Say something nice about Bush

[ducgal]

Right now, I'm working with a bunch of Brits and the topic of Bush's legacy came up. No one here could say anything good about him. He's still got about 30% approval ratings, so some Americans must find something good about him. (Even in the Bush's legacy thread - the people that said he wouldn't be remembered as the worst pres listed ones they thought were worse, and didn't really defend Bush).

The English producer asked what his supporters like about him. The only thing anyone could come up with was that people share the same religion with him like his idealism. And he's not a whimp.

We all live in Southern California, and know that the viewpoints that are common around here are not representative of mainstream America. If you like Bush or know anyone that does, could you share why.

[wendalah]

Oh boy, this is gonna be a fun thread.

[Adaya]

He makes for great sound bytes for Dave Letterman's "Great Moments in Presidential History"!! :D

Sorry couldn't resist.

[PinkMartini]

Good luck getting any serious responses here... Most people don't like to have to defend every little thing they say - which no doubt would happen in this thread, here on CC.

[Niobe]

I like that's he's considering ways to make citizens of illegal immigrants already living and working in this country.

[lawyerlee]

I like that he has included a large number of women and racial minorities in his administration.

[jennylou]

He likes baseball. :)

[Red'sGirl]

He seems to have a nice wife.

[southerner]

He's a southerner :p

[pocahontas]

He seems to have a nice wife.
Aww, man, you took mine! :p

[lml41981]

He's a southerner :p
Not originally...he's a transplant-Texan originally born in New Haven, CT.

Hmmm...something good... He has allowed us to deduct sales tax from our federal income tax return.

[sea74]

I like the tax credits.

I like that he's a Christian.

I like that he's pro life.

[suzubeane]

He's gotten pretty good at the self-deprecating humor.

[msnicolea]

I like that he has included a large number of women and racial minorities in his administration.

that's mine, too!

[Myra]

I'm impressed that he ran a marathon with a time of 3:44:52.

[sue-bert]

Good luck getting any serious responses here... Most people don't like to have to defend every little thing they say - which no doubt would happen in this thread, here on CC.

Yeah, really. "Please state your opinion so we can gang up on you and taunt you." No thanks. People seldom enjoy being baited.

[LittleFredPunkinHead]

Yeah, really. "Please state your opinion so we can gang up on you and taunt you." No thanks. People seldom enjoy being baited.
And yet, there have been serious responses. Go figure.

I'll third the inclusion of women and minorities.

[artist]

It's fun to draw editorial illustrations of him! :D

[Dally]

I like that he seems active (like riding his bicycle or working on his ranch) and physically fit. It's a good example to set for people.

[Mrs. M.]

I like that he provides lots of great material for the Daily Show. :p

[Asha]

ok, i am really "quoting" the following things in all seriousness from someone else who has vehemently supported bush all along...

-he passed a lot of bills in congress, and now with a democratic congress he hasn't allowed any bills to pass.

-in times of war, we need a dictator.

[EJH]

i like that his last day in office is less than 2 years away.

[southerner]

His family has a fat vacation pad in Maine.

[LyLMyssChaos]

During Bush's administration, one of the most vicious and brutal rulers of our time was taken out of office. Also, democracy was restored to the people of Iraq.

[rubyredslippers]

I hear he is a heck of a brush-cutter. I have some poison ivy I could put him to work on.

[Sophia]

He likes dogs.

[MLA]

i like that his last day in office is less than 2 years away.

That's mine. He gives me something to look forward to. ;)

[KaliLily]

He seems to stick to his convictions, even if they aren't popular. I may not always agree with him, but there is something to be said for not compromising your beliefs in a storm of criticism.

[Rico'sAlice]

I think that he was pretty handsome when he was younger.
There is one picture, I think from when the girls were born where he looks really hot.
(Not so much now as he always seems (to me) to be smirking.)

[kris97]

John Roberts, his choice for Chief Justice. is a well-qualified, well-respected, and talented jurist.

[kam]

I like that he's defied his party on his opinions on immigration, almost taking the "passionate conservatism" he promised us years ago.

I guess he's a southerner. Like I'm a southerner. Even born in the same place, he and I ;)

[Anna Low]

He appears to be kind to his dogs.

[southerner]

When people are asked specifically to say nice things about Bush, they get a great self-taught lesson in impulse control :p

[sea74]

He seems to stick to his convictions, even if they aren't popular. I may not always agree with him, but there is something to be said for not compromising your beliefs in a storm of criticism.
I really like this about him, too ... or ANYONE else as well.

[trefoil]

I'm fond of the National Do Not Call Registry.

[udsweetpea]

He has a pretty smile ;)

[MLA]

I'm fond of the National Do Not Call Registry.

Was that a Bush thing? If so, then I can add that to my very short list of things I like about him. That's a cool thing.

[Rico'sAlice]

Was that a Bush thing? If so, then I can add that to my very short list of things I like about him. That's a cool thing.

Depends on how you define "A Bush thing." ;)
Well, he signed the "The Do-Not-Call Implementation Act of 2003 " into law.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_National_Do_Not_Call_Registry

The "The Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991" from which it was spawned was signed by Bush I.


I don't recall it being an issue that either one of them campaigned on or "pushed." But they didn't veto.

[gayle]

He gives Garry Trudeau wonderful fodder for political cartoons.

[MrsD108]

He is human.

[Amuse Bouche]

I'll fourth the women and racial minorities bit. And the John Roberts bit.

[ladybug777]

Ummm, let me get back to you on that. :rolleyes:

[KaliLily]

Well, he signed the "The Do-Not-Call Implementation Act of 2003 " into law.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_National_Do_Not_Call_Registry

The "The Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991" from which it was spawned was signed by Bush I.

And the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions (FACT) Act of 2003! That is very useful in the fight against identity theft. (And it helped me complete a quarterly project for my former employer! :D )

[ysolde]

He is true to his convictions and loyal to his friends. Politically, I agree with him on immigration, as well as on free trade issues.

[ginadc]

He has given Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert wonderful fodder.

[phoenics]

I like that he has included a large number of women and racial minorities in his administration.

True - and though I do think he is stubborn, I do appreciate it that he sticks to his beliefs (even if I don't always agree and even if when I do agree, I don't agree with how he approaches things).

[silentbunny]

He won't be president forever.

[Niko&Troi]

3 things...

1. He'll be gone soon.

2. He'll be gone soon.

And what was that 3rd :confused: Oh yeah

3. He'll be gone soon :D


ETA: He loves dogs :D

[suzubeane]

As someone who has really negative feelings about our president, I was enjoying reading the serious answers to this thread. (Mine was about self-deprecating humor, and I mean it sincerely; If he can't inspire confidence with the way he speaks, demonstrating self-awareness counts for a little something in my book.)

Yes, yes ... It's "nice" of him to provide opportunities for late night comedy and it's "nice" that he'll leave office someday. Har. Can we agree now hat we all get the variations of the same joke here, and carry on?

[trefoil]

Was that a Bush thing? If so, then I can add that to my very short list of things I like about him. That's a cool thing.

He signed the bill into law, which I respect. I was at my parent's house recently and they hadn't added themselves to the registry yet. Wow. They were getting a crazy number of telemarketer calls. I convinced them to put their number on the list. It makes such a difference!

[msnicolea]

Even I played nicely for once! ;->

[kris97]

One more thing- I'm happy with the judges he has named to the New York federal courts.

[lawyerlee]

Even I played nicely for once! ;->
Me too! Are we maturing or something?! :eek: :D

[ysolde]

One more thing- I'm happy with the judges he has named to the New York federal courts.

His judicial appointments have generally been good (with the exception of Alito, who has not been a favorite of mine, but I will take Roberts any day of the week). And you are right; his appointments to the NY federal bar have been outstanding.

[Mrs. M.]

The US dollar has really gone down during his presidency, which makes it cheaper for me to shop in the US when I convert my Euros :D

[msnicolea]

Me too! Are we maturing or something?! :eek: :D


God--I sure hope not! ;) :eek:

[ginadc]

Well, I guess I've got immature covered, then? :p

Seriously, sorry if I was one of those who messed up the thread or something. But quite honestly, there really is little nice I can find to say about Bush and the good laughs he's given me from late-night comics was about as close as I could get.

So okay, I'll go along with the props on the Do Not Call list.

[suzubeane]

Seriously, sorry if I was one of those who messed up the thread or something.I didn't say anyone "messed up the thread." I just didn't think the thread needed any more jokes about late night comics or backhanded compliments about his time left in office. We got them the first few times.

[EJH]

his departure is the only nice thing i have to say about him. it's not a backhanded compliment. trust me.

[suzubeane]

Ha ha! It's funniest the fifth time!

I am no Bush fan, believe me. *shrug*. I must be one of those humorless liberals.

[KiKi'sMommy]

I like how he quoted the Bible when making his speech about the shootings at Virginia Tech. It was comforting to hear our Nations leader recite those words and reminds me that his faith is of utmost importance to him.

[EJH]

Ha ha! It's funniest the fifth time!

I am no Bush fan, believe me. *shrug*. I must be one of those humorless liberals.

if you read back, i made this comment pages ago. i was just reiterating since apparently if one has an opinion that is repeated it annoys people. good grief.

[greenbunny]

I remember seeing his iPod playlist once and liking his choices. He seems to be into classic rock, at least while jogging.

[suzubeane]

if you read back, i made this comment pages ago. i was just reiterating since apparently if one has an opinion that is repeated it annoys people. good grief.Yes, I saw you made the comment before - you may have been the first. It does not change my opinion that a.) it was not that funny b.) it was not that funny when other people repeated some form of it, and c.) It did not GET funny when you explained it. This is the "Say something nice about Bush" thread. Not the "Try to be clever while putting Bush down" thread.

Maybe it's because the board swings to the left that people here have become complacent. It think this thread was an opportunity for those of us who are left-leaning to prove we are more than a collection of kneejerk reactions. I think the recycling of those two jokes speaks poorly of us - like we don't fully *think* about things. Or worse, like we're kind of dim - not only do we think the jokes are clever, we think they're clever the more we repeat them.

I realize I'm in the minority here, and I don't want to beat a dead horse. But this is one of the reasons I don't post that much in this forum. I find all the back-slapping and high-fiving and in-jokes harder to deal with than the arguments.

[thedoorchick]

I'm with suzubeane. enough said.

[christy1010]

At this point in his Presidency he has not had an affair in the Oval Office that we know of.

[Regina Phalange]

Never thought I'd say something nice about Bush but...he made a WONDERFUL statement today at VT....

"I know many of you feel awfully far away from people you lean on, people you count on during difficult times. But as a dad, I can assure you, a parent's love is never far from their child's heart,"

[udsweetpea]

I agree with Regina Phalange. His statement about the VT tragedy made me cry. I'm very pleased with his reaction.

[kris97]

I find all the back-slapping and high-fiving and in-jokes harder to deal with than the arguments.

Amen a billion times. While I agree with the majority of posters here (at least insofar as I am not a fan of the president) I wish there were more civil debate here about politics. There are only like three posters on CC who admit they're conservative, and I think it's a shame others don't feel comfortable enough posting. When I started the thread about left, right, or middle, I was hoping for more diverse viewpoints.

Anyway, that's kind of off topic, but I wanted to register my support for this statement as well.

/hijack

[ManteoChik]

Amen a billion times. While I agree with the majority of posters here (at least insofar as I am not a fan of the president) I wish there were more civil debate here about politics. There are only like three posters on CC who admit they're conservative, and I think it's a shame others don't feel comfortable enough posting. When I started the thread about left, right, or middle, I was hoping for more diverse viewpoints.

Anyway, that's kind of off topic, but I wanted to register my support for this statement as well.

/hijack

I agree. You'd be surprised how many people would consider themselves conservative but they *know* better than to voice their viewpoints around CC. I also find it sad that its almost impossible to have a civilized discussion about anything. There is always those few people that have to drag a whole thread down.

**Not saying that is happening here or that I feel that way about anyone in this thread...cause I don't, I just meant that in general around CC**

[diam124]

I agree with what others said about his statement at VT yesterday. He has always come across to me as a very caring father.

I also like that he has a sense of humor.

[batgirl]

"I know many of you feel awfully far away from people you lean on, people you count on during difficult times. But as a dad, I can assure you, a parent's love is never far from their child's heart,"

So I guess one thing I can say nicely about the Prez is that his speech writers are improving...

[dionysia]

I like that he is willing to consider an immigration plan that doesn't consist solely of "deport all the illegals!"

I like Laura. ;)

Di

[pocket]

I agree. You'd be surprised how many people would consider themselves conservative but they *know* better than to voice their viewpoints around CC.

it's hardly the fault of liberals and moderates that the conservative paradigm has been exposed as flawed under implementation. if someone isn't able to articulate their ideas convincingly maybe it's because their ideas make no sense.

Things I like about Bush: immigration policy, wife, spoke clearly about not targeting American Muslims and Arabs after 9/11.

[villanelle75]

Edited to remove snarkiness.

I like Bush's immigration ideas.

[wendalah]

if someone isn't able to articulate their ideas convincingly maybe it's because their ideas make no sense.


Who said anything about articulating convincingly? I think the discussion is about being bored of drowning in liberal self-flattery and "I heart Jon Stewart, I just heart him!" comments.

ETA: Although, I do have to say, this thread has been surprisingly on track for the most part.

[wendalah]

I'm going to start doing that. Say something you like about, uh, I dunno. Hillary Clinton. She's got a nice rack! HA! HA! HA! High five!

[kris97]

it's hardly the fault of liberals and moderates that the conservative paradigm has been exposed as flawed under implementation. if someone isn't able to articulate their ideas convincingly maybe it's because their ideas make no sense.


I think it's far more likely that conservatives (or even moderates) are reluctant to post here because their comments often provoke rejoinders like this.

[thedoorchick]

I think it's far more likely that conservatives (or even moderates) are reluctant to post here because their comments often rejoinders like this.

What she said.

All that aside though, I have been enjoying this thread for the most part. You know, we should do this more often, and not necessarily just about political figures. Take something you generally dislike and find something in it you're happy with. It's quite refreshing actually.

[pocket]

I do honestly think that if conservative idea made a bit more sense people wouldn't be so shy about posting their thoughts. As for what I said, I don't think it was particularly rude or something that could be interpreted as an attack. I said that the paradigm was exposed as flawed under actual implementation and that an adult ought to be able to speak clearly about their beliefs. Don't come whining about it if you are inarticulate. In the marketplace of ideas this particular set seems increasingly to belong on the clearance rack.

[villanelle75]

I do honestly think that if conservative idea made a bit more sense people wouldn't be so shy about posting their thoughts. As for what I said, I don't think it was particularly rude or something that could be interpreted as an attack. I said that the paradigm was exposed as flawed under actual implementation and that an adult ought to be able to speak clearly about their beliefs. Don't come whining about it if you are inarticulate. In the marketplace of ideas this particular set seems increasingly to belong on the clearance rack.


Well, to be fair, I think that there is conservatism, and then their is Bush's neo-conservatism. I admit to being biased, but to me, conservatism (or what I like to call paleo-conservatism) is a perfectly defensible ideology.

[kris97]

But no conservative here has been whining -- I actually agree with many of the views of the liberals here, but find it really troubling that when someone suggests that a diversity of viewpoints would be welcome, we get responses like, "if someone isn't able to articulate their ideas convincingly maybe it's because their ideas make no sense." Come on. You really don't see that as sanctimonious?

[wendalah]

As for what I said, I don't think it was particularly rude or something that could be interpreted as an attack.

It wasn't. It just didn't apply to why the minority opinion tends to get tired of posting their views here, that's all.

[msnicolea]

Well, I won't disagree that this board skews to the left--no question about that. But if you believe something, if you have convicntions, then why care what others think? And if you truly believe in something, you should be able to defend your viewpoint.

Here's what often happens:

conservative poster: I believe that X = Y.

reponse: Actually, it doesn't, and here are links to show that you have incorrect information.

conservative poster: I don't believe those links--they are all liberally-biased. I am going to continue to believe what I believe.

I'm not talking about personal attacks--I realize those are different. But I am talking about many, many posts that are simply incorrect--not a matter of ideological differences, but actual un-truths. I could list 5 examples from the past week alone, but I'm not allowed to quote other threads. ;->

I cannot begin to express how frustrating that is.

Wendy, you are a Republican--and you hold your own. Why can't other posters, if they truly believe in what they are saying?

[pocket]

Sanctimonious, definitely! But being sanctimonious doesn't mean I'm not also right. I have to say that back on the WC in the innocent first term days there were a lot more conservatives and many of them were pretty awful. But I never hesitated to articulate my beliefs even when it was a less mainstream opinion than it is now.

Here's something else I like about Bush: He's given the kiss of death to the conservative movement.

[KK812]

What I don't get is why are people who have nothing nice to say even responding to this thread? To me it just makes them look foolish. If there were a thread in all things home asking about how people like their pergo flooring, no one would respond and say "I don't have pergo but I think it's crap and you shouldn't buy it." Why? Because it's not relevant to the OP. It IS threads like these that make conservatives not even bother, because it's not worth it around here.

As for my nice thing about Bush, I think he has a good heart. While I don't agree with everything he's done as a president, I think he is a caring man who has generally good intentions.

[lawyerlee]

What I don't get is why are people who have nothing nice to say even responding to this thread? To me it just makes them look foolish. If there were a thread in all things home asking about how people like their pergo flooring, no one would respond and say "I don't have pergo but I think it's crap and you shouldn't buy it." Why? Because it's not relevant to the OP. It IS threads like these that make conservatives not even bother, because it's not worth it around here.
I think people probably have stronger feelings about the president than Pergo.

[jesvet]

I admire his dedication to sobriety and overall healthy lifestyle (always out jogging, etc.)

[Kate&Joey]

Here's what often happens:

conservative poster: I believe that X = Y.

reponse: Actually, it doesn't, and here are links to show that you have incorrect information.

conservative poster: I don't believe those links--they are all liberally-biased. I am going to continue to believe what I believe.

And the exact thing happened to me when I participated in a political thread. The liberals said "that's a conservative source...I don't believe it." :rolleyes: It goes both ways.

[kris97]

Well, I won't disagree that this board skews to the left--no question about that. But if you believe something, if you have convicntions, then why care what others think? And if you truly believe in something, you should be able to defend your viewpoint.

Here's what often happens:

conservative poster: I believe that X = Y.

reponse: Actually, it doesn't, and here are links to show that you have incorrect information.

conservative poster: I don't believe those links--they are all liberally-biased. I am going to continue to believe what I believe.

I'm not talking about personal attacks--I realize those are different. But I am talking about many, many posts that are simply incorrect--not a matter of ideological differences, but actual un-truths. I could list 5 examples from the past week alone, but I'm not allowed to quote other threads. ;->

I cannot begin to express how frustrating that is.

Wendy, you are a Republican--and you hold your own. Why can't other posters, if they truly believe in what they are saying?

I agree that would be frustrating, but respectively -- and, again, I speak as someone who probably agrees with you 75% of the time politically -- I don't think that's usually the case. It's usually more like:

conservative: I think Bush is right on X.

liberal1: How can you say that? That view is ridiculous. Bush has lied about the war, and Y, and Z, and there's nothing redeeming about him.

liberal2: I hate this administration. There's nothing good about Bush. I will dance for joy in January 2008.

liberal 3: right on!

liberal 4: right on!

liberal 5: right on!
++++

Whether the majority is "right", it's still not productive, civil debate, which I think would really benefit CC members of all political stripes.

[wendalah]

Wendy, you are a Republican--and you hold your own. Why can't other posters, if they truly believe in what they are saying?

Well, one factor might be that I actually enjoy debate and playing rough on chat boards. ;) I don't get thrown too easily, but some people might.

[KiKi'sMommy]

You know, I am a Conservative about many issues, but I don't feel that the title necessarily defines me as a person. Yes, I do have very strong beliefs about certain issues, but I am always interested to hear what other people have to say. I think one of the great things about CC is that I can come here and get wonderful advice and commiserate with other Moms, sisters, daughters, etc. I don't care if you are liberal or conservative when I am asking how to properly install a car seat or how to get my DD to stop throwing herself on the floor at Wal-Mart. I am just glad there are other women out there who can support me in the areas of my life where I can't necessarily ask someone IRL. We will always find something to disagree about, but isn't that what keeps these boards interesting?

[msnicolea]

Fair enough, kris--you're post made me lol, so it must be at least a little bit true!

[thedoorchick]

I do honestly think that if conservative idea made a bit more sense people wouldn't be so shy about posting their thoughts

Well, see, all that depends on a person's personal POV. Conservative ideas that I support make perfect sense to me, and conversely, lots of liberal ideas don't make a lick of sense.

Trust me, the reason many conservatives on this board don't post their thoughts more often isn't because they think their thoughts don't make sense.

I think a lot of the frustrations expressed in the past few pages definitely go both ways.

[PG-rated]

I agree that would be frustrating, but respectively -- and, again, I speak as someone who probably agrees with you 75% of the time politically -- I don't think that's usually the case. It's usually more like:

conservative: I think Bush is right on X.

liberal1: How can you say that? That view is ridiculous. Bush has lied about the war, and Y, and Z, and there's nothing redeeming about him.

liberal2: I hate this administration. There's nothing good about Bush. I will dance for joy in January 2008.

liberal 3: right on!

liberal 4: right on!

liberal 5: right on!
++++

Whether the majority is "right", it's still not productive, civil debate, which I think would really benefit CC members of all political stripes.
I apologize for derailing the thread further, but this is SO true, and is exactly the reason why I rarely bother with political threads despite being fairly liberal.

Although in an actual thread, liberal4 would say, "I heart you, liberal2," and liberal5 would say, "I'm leaving DH to run away with you, liberal1." And then liberal2 would say, "I'm blushing," and liberal1 would say "I'll break the news to DH tonight."

This is fun. :p

[Dally]

I hardly ever post in political discussions on CC because of the one-sided and high-fiving nature. Basically, what Kris said. And I'm mostly liberal (with some moderate thrown in). What's interesting to me is discussion, and I wish there was more of that. These days, the conservative posters seem to have left, so I don't have a lot of hope for it, but it would be great if it happened. I live in a liberal area and my friends are almost all liberal, so I have found it enlightening to hear what conservatives on CC think.

Sometimes it feels like political discussions here (and really, in so many place in America these days) have become like the cable TV. Remember when Jon Stewart went on Crossfire and criticized the hosts? Yeah. What he said.

[KiKi'sMommy]

Dally...I like you, enjoy the discussions. But I agree, as a conservative, many times I don't bother because I know I will get "ganged" up on, for lack of a better expression. I find it difficult to simply express my opinion without being made to feel that I am less than bright because of it. Granted, I am not as versed in a lot of political issues as I would like to be, but I do know what my beliefs are and what I stand for.

ETA: I am by no means George W. Bush's biggest supporter. I think he has made mistakes in office, but I also think that there will never be a President who can fix everything.

[pocket]

I am one who thinks that a person ought to be able to defend their political opinions and if you can't I question whether you have really thought them through. If you can't even explain to me what you believe, and you aren't even educated enough about politics to speak intelligently about it you should do something about that. The onus is not on me to refrain from pointing out the flaws in conservative ideology because your ideas don't make any damn sense. There's a certain huffiness in here again, like liberals and moderates are somehow at fault for conservative ideas not being very popular (I would argue their unpopularity rests on their merits.) BUT I do agree that kris97 pretty much has it right about how political threads go.

[ysolde]

Oh, there's a really dirty joke about being a big fan of Bush and Dick . . . Cheney in here somewhere, but I'll let it go. :)

[thedoorchick]

I am one who thinks that a person ought to be able to defend their political opinions and if you can't I question whether you have really thought them through. If you can't even explain to me what you believe, and you aren't even educated enough about politics to speak intelligently about it you should do something about that. The onus is not on me to refrain from pointing out the flaws in conservative ideology because your ideas don't make any damn sense. There's a certain huffiness in here again, like liberals and moderates are somehow at fault for conservative ideas not being very popular (I would argue their unpopularity rests on their merits.) BUT I do agree that kris97 pretty much has it right about how political threads go.
Oh, I can defend my political opinions. It just gets tiresome when the discussions go much the way that kris97 posted above. I love a good debate of different viewpoints on their respective merits, and often learn a lot from those conversations. But all too often, they depart from intelligent debate and spiral into something much less pleasant to be a part of.

I can explain to you (general you) what I believe, but I can't take responsibility for others' understanding of it. There's a difference between understanding and agreeing.

The popularity of conservative or liberal ideas has a great deal to do with the time and place (I know this isn't news to you). Right now today, on CC, conservative ideas are not too popular. However, in my circle of friends, or my family, they're extremely popular. I don't think the popularity of a viewpoint or lack of it is anybody's "fault" - the huffiness, if it exists, comes largely from being dissed and dismissed instead of listened to.

But honestly, I've seen very little huffiness here. A lot less than in many threads, anyway.

[wendalah]

If you can't even explain to me what you believe, and you aren't even educated enough about politics to speak intelligently about it you should do something about that.

I don't have a problem explaining why I believe something nor do I have problems speaking intelligently. There are plenty of liberals, dare I say even on this board, who can't articulate clearly why they believe something. It's just much easier to articulate "why you believe something" when about ten other people come in after you with much stronger versions of the same point, and you can say "Yeah, that. ITA and I heart you!"

[wendalah]

To wit:

Dumb Liberal poster: I hate Bush. It's all about the oil. It's all about his daddy.

Possibly Smarter Conservative poster: Really? Tell me why you think that.

Smarter Liberal Poster: Well, you can't really deny that the oil blahblahblah (insert much more articulate point).

Smarter Liberal Poster No. 2: Also, (insert another more articulate point)

(Repeat with five other Smarter liberal posters)

Dumb Liberal Poster: Yeah! It's just they said! I heart all of you so much! ITA! Word!

Smart Liberal Posters (all in a row): Thanks, Dumb Liberal Poster. No problem. I heart you back. (Wink.) Too bad nobody gets it but us.

[dionysia]

Got another one:
Bush is speaking out against the genocide in Darfur.

Di

[msnicolea]

Well, I am the first to admit that people can gang up on people on these boards--I have certainly piled on before. However, I think if you own your words and your beliefs, and you express yourself with intelligence and thoughtfulness, you will probably avoid that fate. Honestly, the posters who incur my "wrath" are those who perpetuate misinformation or simply spew the "party line" without any supporting information or knowledge. Oh, and if you say that you think a certain way because your husband or father does--well, then I think you're fair game. ;->

Bush seems to be a very loving Dad--I like that about him.

[curlyjr]

He loves his family and his dog.

[BuffaloBlondie]

Bush recently passed a bill to raise federal funding for Autism research. I think it was for at least 50% more than in the past.

[jenahdawn]

Besides making great ground cover....

I may not agree with him or care for him, but I DO have to give him credit for standing up for what he believes in. He doesn't back down, no matter how many people disagree. Sometimes, in any situation involving anyone, this can be bad or scary, but he doesn't flip flop.

And that he has a good sense of humor, when it comes down to it. (The Press dinner and the comment about how at this time last year, his VP had shot someone....not FUNNY, but you know what he's getting at)

Otherwise, I really can't think of much else. Sorry. (Not even about Laura, the "Stepford Wife")

[literati]

He supports genetic privacy legislation.

[mindy75]

He's a pretty good dancer!

[udsweetpea]

He's a pretty good dancer!

LOL! I was going to post that too! I saw him on the news last night dancing and thought he was pretty good. Laura, on the other hand, needs some lessons.

[MLA]

He's a pretty good dancer!

I don't know if I'd say he's "good" dancer -- a fearless dancer, possibly. You have to give him credit for not being afraid to look silly.

[mindy75]

I don't know if I'd say he's "good" dancer -- a fearless dancer, possibly. You have to give him credit for not being afraid to look silly.

LOL. The challenge was to say something nice about Bush. I figured that was better than saying he wasn't afraid to make and ass of himself.

[MLA]

LOL. The challenge was to say something nice about Bush. I figured that was better than saying he wasn't afraid to make and ass of himself.

Ah, but I think that's actually a good quality. I like when people are fearless like that. Really, I do. And I'm saying that as a very anti-Bush person. I thought he looked pretty silly doing that dance, but I admire that he did it and that he didn't hold back -- unlike Laura who was stiff as a board!

[meatpie]

I'm going to start doing that. Say something you like about, uh, I dunno. Hillary Clinton. She's got a nice rack! HA! HA! HA! High five!

I laughed so hard when I read this, Wendalah!!

Bush was incredible those first few days after 9/11. When he first visited Ground Zero, someone yelled out "We can't hear you" and he responded "I can hear you. I can hear you. The rest of the world hears you. And the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon."

As someone a block from Ground Zero who saw the second plane hit the WTC, I wanted and needed to hear that from my President.