Bush hosts Ramadan dinner

CNN ^ | 11-7-02

[RLK]

Thank you for the course in compative cultural anthropology.

[Mortimer Snavely]

"GWB knows what he is doing..."

Er, um, no. Prior to the WTC/Pentagon attacks, Bush resembled nothing so much as Chauncey the Gardener from the old Peter Sellers movie "Being There."

Beyond the popular support he gets because of the 9-11 attacks and the war in Afghanistan, he hasn't spoken incisively about anything, preferring, instead, it seems, to allow folks to project onto him what they want to hear. Bush supporters strike me as always inferring what the President really means in a grinning, "nudge-nudge, wink-wink" sly, conspiratorial vagueness. I'm not buying it.

[RLK]

I hope you get another Clinton on the ticket in 2004

------------------

With enough people like you around, there's a chance it will happen.

[tracer]

Goat -- the other red meat.......

[Dajjal]

HAPPY RAMADAN!!!

[Mortimer Snavely]

I looked around for something similar, and the closest that I could find was a Turkish proverb which kind of, in a way, describes the opposite situation, in which instead of being too easily convinced, a person is unable to be persuaded by any means at all: It is easier to make a camel jump a ditch than to make a fool listen to reason.

As for simliar proverbs in Arabic, Persian, Urdu, or other languages, I really couldn't tell you.

[Stultis]

Er, um, no. Prior to the WTC/Pentagon attacks, Bush resembled nothing so much as Chauncey the Gardener from the old Peter Sellers movie "Being There."

The smoothest transition in modern American Presidential history (incl Reagan's), completely snookered the Chicoms with a non-apology-apology over the "spy" plane affair that embarrassed the Chinese government and forced them to crack down on demonstrations by a populace enraged at how their government had been "had" by the American Cowboy, got the Russians to agree to abrogation of the ABM treaty, outmanuevered the Eurosocialists on global climate accords, marginalized that racist and antisemetic U.N. conference, etc, etc, etc, all before 9/11.

There are none so blind...

[DAnconia55]

Is the White House planning to molest little boys for dessert?

I mean, to fit right in with the Muhammedeans and all...

[DAnconia55]

As more and more Muslims immigrate to the the US

Ummm... that should stop right now.

No more Muslim immigrants. Close the door to them.

[Mortimer Snavely]

Here's a short political fill-in-the-blank /multiple choice test.

The following are excerpts from a March 23, 2002 Washington Times piece by Bill Sammon.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------- Urges More Foreign Aid

"MONTERREY, Mexico: -------- yesterday said Americans are duty-bound to 'share our wealth' with poor nations and promised a 50 percent increase in foreign aid, but 'We should give more of our aid in the form of grants, rather than loans that can never be repaid,' he said. 'We should invest in better health and build on our efforts to fight AIDS, which threatens to undermine whole societies.'

"In addition to the moral, economic and strategic imperatives of increasing foreign aid, ------ said, it could also help in the war against terrorism.

"'We will challenge the poverty and hopelessness and lack of education and failed governments that too often allow conditions that terrorists can seize and try to turn to their advantage"

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Who is quoted above?
a) Bill Clinton
b) Al Gore
c) Hillary Clinton
d) Jessie Jackson
e) Reverend Al What's-His-Name
f) Bono and the pop band U2
g) George W. Bush

Hint: he's very popular here at Free Republic.

[RLK]

It is easier to make a camel jump a ditch than to make a fool listen to reason.

---------------------------------

The Chinese used to say, "It's like playing piano before a cow." both a comment on stupidity or recalcitrance. Courtesy of Dr. Hung Chang Lin.

[desertcry]

You are intitled to your openion of course, no matter how mis-guided it maybe. This is a free country after all. As for me, I judge a person, or a President by the fruits of his labor, and thus far, W has exceeded my expectations. If you have any doubts on how effective President Bush is in dealing with his opponents, ask Mr. Daschle, or any liberal,
and see if they think W is an idiot.
As to the destruction, or attempted destruction of the US economy, ask the ex-president mr. clinton, he planted the seed for it afterall, or is your memory so short live. As to W's non knowledge of economics, you will have to ask an Eastern Ivy League School about it, he got a Masters Degree in economics from there.

[Stultis]

Bush is quoted. Thanks for reminding me of another front on which Bush and his team are demonstrating resolve, competence, foresight and cunning furtherance of conservative principles. The current reform of foreign aid is long overdue, and so far the Bush adminstration is most definitely moving rapidly in the right direction.

Absolutely loans should largely be replace by grants. The inevitable propping up of these loans by the IMF protects lenders from the consequences of bad business decisions, and thereby prevents the capital market place from operating rationally (and from rewarding good policy).

Another important Bush reform is progressively replacing government to government grants with public/private partnerships. You will soon be able to hear the global poverty pimps howling over this policy, which takes the money out of their hands and instead uses aid to strengthen (and in many cases will create, where they often do not exist) the normal channels of PRIVATE capital investment inflow into developing countries. Developing countries, at least those embracing globalization, are capable of higher growth rates than developed countries, so there should be plenty of investment opportunities. In many cases, however, the exchange/telecom/banking infrastructure does not exist, or is too backward to support partnerships with developed world companies. This is an area were aid can be genuinely helpful, and in which it will be fostering CAPITALISM instead of SOCIALISM as under the traditional government to government aid system that Bush is reforming.

The new Bush partnerships are also going to require reforms in the recipient countries regarding such matters as respect for the rule of law, clear and secure property rights, and the like (even if only because the developed world companies participating will expect these things). These factors (especially lack of clear title to land and property) are major elements in perpetuating poverty.

Finally, the Bush adminstration is explicitly and unapologetically tying aid to good governance. Thugs around the globe are already finding that their tap into Uncle Sugar's bank account has run dry.

[RLK]

Both the Clintons received doctorates from Ivy League schools. Ivy league credentials are warning signals in my book. Take it somewhere else.

[don-o]

Once again missing a:

BARF ALERT

I guess Dubya does what he thinks he must. But to steal a line from JJackson "Islam is a gutter religion."

And the pandering just pisses me off.

That is all.

[GirlShortstop]

Hint: he's very popular here....    ooh, ooh, ooh! Pick me...I know this one!

[desertcry]

.....doctorates.... Doctorates in what, of Laws as in LLD? I agree, it's worthless, from any school.

[RLK]

I agree, it's worthless, from any school.

So is an MBA.

[Mortimer Snavely]

I should have added your FR handle to the multiple choice list.

[Mortimer Snavely]

Sorry, Stultis, the previous response was entirely too curt.

"The new Bush partnerships are also going to require reforms in the recipient countries regarding such matters as respect for the rule of law, clear and secure property rights, and the like..."

This is exactly the same sort of noise I've heard describing every President's new, bold, visionary foreign aid policy since, hell, since at least Nixon.