Bolton in trouble
April 24, 2005 6:44 PM Subscribe
Bush nominee to the U.N. John Bolton center of Washington controversy. Bolton is being characterized by many witnesses as being, in essence, a bully. Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CN) says that Bolton should simply step down, as the damage to his potential effectiveness at the U.N. is already done.
Pshaw! say conservatives. This is just a political Borking of Bush's pick by bitter Democrats.
Pshaw! say conservatives. This is just a political Borking of Bush's pick by bitter Democrats.
He's a bully? Fine. I think bully's are great for such a position. What really gets me out of Bolton's camp is the intelligence analysis shenanigans. That was a deal breaker for me.
posted by Captaintripps at 6:57 PM on April 24, 2005
posted by Captaintripps at 6:57 PM on April 24, 2005
Pshaw! say conservatives. This is just a political Borking of Bush's pick by bitter Democrats.
bitter democrats like Colin Powell? Chalk it up to conservatives' habitual problems in recognizing reality.
posted by clevershark at 7:07 PM on April 24, 2005
bitter democrats like Colin Powell? Chalk it up to conservatives' habitual problems in recognizing reality.
posted by clevershark at 7:07 PM on April 24, 2005
The U.N. has a John Bolton center for Washington controversy now? Is that new, or is that just an extension of the U.N. John Bolton center for kiss-up, kick down studies?
posted by delmoi at 7:10 PM on April 24, 2005
posted by delmoi at 7:10 PM on April 24, 2005
I can't imagine why the Administration would want this guy even in his intel job. Aren't "stovepiping" and the politically-motivated interpretation of intelligence things that are getting this Administration in trouble already?
posted by clevershark at 7:12 PM on April 24, 2005
posted by clevershark at 7:12 PM on April 24, 2005
The Bush regime -- these guys could fuck up a fifteen ton iron ball.
posted by warbaby at 7:21 PM on April 24, 2005
posted by warbaby at 7:21 PM on April 24, 2005
They couldn't organise a piss-up in an experimental urine anti-gravity research lab.
posted by Pretty_Generic at 7:26 PM on April 24, 2005
posted by Pretty_Generic at 7:26 PM on April 24, 2005
John Bolton Vs. Democracy: "I'm with the Bush-Cheney team, and I'm here to stop the count. ..."
posted by amberglow at 7:35 PM on April 24, 2005
posted by amberglow at 7:35 PM on April 24, 2005
delmoi, you are familiar with the journalistic convention of abbreviating headlines, namely the ubiquitous "is"?
posted by zardoz at 7:36 PM on April 24, 2005
posted by zardoz at 7:36 PM on April 24, 2005
Aren't "stovepiping" and the politically-motivated interpretation of intelligence things that are getting this Administration in trouble already?
Yes, but only because people insist being reality-based.
posted by R. Mutt at 7:37 PM on April 24, 2005
Yes, but only because people insist being reality-based.
posted by R. Mutt at 7:37 PM on April 24, 2005
I'm quite surprised the Dems haven't dug up Bolton's kiddy-diddling past. I mean, c'mon, have you seen that freakin' moustache? It couldn't look more pedophilic!
posted by five fresh fish at 7:50 PM on April 24, 2005
posted by five fresh fish at 7:50 PM on April 24, 2005
DC based journalist Laura Rozen has a blog has had a very good day to day summary of what is coming out about Bolton and why he shouldn't be appointed to the UN.
posted by sien at 10:41 PM on April 24, 2005
posted by sien at 10:41 PM on April 24, 2005
The Bush regime -- these guys could fuck up a fifteen ton iron ball.
.....blindfolded, gagged, in a straight jacket, hung upside down from leg shackles while being slowly roasted over glowing charcoal embers. Houdini's got nothin' on these missing links.
posted by whittenb2 at 11:06 PM on April 24, 2005
.....blindfolded, gagged, in a straight jacket, hung upside down from leg shackles while being slowly roasted over glowing charcoal embers. Houdini's got nothin' on these missing links.
posted by whittenb2 at 11:06 PM on April 24, 2005
I watched the hearings via C-SPAN, read a couple of articles ... I just can't believe this is happening ...
posted by homodigitalis at 11:58 PM on April 24, 2005
posted by homodigitalis at 11:58 PM on April 24, 2005
It's easy to belive it's happening. Look at everything else going on today. Frist, Gannon, Bush.
posted by futureproof at 12:34 AM on April 25, 2005
posted by futureproof at 12:34 AM on April 25, 2005
In terms of Bolton, it seems he's learning that "There is a saying in Washington that you meet on the way down all the people you stepped on the way up." (quote via)
posted by futureproof at 12:40 AM on April 25, 2005
posted by futureproof at 12:40 AM on April 25, 2005
I'm quite surprised the Dems haven't dug up Bolton's kiddy-diddling past. I mean, c'mon, have you seen that freakin' moustache?
LOL
posted by joedharma at 12:41 AM on April 25, 2005
LOL
posted by joedharma at 12:41 AM on April 25, 2005
the go-to blog on this is The Washington Note by Steve Clemons
posted by jmccw at 3:57 AM on April 25, 2005
posted by jmccw at 3:57 AM on April 25, 2005
That NYPost op-ed piece is just plain silly. They might actually have some credibility (more than they do, at least) if they just stopped pretending that they are not reprinting pieces taken straight off of McLellan's desk?
posted by psmealey at 4:24 AM on April 25, 2005
posted by psmealey at 4:24 AM on April 25, 2005
I enjoy watching the Dems trying to beat up on the opposition with their limp peni. "Look guys, it still works! We're still relevant!"
Bolton may well be the monster he's described as but all the shrill shrieking just churns the stomach.
posted by acetonic at 5:14 AM on April 25, 2005
Bolton may well be the monster he's described as but all the shrill shrieking just churns the stomach.
posted by acetonic at 5:14 AM on April 25, 2005
Bolton may well be the monster he's described as but all the shrill shrieking just churns the stomach.
Please. If the tables had been turned you know that the Repubs would be even more vicious.
posted by zardoz at 5:38 AM on April 25, 2005
personally, i don't care if a monster is stopped by shrill shrieking or calm discourse...the real issue is Bolton, and getting him stopped
posted by das_2099 at 5:56 AM on April 25, 2005
posted by das_2099 at 5:56 AM on April 25, 2005
He's toast. I hear they're going to put Eliot Abrams up for the job (of Iran-Contra fame)
posted by amberglow at 6:10 AM on April 25, 2005
posted by amberglow at 6:10 AM on April 25, 2005
"Dirt" that's a decade's old, and was undisclosed until the time of a nomination can't be that dirty.
I hope Bolton gets the job--he's exactly what the UN needs (the alternative is to de-fund the organization and start a new one). But it doesn't look good right now.
I want my UNICEF pennies back--fraud!
Come on "W": get a charm offensive going, PLEASE!
posted by ParisParamus at 6:19 AM on April 25, 2005
I hope Bolton gets the job--he's exactly what the UN needs (the alternative is to de-fund the organization and start a new one). But it doesn't look good right now.
I want my UNICEF pennies back--fraud!
Come on "W": get a charm offensive going, PLEASE!
posted by ParisParamus at 6:19 AM on April 25, 2005
Why must Dubya and the GOP be such whiny-assed crybabies?
Bolton couldn't get a job on Office Space in the reality based world.
They get 99% of their nominations to every imaginable office regardless of qualifications and then they recycle the rejects. What's up with such unprecedented actions?
Like a spolied rotten kid who doesnt' get his way every single time they want to change the rules of the game.
It ain't the nukular option Frist plans on using for judicial nominations, it's the f*cking crybaby option!
I say "Bring It On!" Nothing finer than shutting down the entire GOP machine in DC.
Has everyone noticed the so-called liberal media parroting the latest GOP talking point about the phrase "nuclear option?" They're all claiming now that it is a "Democrat" phrase. F*cking sycophantic liars! The phrase was created by Trent Lott in February 2003 during the nomination of Miguel Estrada. A little Google-fu or Lexus-Nexis would help these well paid dimwits in the media a lot if they were truly interested in the truth.
posted by nofundy at 6:32 AM on April 25, 2005
Bolton couldn't get a job on Office Space in the reality based world.
They get 99% of their nominations to every imaginable office regardless of qualifications and then they recycle the rejects. What's up with such unprecedented actions?
Like a spolied rotten kid who doesnt' get his way every single time they want to change the rules of the game.
It ain't the nukular option Frist plans on using for judicial nominations, it's the f*cking crybaby option!
I say "Bring It On!" Nothing finer than shutting down the entire GOP machine in DC.
Has everyone noticed the so-called liberal media parroting the latest GOP talking point about the phrase "nuclear option?" They're all claiming now that it is a "Democrat" phrase. F*cking sycophantic liars! The phrase was created by Trent Lott in February 2003 during the nomination of Miguel Estrada. A little Google-fu or Lexus-Nexis would help these well paid dimwits in the media a lot if they were truly interested in the truth.
posted by nofundy at 6:32 AM on April 25, 2005
How is it that the Republicans are any more crybabies than the Democrats? If the other nominees were approved, they were approved by both parties' Senators. What matters are the high appointees. Such attempts at objective assessments of the situation are pathetic.
Bolton can help save the UN from itself.
posted by ParisParamus at 6:51 AM on April 25, 2005
Bolton can help save the UN from itself.
posted by ParisParamus at 6:51 AM on April 25, 2005
PP: "charm offensive"
That's your problem right there, my friend. A charm offensive is like a loving rape.
posted by Cassford at 7:06 AM on April 25, 2005
That's your problem right there, my friend. A charm offensive is like a loving rape.
posted by Cassford at 7:06 AM on April 25, 2005
It's fun to watch the Repugs melt down like this. I mean, Dems do it all tearfully and sentimentally, but these assholes just screw the pooch like there's no tomorrow. It's Gingrich/"Contract with America" all over again.
posted by bardic at 7:38 AM on April 25, 2005
posted by bardic at 7:38 AM on April 25, 2005
acetonic writes " Bolton may well be the monster he's described as but all the shrill shrieking just churns the stomach."
Yeah, how dare those Democrats on the committee actually do their jobs? Off with their heads!
ParisParamus writes " I hope Bolton gets the job--he's exactly what the UN needs (the alternative is to de-fund the organization and start a new one)."
Having Bolton as UN Ambassador is a lot like Saudi Arabia choosing Osama bin Laden as their US Ambassador.
posted by clevershark at 8:12 AM on April 25, 2005
Yeah, how dare those Democrats on the committee actually do their jobs? Off with their heads!
ParisParamus writes " I hope Bolton gets the job--he's exactly what the UN needs (the alternative is to de-fund the organization and start a new one)."
Having Bolton as UN Ambassador is a lot like Saudi Arabia choosing Osama bin Laden as their US Ambassador.
posted by clevershark at 8:12 AM on April 25, 2005
Bolton couldn't get a job on Office Space in the reality based world.
Hmm ... nope, no irony, contradiction, or paradox there ...
posted by brykmantra at 8:41 AM on April 25, 2005
Hmm ... nope, no irony, contradiction, or paradox there ...
posted by brykmantra at 8:41 AM on April 25, 2005
Metafilter: these guys could fuck up a fifteen ton iron ball.
posted by mystyk at 8:43 AM on April 25, 2005
posted by mystyk at 8:43 AM on April 25, 2005
Hmm ... nope, no irony, contradiction, or paradox there ...
posted by brykmantra at 11:41 AM EST
:-) So glad you noticed! I thought it perfect! Finally, some appreciation of my dark skills.
posted by nofundy at 9:20 AM on April 25, 2005
posted by brykmantra at 11:41 AM EST
:-) So glad you noticed! I thought it perfect! Finally, some appreciation of my dark skills.
posted by nofundy at 9:20 AM on April 25, 2005
Yeah, you guys are right. Republicans are utterly incompetent. That is why they lost the presidency. That is why they lost seats in the House. That is why they lost seats in the Senate. That is why they lost state governerships. They are so sooo incompetent. They are just too out of touch with reality to realize how ineffective they are.
posted by dios at 9:24 AM on April 25, 2005
posted by dios at 9:24 AM on April 25, 2005
dios, just because someone gives you a job, dosen't mean you're competent at it. A politicians job is not just to win elections, but to, you know, govern.
posted by jonmc at 9:38 AM on April 25, 2005
posted by jonmc at 9:38 AM on April 25, 2005
Just because you're in the process of losing control of everyting you haven't all ready lost control of doesn't mean your not delusional.
posted by ParisParamus at 9:45 AM on April 25, 2005
posted by ParisParamus at 9:45 AM on April 25, 2005
jonmc, you have a point. But presumably, if the American people thought the Republicans didn't do their jobs competently, then they wouldn't have sent them back in greater numbers.
Of course, that assumes we grant a presumption of sanity to the American electorate.
My guess is that many here will maintain that the MeFi intelligensia knows that Republicans are incompetent, and that the American people are just too stupid to recognize that fact. That sort of arrogance is common here.
posted by dios at 9:49 AM on April 25, 2005
Of course, that assumes we grant a presumption of sanity to the American electorate.
My guess is that many here will maintain that the MeFi intelligensia knows that Republicans are incompetent, and that the American people are just too stupid to recognize that fact. That sort of arrogance is common here.
posted by dios at 9:49 AM on April 25, 2005
you're not....err....
posted by ParisParamus at 10:00 AM on April 25, 2005
posted by ParisParamus at 10:00 AM on April 25, 2005
dios, it has nothing to do with their competence. They are very intelligent people.
It really just boils down to their totalitarian tendencies.
posted by futureproof at 10:09 AM on April 25, 2005
It really just boils down to their totalitarian tendencies.
posted by futureproof at 10:09 AM on April 25, 2005
dios/parisparamus = whining, arrogant crybabies.
'winning' a rigged game is still theft. Don't go pissing up a rope about this election. This is a rigged game and everyone here knows it.
I don't think anyone here thinks it's a good idea to 'save' the U.N. by destroying it. Putting Bolton in there will just result in this country getting shut out from the rest of the world that much quicker. But then again, you're too stupid, arrogant and delusional to see that. Modern day pharisee that you are.
In conclusion, you and your kind seem far more like communists and chinese red guards than any 'liberals' out there. Blind, unquestioning conformists. That has nothing to do with truth, freedom and liberty. Why do you hate America so much?
posted by mk1gti at 10:14 AM on April 25, 2005
'winning' a rigged game is still theft. Don't go pissing up a rope about this election. This is a rigged game and everyone here knows it.
I don't think anyone here thinks it's a good idea to 'save' the U.N. by destroying it. Putting Bolton in there will just result in this country getting shut out from the rest of the world that much quicker. But then again, you're too stupid, arrogant and delusional to see that. Modern day pharisee that you are.
In conclusion, you and your kind seem far more like communists and chinese red guards than any 'liberals' out there. Blind, unquestioning conformists. That has nothing to do with truth, freedom and liberty. Why do you hate America so much?
posted by mk1gti at 10:14 AM on April 25, 2005
oh SNAP! some peeps just got served.
posted by futureproof at 10:29 AM on April 25, 2005
posted by futureproof at 10:29 AM on April 25, 2005
They really do hate all that makes America great. The diversity, the openness, the willingness to work with friends and neighbors--at home and around the world, the example we used to set for other nations...
The Republicans nowadays want everything exactly their way and only their way, and stomp their feet and act like 5-year-olds (and just like Bolton) when they get 95% instead of 100%. Meanwhile, they're lying, stealing, cheating and doing everything possible to fuck things up for everyone except for the 1% at the top. We'll see what happens in 06--many GOP people up for re-election will be rudely surprised.
posted by amberglow at 10:43 AM on April 25, 2005
The Republicans nowadays want everything exactly their way and only their way, and stomp their feet and act like 5-year-olds (and just like Bolton) when they get 95% instead of 100%. Meanwhile, they're lying, stealing, cheating and doing everything possible to fuck things up for everyone except for the 1% at the top. We'll see what happens in 06--many GOP people up for re-election will be rudely surprised.
posted by amberglow at 10:43 AM on April 25, 2005
PP said: I want my UNICEF pennies back--fraud!
"If WMDs are not found in Iraq, and in large quantity (or at least objective evidence that they were destroyed), then, in terms of American politics, the war was a sham, and the President should be indicted. — posted by ParisParamus at 11:57 AM EST on April 29"
You want pennies back from the UN, but you won't call for your president to be indicted for lying? Seems your trust is bought and sold pretty cheaply, Paris.
posted by AlexReynolds at 10:45 AM on April 25, 2005
"If WMDs are not found in Iraq, and in large quantity (or at least objective evidence that they were destroyed), then, in terms of American politics, the war was a sham, and the President should be indicted. — posted by ParisParamus at 11:57 AM EST on April 29"
You want pennies back from the UN, but you won't call for your president to be indicted for lying? Seems your trust is bought and sold pretty cheaply, Paris.
posted by AlexReynolds at 10:45 AM on April 25, 2005
AlexReynolds, let it go. You've grasped all the straws.
posted by ParisParamus at 11:24 AM on April 25, 2005
posted by ParisParamus at 11:24 AM on April 25, 2005
Hah! That's rich, coming from you.
posted by five fresh fish at 11:31 AM on April 25, 2005
posted by five fresh fish at 11:31 AM on April 25, 2005
Just because you're in the process of losing control of everyting you haven't all ready lost control of doesn't mean your not delusional.
Are you referring to Iraq?
/sinking feeling that everytime one feeds PP or Dios God kills a puppy.
posted by bardic at 11:41 AM on April 25, 2005
Are you referring to Iraq?
/sinking feeling that everytime one feeds PP or Dios God kills a puppy.
posted by bardic at 11:41 AM on April 25, 2005
Paris. Are you asking Alex to stop acknowledging that you are wrong?
posted by futureproof at 11:43 AM on April 25, 2005
posted by futureproof at 11:43 AM on April 25, 2005
AlexReynolds, let it go. You've grasped all the straws.
I'm not the one who wants to take pennies back from starving children (whether you said it jokingly or not).
posted by AlexReynolds at 11:45 AM on April 25, 2005
I'm not the one who wants to take pennies back from starving children (whether you said it jokingly or not).
posted by AlexReynolds at 11:45 AM on April 25, 2005
Actually, I want to take the pennies back, out of the hands of corrupt, slimy bureaucrats, and get them to said children. Why do you have a problem with that?
posted by ParisParamus at 12:00 PM on April 25, 2005
posted by ParisParamus at 12:00 PM on April 25, 2005
Actually, I want to take the pennies back, out of the hands of corrupt, slimy bureaucrats, and get them to said children.
Actually, this is what you said. And with the WMD comment, your words are demonstrably cheaper than pennies and I'm not going to get suckered into a conversation with you. No offense.
posted by AlexReynolds at 12:09 PM on April 25, 2005
Actually, this is what you said. And with the WMD comment, your words are demonstrably cheaper than pennies and I'm not going to get suckered into a conversation with you. No offense.
posted by AlexReynolds at 12:09 PM on April 25, 2005
Actually, I want to take the pennies back, out of the hands of corrupt, slimy bureaucrats, and get them to said children. Why do you have a problem with that?
Then why are you supporting Bush and his cronies?
What made America great was everyone pitching and helping one another out. These people you support steal everyone's income through undeserved tax cuts while pulling the ladder up after them.
This country wasn't founded on 'every man for himself', it was about everyone pitching in for the greater good.
ParisParamus/Dios, you need to pull your head out. You're betraying the founding fathers and everything they stood for
"I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man. "
-- Thomas Jefferson - One of America's Great Commies . . .
Or so some would have you think . . .
posted by mk1gti at 12:11 PM on April 25, 2005
Then why are you supporting Bush and his cronies?
What made America great was everyone pitching and helping one another out. These people you support steal everyone's income through undeserved tax cuts while pulling the ladder up after them.
This country wasn't founded on 'every man for himself', it was about everyone pitching in for the greater good.
ParisParamus/Dios, you need to pull your head out. You're betraying the founding fathers and everything they stood for
"I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man. "
-- Thomas Jefferson - One of America's Great Commies . . .
Or so some would have you think . . .
posted by mk1gti at 12:11 PM on April 25, 2005
mk1gti: 2 . Haters of Freedom: 0.
posted by futureproof at 12:14 PM on April 25, 2005
posted by futureproof at 12:14 PM on April 25, 2005
Please tell me how countenancing a corrupt, dustfunctional international organization constitutes "pitching in for the greater good." How stupid.
posted by ParisParamus at 12:19 PM on April 25, 2005
posted by ParisParamus at 12:19 PM on April 25, 2005
You do it for the Bush administration all the time...
posted by Balisong at 12:21 PM on April 25, 2005
posted by Balisong at 12:21 PM on April 25, 2005
...dysfunctional....
(It's the Mac/PC keyboard thing...)
posted by ParisParamus at 12:23 PM on April 25, 2005
(It's the Mac/PC keyboard thing...)
posted by ParisParamus at 12:23 PM on April 25, 2005
Oh, it's SO funny to say witty things agains PP!
posted by ParisParamus at 12:26 PM on April 25, 2005
posted by ParisParamus at 12:26 PM on April 25, 2005
What made America great was everyone pitching and helping one another out. These people you support steal everyone's income through undeserved tax cuts while pulling the ladder up after them.
This country wasn't founded on 'every man for himself', it was about everyone pitching in for the greater good.
posted by mk1gti at 12:11 PM PST on April 25
mk1, that is a laughable revisionist view of history. This Country originally existed as localized communities that were bounded together by culture and religion.
There were NO taxes. There was NO welfare state. There was NO socialized medicine or redistributive policy. People took care of themselves. So don't give this bullshit revisionism that this country was all about giving money to help others. You obviously have the US confused with a Marxist country.
posted by dios at 12:29 PM on April 25, 2005
This country wasn't founded on 'every man for himself', it was about everyone pitching in for the greater good.
posted by mk1gti at 12:11 PM PST on April 25
mk1, that is a laughable revisionist view of history. This Country originally existed as localized communities that were bounded together by culture and religion.
There were NO taxes. There was NO welfare state. There was NO socialized medicine or redistributive policy. People took care of themselves. So don't give this bullshit revisionism that this country was all about giving money to help others. You obviously have the US confused with a Marxist country.
posted by dios at 12:29 PM on April 25, 2005
And you obviously have the US confused with Angola.
posted by five fresh fish at 12:46 PM on April 25, 2005
posted by five fresh fish at 12:46 PM on April 25, 2005
This Country originally existed as localized communities that were bounded together by culture and religion.
Hardly. The northern colonies grew out of the Puritan desire to worship in peace. The mid-Atlantic and Southern colonies grew out of a desire to make money off of, primarily, tobacco. There was no common culture between these two groups (William Bradford and John Smith would have despised one another). And by "common culture" I can only assumed you mean slavery, which, um, led to a little something called the Civil War.
posted by bardic at 12:51 PM on April 25, 2005
Hardly. The northern colonies grew out of the Puritan desire to worship in peace. The mid-Atlantic and Southern colonies grew out of a desire to make money off of, primarily, tobacco. There was no common culture between these two groups (William Bradford and John Smith would have despised one another). And by "common culture" I can only assumed you mean slavery, which, um, led to a little something called the Civil War.
posted by bardic at 12:51 PM on April 25, 2005
Come on "W": get a charm offensive going, PLEASE!
Hear, hear! This is about Hearts & Minds, people. And if Bolton has a drawback, it's that he's not radical enough.
Here's the only permanent solution: Send a Special Forces team into the UN building, round everyone up at gunpoint, and relocate them to a strategic hamlet - a derelict IBM building in Poughkeepsie, say. Then raze the UN building to the ground and build a new one at an undisclosed location and fly in reps from the Coalition of the Willing twice a month to ratify resolutions drafted by an elite team of foreign-policy experts such as Ann Coulter and Charles Krauthammer.
W needs to destroy the village - uh, UN - in order to save it.
His Truth Is Marching On!
posted by gompa at 12:57 PM on April 25, 2005
Hear, hear! This is about Hearts & Minds, people. And if Bolton has a drawback, it's that he's not radical enough.
Here's the only permanent solution: Send a Special Forces team into the UN building, round everyone up at gunpoint, and relocate them to a strategic hamlet - a derelict IBM building in Poughkeepsie, say. Then raze the UN building to the ground and build a new one at an undisclosed location and fly in reps from the Coalition of the Willing twice a month to ratify resolutions drafted by an elite team of foreign-policy experts such as Ann Coulter and Charles Krauthammer.
W needs to destroy the village - uh, UN - in order to save it.
His Truth Is Marching On!
posted by gompa at 12:57 PM on April 25, 2005
bardic, you are conceding the point. You are correct that people who didn't live together didn't care about each other (that was my point to begin with and why mk1 is clearly wrong). It was a community-based country. There was no nationalist impulse. There was no welfare. No taxes. No redistribution of resources. So mk1 is full of it, and though you would like to argue with me, you are disagreeing with me.
Puritans clumped together and didn't give a damn about people outside their community. Scottish Presbys settled in the Shenadoah Valley because it reminded them of Scotland.... and they didn't give a crap about the people in Maine.
That is my point. That is why mk1 is clearly wrong in his bullshit revisionist view of America.
posted by dios at 1:00 PM on April 25, 2005
Puritans clumped together and didn't give a damn about people outside their community. Scottish Presbys settled in the Shenadoah Valley because it reminded them of Scotland.... and they didn't give a crap about the people in Maine.
That is my point. That is why mk1 is clearly wrong in his bullshit revisionist view of America.
posted by dios at 1:00 PM on April 25, 2005
For pete's sake, follow the damn thread of the discussion. I was responding to mk1's bullshit revisionist explanation of "what this country was founded upon."
And to answer your completely red herring question, I wouldn't be opposed to living in 1700. As long as I can still get some Crown Royal.
(and on preview, my last comment should have said *aren't disagreeing..)
posted by dios at 1:12 PM on April 25, 2005
And to answer your completely red herring question, I wouldn't be opposed to living in 1700. As long as I can still get some Crown Royal.
(and on preview, my last comment should have said *aren't disagreeing..)
posted by dios at 1:12 PM on April 25, 2005
I am a proud AMERICAN, saving the world by arguing with ParisParamus and dios on metafilter! Blogging with controversialists about politics will bring about the coming of the Messiah!
posted by koeselitz at 1:16 PM on April 25, 2005
posted by koeselitz at 1:16 PM on April 25, 2005
Dios, calm down. You're getting your Rush Limbaugh panties in a bunch.
You're the one who used the phrase "bounded together by culture and religion," albeit in a vague manner. I thought you were referring to the nation as a whole, in which case you'd be wrong.
posted by bardic at 1:40 PM on April 25, 2005
You're the one who used the phrase "bounded together by culture and religion," albeit in a vague manner. I thought you were referring to the nation as a whole, in which case you'd be wrong.
posted by bardic at 1:40 PM on April 25, 2005
Don't start calling me names because you can't follow the thread of a discussion.
posted by dios at 1:45 PM on April 25, 2005
posted by dios at 1:45 PM on April 25, 2005
I didn't call you anything. I just said you're wear panties. Relax.
posted by bardic at 1:49 PM on April 25, 2005
posted by bardic at 1:49 PM on April 25, 2005
dios, Maine wasn't even a state until 1820.
(smacks self in head for even trying....)
posted by Floydd at 1:52 PM on April 25, 2005
(smacks self in head for even trying....)
posted by Floydd at 1:52 PM on April 25, 2005
Will someone please send Dios back to the 1700's so he can be happy living in the conservative dreamworld and we can be happy to be rid of him?
posted by Balisong at 1:59 PM on April 25, 2005
posted by Balisong at 1:59 PM on April 25, 2005
dios says: It was a community-based country
mk1gti says: Everyone pitching in to help each other.
I think I've made my point . . .
posted by mk1gti at 2:31 PM on April 25, 2005
mk1gti says: Everyone pitching in to help each other.
I think I've made my point . . .
posted by mk1gti at 2:31 PM on April 25, 2005
This conservative's dreamworld bears no resemblance to the serfdom dios's heroes are conniving us into. Conservatives don't run up $8 trillion in national debt.
Don't let these crypto-fascists trick you into thinking they have any coherent philosophy motivating their actions. They're thugs, not interlocutors in the political dialectic.
posted by sonofsamiam at 2:36 PM on April 25, 2005
Don't let these crypto-fascists trick you into thinking they have any coherent philosophy motivating their actions. They're thugs, not interlocutors in the political dialectic.
posted by sonofsamiam at 2:36 PM on April 25, 2005
Did anyone catch the bit on the Daily Show last week where one of the repub interviewers stood up and said something to the effect that "there are ten Republicans and seven Democrats here, so it looks like you're in" before a vote was even taken?
Then, a clip was shown with a Republican interviewer expressing his concerns and indicating that he could not in good conscience vote in approval of Bolton.
Finally, a clip was shown afte the interviews were over for the day, with another Republican, who said he was "shocked that he [the dissenting Repub] would make such a 'snap decision'."
The interesting thing about this is that this all took place after eleven days of interviews. Hardly a "snap" decision.
Which basically means the interviewed Republican is saying that he is choosing to not make a decision, and will instead tow the party line.
That is horrendously irresponsible, and an up-front admission that he is not doing the job he was hired by his constituency to do.
And that basically sums up this current Republican party, and basically sums up the problem with almost all Western (or at least North American) parties: they don't represent their constituency, they can't be trusted to think for themselves, and they have no ability to do the right thing. They just turn their brains off and do what they are told by the man behind the curtain.
We don't elect politicians. We elect fucking puppets.
posted by five fresh fish at 4:08 PM on April 25, 2005
Then, a clip was shown with a Republican interviewer expressing his concerns and indicating that he could not in good conscience vote in approval of Bolton.
Finally, a clip was shown afte the interviews were over for the day, with another Republican, who said he was "shocked that he [the dissenting Repub] would make such a 'snap decision'."
The interesting thing about this is that this all took place after eleven days of interviews. Hardly a "snap" decision.
Which basically means the interviewed Republican is saying that he is choosing to not make a decision, and will instead tow the party line.
That is horrendously irresponsible, and an up-front admission that he is not doing the job he was hired by his constituency to do.
And that basically sums up this current Republican party, and basically sums up the problem with almost all Western (or at least North American) parties: they don't represent their constituency, they can't be trusted to think for themselves, and they have no ability to do the right thing. They just turn their brains off and do what they are told by the man behind the curtain.
We don't elect politicians. We elect fucking puppets.
posted by five fresh fish at 4:08 PM on April 25, 2005
In a sense I feel like we're living in a deluded society these days: religious conservatives are actively working to bring about the second coming of the lord while denying what is plain for everyone to see, and those who don't agree with them think that somehow 'we'll get them in the next election'.
It's almost like watching a movie about a cult. On one hand you have the cultists who believe that they're being 'persecuted' when they are clearly the one's calling the shots, then you have the non-believers refusing to believe the cultists are incapable of desperate acts because it just seems so outside the norm of logical, reasonable possibility.
And yet we have the results from people like Jim Jones, David Koresh, the reverend Moon and the Bush connection
posted by mk1gti at 4:27 PM on April 25, 2005
It's almost like watching a movie about a cult. On one hand you have the cultists who believe that they're being 'persecuted' when they are clearly the one's calling the shots, then you have the non-believers refusing to believe the cultists are incapable of desperate acts because it just seems so outside the norm of logical, reasonable possibility.
And yet we have the results from people like Jim Jones, David Koresh, the reverend Moon and the Bush connection
posted by mk1gti at 4:27 PM on April 25, 2005
My guess is that many here will maintain that the MeFi intelligensia knows that Republicans are incompetent,
No, I imagine that there's probably plenty of Republicans, disagree with them as I might, who are qualified and competent to do this job. I just don't think Bolton is.
I may be wrong, but I imagine most MeFites think similarly on this one.
posted by jonmc at 5:11 PM on April 25, 2005
No, I imagine that there's probably plenty of Republicans, disagree with them as I might, who are qualified and competent to do this job. I just don't think Bolton is.
I may be wrong, but I imagine most MeFites think similarly on this one.
posted by jonmc at 5:11 PM on April 25, 2005
All the qualified and competent Republicans (say, all the moderates, or even normal ones) are out of the running for positions in this Administration. Even Powell couldn't get a job with this bunch.
posted by amberglow at 6:44 PM on April 25, 2005
posted by amberglow at 6:44 PM on April 25, 2005
Plent are qualified and competent, but they aren't making the decisions. And, as Boulton has shown, competence is not highly valued in things like diplomacy or intelligence.
It's a top-down kind of incompetence.
Laura Rozen at War and Piece has more of the skinny on what's happening with Boulton.
posted by warbaby at 6:47 PM on April 25, 2005
It's a top-down kind of incompetence.
Laura Rozen at War and Piece has more of the skinny on what's happening with Boulton.
posted by warbaby at 6:47 PM on April 25, 2005
Looks Like LittleGreenFootballs.com and Power Line have outed the fake phoney frauds that are the Bolton accusers. So, hopefully, justice will prevail, and the UN Building will be ten stories shorter!
posted by ParisParamus at 9:29 AM on April 26, 2005
posted by ParisParamus at 9:29 AM on April 26, 2005
How Freudian.
posted by sonofsamiam at 9:38 AM on April 26, 2005
posted by sonofsamiam at 9:38 AM on April 26, 2005
How low can the liberals go--it's astonishing.
posted by ParisParamus at 10:45 AM on April 26, 2005
posted by ParisParamus at 10:45 AM on April 26, 2005
How low can the liberals go--it's astonishing.
Still waiting for you to acknowledge what you said, PP...
posted by AlexReynolds at 11:41 AM on April 26, 2005
Still waiting for you to acknowledge what you said, PP...
posted by AlexReynolds at 11:41 AM on April 26, 2005
what does "Acknowledge" mean in your book? Stop being a liberal apologist. Again, EVERY serious intelligence agency in the West (and some not in the West), affirmatively believed there were WMDs in Iraq at the time of the War. And there were. And much of the shit was move with Russian assistance to Syria.
You are hopelessly, pathologically, ideologically blind.
posted by ParisParamus at 12:04 PM on April 26, 2005
You are hopelessly, pathologically, ideologically blind.
posted by ParisParamus at 12:04 PM on April 26, 2005
Man, it's just as entertaining as the raving crackheads at the bus stop, but without the fear of contracting hepatitis from all that with flying spittle!
posted by sonofsamiam at 12:35 PM on April 26, 2005
posted by sonofsamiam at 12:35 PM on April 26, 2005
The ISG also found no evidence to support allegations that Iraq had moved WMD to Syria before the war, which some administration officials had said was possible.
John Shaw, then a deputy undersecretary of defence, in October said Russian “units” had helped move weapons out of Iraq to Syria. But Pentagon officials dismissed the allegations, which were also denied by the Russians.
Mr Duelfer said: “Based on the evidence available at present, ISG judged that it was unlikely that an official transfer of WMD material from Iraq to Syria took place.”
posted by trey at 12:56 PM on April 26, 2005
John Shaw, then a deputy undersecretary of defence, in October said Russian “units” had helped move weapons out of Iraq to Syria. But Pentagon officials dismissed the allegations, which were also denied by the Russians.
Mr Duelfer said: “Based on the evidence available at present, ISG judged that it was unlikely that an official transfer of WMD material from Iraq to Syria took place.”
posted by trey at 12:56 PM on April 26, 2005
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This is just a political Borking of Bush's pick by bitter Democrats.
Then how come even some Republicans (Voinovich and Chafee) have come out against him? I fully expect Bush to appoint a conservative and that's his prerogative as president, I'd just prefer he be competent at least.
posted by jonmc at 6:50 PM on April 24, 2005