A Radical Suggestion Re: Sheehan

[MostlyLurks]

I've seen several posts this AM talking about how Bush will meet with a $10,000 donor but not Sheehan. Well, what's to stop Sheehan from donating 10K for the opportunity?

I'd kick in a few bucks to see that happen. Why couldn't the progressive community (Kos, Crawford Peace House, etc.) band together to raise 10K? That could be given to Sheehan, who could offer to donate it to the RNC, just like any other donor, for the opportunity to speak to the pres at some function? 10K would be a small price to pay for that sort of press-ready publicity stunt.

But, I suppose, it would add credence to the conservative meme that she's a pawn of the durned librul movement.

Mostly

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. No sorry

The RNC has enough money as it is.

I will donate to just about any worthy cause, but the RNC doesn't strike me as one.

[hippiechick]

2. Only if he'd give the 10k to a GOOD cause ...

... not stuff it into the neo-con coffers...

[merh]

5. How about 10,000 to a veteran's cause!

No way will I donate to any neo-con criminal enterprise like the RNC.

[Libby2]

3. I wouldn't kick in one red cent

the fucker can see her without being paid for it.
He has already made enough money on this war.

[senseandsensibility]

4. It would give the RNC 10K more to spread their propaganda

and in my opinion, it would look like a capitulation from Cindy. I'm sure she'd never do it.

[TWiley]

6. The money would be used to finance the election

of yet another republican bastard. It is a good idea, it would embarrass the hell out of the republi-tards, but in the end ....... we would be financing SATAN !

[Booster]

7. Nope. Only if he told the truth and that ain't gonna happen.

[Triana]

8. I will NOT give $ to the RNC sorry (n/t)

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

9. Dumbest thing I ever heard of. Give 10K to the most corrupt political

organization in our nation's history, the current Repub party, as if you owed it to them, for the privilege to meet with the Prez. Right.

This is on par with the idea posted here several months or more back, that some of us should become "Rangers" or "Pioneers" (i.e. round up 100K or 200K smackers for shrubco) so we could become "inside spies". Um.. yeah.

Something like this would only make any sense if you had a very specific plan that had significant likelihood of bringing the whole works down. Otherwise, it's just a huge campaign contribution, thank you very much.

[flordehinojos]

10. REALLY??????? he kills her son and SHE has to pay $$$ for him to listen to

her????????????? cindy sheehan is not about to sell her soul to the devil!

[Tsiyu]

13. Thank you!

I think she's already "donated" a priceless amount of flesh and blood to one of his "campaigns."

[MostlyLurks]

15. She wouldn't be donating out of her pocket.

The idea is that those who believe so much in her right to meet the President would bankroll the effort. She'd simply be the recipient of the donations, which she would then use as leverage to make it happen.

Mostly

[flordehinojos]

17. i believe in CINDY SHEEHAN. I BELIEVE IN HER RIGHT TO HAVE BUSH MEET WITH

HER ... but to BUY an audience would soooooo stain her with the blood of all the killed by bush that she would lose so much ground.....and it happens to be suuuuuuch an anti-democratic stance.... it would be FEEDING THE GREED and EVIL LUST FOR BLOOD AND OIL that is the trademark of the all the BUSHES! not one penny for bush to do what is his duty to do--and that is to listen to the people of this democracy which he stole and to the voice of the mothers of all whom he has had killed in his immoral and illegal occupation of iraq!

[MostlyLurks]

21. Not to start something completely off the original topic BUT...

Where does the right to meet with the President emanate from? Do I have that same right? She has no right to meet with him. There's a difference between "a right to demand it" and a "right to get it". She can ask for it all she wants, but she has no more right to meet with the Pres than anybody else, regardless of reason.

If she can demand it and get it, then anybody with significant grievance or reason can. Did people outraged over Dem policies, issues, etc, have a RIGHT to meet with Clinton? Absolutely not, and you're lying if you say "yes".

This whole rah-rahing of Sheehan is completely stupid. I think this is one case where both right and left have absolutely missed the mark.

If she gets to meet with the Pres by virtue of simple demand and demonstration of sacrifice, then every widow, widower, orphan, etc. gets to and that's dangerous precendent. It would grind the country to a halt during any time of war. FDR didn't do it, Nixon and Johnson didn't do it, etc. No President has ever done it because, among other reasons, it is impracticable. Anybody who says it would not create a precendent, I fail to understand how; please explain how acceding to the demands of one person would not justify the demands of anybody with similar station or reasons.

Aside from that, meeting with Sheehan would green-light Bush to meet with any war casualty family member. All they'll need to do is find 1 person who supports the war and believes his mom/dad/brother/sister/son/daughter/husband/wife died for a noble cause and Sheehan's protest is effectively countered. It surprises me they haven't done it already in a clandestine way.

We want Sheehan and Bush to meet just because it's great publicity, not because, by blanket ethics, we believe that's what all Presidents should do for all family members of wartime casualties. If we believed it, we would have believed it before Sheehan appeared. And that's where we're wrong on this: we've made a singular person's demand a "one time only" ethical impreative. Will we support similar demands in 25 years when a Dem pres. starts a war and somebody demands a piece of his/her time? I doubt it.

But at least we're on the side of compassion in this argument.

Where the right went wrong was in the fact that they could have articulated exactly what I just did: Sheehan has the right to be angry and the right do what she's doing, but it simply isn't practical to comply with her demands. Instead, they chose to assassinate her character, calling her a mindless pawn, a bad wife, etc. It's the same way they dealt with Hackett (instead of saying "he served admirably, we simply disagree with his politics", they called his service meaningless), it's the same way they dealt with Michael Schiavo. They have no desire or ability to react rationally, logically and moderately to anything with which they disagree.

I'm sorry, but I'm ashamed of both sides in this particular case. I await the inevitable label of "Freeper Troll".

Mostly.

[Fridays Child]

11. A variation of your idea...

...would be to collect $10,000 in donations and pledge it to a worthy charity, if B*sh will meet with Cindy.

[fasttense]

12. Why should you have to pay thousands of dollars to see

an elected politician?? I know the right is always selling their influence but this is ridiculous. You give up your son for your country and have to buy your way in to see the country's head politician?? How bizarre.

[OneBlueSky]

14. not one penny . . . not one . . . n/t

.

[Mist]

16. I think it would make anyone donating $ to Shrubco look like a moran. nt

[Fleshdancer]

18. I think it's a great idea because he CAN'T take the money....

To all the naysayers, think it through...

It's a win-win situation. We raise something significant, say $100,000 and Cindy offers to purchase a meeting with Bush. What could he possibly say without looking bad?

He can't agree to this and accept the money but if he ignores the offer, the media will still focus on the fact that the mother of a fallen soldier is so desperate to meet the President that she raises money to gain the same kind of access that Bush's donors receive.

Bush will never see the money, it will ultimately be donated to a charity and Bush gets slammed. Why not?

[FlemingsGhost]

19. I'll write a check for the full amount. I am very serious.

It'll bounce, but if we are going to play their game, let's fully commit, shall we?

[Generic Other]

20. NO WAY

:rofl: