.
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Geesh- it doesn't take much for something to "shape" America in your opinions. 911 shaped America and the attack was perpatrated, performed and funded by Islamic psychos. I wonder if Obama would give the same speech to a crowd of Militia survivalist nuts in Montana. Blowing up the federal building "shaped" America also. Actually, I dont wonder. He would give that same speech because he would shamelessly pander to anyone if he felt it would bolster his popularity.
As we have seen, he is not above berating his own country, insulting the population of his own country and mindlessly attacking his predecessors to get a few more smiles and handshakes from people who can't stand America in the first place.
Somehow, I don't think the muslim world is going to rejoice at his proclamation. If anything, I think terrorists and their supporters are licking their chops and realizing this man cares more about opinion polls and international "acceptance" than his duties as president.
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Yep. Dr. Sowell is one of the greatest philosphers of modern times. And most African Americans probably dont even know who he is. Such a shame.
Philosopher and great haven't belonged in the same sentence since the scientific method came into use. Modern philosophy is nothing more than mental masturbation for those not wanting to be "burdened" by the use of facts.
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Does that count for existentialists also?
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Philosopher and great haven't belonged in the same sentence since the scientific method came into use. Modern philosophy is nothing more than mental masturbation for those not wanting to be "burdened" by the use of facts.
Not a fan of Echkart Tolle?
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Not a fan of Echkart Tolle?
Not a fan of anyone that believes simple manipulation of words creates any great "insight" into the workings of the world. It has been my experience that any time the philosophers have taken to a subject it has been bastardized to a point of no longer even being that subject.
The "quantum" world is their best disaster. Trying to describe the non-deterministic nature of the world, a nature that by its very scale definition cannot be related to our experience, with manipulation of some 250,000 man-made English words is an abomination.
It's fun to philosophize with a group of morons though. "My personal feeling is that the the quantum world shows us that were God to create a deterministic path for the Universe, he clearly would set that clock in a fashion that we can't understand. Many people find fault in the theory because it cannot match our daily experience. I however, find great pleasure and security in knowing that the simple "here and now" isn't all there is to the vastness of consciousness."
I could puke that out to any ignoramus and they'd be nodding their head in agreement, and it's nothing more than completely unrelated jibbersh....IE: Philosophy