N*F*B: My election thoughts articulated...

[hotwhip9]

I don't agree with all the reasons why we are at war. But we can't just stop. Not many people seem to understand that we can't just stop the war. Yes we have lost lives, we will lose more. I've lost some close friends, had to pick them up afterwards. I've lived it along with many others. But I do think sean is right, Bush will go down in history as doing the right thing. In the long run it will turn out. The problem with american society is they want everything in the "now", they can't see the future, the long term effects. Everyone else is right, america is tied up in the war. That is not the only thing that is important with this election. Is the american public so blind to see that?

[ONLNTM5]

ahhhh.....youve made the mistake of acually believing what Kerry says. Hes not going to increase our military. He says that because it sounds good. He says a lot of things that would make me want to vote for him (as noted above). If he could actually accomplish everything he says he going to, then he'd have my vote. The truth is that Kerry is panzy-ass, flower in his hair wearing, hippy. He has always voted to downsize the military. He has done nothing but lie since his days in 'Nam as a "war hero" (that makes me want to vomit into Jay's cup too).

The only thing I disagree with Jay on is that I beleive that history will look back on what Bush accomplished in Iraq and realize he did a WONDERFUL thing for those people and the rest of the world. Its messy now, but its the RIGHT thing to do, no matter how hard it is.

No, actually I haven't made the mistake of believing what Kerry says, because that would be impossible since I have a little bit of intelligence. There are some people who do though, but they seem to miss the stuff that would sway their vote over to Bush. They simply have blinders on, and hear what they want to hear because they hate Bush so much. Kerry just tells whatever group he is speaking to, just what they want to hear. He has chosen every side of every issue-whatever works to get elected. As far as the military, he is just going to ride on George Bush’s coattails. I agree that history is going to look back and see all of the good that was accomplished in Iraq, in other words 100 years from now, school children won’t be reading about WMD’s, they will read about how Bush’s vision made the world a better place, and how America was able to turn tragedy into a triumph for liberty and freedom.

[YellerRangerEDGE]

just remember how it felt that day

[TraceZ]

Election Determines Fate of Nation

Election Determines Fate of Nation
Written by Mathew Manweller
Central Washington University Political Science Professor

"In that this will be my last column before the presidential election, there will be no sarcasm, no attempts at witty repartee. The topic is too serious, and the stakes are too high.

This November we will vote in the only election during our lifetime that will truly matter. Because America is at a once-in-a-generation crossroads, more than an election hangs in the balance. Down one path lies retreat, abdication and a reign of ambivalence. Down the other lies a nation that is aware of its past and accepts the daunting obligation its future demands. If we choose poorly, the consequences will echo through the next 50 years of history. If we, in a spasm of frustration, turn out the current occupant of the White House, the message to the world and ourselves will be two-fold.

First, we will reject the notion that America can do big things. Once a nation that tamed a frontier, stood down the Nazis and stood upon the moon, we will announce to the world that bringing democracy to the Middle East is too big of a task for us. But more significantly, we will signal to future presidents that as voters, we are unwilling to tackle difficult challenges, preferring caution to boldness, embracing the mediocrity that has characterized other civilizations. The defeat of President Bush will send a chilling message to future presidents who may need to make difficult, yet unpopular decisions. America has always been a nation that rises to the demands of history regardless of the costs or appeal. If we turn away from that legacy, we turn away from who we are.

Second, we inform every terrorist organization on the globe that the lesson of Somalia was well learned. In Somalia we showed terrorists that you don't need to defeat America on the battlefield when you can defeat them in the newsroom. They learned that a wounded America can become a defeated America. Twenty-four-hour news stations and daily tracing polls will do the heavy lifting, turning a cut into a fatal blow. Except that Iraq is Somalia times 10. The election of John Kerry will serve notice to every terrorist in every cave that the soft underbelly of American power is the timidity of American voters. Terrorists will know that a steady stream of grizzly photos for CNN is all you need to break the will of the American people. Our own self-doubt will take it from there. Bin Laden will recognize that he can topple any American administration without setting foot on the homeland.

It is said that America's W.W.II generation is its 'greatest generation'. But my greatest fear is that it will become known as America's 'last generation.' Born in the bleakness of the Great Depression and hardened in the fire of WW II, they may be the last American generation that understands the meaning of duty, honor and sacrifice. It is difficult to admit, but I know these terms are spoken with only hollow detachment by many (but not all) in my generation. Too many citizens today mistake 'living in America' as 'being an American.' But America has always been more of an idea than a place. When you sign on, you do more than buy real estate. You accept a set of values and responsibilities. This November, my generation, which has been absent too long, must grasp the obligation that comes with being an American, or fade into the oblivion they may deserve.

I believe that 100 years from now historians will look back at the election of 2004 and see it as the decisive election of our century. Depending on the outcome, they will describe it as the moment America joined the ranks of ordinary nations; or they will describe it as the moment the prodigal sons and daughters of the greatest generation accepted their burden as caretakers of the City on the Hill."

Mathew Manweller

[beachbum86]

Awesome

Excellent article. That makes me even more happy that I voted for G.W. Bush.

[ONLNTM5]

That is a great article. I wish everyone in the country could read that before they vote.

[93 TA]

more on Bush

You guys sound all very nice. I just want to point a few more facts about Bush. Kerry I don’t know much about except that he was a military officer and pull the trigger wile the other duded drunk his ass off. You think for yourself, going to war and hearing about it. Now, I have to mention the fact that I am Russian, so I am very much use to not believing the government no matter what they say. I am use to analyzing the facts of life.
Look at war in Iraq this way. Every country wants to expend and gain. (Territory, resources, technology e.t.c.) So forget about terrorist bubbler for a second there. Let’s say we went to Iraq to gain exes to Oil and have a nice base to place more pressure on the neighboring unfriendly countries. Weeeeellll, whata we have? We got sh..t. No Oil, (btw ya like pumping gas now days? At $2.35?) I mean, every government can falsify the facts and make a case out of the of chewing gum, but what are results?
I live in New York. I saw twins collapse while I was in the car on the BQE. What sad about our safety is horse-crap. Nothing really is done and the fact that nothing else is blown up can be only attributed that radical militants such as Alkieda aren’t as competent or not as well trained (by CIA if you wish) as we thought. Well, we’ll see how the election turns out. Every country deserves it’s government.