Europe owes a huge thank you to skilful, patient President George Bush; Pity about the Son »
Posted by: gamahuche 5 months ago130 Comments Report this Story
After a brief tribute to George HW Bush Timothy Garton Ash goes on to give a European view son in his own inimitable style. It should come with a Health Warning for the ever-shrinking band of die-hard George W supporters.
Read Full Story at guardian.co.uk
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Comments So Far: 130
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gamahuche5 months ago
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OnionHeadComment removed: User banned.12 Replies
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Mdiar5 months ago
Good article gama, and it shows why the election of the US President affects the world (whether we like it or not).
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gamahuche5 months ago
It does indeed Mdiar and even though US citizens don't like to be criticised by "outsiders" we have to take the risk of confronting sometimes.
I wasn't planning to post this story; I was looking for one specifically about the missile-shield issue which is my current major concern in my back yard. This does nothing for Europe - its not intended to - and risks affecting some of us very negatively. Right now they're discussing this in a bizarre palace in Romania, a few weeks after supporting the impossible "nationhood" of Kosovo..
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Mdiar5 months ago
The missile shield really does nothing for anyone as far as I can tell. Its beyond our current level of technology and while I agree with dreaming big, this just seems to be poorly planned and a waste of money. Great title by the way, I wonder how many people will sink it before they read further?
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SwampFox-82nd5 months ago
I've not read such polite in-your-face insultingly fine print in a very long, long time -- I flat love it! Gama, that's cool enough to quote!!! The thing I loved while in Paris was the fact they were laughing AT HIM! They could not believe we'd impeach a good president for a head-job (that big surplus, no recession, full employment), yet not impeach a president for deliberately lying not only the US, the United Nations, AND the world about WMD, "mushroom clouds", chemical weapons, but really had a big broom for a nuclear launcher! What they don't understand is he wasn't elected -- he was appointed (by the federal judges selected by Nixon, Reagan, and Bush, Sr.). Hell, his damned brother screwed-up the election twice! They closed voting booths, they used Diebold's "paperless" voting machines, and generally butt-banged the poor and middle-class while getting the wealthiest richer! Outsourcing has lead this country to financial ruin! Why, they ask me.
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progressive-bum5 months ago
I don't think an eight year time frame will do it, several decades, maybe, if we can be consistent with progressive policies for that long. This is highly unlikely as lunatic greed will rear its ugly head in time to destroy what has been accomplished.
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not2needy5 months ago
George Bush, (the father) may have been good for uniting Europe, but he trashed the economy of the US at record speed, which is why Bill Clinton was elected to replace him before he got a second term. At least he wasn't given 8 years to trash us like his son, and God only knows how long it will take to clean up Dubya's mess, or IF it's even fixable..
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bluenote15225 months ago
The sky is falling and the Dems have the socialist program to get us out of economic woes. Free healthcare and raise the taxes on couples making $50 or more. Clinton inherited an economy that was showing life in the last two quarters of Bush I. When i saw Bush laughing at Ron Browns funeral and the second he saw a camera acted like he was crying as he touched the corner of his eye I knew he was all an act.
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scott42615 months ago
Apparently, bluenote is a Rush acolyte who holds up the false idea that free markets are everything, we should deregulate business as much as possible...oh,yeah, and get rid of all those "socialist" saftey nets like Social Security and Medicare (Rush: "Roosevelt is DEAD! His policys may live on, but we're doing something about that as well!")...hell, privatize the whole damn thing! After all freedom means the freedom to MAKE AS MUCH MONEY AS POSSIBLE without any regard for the elderly, poor, or disabled.
This poison has been in our atmosphere for 30 years now. Soon after the Republicans lost Richard Nixon to resignation (before likely impeachment) in 1974. Enter Jerry Falwell and his Moral Majority and the GOP had their temporarily winning combination of Christianist nutballs, warmongers, and greedy bastards.
That coalition is crumbling. The GOP cannot win. We, as a nation, will not stand for this anymore. It is past time for change...
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traveler20005 months ago
"....Free healthcare and raise the taxes on couples making $50 or more....."
Do you know what you're talking about??
I much prefer the health care in Europe rather than the one in the US. If you're poor or on low income in the US, you are indeed poor.
Yes, like all systems, the European healthcare in Europe (different in each country) is not perfect. However, it beats the US system largely.
And yes, at first sight we might pay more taxes in Europe (again different in each country), however, we do get a lot in return. And actually, if you count federal tax, state tax, county tax, AND expensive PRIVATE health insurance, the difference isn't that big anymore.
Unless you are VERY wealthy, live is nicer in Europe. But if you are very wealthy, I can (and do) believe that the US is a better place.
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Mdiar5 months ago
During the Reagan years portions of my family were homeless. They could still get health care, free of charge. I propose the possibility that the health care system in the US is not as bad as its being made out to be at times. The difference, to me at least, seems to be that government is the provider in Europe via taxes and in the US the provider is charities via donations.
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hdthehn5 months ago
Bluenote-
"Clinton inherited an economy that was showing life in the last two quarters of Bush I"
Agreed. http://www.uuforum.org/deficit.htm
When the citizens of the USA realized at the very end of the Bush 1 administration that hope was on the way in the form of a democratic president of Bill Clinton's caliber the economy skyrocketed as did the budget surplus.
When the citizens of the USA realized at the very end of the Clinton's administration that the inept, incompetent jerk Bush 2 and Cheney and his REAGAN PROVED THAT DEFICITS DON'T MATTER mentality were on their way into the oval office hope fell into a cess pool and the budget deficite skyrocketed.
Do you honestly think the citizens are going to accept another 4 years with a republican in the oval office who is for a 100 year war and the deficits that go hand in hand with such an foolish proposal?
Yea, Mc Cain will restore honor and integrity to the Oval office just as Bush and Cheney did. LMAO
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ellis22985 months ago
Great news. I found it's really useful for me (and everyone). Thank for your pleasure.
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rdy2rck5 months ago
This may be a little off topic but is there such a thing as "die hard Bush supporters?
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gamahuche5 months ago
I believe that they have 90% given up on him.
For lame-duck read dead duck.
Now they're all busy trying to breath some life into the moribund crowned "prince" - more old, used -up has-been McCain about whom they can hardly find anything to enthuse about.
What's left for them but to continually try to pretend that Obama is in some way soiled by his contact with a charismatic black priest or some other far more idiotic imagining. Remember the one about the guy who claimed to have had sex and drugs in an automobile with Obama - that got even more airplay and support from the same crew who are currently venting in AlphaGnosis' sleazy story du jour..
Talk about same-old same old!
I can't wait for some story about Obama and a cigar - hey why doesn't someone write it and pass it on to ind??
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rdy2rck5 months ago
I have to agree with some sentiments.Mccain(McClame is BushIII) but must stress I am NOT the "same crew" that vents in AG stories. I vent, but I vent equally. There are a few of us out there that don't like any of the remaining three:)
BTW-I will be there at the invites for poor ole tired mccain exposing his fallacies.He's just been on a media break but I have noticed he's starting to peek his head out a little more.
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not2needy5 months ago
gama, what i can't wrap my brain around is the fact that they have trashed Michelle Obama mercilessly, and true to form, excused the fact that Cindy McCain is a drug addict and a thief!!!!
What would they do with that information if it were Michelle Obama who was an addict and a thief? I shudder to think what ani, tang, and the whole lot of them would say about Michelle if the tables were turned. YET.....they judge Obama for things his pastor has said, but haven't blamed McCain for living with and married to a druggie while raising his children, and being a KNOWN thief, but was never charged or convicted because she led a charmed life! Good Lord, do they ever think about what they are saying? It infuriates me.
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ETproductions5 months ago
The RepugniCon spin masters are busy now figuring out why all the disastrous ruin Bush has brought on America and the World is actually the fault of Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter or maybe even FDR.
Their forward facing energy is devoted to trashing the reputation and character of Obama and Clinton, and "proving" how 4 more years with McCain doing just what George Weak Bush did will actually be great for America.
As you can imagine, that requires a great deal of spinning, leaving guys like NoSpinDave perpetually dizzy.
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not2needy5 months ago
OH ET, you can guarantee that in some twisted way, one or all of them, will come up with something down the road to blame all of Bushies f--up's on Pelosi, Clinton, or as far back as they have to dig in order for the responsibility not to be laid at the door of the repugs! You can almost set your clock to it.
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wildman65575 months ago
Weakness has been his trouble all along. This includes both a personal weakness and a political weakness. He had to use trickery to get in the first time (and I say that having voted for him in 2000 because I liked his father and still do). This meant that he was very weak politically. That made it difficult for him to control the Congress. Heck, the VP and the Congress controlled him.
A strong leader could have turned that around, but W is not strong any any sense. It is ironic that he was sold as being "strong". Ah the power of marketing.
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bluenote15225 months ago
hd, it's called a typo. My humblest apologies for those that swarm all over an innocent error and never admit to making one themselves. Got WMD? Not even sure what your implying.
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MRCOFFEECAKE5 months ago
Do you understand the difference between GOING and having a plan to leave, versus what we are stuck with now?????
Do you?
So, why would you ask such a stupid question?
Here's a smart question:
I wonder what Iraq would be like now if we left after we captured Saddam and we listened to Bremer's 3 year plan, instead of Bush's 10 month (get out by the elections plan)??
How's THAT plan working out???
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Lurch5 months ago
Unless Cheney could have been more successful at convincing America to start trading with Saddam (he tried during the 90`s), Iraq would have continued to look like the backwater wannabe it had looked like ever since the Gulf War and America started the no-fly zone.
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HMMace5 months ago
It is just too bad that I can not believe anything that thia adminbistration says...
A sorry state of affairs, when no one can beleieve them, but--that is the way it is..
No one trusts
