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The Presidents As Travelers

LibertySugar — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:07:20 -0700

The Presidents As Travelers It would be an exaggeration to say that a great president is by definition a well-traveled one — Abraham Lincoln never left the United States — yet for most, leaving Washington now and then was both edifying and expedient. But if a president spends too much time away from the office, he runs the risk of being dubbed a "Vacation President," as a certain brush-clearing resident of Crawford, TX, has found after spending 469 days at his ranch to date. Check out a slideshow of past presidents on their travels.

Bush Readies the Offshore Drill, Should Congress Say Yes?

LibertySugar — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 06:00:06 -0700

President Bush thinks offshore drilling might be the Nicorette gum America needs to kick its oil addiction. Yesterday Bush lifted the executive ban on offshore drilling imposed by his father, removing one hurdle for exploration. Bush explained:"This means that the only thing standing between the American people and these vast oil resources is action from the US Congress. Now the ball is squarely in Congress's court."Answering Bush, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said:

“Once again, the oilman in the White House is echoing the demands of Big Oil. The Bush plan is a hoax. It will neither reduce gas prices nor increase energy independence."

Considering the current oil crisis, Bush thinks America has no choice but to take advantage of its own resources. Opponents fear environmental impact, and say the plan would take a decade to produce results, while ignoring alternative energy priorities. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says oil companies should explore the 68 millions of acres already available. Should Congress follow the President's lead? Source

Bush Readies the Offshore Drill, Should Congress Say Yes?

Yay! America must take advantage of all its oil resources, while trying to kick the habit.

Nay. Long-term solutions should help us kick our oil addiction, not feed it.

Other. I'll tell you in the comments.

Smelly Memorial: SF Voters to Decide on Bush Sewage Plant

LibertySugar — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:45:58 -0700

The Presidential Memorial Commission of San Francisco has some big plans to honor outgoing President Bush — they want to rename the Oceanside Water Pollution Plant, the George W. Bush Sewage Plant.

The civically savvy satirists have collected more than enough signatures required to put the renaming initiative on November's ballot.

The chair of the SF Republican Party (yes, it does exist) calls the measure "loony bin direct democracy" and called its supporters "typical San Francisco crazies." The plant itself notes that it is an award-winning facility that keeps the environment clean, thus making it an unworthy vehicle for a statement on Bush's negative impact, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Do you find naming a sewage plant after George W. Bush funny or offensive? If the measure passes, will the renaming be a historical political statement, or just a stinkin' empty gesture distracting us from serious grievances?

Source

Top Ten Worst Presidents Ever!

CitizenSugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 03:00:30 -0700

Chin up, Mr. President Bush, sir! It's not all bad! OK, yes, 98 percent of historians think your presidency has been a failure, but that's just a silly survey. I found an amazing list of the Top Ten Worst Presidents, and you're not even on it!

There are a whole slew of scandals (Teapot Dome, Black Friday) an impeachment (nope, not him — think way back) a Great Depression even greater than the one we're hurtling into now, and a Folly! You haven't had an official folly yet! Get crackin'!

Here are the top (worst?) five from the hilarious and not historically unsound list of top ten worst:

James Buchanan (oops Dred Scott...)
Warren G. Harding (there's your Teapot Dome!)
Franklin Pierce (Kansas-Nebraska Act?)
Richard Nixon (Ohh, Watergate.)
Andrew Johnson (And we have impeachment!)

So you see, Mr. President sir, there's a whole lot of history just as bad as what you're up against. But take a second to read the list, will you? There are quite a few months left of your big job! Let's learn and laugh together!

So. Do you think George W. Bush should have made that list?

Source

President Bush Wants to Pass Global Warming Initiative

LibertySugar — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 11:00:50 -0700

President Bush may ask Congress to consider legislation to combat global warming as early as this week. An unmanageable web of US regulatory law, as well as upcoming meetings with world powers, has motivated Bush to take action.

Currently businesses must follow three pieces of complex legislation: the Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Clean Air Act. Apparently, Bush wants to make it easier for corporations to assess and uphold what is required of them. But, according to the Washington Times, some Congressional Republicans fear runaway legislation and think Bush is making a mistake.

A debate in Congress about global warming will likely heat up in June, prior to the G-8 conference in July. We might get a preview this week, as US officials will be in Paris to meet with other world economic powers. All three presidential candidates want to increase action by the federal government. Specifically, they all endorse a cap-and-trade system similar to Europe's. It is unlikely that Bush wants to go that far, but it is still unclear what he has in mind.

What action would you like to see the US federal government take to cut greenhouse emissions and combat global warming? Do we need to streamline regulations to save the planet?

Source

Top US Officials Approved Torture — Do You Care?

LibertySugar — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 10:00:00 -0700

So by now many of you have heard about evidence that top Bush Administration officials participated in explicit conversations in the White House regarding torture techniques to be used on suspected terrorists. Vice President Dick Cheney, Attorney General John Ashcroft, Secretary of State Colin Powell, then-National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld sat around — in a series of meetings of potential war-crime defendants — discussing specific methods of harsh interrogation, and issuing their approval. The Associate Press reports that CIA officials demonstrated tactics to "make sure the small group of 'principals' fully understood what the al-Qaeda detainees would undergo. The principals eventually authorized physical abuse such as slaps and pushes, sleep deprivation, or waterboarding."What recourse is left for an average American who wants to see the US uphold international law? Are you outraged that top US officials discussed and approved techniques widely considered torture in the White House? Source

Top US Officials Approved Torture — Do You Care?

Outraged! They need to be held accountable. The US is not about torture.

Not outraged. They did the right thing by taking the time to figure out what was legal.

Other. I'll tell you in the comments.

Bush on Economy: Tough Times, No Recession

LibertySugar — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:00:55 -0700

President Bush spoke to the Economic Club of New York, during what he called an "interesting moment." Today the stock market has been extra volatile on news that the Federal Reserve Bank and JP Morgan bailed out investment bank Bear Stearns with emergency cash. . . . How interesting.

While somber and serious, George told the group that he is an "optimistic fella" and pronounced his faith in America's "resilient economy." Bush recounted recent woes, including low growth, lost jobs, rising prices, and the housing crisis, but said that the problems had been recognized early. He congratulated congressional Democrats for working with him to pass a stimulus package, and said he believes the US economy will come out of the tough times "better and stronger than ever."

Speaking of tough times, the dollar has now dropped below the Swiss Franc for the first time ever. Gold hit a historic peak above $1,000. Gas prices also reached another all-time high today. Do you feel as optimistic as our presidential fella?

Source

Who Would Oprah Pick For First Female President?

LibertySugar — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 11:00:42 -0800

Oprah is keen on a woman politician not named Hillary Clinton. The latest issue of O magazine features Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius in a piece about the virtues of female executive know-how. Governor Sebelius, an Obama supporter, gave this year's Democratic response after Bush's State of the Union.

Today the New York Times explored Oprah's apparent pick for first female president, along with some other likely candidates. The short list also includes Janet Napolitano, the Democratic governor of Arizona, and Condoleezza Rice.

The article explains that Sebelius and Napolitano have Clinton's ambitious appeal without all the baggage. It goes on to praise Napolitano for having bypassed "any of the old-fashioned ways of gaining political prominence: on the coattails of a doting daddy (see Susan Molinari), a dead husband (see Mary Bono), or a politically dead husband (see Elizabeth Dole)."

Do you think Hillary Clinton, with her connections and name recognition, is the female gender's best shot at capturing the White House? Or, are we just beginning to tap a generous supply of able female leaders?

Source