I was watching some news on NBC or ABC or something a couple days back. There was an interview with Pres. George W. Bush where someone was actually telling him he had done something good. The reporter said that Bush during his tour of duty had done more than any other American president for Africa. The reason for that dates back to January 28, 2003 when he decided to wage war,
war on HIV which is killing off so many in the African nations. I do not know our president personally, and I do not know if he is always is true or right. I do know that he is not perfect. I do now know that there are some things that he has gotten right.
I have to challenge you, before you speak, or act or criticize: make a point to know what you are talking about, that way at least if you tend to disagree with him you'd be balanced and not just a mimicking parrot in your regurgitation of erroneous facts about this man. If for the most part you agree with "G-Dawg" you should also find that there are some things that he has done that will not make sense to you. It is okay to question him, he is not divine. He does do wrong. Deal with it. Don't parrot what you heard someone say and make it your argument unless you have the background info to actually know why you think that way. Personally I completely disagree with his policy on Immigration. I fully agree with the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR/Emergency Plan).
I do not believe that a President can do no wrong, I do not believe he/she to be flawless and unquestionable, but I do see that there is good in almost all people and that if we get rid of all the negative things we are constantly focusing on we might find that that person (whom we thought we "knew") was actually much more like us, than previously known. We might find out that he is human. We might find that President George W. Bush had done good things, that we should have known about all along. I found that out.
Honestly, I am not into politics, I know for not being into politics I sure have been politiky lately, I guess maybe I'm more into social politics(if that exists)...just like I am not into history just for the facts and dates, I am into these things for the people, for the African children with malaria and aids, for the Iraqi people, who think they may finally have a shot at freedom. I am into this for knowing what the President's heart is, what is behind the facades of all things unknown.
What am I saying?: If you find him full of fault you are wrong, if you find him fault-less you are wrong. He should not be so revered that all that he does is perfect and just, and he should not be so wronged as that all that he accomplishes is selfish, ugly and incompetent. seriously, who can please (or displease) a "miseducated" audience?
Here are some tidbits from the links above:
President Bush announced the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR/Emergency Plan)
President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR/Emergency Plan). The Emergency Plan is the largest commitment ever by any nation for an international health initiative dedicated to a single disease -- a five-year, $15 billion, multifaceted approach to combating the disease around the world. The United States now leads the world in its level of support for the fight against HIV/AIDS.President Bush Delivers State of the Union Address January, 2008 Requesting that the US double its commitment to the Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief
America is leading the fight against disease. With your help, we're working to cut by half the number of malaria-related deaths in 15 African nations. And our Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief is treating 1.4 million people. We can bring healing and hope to many more. So I ask you to maintain the principles that have changed behavior and made this program a success. And I call on you to double our initial commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS by approving an additional $30 billion over the next five years.
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3 comments:
Hi Bethany. I figured since noone else had commented, I would. Of course, you're right about the president's commitment to Africa. In fact, sub-saharan Africa is one of the only places where most people still like him. I still agree with him on a lot of things, like that we should stay in Iraq for a while still (though probably at lower troop levels). I think his biggest failing is just being unable to admit his own mistakes. If he were to say, we were naive and unprepared when we invaded Iraq, but now that we're there we need to stick it out, I think that would help for a lot of people.
When it comes to policy, I disagree with his calls for "clean coal" which I've recently heard is proving impractical, and for a return to nuclear energy, which would cost so much, and take so long to get operational, that it's not a good use of money intended to lower pollution. I've also been really disappointed to find out that he let Dick Cheney authorize interrogation techniques that amount to psychological torture, and that he still won't denounce them.
I'm wondering what you didn't like about his immigration policy, though? Along with John McCain, he's the only other Republican I've heard that wants to provide a path to citizenship for otherwise law-abiding latinos living and working here, while also creating a big, legal guest worker program.
I know you say you're "not political":) but I'm just often puzzled by my friends' views on immigration.
-Joe
thanks joe, for your comment!!
To answer your question, even I am a super-ultra pro immigration person. I am glad that he is making some steps to try and do things, but I just don't feel it is enough.I may be completely wrong about this since maybe he IS doing tons more than I have heard about. I am (and have been) very involved with the Latino population and there are many changes that need to be made. What he has done so far is to ask that people be given papers, who have been here for a certain amount of time. I completely agree with that deal, but I think that there is so much more that should be done for this people, I am not sure how...I guess that they are just on my heart in a strong way.
So, yes...I agree with you about immigration, I am glad to say.
Let me know if you know any more of the good changes that he has made...I guess I saw the super-tight border control as being offensive...what are your thoughts??
thanks again for your comment. I always like to learn more about what I say I don't like (politics!)...hehe.
In Spain they say: "If you don't talk, religion and politics...what else is there!?!?!"
Basically from what I've heard, Bush and McCain and a bunch of democrats were trying to get immigration reform through congress that would allow latinos (and I guess those from other countries too) who had been in the country for a certain number of years to get in line to become citizens. I think the bill called for them to have to pay a fine too (to make up for having crossed illegally). If I remember right, it was about $1000. They were also trying to set up a much larger guest worker program then we currently have since a lot of latinos would rather live in Mexico or Guatemala or something and just come up seasonally for work, but since we've tightened the borders, they haven't been able to go back and forth as easily. Well, not enough people in congress supported the bill, and the president had already lost a lot of support even in his own party. The two sides couldn't reach a compromise, so not much changed, but at least they didn't pass some really harsh legislation either. So in my view, it's congress that dropped the ball, not the president.
As far as the tight border control, I'm not really sure what to think. When I lived in Tecate we used to just step over a knocked down barb-wire fence about a half mile east from the official border crossing. You'd see "migra" driving around (imigracion), but they were pretty easy to avoid. So that seemed kind of dumb, like why even have a border? I sort of think it would be better if we could move toward more open borders in general (not just the U.S.-Mexican one), but that's probably a point we need to move toward gradually since there are still serious issues with drug-trafficking and the potential for terrorism. I do think the wall is offensive, kind of like the Berlin wall, or the Israel-Palastine wall, but a fence would be okay right?
By the way we're coming up to Corvallis today to help out my mom with some stuff, and we might stay over for church tomorrow, so it would be great to see you guys if it works out. I don't have your number, but mine is 515-5932 if you or Brad want to give me a call.
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