[ScottGem]

OMG, I cannot believe you are blaming the poverty in New Orleans and Katrina on Bush,

First, if you read what you quoted from CGirl, she did say; " No, this is not all Bush's fault,". As for blaming the levees on Bush, it was Bush's administration that cut funding that might have strengthened them. So, yes, you could lay some of that blame on Bush.

As for Bush worrying about the country, you apparently aren't paying much attention. How much time has Bush spent vacationing on his ranch?

As for whether he is doing the job he was elected to, that is highly debatable. But lets say he is doing the job, then he is doing it very badly.

Your trying to justify Bush by citing Clinton's sexual escapades is just trying to divert focus from the real issue. Yes Clinton's presidency was marred by the Lewinsky thing. But try an look past that peccadillo. Try looking at how good the economy was under Clinton. Whatever problems Clinton had, you can't say he wasn't there doing his job, you can't say he didn't care about his constituents. I can't say the same for Bush.

Look at the good Clinton continues to do. They announced today that he has convinced the drink industry to cease selling sugared sodas to schools to help combat obesity in kids. Can you imagine Bush convincing the Oil industry to forgo profits to lower prices?

And yes, not only did I vote, but I worked in both the Gore and Kerry campaigns.

[talaniman]

I always voted since I was 18 and I can say George sucks as a president and all our grandkids will be paying for it! The best antichrist impersonation I've ever seen!:cool: :eek: :mad:

[orange]

Well I didn't vote obviously, because I am not an American citizen and don't live in the United States. But I still believe I have a right to an opinion about the president, because the President of the United States is an extremely important person in the grand scheme of things... he's basically the leader of the free world. So decisions he makes (especially foreign policy decisions) don't just effect Americans they also effect those of us who are outside the USA.

[Cgirl]

As for J_9's post, I feel like I should defend what I wrote. 1st off, yes I DID vote. Secondly, I am not saying poverty is Bush's fault, but it is a known fact that his campaign has always benefited the rich and hurt the poor, and soon our middle class will be wiped away to nothing. Katrina was not his fault, BUT maybe if he wouldn't have been so focused on being the BIG TOUGH president trying to "save" the Iraqi people, those people in New Orleans would have been better informed and gotten out of there. AND NO, they were not all "informed" and chose to stay, some of them did not have the means to get out of there, and the whole busing thing proved to be a big mess. Yes, there is poverty all over the country, Katrina was just a perfect example of how America's people are being forgotten by the Bush administration. I've said it once and I will say it again, Bush needs to focus more on what is happening here in the United States, like the drug problem that is killing our teens everyday in this country, and poverty is one of the main causes of this. WE AS A NATION ARE BEING IGNORED!!

[magprob]

Politics of oil: Cheney visits Kazakhstan
U.S. eyes huge resources, also notes country's weak human rights record

The Associated Press
Updated: 9:48 a.m. ET May 5, 2006


ASTANA, Kazakhstan - Vice President **** Cheney traveled to Kazakhstan on Friday for talks with President Nursultan Nazarbayev, seeking to maximize access to the vast oil and gas reserves in the central Asian nation with a troubled human-rights record.

Cheney became the fourth top administration official to visit the former Soviet republic in recent months, underscoring the importance placed on a country that is strategically located and an ally in the war on terror, as well as rich in energy resources.

Administration policy favors development of multiple means of delivering Kazakhstan's energy supplies to markets in the West and elsewhere.

Among them, Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher told Congress recently, the United States is “working on securing the flow of oil” from North Caspian oil fields by tanker to a pipeline terminus in Azerbaijan. That route would bypass Russia and Iran. There has also been periodic talk of building a pipeline under the Caspian Sea.

Rights record 'remains poor'
Energy aside, one senior administration official said the vice president would prod Nazarbayev to make further democratic reforms in the country he has ruled since the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991.

“The government's human-rights record remains poor,” according to a recent State Department report.

It was unclear how Cheney would attempt to balance the two concerns — American energy needs in a time of high prices alongside a desire for political reforms. His talks came one day after a speech to East European leaders in Lithuania that sharply criticized Russia for backsliding on democracy.

One senior administration official traveling with Cheney said the remarks, which drew quick criticism from Moscow, had been “very well vetted” in advance within the administration.

Officials disclosed belatedly that while in Lithuania to attend a meeting of eastern European leaders, Cheney had met Thursday afternoon with Inna Kulei, the wife of the jailed Belarusian opposition leader, Alexander Milinkevich.

Meanwhile, a private group said Kazakh authorities on Friday barred an opposition leader from traveling to the capital Astana for a meeting with Cheney.

Police refused to grant Galymzhan Zhakiyanov permission to leave his home city, the commercial capital Almaty, the For a Fair Kazakhstan Alliance said in a statement. Zhakiyanov and other leaders of the alliance were invited to meet with Cheney in Astana on Saturday.

Last month, Zhakiyanov and another opposition leader, Bolat Abilov, were barred from leaving the country for meetings with European officials. Sentenced to seven years in prison for abuse of office, Zhakiyanov was considered the Central Asian nation's highest-profile political prisoner before his early release in January.


HERE IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF THE TRUE REASON THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH ANOTHER COUNTRY-OIL;)

[31pumpkin]

Yes, but I hear it's the Democrats that are against tappinginto our own oil because of environmental issues, ie: Alaska, Gulf of Mexico, Arizona, Texas, etc.

Why do they do that? I don't understand the BIG environmental issue regarding that?
:cool:

[NeedKarma]

I don't understand the BIG environmental issue regarding that?
:cool:

Just because you don't understand it doesn't mean it's not a big issue.

[ScottGem]

Yes, but I hear it's the Democrats that are against tappinginto our own oil b/c of environmental issues, ie: Alaska, Gulf of Mexico, Arizona, Texas, etc.

Why do they do that? I don't understand the BIG environmental issue regarding that?
:cool:

Its not true that Democrats per se are against tapping into resources. However, many people, Democrats among them, are concerned about the environmental impact of such actions. If you are not aware of the very real impact of such actions, I suggest you do some research because there are too many things to go into in a forum like this.

I will say this, the planet has a relatively delicate balance in its ecology. Anything that has an impact on that balance can, and often does, have repercussions that have not been given full consideration in the past. Smog, Acid rain, global warming, endangered species are all consequences of the wanton rape of the environment in the past.

[31pumpkin]

At least I'm an objective thinker. You like to use that word IGNORANT a lot! You don't win anybody over with that attitude.

Why don't you put your arrogance in your back pocket and maybe be able to describe the environmental issue ! Describe- "PER SE". Is it not the Democrats that are against drilling or not. Are my media sources wrong?
Because YOU, a seemingly Democrat, don't seem to be very convincing.

[NeedKarma]

Are my media sources wrong?

Yes.

http://today.reuters.com/investing/f...ALASKA-OIL.XML
No mention of Democrats, it's the environmental groups.

Alaska Oil Drilling - GovSpot Issues
Look at the Supporters and Opponents, no mention of Democrats

BBC NEWS | Americas | Senate blocks Alaska oil drilling
The plan fell 4 votes short. Obviously all the repubs aren't buying into it.

Do you want me to continue?

[Curlyben]

To all participants,

As this thread has gone so far off course from the original question I'm closing it.

Thank you.