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coachmarkos
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 Posted: 12/17/03 - 10:34 Post subject: George W. interview last night
anyone watch this with Diane Sawyer?
I watched the whole thing...give or take a few minutes to change the baby.
Very good interview. Sawyer is tough. She asks the hard questions and is persistent in getting an answer.
W. faired pretty well. He stumbled a few times, but in the end, came out looking pretty good in my opinion. He looked like a man who has to make tough decisions, that aren't always popular, but does what he feels is best for America.
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Pug
The Movie Geek
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Posted: 12/17/03 - 10:39 Post subject:
Got a transcript, by any chance?
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sonnylax
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Posted: 12/17/03 - 10:43 Post subject:
I watched most of it and agree with your analysis Coach.
I firmly believe that when we look back in history at this moment in time, we will understand & appreciate the fact that we made the correct decision (re: Iraq/removing Hussain from power).
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monk25
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Posted: 12/17/03 - 10:55 Post subject:
Didn't watch the whole thing. One thing is for sure, the people who hate W. will still hate him, and the people who love him will still love him. He is not a smooth talker, which is (I suspect) why the elites hate him so, but he is a man of action. In my lifetime I have never seen a politician who followed through on so many promises (except for maybe Rudy G.). Between tax cuts, medicaid reform and the war on terror, he has connsistantly followed his words up with actions, agree with him or not.
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purple hayes
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Posted: 12/17/03 - 10:57 Post subject:
| sonnylax wrote: | I watched most of it and agree with your analysis Coach.
I firmly believe that when we look back in history at this moment in time, we will understand & appreciate the fact that we made the correct decision (re: Iraq/removing Hussain from power). |
WTH!?! Are you crazy or just plain stupid? 
Hussein is spelled with an 'e'. 
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MastrBrewr
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
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Posted: 12/17/03 - 11:01 Post subject:
| monk25 wrote: | | Didn't watch the whole thing. One thing is for sure, the people who hate W. will still hate him, and the people who love him will still love him. He is not a smooth talker, which is (I suspect) why the elites hate him so, but he is a man of action. In my lifetime I have never seen a politician who followed through on so many promises (except for maybe Rudy G.). Between tax cuts, medicaid reform and the war on terror, he has connsistantly followed his words up with actions, agree with him or not. |
Big Fat One!
I don't agree with how he has handled some things. But I do appreciate that he makes what he thinks is the best decision, whether it's popular or not. I'd rather have someone of action than someone who can just talk a good game.
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elkid
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Posted: 12/17/03 - 11:14 Post subject:
No, I didn't. I can't even look at that man, nonetheless listen to him, without my blood boiling. I'm still angry over the fact that three years ago we had a huge budget surplus, and through "tax cuts" and other insane measures like the tax rebates we now have the largest national deficit in US history. That will be his legacy, not the overinflated, hyped out war on terror. Whatever "gains" he's made as president will be of no consequence if the country's bankrupt.
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MastrBrewr
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Posted: 12/17/03 - 11:20 Post subject:
| elkid wrote: | | No, I didn't. I can't even look at that man, nonetheless listen to him, without my blood boiling. I'm still angry over the fact that three years ago we had a huge budget surplus, and through "tax cuts" and other insane measures like the tax rebates we now have the largest national deficit in US history. That will be his legacy, not the overinflated, hyped out war on terror. Whatever "gains" he's made as president will be of no consequence if the country's bankrupt. |
A lot of that surplus was predicated on a steadily growing economy. It was sort of a phantom number to begin with that relied on way too many factors holding steady. That being said, I think you are correct on that part of his administration. Short-term deficit spending can be good for economic stimulation, but how much is too much? I personally think we are starting to do too much deficit spending and should cut back and/or find more equitable revenues than we have now.
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elkid
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Posted: 12/17/03 - 11:26 Post subject:
| MastrBrewr wrote: | | A lot of that surplus was predicated on a steadilty growing economy. It was sort of a phantom number to begin with that relied on way too many factors holding steady. |
True dat, but the same thing can be said about what is being reported as the deficit v. what the deficit actually is. Even the White House predicts at the current rate of spending, within 75 years we'll be $18 TRILLION in the hole.  But that's the great thing about statistics - they can be skewed to suit any viewpoint: left, right, or anything in between.
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MastrBrewr
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Posted: 12/17/03 - 11:27 Post subject:
| elkid wrote: | | MastrBrewr wrote: | | A lot of that surplus was predicated on a steadilty growing economy. It was sort of a phantom number to begin with that relied on way too many factors holding steady. |
True dat, but the same thing can be said about what is being reported as the deficit v. what the deficit actually is. Even the White House predicts at the current rate of spending, within 75 years we'll be $18 TRILLION in the hole. But that's the great thing about statistics - they can be skewed to suit any viewpoint: left, right, or anything in between. |
And its that ability to skew those stats that keeps me employed. 
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cherylpf
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Posted: 12/17/03 - 11:27 Post subject: Re: George W. interview last night
| coachmarkos wrote: | anyone watch this with Diane Sawyer?
I watched the whole thing...give or take a few minutes to change the baby.
Very good interview. Sawyer is tough. She asks the hard questions and is persistent in getting an answer.
W. faired pretty well. He stumbled a few times, but in the end, came out looking pretty good in my opinion. He looked like a man who has to make tough decisions, that aren't always popular, but does what he feels is best for America. |
I agree, good interview. I love Diane Sawyer.
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sonnylax
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Posted: 12/17/03 - 11:28 Post subject:
| elkid wrote: | | That will be his legacy, not the overinflated, hyped out war on terror. Whatever "gains" he's made as president will be of no consequence if the country's bankrupt. |
That's overboard, don't you think? He didn't ask for 9/11.
P.S. The country was already in a deep recession when he took office.
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robp
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Posted: 12/17/03 - 11:29 Post subject:
I smell a lock coming......
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elkid
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Posted: 12/17/03 - 11:47 Post subject:
| sonnylax wrote: | | elkid wrote: | | That will be his legacy, not the overinflated, hyped out war on terror. Whatever "gains" he's made as president will be of no consequence if the country's bankrupt. |
That's overboard, don't you think? He didn't ask for 9/11.
P.S. The country was already in a deep recession when he took office. |
Of course he didn't ask for 9/11. But I'm not seeing the connection here? Explain what you mean. My point was that his focus on the war on terror has been over the top, and has caused much unnecessary panic in the citizenry. I also believe the president has strategically used it to mask other less successful initiatives.
But no, the US was not in a recession, deep or otherwise, in 2000. Because of that whole six consecutive period rule, it wasn't declared an official depression until March '01. Semantics, but still. Remember that the GDP had dropped 10% from '92 to '00, and bank indebtedness doubled. US industrial production was falling off sharply, with thousands laid off because many US manufacturers were moving their production out of the country. Consumer spending was also way down. Some was Clinton's fault, sure, but you can also clearly see the seeds of these problems, particularly within the corporate sector, being planted in Bush Sr's presidency.
Every president has successes and failures, and inherits many problems for which they become accountable. But recent presidents seem to be remembered for a single act, rather than the sum total of their terms, both domestically and globally. JFK = Cuban missile crisis. Johnson = Vietnam. Nixon = resignation. Ford = Nixon pardon. Carter = horrible domestic policy. Reagan = freeing of hostages (though Carter should've gotten that one) + corporate boom. GW Sr = war with Saddam. Clinton = Lewinsky. GW Jr = war on terror. That's not my opinion, just the way it is. Clinton did a lot of good things that will be overshadowed by his "sexual relations with that woman" and the health care fiasco of '94. GW Jr has done some good, but it will be overshadowed by the bin Laden noncapture and his tying up of loose ends for Daddy ala Saddam Hussein.
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omega lambda
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Posted: 12/17/03 - 11:51 Post subject:
| robp wrote: | | I smell a lock coming...... |
 for everyone too!
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