Not to snipe your post Robby, but:
-Increase 92,000 troops in the next five years
#only about 6 years too late
-Stop the terrorist before they attack
#Not likely, not with this policy at any rate.
-Secure Iraq
#And that's about the sum total of the policy, without a lot of elaboration...
-Bring the fight to the terrorist
#They're still in Afghanistan, US deployment is set to decrease to pick up the slack in Iraq
-They want to kill Americans
#Which terrorists are being referred to? There's at least 4 distinct factions that are trying to get control of Iraq.
-We most find the enemies and protect the American people
#Must?
Protecting Americans by destabilizing an area and invading a country that has literally NOTHING to do with 9/11/01.
-America most help the Middle East
#Must?
Seems that the best way to do that is quit posturing, and do something that will actually HELP in the area... Like, investigate Saudi links to international terrorism.
-We saw what happened in sep 11
-We cannot abandon our friends
#IRAQ WAS A FRIEND ON 9/11/01??!?!? Okay, here's where I put the brakes on and hit that imaginary rewind button: After 9/11/01:
- Bush forgot completely about the one nation that did more real work than any other 20 nations combined to help. I'll give you a second to figure that one out.
- Bush pressured the UN to allow invasion of Afghanistan, and when Osama Bin Laden was in the grasp of US forces, he ordered the removal of the Americans that were responsible for doing 99% of the work to secure his capture... The replacements dropped the ball. In order to distract from this: Invade Iraq.
- Bush threatened North Korea, much to world wide opposition.
- Bush basically chastised Germany, France and Russia (the 3 Countries that kept up humanitarian ties to Iraq OUTSIDE the food for oil programme) for telling him its not a good idea to invade Iraq. Even when they were proved right, he has yet to eat those words.
I think this qualifies as abandoning friends... unless you expect your friends to be the people that ALWAYS agree with you... then you're an idiot.
-It will put or security at risk
#Our?
Putting security at risk? WHAT SECURITY? You have little if any security. You'll notice that while your government is not helping you be any more secure from Terrorists of any stripe (economic, class, corporate, hell Governmental) they're also grinding down your civil liberties. The first Government in history to do that without a declaration of war in hand.
-Iraq most stop the violence
#Must?
They need real support and training, they also need loyal troops that are going to do what's right for everyone, and not what's right for their personal or religious vendettas.
-But they're not ready yet
#No, they need real support and training. It MIGHT be an idea to get the former military in on the new military... or if anything, DISARM the former military.
-If we fail in Iraq, the enemy will harm America
#Iraq will harm America? They can barely help themselves. The enemy is in your backyard, in elected positions, and in the boardrooms and even in the Whitehouse.
-I asked you to support our troops on the field
-And those on their way
#Great... why not use their abilities in a co-ordinated, and effective manner instead of using them to stamp out little fires... There is not nearly enough to do that. Get the UN involved.
-Hire civilians
#Should have been done 3 years ago, maybe he'll twig that they need a policy change and a real plan in November 2008.
-The U.N most help create peace
#Must?
That's a great idea... Fantastic... Should have been done since DAY ONE, and you know, when the US goes into a folly with Iraq, it's only common sense that your President ASK for help DIRECTLY.
And before
-Keep the economy strong
#Uh huh... How about making it easier for people to afford the necessities of life?
-Balance federal budget
#Why break the streak? Did Bush just remember that he was elected 7 years ago on a platform of fiscal responsibility? Can someone get Gilligan a paddleball game to keep him amused?
-No child left behind
#HAH!!! Fund the program first... Seriously, it's not a bad idea, but when Conservatives voted to kill the funding of the program I seriously doubt that anyone is going to be able to sh*t out enough money to make the objectives attainable. That would also mean that *gasp* the military spending increases would have to be reigned in.
-Affordable health care
#Pardon my language, but BULLSH
IT!
-Tax deduction for health insurance
#See previous statement.
-Use federal funds to help those with no insurance
#See statement about Affordable health care. Conservatives will NEVER vote a way for major RNC contributors like Drug Companies to make less money. Why do I say that? Simple: the federal drug plan would require the use of Generic drugs instead of the branded counterparts. Hell, Medicare and the entire social safety net have been under attack for 25 years by conservatives. This would also require that money be diverted from the "war" on Terror/Drugs/war-du-jour to fund people that Conservatives have no use for (ie, poor, homeless, unemployed, underemployed).
-Secure the border
#By building a Fence? Why not make it easier for Mexicans to work for a living wage in Mexico?
-Increase border patrol
#Fund it.
-Create temp worker program
#Didn't work in the 20's when this was tried before, no reason for it to work now.
-No amnesty for illegal
#Great idea... but if you're not going to try to fix the root cause of the illegal immigration (ie. No jobs in Mexico) you're just going to super-populate jails.
-Change the way we create energy
#Big Oil will LOVE that idea.
-use wind and solar energy
#It's not going to be feasible until the technology becomes wide-spread and accepted by major utilities.
-Battery vehicles?
#Bigger environmental problem than running ethanol/hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Lead Acid batteries aren't going to be part of it, but the NiMH, Li-on batteries and other technologies use heavy metals that are notoriously difficult to recycle after their operating life is up.
-Control global warming?
#Figure it out to begin with, start doing parallel double-blind research,
-Invest in ethanol
#Great idea. It was a great idea when the Democrats proposed it when the Kyoto Accord was authored.
Great speech? Nothing new... contradictions, other people's ideas pawned off as original thoughts, and promises that are not going to be followed through on.
Transeat In Exemplum: Let this stand as the example.
