Bush on Immigration - Is this the stupidest thing a President ever said?
During his illustrious Presidency, George W. Bush has uttered many memorable...utterances, such as:
"I think we agree, the past is over."
(On his meeting with John McCain, Dallas Morning News, May 10, 2000)
"More and more of our imports come from overseas."
"Natural gas is hemispheric. I like to call it hemispheric in nature because it is a product that we can find in our neighborhoods."
"I know the human being and the fish can coexist peacefully."
And, now you can add one more to the list----
"And the truth of the matter is a lot of this immigration debate is driven as a result of Latinos being in our country."
Source:
For Bush, fight over immigration bill is personal
9 Comments:
I quit trying to figure out what he was doing a long time ago.
I was listening to Talk Radio yesterday, and I heard that the GOP has lost about 40% of their small time supporters based on his views about immigration.
I don't like the democratic or the republican party I lean more to Green or Independent. I used to be a member of the republican party now that shocked a lot of people depending on the issue my views can support either party.
However, these days I'm finding that what I dislike far outweighs what I like about either party.
"the GOP has lost about 40% of their small time supporters based on his views about immigration."
I'm not surprised. He is definitely going against his party faithful. But they shouldn't be surprised. He's the former governor of a border state and, because of that, he's going to have a viewpoint that differs.
Frankly, I wish we would let naturalized citizens run for the office. That way, Arnold Schwarzenegger could run for President. He's a republican but he's married into the Kennedy clan so that probably makes him a middle-of-the-roader on a lot of issues. Even if Arnie didn't turn out to be such a great Prez, his press conferences would be funny as he%^.
"However, these days I'm finding that what I dislike far outweighs what I like about either party."
My sentiments exactly. I would consider the libertarian party more but I don't agree with their stance on drug legalization. They tried that approach to drug use in the netherlands and they just wound up with more people addicted to drugs.
Arnold is middle of the road on various issues that are one reason why I do like him. In that sense we think alike. I agree with you about the press conferences they surely would be lively!
I think some people are in the middle of the road on various issues, but they refuse to vote outside of their party. In some cases, I found that they didn't know.
I agree with you on legalizing drug that is just opening a can of worms for more people suffering from addictions because it's "legal".
Tim:
I am extremely disappointed with Bush. I get angrier and angrier every day; however, I am sad that you have taken the low road in your criticism of him.
I know that I myself sometimes fall into schoolyard name-calling instead of well-thought-out opinions. I have been trying to do better for months and I think I have. I try to watch myself and stick to commenting on the issues.
Be fair, man. Obviously those quotes are mostly taken out of context. "...the past is behind us" is clearly taken out of context. I guarantee you he said something after that. Any of us can be skewered for mispeaking now and then. It is the lowest form of criticism to make fun of people. I have never checked out your blog before so I don't know if this is your habit. I am going to assume that your stuff is usually intelligent commentary because Opal recommended you and she is first class all the way.
re:"I am going to assume that your stuff is usually intelligent commentary"
I would never make that assumption, particularly about my own stuff.
Regarding the Bush quotes, well, if I've taken the low road so has every late night talk show over the last 7 years. I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. And I mean that for you and for me. True, GW is a horrible public speaker, but I wouldn't base my evaluation of his presidency on that.
What I would base my evaluation on is this:
1. Social Security and Medicare are becoming insolvent while we've thrown away 500 billion on a war that has no merit. WMDs? A lie to the American people, spoken by a president who dodged the draft by joining the air guard and then failed to serve his obligation.
2. The nation has lost the goodwill of its allies by picking the wrong fight and our enemies (Iran and North Korea) have been strengthened and emboldened because of this. Iraq, despite the fact that it was ruled by a despot and his crazy sons, was a moderate arab nation NOT on the verge of falling under radical islamist control. Now it is. Iraq, prior to the invasion, was not a hotbed of terrorism. Now it is. During the time we've been tied up in Iraq, North Korea may have gotten the bomb and Iran is on its way. We've also lost support from the Russians and what used to be the western alliance.
3. The problem with the southern border has gone completely out of control and this president is bent on giving amnesty to illegals. Why is this wrong? Many reasons, but here's just a few: local hospitals are straining under the weight of having to provide services to so many new arrivals from mexico and central america. This is causing problems for citizens in border states who are now having to wait longer for medical services. In these same areas, property taxes are rising to account for the added costs in services provided. I don't know about you, but I've seen elderly people lose homes over tax issues. Also, if you live in a large metro area and check the police reports, you'll find some continuity in this kind of story: illegal with no insurance and no license arrested for drunk driving after injuring other drivers. Sometimes, this involves a fatality. And, of course, there are other issues, one of which is the fact that illegals do not simply do jobs that americans don't want to do. This is a lie. Illegals actually lower the labor rates so much that americans can no longer get those jobs. This is a pandemic problem in the construction industry and in many other industries. Who benefits from this? Not the american consumer. Those lower labor rates do not pass on savings to you and me. They simply get pocketed by contractors and farmers who pocket the savings and continue to charge you and me the same prices. And how about stolen social security numbers? You know what that does? One day, you wake up and you're getting collection calls about delinquent bills that someone started in your name because an illegal stole your social security number. This is happening at a staggering pace. You know how hard it is fix credit problems even when someone has stolen your SSN? Sometimes years. And during that time you can't get financed on a car or home. And while we're talking about the U.S. southern border, if this President was so concerned about terrorism and the possibility of a terrorist attack, don't you think we would have actually done something about border security by now? We haven't. And that tells me that its all BS.
Regarding illegals, BTW, I have no enmity toward them. They're simply trying to get more for themselves and their families. And that's understandable and very respectable. However, it is not the job of the american middle class and blue collar workers to make up for what a corrupt mexican government does not do, which is take care of its own poverty problems instead of shipping those problems here, so our citizens can see their taxes rise, see their schools become overcrowded, become victims of identity theft, and get hit on the highway by unlicensed, uninsured drivers.
In short, this President is a liar and his term of office marks an incredible lowpoint in the history of the country. He has strengthened our enemies, alienated our allies, turned his back on the middle class (all those tax cuts he talks about--did you get any of that? I make in the top 10% of the nation's wage-earners and I didn't see a dime) and promoted only the interests of the very wealthy. He has presided over the nation while much of its heavy industry has disintegrated. Effectively, he has allowed the People's Republic of China to engage in a massive military buildup, financed largely by retail sales at walmart. Yes, we save ten percent there, but we put money in the pockets of those who, one day, will challenge us over Taiwan, and while we're doing that we destroy the middle class. Cheap crap from china on every shelf at Walmart simply weakens the economy and the job base. Cheap labor from mexico does the same. And its all bcause of a greedy desire to save a little here and there. Who the heck cares about whether the country will become insolvent in 20 years. Certainly not this president. He's too focused on legacy building.
But, you know, this is not really a political blog, so try to keep those comments under control, eh? LOL.
re:"I am going to assume that your stuff is usually intelligent commentary"
I would never make that assumption, particularly about my own stuff.
Regarding the Bush quotes, well, if I've taken the low road so has every late night talk show over the last 7 years. I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. And I mean that for you and for me. True, GW is a horrible public speaker, but I wouldn't base my evaluation of his presidency on that.
What I would base my evaluation on is this:
1. Social Security and Medicare are becoming insolvent while we've thrown away 500 billion on a war that has no merit. WMDs? A lie to the American people, spoken by a president who dodged the draft by joining the air guard and then failed to serve his obligation.
2. The nation has lost the goodwill of its allies by picking the wrong fight and our enemies (Iran and North Korea) have been strengthened and emboldened because of this. Iraq, despite the fact that it was ruled by a despot and his crazy sons, was a moderate arab nation NOT on the verge of falling under radical islamist control. Now it is. Iraq, prior to the invasion, was not a hotbed of terrorism. Now it is. During the time we've been tied up in Iraq, North Korea may have gotten the bomb and Iran is on its way. We've also lost support from the Russians and what used to be the western alliance.
3. The problem with the southern border has gone completely out of control and this president is bent on giving amnesty to illegals. Why is this wrong? Many reasons, but here's just a few: local hospitals are straining under the weight of having to provide services to so many new arrivals from mexico and central america. This is causing problems for citizens in border states who are now having to wait longer for medical services. In these same areas, property taxes are rising to account for the added costs in services provided. I don't know about you, but I've seen elderly people lose homes over tax issues. Also, if you live in a large metro area and check the police reports, you'll find some continuity in this kind of story: illegal with no insurance and no license arrested for drunk driving after injuring other drivers. Sometimes, this involves a fatality. And, of course, there are other issues, one of which is the fact that illegals do not simply do jobs that americans don't want to do. This is a lie. Illegals actually lower the labor rates so much that americans can no longer get those jobs. This is a pandemic problem in the construction industry and in many other industries. Who benefits from this? Not the american consumer. Those lower labor rates do not pass on savings to you and me. They simply get pocketed by contractors and farmers who pocket the savings and continue to charge you and me the same prices. And how about stolen social security numbers? You know what that does? One day, you wake up and you're getting collection calls about delinquent bills that someone started in your name because an illegal stole your social security number. This is happening at a staggering pace. You know how hard it is fix credit problems even when someone has stolen your SSN? Sometimes years. And during that time you can't get financed on a car or home. And while we're talking about the U.S. southern border, if this President was so concerned about terrorism and the possibility of a terrorist attack, don't you think we would have actually done something about border security by now? We haven't. And that tells me that its all BS.
Regarding illegals, BTW, I have no enmity toward them. They're simply trying to get more for themselves and their families. And that's understandable and very respectable. However, it is not the job of the american middle class and blue collar workers to make up for what a corrupt mexican government does not do, which is take care of its own poverty problems instead of shipping those problems here, so our citizens can see their taxes rise, see their schools become overcrowded, become victims of identity theft, and get hit on the highway by unlicensed, uninsured drivers.
In short, this President is a liar and his term of office marks an incredible lowpoint in the history of the country. He has strengthened our enemies, alienated our allies, turned his back on the middle class (all those tax cuts he talks about--did you get any of that? I make in the top 10% of the nation's wage-earners and I didn't see a dime) and promoted only the interests of the very wealthy. He has presided over the nation while much of its heavy industry has disintegrated. Effectively, he has allowed the People's Republic of China to engage in a massive military buildup, financed largely by retail sales at walmart. Yes, we save ten percent there, but we put money in the pockets of those who, one day, will challenge us over Taiwan, and while we're doing that we destroy the middle class. Cheap crap from china on every shelf at Walmart simply weakens the economy and the job base. Cheap labor from mexico does the same. And its all bcause of a greedy desire to save a little here and there. Who the heck cares about whether the country will become insolvent in 20 years. Certainly not this president. He's too focused on legacy building.
But, you know, this is not really a political blog, so try to keep those comments under control, eh? LOL.
I can't argue with much of what you said here. Bush is horrible. How he can constantly alienate/insult his own base is amazing.
I have to disagree with the tax cuts though. I am a middle class guy with 4 kids and I shudder to think that in 2010 his cuts might expire under different leadership. This has been fantastic for my family. I complain about taxes, but I really shouldn't, it's just my habit. You say you are in the top 10% of wage earners? I don't think that is middle class. I would have to look up the stats, but I would think you are one of the rich that you complain about, my friend.
I just checked. If you are in the top 10% of wage earners, you make at least 95K. I can see how you might not consider that rich, but it's twice what I make. Regardless of the actual amount, wouldn't you consider anyone in the top 10% of anything to be among the highest achievers?
Actually, I guess I'm doing considerably better at the moment than the top 10%, but that's been due to some good fortune (with some hard work thrown in). Four years ago and it was a different situation: a 9-5 job making in the low 30's. But its the same story you see elsewhere: income increases and so do obligations (family, mainly). I can tell you this much. Self-employment is not all its cracked up to be.
Regarding Bush, well, I used to be a republican and then this administration changed it all for me. Two other issues I forgot to mention are drug reimportation from Canada and the white house attack on overtime provisions. I really do see them as anti-middle class.
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