[vc318]

Originally Posted by wanderer78 (View Post) I still fear her becoming President one day. If there's one thing the Republicans are good at, it's getting dangerously underqualified people into the White House.

Hmm, I don't know about that because she's not loved by all on the Republican front but anything can happen, I guess. It just doesn't seem like becoming president is really in her future, though. I really do believe that Palin decided to step down to be with her family more.

[sunnykerr]

I think the fact that George W Bush occupied the White House for four years without a mandate and then was "re-elected" has scarred a lot of people who didn't believe either term could happen.

[wanderer78]

I'm thinkiing of Reagan as well, but he was very popular and beloved.

[sunnykerr]

Truth be told, although I am plenty old enough to remember Reagan, I actually don't. Blame it on my being Canadian, and a French one at that, but my first U.S. Presidential memory goes to the Bush/Clinton election.

So, I can't speak to Reagan's influence on the great American fear of having an unpopular and unskilled president.

I do know that, especially the second time around, people really thought there was no way W was gonna be elected. He was utterly unliked and a lot of very vocal people didn't think he was capable of doing the job. And then he was elected anyway.

So that's got to be scarring.

And then you see a Sarah Palin, and I can see why people would be afraid she might find a way to get herself elected.

We all know that none but the most radical of pseudo-Republicans enjoy her. It seems obvious that she's completely out her depth.

So, rationally, no one could logically expect her to get elected... But then it's happened before.

[ceilirose]

I'm so glad that Bush & Cheney are gone.


Cheney, Bush Officials, Considered Using The Military To Arrest Terror Suspects In U.S.

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration in 2002 considered sending U.S. troops into a Buffalo, N.Y., suburb to arrest a group of terror suspects in what would have been a nearly unprecedented use of military power, The New York Times reported. Vice President Dick Cheney and several other Bush advisers at the time strongly urged that the military be used to apprehend men who were suspected of plotting with al Qaida, who later became known as the Lackawanna Six, the Times reported on its Web site Friday night. It cited former administration officials who spoke on condition of anonymity. The proposal advanced to at least one-high level administration meeting, before President George W. Bush decided against it. Dispatching troops into the streets is virtually unheard of. The Constitution and various laws restrict the military from being used to conduct domestic raids and seize property. According to the Times, Cheney and other Bush aides said an Oct. 23, 2001, Justice Department memo gave broad presidential authority that allowed Bush to use the domestic use of the military against al-Qaida if it was justified on the grounds of national security, rather than law enforcement. Among those arguing for the military use besides Cheney were his legal adviser David S. Addington and some senior Defense Department officials, the Times reported. Opposing the idea were Condoleezza Rice, then the national security adviser; John B. Bellinger III, the top lawyer at the National Security Council; FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III; and Michael Chertoff, then the head of the Justice Department's criminal division. Bush ultimately nixed the proposal and ordered the FBI to make the arrests in Lackawanna. The men were subsequently arrested and pleaded guilty to terrorism-related charges. Scott L. Silliman, a Duke University law professor specializing in national security law, told the Times that a U.S. president had not deployed the active-duty military on domestic soil in a law enforcement capacity, without specific statutory authority, since the Civil War.

[vc318]

^ Did they think that the cops could not do a well enough job arresting these individuals? In addition, if the military are arresting terrorist suspects locally, then who would be fighting the other terrorist groups abroad?

[sunnykerr]

Well, Bush and Cheney were never interested in actual fighting terrorists, or they would have kept their focus on Afghanistan.

This is actually very in line with their general moto: Scare the crap out of your populace and they'll let you do whatever you please.

[ceilirose]

Originally Posted by vc318 (View Post) ^ Did they think that the cops could not do a well enough job arresting these individuals? In addition, if the military are arresting terrorist suspects locally, then who would be fighting the other terrorist groups abroad?

It's more like the military is not supposed to be involved in civilian law enforcement at all. After 9/11 Cheney and others tried to push the envelope in terms of what power they could wield.

LOL..I think they (or at least Cheney) would still be VP if he could. Now Cheney sends his daughter out to fight his battles.

[dudeNchief]

I like how the news outlets have his daughter on to talk. Like you don't know what she's going to say. She's just there to defend her daddy. It infuriates me that they have her on to discuss topics

[sunnykerr]

Will the Obama-Is-Not-a-Citizen Movement Now End? Back in October of 2008 the Hawaii State Department of Health issued a statement that they had, on file, a copy of President Obama's birth certificate. A copy of the birth certificate was posted online. There was no question, no debate about it -- Barack Obama is a natural born citizen of the United States and thus eligible to be the President. But forces have swirled up again, raising questions about whether the President was really born in the US. Those refusing to let the issue go are called "birthers". They demand more proof of where Obama was born. Rush Limbaugh along with broadcasters such as Lou Dobbs have raised questions. Yesterday the Hawaii Health Department said they once again checked the records and said they stand by their earlier comments -- that Obama was born where he says he was born -- in Hawaii. Will this be the end of it?

Will the Obama-Is-Not-a-Citizen Movement Now End? - The World Newser

So, this is really freaking old news, but it just won't die.

I personally don't get it. There is plenty of proof he was born in the U.S.A. and, even if there wasn't, he was elected!!!! Get over it.

[ceilirose]

It won't end because "The Birthers" will never be satisfied. If they released the original birth certificate (which by Hawaii law I don't think you can) then they'd say the doctor who delivered him was bribed. If that doctor had passed away then they'd say he had been murdered to keep quiet.

It matters in that the Constitution says that only a native born American can become President.

It's a fringe movement but it's being kept alive by the mainstream media. Some people still can't accept/handle that Obama is President so they'll try anything.

[sunnykerr]

It's a weird law to have, to begin with. I mean, if you're a citizen... it seems like that should be enough...

[ceilirose]

Originally Posted by sunnykerr (View Post) It's a weird law to have, to begin with. I mean, if you're a citizen... it seems like that should be enough...

I think (and I'm remembering this from school) that the Founding Fathers didn't want someone who was a British subject to somehow end up as President. Their way of insuring that was to make sure that the person was a native born citizen. Hopefully I'm not imagining that - school was awhile ago.

By now I think most of heard of the Kenyan birth certificate that "The Birthers" provided early this week. It was a complete joke with a man from Australia saying that it looked like his.

Anyway if anybody needs a Kenyan Birth Certificate - for whatever reason - you can go to Kenyan Birth Certificate Generator - Make your own! Invalidating legitimate presidencies since 2009!

[sunnykerr]

Originally Posted by ceilirose (View Post) I think (and I'm remembering this from school) that the Founding Fathers didn't want someone who was a British subject to somehow end up as President. Their way of insuring that was to make sure that the person was a native born citizen. Hopefully I'm not imagining that - school was awhile ago.

Actually, that makes a lot of sense, given the circumstances when the U.S. Constitution was written.

But I do think that certain aspects of that document could stand some revision or clarification. I mean, times have changed.

[vc318]

I know how some of us feel about the grading of presidents but I just read that Obama's rating approval dropped from 75 percent to 56 percent after 200 days. Maybe the healthcare plan took a hit in his numbers?