Country at a Crossroads
Based on what's happened recently, between Katrina and John Roberts, I'm now convinced that our country is at a crossroads. Our very way of life can be affected by the outcomes of events that are happening right now, and I have to admit I'm not hopeful for a positive direction.
Last night I had a casual conversation with someone who shared with me her thoughts on the president. She told me that she doesn't consider herself a Democrat, but definitely dislikes Bush. I didn't want to get into a debate with her, so I simply asked her why. Her answers were interesting and revealing.
First, she readily admitted that she doesn't pay a lot of attention to politics. So she knows that she's somewhat uninformed about the issues of the day. Even so, in talking about President Bush, she sounded like an echo chamber of the major network news shows. Bush is a liar. Bush only cares about his rich buddies. Bush has no heart.
I mildly told her that if she really dug into factual information, she just might find that the media has been over the top on their reporting about the president. And everything she said about him is conveyed by every network news outlet (except Fox) 24/7.
But I was interested in the last statement - about heart. Why did she feel that way? She responded that, no matter how horrible the event, when Bush comes on the air to talk, he shows no emotion and just spouts his "party line". She can't trust any president who shows no emotion, and she feels that this president has no soul.
My conclusions from that conversation is that she represents the majority of women in this country who lean toward the Democrats. There's little doubt that President Bush is no Ronald Reagan when it comes to communication. He's a poor public speaker, famous for his frequent public faux pas. But unless you pay close attention to see him in both formal and informal occasions and read what those who know him have to say about him, you can completely miss what I believe is a very sincere and compassionate man. And I understand that the main reason women are drawn to Democrats is because they vote with their hearts instead of their heads. They are more likely to support a policy that sounds compassionate, even if it's completely impractical. It's too bad that the news media is so intent on destroying this presidency that they won't make any effort toward balanced reporting; I don't expect all positive, but reporting equally on both the strengths and weaknesses of our president.
Ultimately my fading hope comes from the disappointing realities this conversation with an educated and intelligent person brought to vivid relief, that when the majority of the population is uninformed or misinformed about the important issues facing our country and the kinds of people leading us, we will soon lose our freedoms and quality of life.
The Supreme Court vacancies that will presumably filled by John Roberts followed by another Bush appointee are going to determine for the next 30 years whether we will remain ruled by laws and not by men. There quite possibly could be a couple more vacancies during the next presidential term, which looks very much like they will be filled by a Democrat president.
And whether Bush is allowed to finish the job in Iraq will determine whether the United States will ever again be able to effectively protect its citizens from foreign threats, or become a pacifistic nation open to all manner of terrorism and abuse and fear. Frightening polls these days are suggesting that most Americans don't have the stomach for war, which to me means we may have become incapable of uniting behind the flag to protect our country once again from foreign threats, whether they be tyranny, enslavement, fascism, terrorism, or any other threats to our freedoms and living standards.
Last night I had a casual conversation with someone who shared with me her thoughts on the president. She told me that she doesn't consider herself a Democrat, but definitely dislikes Bush. I didn't want to get into a debate with her, so I simply asked her why. Her answers were interesting and revealing.
First, she readily admitted that she doesn't pay a lot of attention to politics. So she knows that she's somewhat uninformed about the issues of the day. Even so, in talking about President Bush, she sounded like an echo chamber of the major network news shows. Bush is a liar. Bush only cares about his rich buddies. Bush has no heart.
I mildly told her that if she really dug into factual information, she just might find that the media has been over the top on their reporting about the president. And everything she said about him is conveyed by every network news outlet (except Fox) 24/7.
But I was interested in the last statement - about heart. Why did she feel that way? She responded that, no matter how horrible the event, when Bush comes on the air to talk, he shows no emotion and just spouts his "party line". She can't trust any president who shows no emotion, and she feels that this president has no soul.
My conclusions from that conversation is that she represents the majority of women in this country who lean toward the Democrats. There's little doubt that President Bush is no Ronald Reagan when it comes to communication. He's a poor public speaker, famous for his frequent public faux pas. But unless you pay close attention to see him in both formal and informal occasions and read what those who know him have to say about him, you can completely miss what I believe is a very sincere and compassionate man. And I understand that the main reason women are drawn to Democrats is because they vote with their hearts instead of their heads. They are more likely to support a policy that sounds compassionate, even if it's completely impractical. It's too bad that the news media is so intent on destroying this presidency that they won't make any effort toward balanced reporting; I don't expect all positive, but reporting equally on both the strengths and weaknesses of our president.
Ultimately my fading hope comes from the disappointing realities this conversation with an educated and intelligent person brought to vivid relief, that when the majority of the population is uninformed or misinformed about the important issues facing our country and the kinds of people leading us, we will soon lose our freedoms and quality of life.
The Supreme Court vacancies that will presumably filled by John Roberts followed by another Bush appointee are going to determine for the next 30 years whether we will remain ruled by laws and not by men. There quite possibly could be a couple more vacancies during the next presidential term, which looks very much like they will be filled by a Democrat president.
And whether Bush is allowed to finish the job in Iraq will determine whether the United States will ever again be able to effectively protect its citizens from foreign threats, or become a pacifistic nation open to all manner of terrorism and abuse and fear. Frightening polls these days are suggesting that most Americans don't have the stomach for war, which to me means we may have become incapable of uniting behind the flag to protect our country once again from foreign threats, whether they be tyranny, enslavement, fascism, terrorism, or any other threats to our freedoms and living standards.
posted by Dan S. at 2:50 PM
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