Bush's Calling

[andyfox]

"The resulting scarcity of rhyme and reason frightens us and so we impose on the world around us, even on random facts and chance phenomena, artificial order based on false principals of causation. In that way, we comfort ourselves with an illusion of predictability and even of mastery. We fantasize that we can manipulate the world around us by appealing to the imaginary forces we have invented."

Thanks to Zeno for the above quote.

Now, here is what President Bush said today:

"Let it also be said of our times that we understood our great duties and met them in full"

"There is no neutral ground between good and evil, freedom and slavery, and life and death"

"The war on terror is not a figure of speech," he said. "It is an inescapable calling of our generation."

American Fundamantalism in its historic and most basic form.

[superleeds]

I agree that what Bush said is rhetoric and I feel that the problem of terrorism or indeed many of the problems in the world will never be solved until a fundamental change happens to the human condition. But I dont think that a nihilistic approach is a feasible option for the leader of the most powerful nation on Earth

[MMMMMM]

"I agree that what Bush said is rhetoric and I feel that the problem of terrorism or indeed many of the problems in the world will never be solved until a fundamental change happens to the human condition."

Substitute "human spirit" or "human mind" for "human condition" and I think you may be right.

"But I dont think that a nihilistic approach is a feasible option for the leader of the most powerful nation on Earth"

Or for anyone.

[Zeno]

I should note that the quoted paragraph is by Murray Gell-man, from his book: The Quark and the Jaguar. From the way Andy presented it, it may appear or be misconstrued that I wrote the quoted paragraph.

That is not the case.

-Zeno

[ThaSaltCracka]

Question:

Does anyone think that maybe president Bush is using the terrorism card to much? What I mean, does anyone think he uses or talks about the threat of terrorism too much? Now I think the war on terrorism is important, and we should never become complacent in this war, but man, its all he ever talks about.
thoughts?

[jdl22]

I think this is true. It's like conservatives talking about Clinton's sexual issues or liberals talking about the stolen election (which I fully admit to doing myself). When you talk about something too much people get numb to it and stop listening even if it is really important.

Another problem Bush could have is using terrorism to avoid other issues. It seemed like he was doing that on Meet the Press when he responded to a question with "I'm a war time president" with a farely forceful tone. If once the election heats up people on his side say that we shouldn't question him given the world situation as seemed to happen leading up to the Iraq war it could be a problem if he's seen as running away from other issues. Then again it could cause the democrats to get weak like they did then in which case he would benefit.

I'm not sure Bush has a choice, however. It seems that most moderate voters think Bush is by far the best candidate on foreign/national security issues and that Kerry is by far the better candidate on domestic issues, jobs and such. Given that I would expect to hear even more terrorism "evil doers" type stuff from the Bush camp and more "exporting American jobs" rhetoric from Kerry.

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
Another problem Bush could have is using terrorism to avoid other issues. It seemed like he was doing that on Meet the Press when he responded to a question with "I'm a war time president" with a farely forceful tone. If once the election heats up people on his side say that we shouldn't question him given the world situation as seemed to happen leading up to the Iraq war it could be a problem if he's seen as running away from other issues.

[/ QUOTE ]

perfect this was what I was trying to get to. I am starting to get the feeling he is using the war on terrorism as a crutch, and if he does that, he will IMO not be elected.
Some may even say that Kerry is using Iraq as a crutch as well(put this in here for the Republicans on 2+2, so you don't think I am picking on Bush)

I also think he, and Kerry, need to start laying out their respective plans for the U.S.