Does the leader of your country have a sense of humor? - Page 3

[Dave Sinkula]

That covers giving tax breaks to the poor rather than the rich, just like he claimed falsely to having done.

How do you cut 0 or negative taxes?
How many poor people have you worked for?
http://townhall.com/funnies/cartoonist/EricAllie/2007/07/1

[venomlash]

<clarification>Poor as in not filthy rich. This includes people who are just barely getting by but still make enough to pay taxes on. i.e., my family and other similar cases.</clarification>
I have not yet worked for poor people because I'm in high school.

[jbennet]

Same. In our country , its always the middle classes that get the short straw.

[Dave Sinkula]

The Myth of Spending Cuts for the Poor, Tax Cuts for the Rich

[lakshya]

Thank you, President Bush
October 19 2007

Thank you, great leader George W. Bush.

Thank you for showing everyone what a danger Saddam Hussein represents. Many of us might otherwise have forgotten that he had used chemical weapons against his own people, against the Kurds and against the Iranians. Hussein is a bloodthirsty dictator and one of the clearest expressions of evil in today's world.

But this is not my only reason for thanking you. During the first two months of 2003, you have shown the world a great many other important things and, therefore, deserve my gratitude.

So, remembering a poem I learned as a child, I want to say thank you.

Thank you for showing everyone that the Turkish people and their Parliament are not for sale, not even for 26 billion dollars.

Thank you for revealing to the world the gulf that exists between the decisions made by those in power and the wishes of the people. Thank you for making it clear that neither José María Aznar nor Tony Blair give the slightest weight to or show the slightest respect for the votes they received. Aznar is perfectly capable of ignoring the fact that 90% of Spaniards are against the war, and Blair is unmoved by the largest public demonstration to take place in England in the last thirty years.

Thank you for making it necessary for Tony Blair to go to the British Parliament with a fabricated dossier written by a student ten years ago, and present this as 'damning evidence collected by the British Secret Service'.

Thank you for allowing Colin Powell to make a complete fool of himself by showing the UN Security Council photos which, one week later, were publicly challenged by Hans Blix, the Inspector responsible for disarming Iraq.

Thank you for adopting your current position and thus ensuring that, at the plenary session, the French Foreign Minister, Dominique de Villepin's anti-war speech was greeted with applause - something, as far as I know, that has only happened once before in the history of the UN, following a speech by Nelson Mandela.

Thank you too, because, after all your efforts to promote war, the normally divided Arab nations, at their meeting in Cairo during the last week in February, were, for the first time, unanimous in their condemnation of any invasion.

Thank you for your rhetoric stating that 'the UN now has a chance to demonstrate its relevance', a statement which made even the most reluctant countries take up a position opposing any attack on Iraq.

Thank you for your foreign policy which provoked the British Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, into declaring that in the 21st century, 'a war can have a moral justification', thus causing him to lose all credibility.

Thank you for trying to divide a Europe that is currently struggling for unification; this was a warning that will not go unheeded.

Thank you for having achieved something that very few have so far managed to do in this century: the bringing together of millions of people on all continents to fight for the same idea, even though that idea is opposed to yours.

Thank you for making us feel once more that though our words may not be heard, they are at least spoken - this will make us stronger in the future.

Thank you for ignoring us, for marginalising all those who oppose your decision, because the future of the Earth belongs to the excluded.

Thank you, because, without you, we would not have realised our own ability to mobilise. It may serve no purpose this time, but it will doubtless be useful later on.

Now that there seems no way of silencing the drums of war, I would like to say, as an ancient European king said to an invader: 'May your morning be a beautiful one, may the sun shine on your soldiers' armour, for in the afternoon, I will defeat you.'

Thank you for allowing us - an army of anonymous people filling the streets in an attempt to stop a process that is already underway - to know what it feels like to be powerless and to learn to grapple with that feeling and transform it.

So, enjoy your morning and whatever glory it may yet bring you.

Thank you for not listening to us and not taking us seriously, but know that we are listening to you and that we will not forget your words.

Thank you, great leader George W. Bush.

Thank you very much.

Lakshya

[Dave Sinkula]

I too can dig up tidbits, but I won't plagiarize and claim them as my own.

[lasher511]

Thank you, President Bush
October 19 2007

Thank you, great leader George W. Bush.

Thank you for showing everyone what a danger Saddam Hussein represents. Many of us might otherwise have forgotten that he had used chemical weapons against his own people, against the Kurds and against the Iranians. Hussein is a bloodthirsty dictator and one of the clearest expressions of evil in today's world.

But this is not my only reason for thanking you. During the first two months of 2003, you have shown the world a great many other important things and, therefore, deserve my gratitude.

So, remembering a poem I learned as a child, I want to say thank you.

Thank you for showing everyone that the Turkish people and their Parliament are not for sale, not even for 26 billion dollars.

Thank you for revealing to the world the gulf that exists between the decisions made by those in power and the wishes of the people. Thank you for making it clear that neither José María Aznar nor Tony Blair give the slightest weight to or show the slightest respect for the votes they received. Aznar is perfectly capable of ignoring the fact that 90% of Spaniards are against the war, and Blair is unmoved by the largest public demonstration to take place in England in the last thirty years.

Thank you for making it necessary for Tony Blair to go to the British Parliament with a fabricated dossier written by a student ten years ago, and present this as 'damning evidence collected by the British Secret Service'.

Thank you for allowing Colin Powell to make a complete fool of himself by showing the UN Security Council photos which, one week later, were publicly challenged by Hans Blix, the Inspector responsible for disarming Iraq.

Thank you for adopting your current position and thus ensuring that, at the plenary session, the French Foreign Minister, Dominique de Villepin's anti-war speech was greeted with applause - something, as far as I know, that has only happened once before in the history of the UN, following a speech by Nelson Mandela.

Thank you too, because, after all your efforts to promote war, the normally divided Arab nations, at their meeting in Cairo during the last week in February, were, for the first time, unanimous in their condemnation of any invasion.

Thank you for your rhetoric stating that 'the UN now has a chance to demonstrate its relevance', a statement which made even the most reluctant countries take up a position opposing any attack on Iraq.

Thank you for your foreign policy which provoked the British Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, into declaring that in the 21st century, 'a war can have a moral justification', thus causing him to lose all credibility.

Thank you for trying to divide a Europe that is currently struggling for unification; this was a warning that will not go unheeded.

Thank you for having achieved something that very few have so far managed to do in this century: the bringing together of millions of people on all continents to fight for the same idea, even though that idea is opposed to yours.

Thank you for making us feel once more that though our words may not be heard, they are at least spoken - this will make us stronger in the future.

Thank you for ignoring us, for marginalising all those who oppose your decision, because the future of the Earth belongs to the excluded.

Thank you, because, without you, we would not have realised our own ability to mobilise. It may serve no purpose this time, but it will doubtless be useful later on.

Now that there seems no way of silencing the drums of war, I would like to say, as an ancient European king said to an invader: 'May your morning be a beautiful one, may the sun shine on your soldiers' armour, for in the afternoon, I will defeat you.'

Thank you for allowing us - an army of anonymous people filling the streets in an attempt to stop a process that is already underway - to know what it feels like to be powerless and to learn to grapple with that feeling and transform it.

So, enjoy your morning and whatever glory it may yet bring you.

Thank you for not listening to us and not taking us seriously, but know that we are listening to you and that we will not forget your words.

Thank you, great leader George W. Bush.

Thank you very much.

Lakshya

Lol Demorcrat

[venomlash]

Democrats-as-sissies is just another myth pushed by

#include "fox\hannity.h"
#include "anncoulter.h"
#include "fox\oreilly.h"
#include "fox\limbaugh.h"

I not be likin' them...Al Franken, for example, is opinionated and partisan, but has never called Chelsea Clinton the "White House dog" or other such ad hominem atrocities perpetuated by the MurdochRGoonSquad.cpp

Democrats are sticking up for our side...that's why Gonzo is toast;)

[Dave Sinkula]

Al Franken? Please try a little harder than that.

[venomlash]

Did you even read what I wrote??? I was saying that yes, we do have some slightly crazy-partisan people on the left, but the conservative nutjobs are even worse. Like Anne Coulter, you just took a quote out of context.

[EnderX]

You held Al Franken up as an example of a non-'nutjob'. Dave simply provided proof that your non-nutjob example is a non-viable source for information. And I'd like to request that you provide evidence, including if possible the dates of the alleged incidents, for all of your 'fox\' listings. I think I can guess what you'll pull up for Ann Coulter, so you may dispense with that one if you so choose.

[Ancient Dragon]

we voted for margret thatcher and she was terrible (

So that is why you all re-elected her for 3 or more terms ?

Thatcher's tenure as Prime Minister was the longest since that of Lord Salisbury and was the longest continuous period in office since the tenure of Lord Liverpool who was prime minister in the early 19th century. She was the first woman to lead a major political party in the UK, and the first of only three women to have held any of the four great offices of state

That sounds like quite an accomplishment for anyone, let alone a woman.

[Ancient Dragon]

As for next year's election in USA, I'm neaning to either Hillory or Obama. I don't see any Republican candidates I want to vote for. And being mayor or a major city (Rudy Giuliano) does not qualify someone to be President of US.

[Lardmeister]

#include "fox\hannity.h"
#include "anncoulter.h"
#include "fox\oreilly.h"
#include "fox\limbaugh.h"

I have to agree, that is a sorry bunch of humanity!!
They all use the favorite tactic of the ultra right extremists, intimidation and low brow insults! Not one of the bunch has any humor!

[venomlash]

Scuse, EnderX. Al Franken is highly partisan (it's his job) so one should take what he says with a grain of salt. However, he uses actual facts in his reasoning and is not in the habit of making ad hominem attacks. (That he called a book Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations is making fun of the extolled Mr. Limbaugh's tactic of making ad hominem attacks, including the famous incident in which he called Chelsea Clinton the "White House Dog").

I shall now give you that info on the people I mentioned earlier having called liberals in general "sissies" or some similar construction:
Anne Coulter: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07092/774483-53.stm nuff said
Bill O'Reilly: rant against Kerry, 11/29/04, http://mediamatters.org/items/200412010004;

Back as soon as I can find more info. Chew on those for a while!

[venomlash]

I have to agree, that is a sorry bunch of humanity!!
They all use the favorite tactic of the ultra right extremists, intimidation and low brow insults! Not one of the bunch has any humor!

Thank you Lardmaster! Good to get some backup here.

[Lardmeister]

Al Franken is a comedian, he is very funny. Bill O'Reilly is supposed to be an "unbiased" Fox newsperson (that is his only joke).

[Dave Sinkula]

I'd rank all of the above as entertainers primarily, each with a subinterest in politics.

[Lardmeister]

You hit the hammer right on the nail there Dave! For an old man you are really with it!

[venomlash]

Al Franken is a comedian, he is very funny. Bill O'Reilly is supposed to be an "unbiased" Fox newsperson (that is his only joke).

Ouch! Ding, ding, KO!

...aaand O'Reilly gets so mad he grows another splotch.

[EnderX]

Scuse, EnderX. Al Franken is highly partisan (it's his job) so one should take what he says with a grain of salt. However, he uses actual facts in his reasoning and is not in the habit of making ad hominem attacks. (That he called a book Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations is making fun of the extolled Mr. Limbaugh's tactic of making ad hominem attacks, including the famous incident in which he called Chelsea Clinton the "White House Dog").

I shall now give you that info on the people I mentioned earlier having called liberals in general "sissies" or some similar construction:
Anne Coulter: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07092/774483-53.stm nuff said
Bill O'Reilly: rant against Kerry, 11/29/04, http://mediamatters.org/items/200412010004;

Back as soon as I can find more info. Chew on those for a while!

Can't vouch for the ad homenim part, although I've noticed that many individuals seem to use such attacks and never get called on it, many of them on the political left. However, in regard to the section I bolded in your quote, I simply have one question. Did you actually even bother to visit the site Dave Sinkula linked to?

I will look over the Bill O'Reilly comment as I can find the time to do so.

[Lardmeister]

As for next year's election in USA, I'm neaning to either Hillory or Obama. I don't see any Republican candidates I want to vote for. And being mayor or a major city (Rudy Giuliano) does not qualify someone to be President of US.

I like your concept. A mayor's experience is too limited, even though NY is huge. On the other hand, a senator is too much inside the dirty politics of DC. I think the governor of a state would be most qualified for the job of president of the nation. That's if you think that DC needs a little house cleaning, there is just too much corruption as usual. Not to mention the sick sexual deviants there!

[Lardmeister]

Here are examples showing that humour is not only displayed by our beloved president, but also by the people around him:

As some of you might know, Dick Cheney and Barack Obama are actually cousins. When asked on CNBC TV if he had planned a family meeting with Barack, Dick said "I better not, I might hurt his presidental election chances!"

A news bulliten from Crawford Texas:
"A tragic flood this morning destroyed the personal library of President George W. Bush. The flood began in the presidential bathroom where both of the books were kept. Both books have been completely destroyed. A presidential spokesman said the president was devastated as he had almost finished coloring the second one."

Now you have to admit that the Vicepresident and the spokesman both have an accute sense of humour.

[EnderX]

Are you sure the 'news bulletin' was real, Lardmeister? Variants of that 'joke' (read: insult) have been making the rounds since the Reagan administration, if not before.
The intent is (as with most liberal arguments) to portray their opponents as being excessively stupid. But would the fact that they have to keep recycling other people's insults (even jesting ones) not indicate that liberals aren't so hot on creativity, at least?

[Lardmeister]

I think the latter might have been in jest. I am sure it would have been more than two books anyway!

[venomlash]

EnderX.jump(shark);

Yup, you are over the line. I, as a professed liberal, may poke fun at the arguments of those on the far right (Ann Coulter etc.), but I will not go so far as to condemn an entire political party. I like and agree with many Republicans (okay, the Govenator [Arnold Schwarzenegger] is at the top of that list).
Lardmeister knew it was a joke (it's kind of intuitive), so you are just using a thread about humor in office to be needlessly partisan.
Back down, EnderX, before I am forced to start a flame war.:angry:

[vegaseat]

As a moderator I have to say:
No flame wars please! Keep discussions on the intellectual side, regardless of being a righteous righty, a liberal lefty or somewhere in the forgotten middle.

[venomlash]

I wish the middle hadn't been forgotten. Conservatives and liberals will really need to think less radically and compromise more with each other if the American government is to work well (or actually at all).

[Lardmeister]

As a moderator I have to say:
No flame wars please! Keep discussions on the intellectual side, regardless of being a righteous righty, a liberal lefty or somewhere in the forgotten middle.

I like the "righteous righty, liberal lefty, forgotten middle" thing, and am going to put it into my new signature.

[vegaseat]

I like the "righteous righty, liberal lefty, forgotten middle" thing, and am going to put it into my new signature.

I used the quote a number of times in my long life, however it is not mine. It seems to be more apropos than ever. You are free to use it as you please!