F*ck IT! Maybe Presidents should just be figure heads--

[FrenchieCat]

and others behind the scenes should make the real decisions and we should accept that.

Cause that is where we are anyways, starting with Bush/Cheney.
Bush is the figurehead, and Cheney does the decision thingie,
and of course, that's been going on for 6 years.

But here we are fighting a losing war, threatening another, China is blowing our satellites out of space while owning our economy at the same time, North Korea and Pakistan, both known nuclear power are telling us to kiss their ass, and we are going totally broke fighting a war, while global warming marches on, and I have yet to hear any candidate with a overarching vision and some specific solutions to the problems listed above put down on the table as they announce.

If we were about substance, at the very least, those who are demonstrated the most knowledge about the specific issues that we discuss each and every day would be the Frontrunners....not those that were wrong, wrong, wrong, and those who have no real experience about such matters.

So maybe we really are ready for the American Idol route when we choose our President and then we can also vote for the other designated persons who will actually do the heavy lifting. I'm starting to think that we should be voting on individuals to form the entire cabinet!

Nowdays, it's all about Charisma, the right looking family, the right smile, the nice spoken speech that proposes little more than generalities always afraid that they'll be caught in a "gotcha", and who wants a beer with the candidate?...in other words, it's about personality--not substance.

All Flash and Cash!

And then there's Giuliani. I mean, come on? What is that all about anyway? :wtf: There also movie matinee idol Romney....who the most many says is that "he looks like a President". What does this mean? That we'll enjoy his mug on the TV when he's giving a State of the Union Speech? See, now that's scary.

I'd rather continue to hear about the "She said this and he said that" and "She's got the money, he gets the coverage" and at least feel like that's all that I'm entitled to.

maybe we should just fucking admit it.
It's the pretense that's killing me.

Thank you Media for 21st century bullshit! It's must be exactly what we need right now!

[MADem]

1. It's not ALL flash and cash. Look at Howard Dean.

He didn't go all the way, but he went further than anyone thought.

Look at Clinton. It is easy to look at him now and forget that he was the pudgy, donut and french fry eating "hick" from Arkansas, who was short on cash and was the total underdog. Bush Senior's big mistake was totally DISMISSING him--they thought he was a total joke. But Clinton had determination, he had youth, he was tireless, he had a dedicated staff. And he just would not give up. He certainly had charisma, his little 'X' factor, but what he also had going for him was IDEAS.

Jimmy Carter, same deal--certainly not a beauty, and not even charismatic, at least while he was running. What did he have? Absolute, rock solid, integrity.

Guiliani isn't going to make it because he's been married three times, he's pro-choice, and it will appall the right wing that while he was going through his most recent divorce, he was rooming with "two gay guys and a shitzhu..." (a phrase used in a debate). That is his problem from the right. From the left, there's his jackbooted attitude towards law and order in NYC--Abner Louima and that poor kid who was shot like swiss cheese for taking out his wallet. ...it will all be brought up again. So forget about him.

Romney has a couple of big problems--first, he SUCKED (one more time, he SUCKED) as governor of Massachusetts. He's on videotape flipflopping more times than a fish on the pier after being pulled from the sea. His record alone will hang him. And then, there's the BIG LOVE thing. He's a Mormon--he had an ancestor who did that "flee to Mexico with his four wives and dozens and dozens of kids" routine. His father, who ran for President outta Michigan, is widely (and a bit unfairly) regarded as a total KOO KOO because he came back from a Vietnam trip and told a reporter, on television, that he'd been "brainwashed" by the generals. It didn't play well. Mitt Romney would be a dream opponent, because he'd be WAY too easy to knock back.

The one to worry about, IMO, is Chuck Hegel. He's super conservative, but he speaks English in plain, declarative sentences. He makes a nice appearance. He behaves like an ADULT. He's what McCain USED to be in terms of straight talk, before McCain sold his soul to the devil.

If you don't like the media, call them on it with an email, and then, change the channel, turn the thing off, listen to radio, or get your news on the net. YOU control your viewing/input experience. Not them. Own the power you already have.

Oh, and as for China, that was THEIR satellite. Not ours. They had every right to destroy it as they saw fit. It was a bit of a shock that they did it that way, but they weren't going after anything they didn't own. It was an old one, that they were done with. And the reason they did it is to let Monkeyboy know that they don't take kindly to any additional "Star Wars" adventurism in space. They were signalling him that if he wants to get into a Star Wars Space Race, they're telling him to "Bring it on." That's what that was about. It was a "cut the crap, Bush" warning.

[bklyncowgirl]

3. Dean proves the point

Dean got the cash by exciting ordinary voters with strong opinions and a bold swagger. He did not have the smoothness that the media demands and in my opinion was a little too open about his opinions regarding things like, well, breaking up media conglamorates.

He was dangerous and he was shot down.

I'm not worried about Chuck Hagel--he's not getting the Republican nomination and the only way he hurts Democrats is if he goes 3rd party and siphons off antiwar voters from a pro-war Democrat like Hillary Clinton.

I kind of like the idea of seperating the symbolic head of government--the guy you want to invite for dinner--and the real head of government--the hard headed wheeler dealer who gets things done.

The parliamentary system of government does have its advantages.

[MADem]

4. Dean does NOT prove the point. He got sloppy at the end and didn't

control his media appearances. He made a rookie mistake, AND he didn't get right out there and do damage control. He didn't stop, address the 'scream' immediately, get in the faces of people who were trying to play it, and shut it down.

And he sure failed, all right--he "failed" his way into the DNC job.

I don't like messing with our Constitution. I like having a President and a VP and a cabinet and a House and Senate and Judiciary. I'd just like to have better quality people in some of the jobs.

Parliamentary systems suck. You need a 'continuity' factor, like a Queen or King to balance them (like UK and Canada)...otherwise, you end up like Italy, changing governments constantly, like most people change their goddamn socks. And then, nothing gets done.

[C_U_L8R]

2. That requires at least a head

we don't even have one of those amongst all those half wits in the White House

[rosesaylavee]

5. From what I understand

from reading a little about the founders who wrote the constitution, this is what they feared. The intention WAS that the president would be more of a figurehead and that the congress or the people's representatives would drive the country.

[FrenchieCat]

6. Yes..... I agree...but it looks like we are now going down that road

anyways considering.....perhaps transitioning to getting there.

Like I said, I wouldn't mind, as long as we know that is what it is.

I doubt Bush gets much done besides learning new speeches and taking naps.
And I do believe that some of those we have running are bright, but not bright enough for the task at hand.

[rosesaylavee]

7. You forgot about

mandatory time playing with Barney... giving him his daily tummy rub. Poor Barney.

[haypops]

8. Thanks for reminding me just how bad it is.

The liberal blogs seem to talk only about health care and the repukes only discuss which candidate has a stronger stance against one guy touching another guy's wiener.
There is a war on. People are dying and loosing limbs. It would appear that we may look on this as the good old days when the rest of the world (China, North Korea, Pakistan, Lebanon, Iran, and Afghanistan) explodes into warfare too.

[FrenchieCat]

9. Word of the Day, baby......Cash and Flash...others need not apply.....

We are so fucked....and to some degree, we helped do this to ourselves! That's the part I'm not too crazy about.

[Auntie Bush]

11. You tell it like it is! You go baby!

I can't believe so many people vote for the one with the best hair or speech instead of their life experiences that show their intelligence, decision making ability, art of persuasion, and knowledge of the world and different cultures and how government works in general. In other words a leader! But first t hey have to stop watching American Idol and pay attention to politics. Maybe it was better in the old days of radio. Then Dennis would be the winner!

[AtomicKitten]

10. the GOP has no problem with it