Do we remember how the world population felt about America in those dreadful days during and following the G.W.Bush years? They saw that we were the kind of headstrong expansionists who rained artillery fire on countries that have done little to warrant our destruction. We take over their governments, and install “democratized” agents who are responsive to our needs. In Iraq, we couldn’t understand why, though we told the people of the conquered land that they were better off, when we looked away, the conquered were fighting to return to the old and familiar ways.
We tortured our prisoners. When the Iraqi captured young and attractive Private Lynch, we were pleased to find she was in good hands, receiving proper medical attention. But when we captured “insurgents,” dissatisfied citizens fighting for their culture, we held them indefinitely. Those accused of serious crime saw the pain of waterboarding. The Asian world had one unifying element; a growing hatred for America.
Gradually we are winning back the respect and friendship of the Arab nations. We are at a point where the Iranian-centered alliance is unlikely to wage a war; even our enemies respect the way the newly awakened freedom fighters of the world have been addressed by the even-handed Obama. Could any conservative Republican have handled these student outbreaks so well? Many of the Republicans are and have been preoccupied with a show of strength. Never has the big stick been waved any higher, or any more threateningly.
Mitt Romney has done a magnificent job of staying within the limited scope of the Republican platform. That platform is merely this: “The new president, Obama, couldn’t possibly do anything right. Whatever he does is painfully foolish, and we must overthrow this man, remove him from the comfort of the White House. Romney, as do so many Republicans, courts the gun lobby, and the corporate lobby, the Limbaugh, Beck, Heritage People, as if there were no tomorrow.
Article comments
1 - Clavos
You say,
The economy is on a fast track...
Actually, the economic picture is, in the words of Salon, a liberal online magazine, "grim."
And Salon is not alone, numerous publications are expressing real concern over the condition of the economy, now more than two years into this administration's term.
In addition to the poor numbers on the jobs front, Bloomberg reports that the overall growth of our economy in the first quarter, at only 1.8 percent (2.2 percent was projected) was also disappointing.
The Wall Street Journal tells us that "home prices in the United States have sunk to their lowest levels since 2002, falling 4.2 percent in the first quarter of 2011."
And Investor's Business daily not only provides a long list of economic problems, it also notes,
"The most recent survey of top economists by Blue Chip Economic Indicators shows the average forecast for GDP growth in 2011 fell from 2.9% in April to 2.7% in May. Based on recent data, it will head even lower.
Most economists agree that GDP growth below 3% isn't enough to create sufficient jobs in the private sector to keep unemployment from rising.
Economists also widely believe that our extraordinarily reckless fiscal profligacy is hurting our recovery. From 2008 to 2010, the U.S. borrowed over $3.1 trillion. It will borrow another $1.5 trillion this year.
At the same time, the Fed has added $2 trillion to its balance sheet, mostly to buy all that new debt."
Methinks you are whistling past the graveyard, as the saying goes.
2 - Dixie
wow, you're quite the pollyanna in your estimation of the economy and of all things Obama.
3 - Helen Wells
You have finally convinced me to ignore any more "analysis" from both the liberal and others. You just can't be objective and factual.
4 - Arch Conservative
Why beat around the bush?
[personal attack deleted by comments editor]
The American economy on 6-4-11 sucks for the average American. The Democrats have controlled Congress from 2006 through January 2011 and there been a Dem president for the past two years. Life is no better than it was before they took office.
That's the truth despite all the leftist propaganda Lake and others are peddling.
Now the editors can remove this comment because I didn't place nice but rather told the truth. Then they can go back to licking Obama's asshole [personal attack deleted by comments editor].
5 - John Lake
Tut, tut, arch! Same old thing...