We should all be showing our approval of the things Bush said right.

[MercutioATC]

In his address last night, Bush did a few things that really benefit us:

1) He clearly stated that historic racial bias is currently resulting in economic disadvantages for minorities.

2) He pledged federal support in the form of new social programs to attempt to mitigate this.

Hell, if a Dem had said these things, we'd be happy. We should be encouraging this kind of behavior...for two reasons...

1) In spirit, he's committed money for social programs that could work, not only in the Gulf, but across the country if managed correctly. We can use this opportunity to praise the idea while keeping an eye on the administration of these programs. If they go well, we can call for using them in other places across the country. If they're mismanaged, we can bring that to light.

2) A lot of his address last night HAD to really piss off his base. Rather than just picking on the things with which we didn't agree, we should be broadcasting the positives (for us). All this man has is his base, and he just said some things they REALLY don't agree with.

[sepia_steel]

1. These are beautiful words

unfortunately, I have no faith in him backing it up.

[Neocondriac]

2. Too late....

and barely believeable. It shouldn't always be about public relations but with the Neocons 'PERCEPTION' is all that matters.

[pepperbear]

3. I see your point....

but I am still a bit skeptical. I would offer that so far he has only "said", but hasn't "done" yet. If he "does" the right thing and this rebuild doesn't turn into a "Casinos for rich people instead of public housing" kind of thing (with lots and lots of pork! mmmm, mmmm) I'll be right along with those who wish to slap him on the back.
Until then, he is still walking on thin ice with more and more of the country.

Here's to keeping the glass half full!

[quiet.american]

4. All hat and no cattle

I think the failure to get excited is due to knowing Bushco well enough to know THE ONLY THING THEY WILL PUSH FOR is to domestically expand the powers of the Executive office to call the military out on American citizens. All else is talk only. I might as well have made the speech for all the real good that will come of it.

[tom_paine]

5. He lies. You know he lies. His promises are as empty

as Hitler & Nero before him.

[Ishoutandscream2]

12. Welcome back, Tom. And i agree

He does lie. He may say the right thing (in a blue moon) but his promises are never kept, unless they are made to his "base."

Even if he were really committed to doing all of this, where the hell is he going to find the money? He pissed it all away on frivolous taxcuts and the quamire in Iraq.

[Ishoutandscream2]

13. Welcome back, Tom. And i agree

He does lie. He may say the right thing (in a blue moon) but his promises are never kept, unless they are made to his "base."

Even if he were really committed to doing all of this, where the hell is he going to find the money? He pissed it all away on frivolous taxcuts and the quamire in Iraq.

[Ishoutandscream2]

14. Okay, why in the world did I post twice?

[Beetwasher]

6. TALK IS CHEAP

Give me a break. Keep an eye on the admin of the programs???? How? Just ask Rove nicely to let us audit the distribution of the funds??? LOL!

There's a sucker born every minute.

No, we shouldn't be lauding Bush in anyway. We should ridicule him that NOW that he's in trouble, he wants to become a good liberal. He want to throw MORE money, not at the people who need it, but at Halliburton and his other cronies.

[Skittles]

7. oh come on MercutioATC

that phony speech was damage control for our piece of shit "president" - not for the gulf states OR America

Remember his promises when he ran for "president"? Yeah.

[Orrex]

8. As always, his words were written very carefully

Here's the part I'm talking about:

That poverty has roots in a history of racial discrimination, which cut off generations from the opportunity of America. We have a duty to confront this poverty with bold action.

It sounds like he's acknowledging the ongoing problems of racism in the south, but he isn't. He's saying that current poverty has its roots in historical racial discrimination; that is, discrimination in the past but not the present.

That's a very clever way of absolving current racism of any current wrong-doing. By framing today's problems as a side-effect of yesterday's crimes, Dubya gets to sound like he cares about racism without actually compromising his position with anyone in his far-white base.

[Wordie]

15. The extremist part of his base is unlikely to catch such subtleties, imho.

So, I have to admit, that was a courageous thing for him to say, whether or not there were some major qualifiers there. But I agree with the rest of the responders in this thread that it is *action* that will show if these words were sincere. I'm skeptical.

[Orrex]

18. I hope that you're correct

But he's famous for using "coded language" when discussing matters of importance to his base. Whether it's wistful references to Christianity ("We've heard the call and we're answering it") or oblique allusions to abortion (by discussing Dred Scott, for example), he's been very effective at communicating on two or more levels simultaneously.

That's pretty impressive for a man who can barely hold his peepee.

Of course, it's not as though he's writing this stuff himself...

[Wordie]

25. Yeah, you may be right. "Trickle down" was of course a Repub way of

confronting poverty. So, it may be just a case of pretty words. Still, some of what he proposed sounded more liberal than conservative.

It may just be that he is truly frightened that his legacy drowned and died in the flood along with so many in NO. He did have sort of that "deer in the headlights" look during much of the speech.

It will be really interesting to see if any of what he proposed actually happens, and who it will ultimately benefit. Of course, he will be long gone from office before we know.

[global1]

9. Maybe We Should Use Reverse Psychology Here........

You all know that the Repugs do exactly opposite what we are looking for. So maybe we should all praise *. Get behind his plan for the rebuilding of NO.

Oh - I'm sorry - I forgot - didn't we do that after 911 and isn't that what got us into this unwinnable war?

Sorry - Scratch That Idea.

[oldleftguy]

10. It's morning in America....

...I've heard this crap before. No faith in this man, if he is one.

[MercutioATC]

11. REPLY TO MESSAGES 1-10 ABOVE:

I'm not saying that I believe him, I'm saying that he made a committment on national TV that we agree with in principle (at least in part).

We should be lauding the things he said right and holding him to it. Either he'll do what he said or he won't. If he does, it's something we can try to expand to other parts of the country. If he doesn't, the "all hat and no cattle" claim will have even more validity.

Either way we win, and his base gets more pissed off in the process.

[Ishoutandscream2]

17. Yes, sorry if we were a tad bit cynical and rude

I had no intent to be rude. I just want to see some action and not hear hollow words.

[MercutioATC]

21. Hell, that doesn't bother me.

I just see a lot of strategic advange for us in what he said last night.....IF we play it right.

[oldleftguy]

19. Never give this guy any credence.

His agenda is totally different from ours. His perception of progress is based on capital and greed. Justice and diversity shall be crushed in his principles. In case you can't tell, I really don't like the guy.

[MercutioATC]

22. Agreed. But when he hands us something like this, I'd like to see us run

with it.

Done right, this speech could work in our favor.

[Breeze54]

16. But...but...

I waited :popcorn: but I didn't hear him saying those two little words!

"I RESIGN!"

Now....THAT would REALLY benefit us!! :woohoo:

:thumbsup:

[TallahasseeGrannie]

20. More pretty words. n/t

[hippiegranny]

23. This first time this buffoon

EVER walks his talk, I might begin to listen and give a shred a credit. He is putting the NO rebuilding in the hands of none other than KKKarl Rove. That speaks volumes. Speeches written for no other reason than to booster his sagging poll numbers are meaningless and empty.

[MercutioATC]

27. That's not my point. See Post #11. n/t

[Mz Pip]

24. It's all in the timing

No way would BushCo be channeling deceased liberal Democrats if his numbers weren't in the crapper. Yeah, I'm cynical. Why now?

How does Bush plan to pay for this great reconstruction? Raising taxes? I kind of doubt it. Pulling out of Iraq? No way.

Yes, he said all the right things, but I want to see him walk the walk not just say pretty words because his administration is in full damage control. He talked a lot of the same "compassinate" rhetoric in 2000. Just look at how far that all went.

Let's see where all this goes before we heap the praise on him. His base isn't going anywhere anyway.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[Justyce]

26. self delete