2016 Elections

[Vrede too]

homerfobe is an example of the wisdom, maturity and leadership abilities that come from spending a career in the military.

[homerfobe]

Of all the things you could criticize is a non-military person's ability to salute? Seriously? What effin' difference does it make?
Let's start with respect for his office and the people he commands. A salute is a sign of respect. Yes, the salute thing is the first thing I could criticize.

Nowhere does the Constitution require that a military person be commander in chief. Maybe should, but doesn't. Can you spell "civilian?"
Did I say it did? Did I even mention the Constitution at all? I said "should" too. Can you spell "comprehend?"

homerfobe is an example of the wisdom, maturity and leadership abilities that come from spending a career in the military.

Now, clue us in what kind of example you are. A boot camp washout maybe? Your maturity has shown itself in all of your last posts since you quit the forum.

[rstrong]

Along comes some half-witted, untrained dumbass who probably had momma change his underwear for him all his life like Obama for instance, who can't even perform a half-assed salute without looking like a twinkle toed fairy who becomes boss over the whole goddammed military. An elected presidential candidate ought to have to undergo an 8 or 9 week military style training rather than just be someone with a lot of frigging money.

Obama returned a salute while holding a cup of coffee. Karl Rove had a hissy fit about it on Fox News, ignoring the fact that it was common for Republican Presidents too. And that for the first 192 years of your republic, commanders in chief did not salute military personnel. But the Republican blogosphere picked it up and ran with it.

Bush II on the other hand cut danger pay for troops (again). Cut family separation allowances (again). Cut veterans' health care by $2 billion. Cut $1.5 billion from military family housing. Cut $172 million allotted for educating the children of military personnel. Denied military families an increase in the child tax credit. Opposed giving National Guard and Reserve Members access the right to buy health care coverage through the Pentagon's health plan. And that's just in the year he invaded Iraq. (The original link is dead, but this one included the citations.)

But Bush II had military service - and even showed up for some of it - so that makes it OK.

[Mr.B]

Maybe he meant this one?....




Or this one?......

[JTA]

Maybe he meant this one?....




Or this one?......

That was kinda cool of Obama to be honest.

[rstrong]

Maybe he meant this one?....

Or this one?



Again, the vast majority of US Presidents did not salute. This is new.

As for Bush I, Clinton and Bush II, now doubt any serious search would find plenty of missing or awkward salutes. Like the Bush II one above.

This is like the "President Does Not Bow To Foreign Leaders" Republican conniption fit. (When people actually went looking, they found plenty of instances of Republican Presidents doing exactly that.) And countless other "It's only wrong when a Democrat does it" scandals.

[O Really]

And countless other "It's only wrong when a Democrat does it" scandals.

I think that's "only wrong if Obama does it" I'm pretty sure he's been bashed for a lot of stuff that would go unnoticed if done by Republicans or other Democrats.

[Mr.B]

Bush wasn't saluting...he was looking at the tick on that dog's ear.
Yeppers...our prez's have done some goofy things. Homey might have something there about training though; like protocol.

I can only imagine the fallout if a military person saluted an officer or the prez in any of those manners; something about "the ship hitting the sand" comes to mind.

[Vrede too]

Or this one?

Maybe that's how they do it in Scotland.

[Bungalow Bill]

I forgot, thanks.

Well, it has been a pretty long time. I doubt it will be much of an issue in the
primaries, but he can always pull it out if necessary. Yes, I do have
executive experience. As a matter of fact, I was the mayor of the largest
city in the state.

[Bungalow Bill]

I remember nutjobs complaining about salutes all the way back in the
Clinton administration. Ah, when wingnuttism was young and just
taking its first baby steps.

[rstrong]

Donald Trump joins race to be Republican presidential nominee

This is new. He's always milked the electoral process for publicity without actually running.

Granted, this time he won't be a fringe candidate. He has just as much credibility as any of the other Republicans currently running.

Seriously. Jeb Bush might not have the same habit of wingnuttey statements as the rest of the Republican clown car, but even Republicans don't want another Bush. And he has closer ties to terrorism than some of the folks his brother had tortured for ties to terrorism.

[rstrong]

In Bush's defense he seems to know this. He announced his candidacy on Snapchat. Seriously. His message will disappear after 10 seconds just like the excitement over his campaign.

[rstrong]

[Bungalow Bill]

I don't think the silver surfer has a chance, but he will be fun to watch and
listen to.

I don't like to think about it, but I believe Jeb! has a pretty good chance
of getting the nomination. I know it's early, the polls aren't showing a
run away front runner, and you never know what might happen, but
there's something about the Bush family that makes them seem inevitable,
at least after a try or two. I guess the only relatively good thing is that
he is not quite as nutty as some of the other GOP candidates.

[O Really]

I guess the only relatively good thing is that
he is not quite as nutty as some of the other GOP candidates.

Oh he's just as nutty. He just behaves better. Having a father as not only President but a life-long government person, and a brother as President gives him a bit of polish and PR savvy that a yahoo like, f'rinstance, Perry isn't going to have no matter how long he runs Texas. But yeah, he's just as nutty. He's just chosen an act as the "mature one" instead of joining the "bomb throwers."

[rstrong]

I don't like to think about it, but I believe Jeb! has a pretty good chance of getting the nomination.

Jeb has other problems beyond his family ties. Like his terrorist and mob ties.

I suspect that the Democrats are keeping their mouths shut for now, hoping that he gets the nomination.

[Bungalow Bill]

Oh he's just as nutty. He just behaves better. Having a father as not only President but a life-long government person, and a brother as President gives him a bit of polish and PR savvy that a yahoo like, f'rinstance, Perry isn't going to have no matter how long he runs Texas. But yeah, he's just as nutty. He's just chosen an act as the "mature one" instead of joining the "bomb throwers."

Well Rick does wear those glasses now. Gives him a bit of well needed
gravitas. I still don't think Jeb! is quit as crazy as some of the others,
but he does have the mature, serious thing down. He was interviewed
on ABC News tonight and will be doing more media stops tomorrow, so
the ball is starting to roll.

[O Really]

He's not as crazy in the sense that he doesn't trash anything he's ever thought to try to toss red meat to the rightest of right wingers. But just him being himself is pretty crazy. He was advocating public shaming of unwed mothers (but not fathers) in 1995, which of course was 20 years ago. But he's not backtracking now. His governorship in Florida was a tragedy, including his efforts to keep Terry Schiavo alive, abolition of public funds for stem cell research, hard core anti-abortionist, anti-gay positions in late 90's, the horrible "three strikes" law, and general good-ol'-'boying while in office. Here's a summary... http://www.ontheissues.org/Jeb_Bush.htm

Having said that, however, if any one of the current crop of clowns were to actually be president, I'd rather it be Jeb! than any of the others.

[Bungalow Bill]

I don't like to think about it, but I believe Jeb! has a pretty good chance of getting the nomination.

Jeb has other problems beyond his family ties. Like his terrorist and mob ties.

I suspect that the Democrats are keeping their mouths shut for now, hoping that he gets the nomination.

I'm sure there are also a lot of questionable sweetheart business deals over
the years. Of course, Hillary has similar problems. If it does turn out to
be Bush v. Clinton, the mud is going to fly.