OT: US Pres election

[thejeff]

And it is again somewhat misleading to claim that

Bush has had no real power since 06.

and

although Bush is the president, the Democrats have had control of Congress for the last two years and have done NOTHING to stem the tide when they could have.

The Democratic majority in Congress, especially in the Senate, is slim. Bush has threatened or wielded his veto pen against pretty much anything the Democrats have tried. And the Republicans in the Senate have stood firm together and ensured that any Democratic bills have needed 60 votes overcome a filibuster. Often the Democratic leadership, not being able to enact their own solutions and believing that something must be done, has brought the White House's proposals to the floor and allowed them to pass with a majority of Republican and a few Democratic votes.
A president with a strong minority in Congress is hardly powerless, especially one who has expanded the power of the executive as no administration since Nixon has tried to do. And one who seems willing to play chicken with the welfare of the country to avoid any compromise.

[Atrocities]

Originally Posted by thejeff

And it is again somewhat misleading to claim that

and

The Democratic majority in Congress, especially in the Senate, is slim. Bush has threatened or wielded his veto pen against pretty much anything the Democrats have tried. And the Republicans in the Senate have stood firm together and ensured that any Democratic bills have needed 60 votes overcome a filibuster. Often the Democratic leadership, not being able to enact their own solutions and believing that something must be done, has brought the White House's proposals to the floor and allowed them to pass with a majority of Republican and a few Democratic votes.
A president with a strong minority in Congress is hardly powerless, especially one who has expanded the power of the executive as no administration since Nixon has tried to do. And one who seems willing to play chicken with the welfare of the country to avoid any compromise.

You are correct and I suspect that this will be why the Republicans will be resoundingly beaten in two weeks. Lets face it, we dropped the ball more than once and now its time to pay the price for our failures. I am a moderate independent with a leaning tendency toward the right mainly because I value equal points of view, the second amendment, and the truth. Both sides lie very well, but both sides have good values. while I often attack the liberals I do share many of their ideals. I believe that we have the right to choose our time of death, I believe firmly that people have the right under the law to equal representation, the right to share in life and life choices equally under the law, the right to choose for ourselves what is right for us. Protection for gay couples equally under the law as given to married heterosexuals. I believe in protecting our environment, providing for the needy, health care for all, even helping illegal immigrants to become tax paying US citizens. Hell I believe it is our duty to provide protection to all who enter our country, be that putting up aid and water stations in the desert with the absolute promise that any who use these facilities shall be aloud to do so without fear, to providing health care to any who need it. I believe that our government should never lie to us, and that the best feeling in the world is the greats gift God has given us, and that is to help our fellow human beings. I value the constitution and as I have stated many times, the first and second amendments above all. I am proud that we live in a nation that has forsaken its ugly past and unified its people under one flag equally without preconditions. I love the fact that while I often get angry over what I believe to be injustices, we live in a just society and with the right leadership can do more, become more, and be more than what we are.

However, the captain of the ship is the one who is solely responsible for the well being of the ship. If the ship runs aground in the middle of the night, the captain is held responsible, even if he was soundly sleeping at what is a normal sleep period. Others will also accrue punishments, but the man in charge is ultimately held responsible.

You are 100% correct. The buck stops at that desk and the person sitting behind it should butch up and take the heat. So many things were done wrong over the last 16 years that it makes the next 16 years seem like an insurmountable hurtle. But with any luck, we will come through this better than when we went into it.