Friday, June 16, 2006

The Bar is Set So Low for Bush That Anything Short of Drooling and Babbling is Considered a Monumental Success


Repuglicans across the land are rejoicing over President Bush's alleged resurgence. "He's back," they say. "The Comeback Kid," they're calling him. One right wing columnist, Clark S. Judge, went so far as to say that "the president just had the best week of his second term, perhaps of his entire presidency...." and talks of Bush's "stunning new momentum" that's "proving a transformative success on the domestic as well as international front." Excuse me, but I seem to have missed the memo outlining Bush's big accomplishments this past week. As usual, the bar is set so low for this president that all he needs to do is show a pulse and we're supposed to declare a national holiday in his honor.

Judging from the persistent and escalating violence in Iraq, we've passed one milestone that doesn't seem to matter much--al Zarqawi's death--with one that does--2500 dead U.S. soldiers. The war is spiraling out of control, yet a simple decision to board a plane to visit this debacle firsthand has brought much attention and praise on Bush, despite the fact that it'll yield little if any true change. A week from now it'll be just another faded photo-op. The bigger issue is, when are we going to exit? As David Letterman said, much has been said about Bush being able to find a secret way into Iraq. How about a finding a secret way out?

Using the low-bar expectations, this was a good week in terms of things happening that weren't dreadful. Al Zarqawi was alive, now he's dead. Ok, no one can argue that that's not a good thing. But he's already been replaced by Abu Hamza al-Muhajer as Al Qaeda-in-Iraq's leader. The real arguable point, however, is what effect Zarqawi's killing will have on the insurgency. So far, the violence and death has increased. Next, Bush hopped a plane to Baghdad, and it was greeted as some sort of Nixon-like foreign policy coup. Like al Zarqawi's death, this will yield little if anything in the grand scheme of things. But for an under-achieving president like Bush, I guess the trip was a big deal. Lastly, his chief political operative, Karl Rove, learned he will not face indictment in the CIA leak case. Another big win? Sure, if you don't mind that Rove still reeks of scandal and is probably guilty. But to the Bushies, "a lack of enough evidence to indict" translates to "innocence." Not to the rest of us. Sorry George, "Karl Rove not indicted" is not something to brag about.

The bottom line here is that we now have 2500 dead soldiers and an unjust war with no end in sight. We face a real nuclear threat from Iran and N. Korea. The administration's been plagued by scandal; Rove's clearing doesn't mitigate that. Al Qaeda has a new boss in Iraqi. The stock market's been crashing. Jobs growth has been dismal. Gas prices are astronomical. Wages are stagnate. Interest rates and inflation are rising. We're saddled with record debt. And Bush's abysmal approval ratings haven't budged at all from the mid-30's perch. To the low-expectation Repugs, this is not evidence of merely a good week, but signs of a rejuvenated presidency. To the rest of us, America certainly should have much higher standards for excellence.

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Ostroy:
527 words and you didn't say anything.

Congratulations!

Anonymous said...

We know that 'what is good for America is bad for Democrats' and vice versa, but you're really showing your cards in this Ostroy Report.

Liberals and Democrats may face a real threat from a free S.Korea, but NOT America.

America does in fact face a nuclear threat from NORTH Korea, but that is only because BJ Clinton gave them food, fuel, and nuclear technology.

Maybe if you idiots on the left ever win another election, you'll be able to arm another enemy of America.

Anonymous said...

We face a real nuclear threat from Iran and S. Korea

..really.. strange.. you make fun of the cardboard cut-out president, yet you swallow his neo-con bullshit hook, line, and sinker.

since you obviously need some help with your focus, here's a few REAL threats ya might wanna think about:
- the world is running out of oil, due to profligate energy consumption, and NO energy alternative we know of can ever fully replace petroleum;
- the US dollar is set to collapse, due to the massive 'twin' deficits built up since the gold peg was abolished, and due to the fact that the US is so brazen in thieving from other nations that even their elites cannot put up with it anymore;
- the entire edifice of stocks, futures, securities, and derivatives is bloated, corrupted, and so detached from any real economic basis that it cannot be sustained anymore -- a massive financial crash is imminent, and if you look closely, all the 'big fish' are gradually moving their capital out of the States.

.. and this is just the top of the list.
i could easily go on.

so allow me suggest you turn off the idiot box sometimes and examine the real problems underlying our precarious situation, instead of contrived propaganda 'threats', which are just meant to distract you anyway.

Anonymous said...

WOW! Andy, you have the Bush lovers replying, great work, just too bad THEY keep drinking the Kool Aide and can’t figure out how they’re being led down the wrong path.

As I have said in this Blog many, many times I have yet to have any Bush lover tell me 10 things that this idiot president has done for the common American in the past 6 years that has made their lives better. The BS tax cut he promised the people has been nothing more then a tax cut for the rich. There hasn’t been ANYTHING for the average person and they know this.

Last count of dead because of White House lies is Clinton 0, Bush 2,500.

Unknown said...

What's in that right winger Kool Aid? It must have serious and permanent deleterious effects on the brain!

Anonymous said...

- I'm not rich and I got some of my money back from the government. Of course, I pay taxes and hope you do too (although I don't wish it on you, check out the fairtax)
- I kept my job through the Clinton recession.
- My net worth has quadrupled during the bush years. All the money that I've earned was through my own hard work.
- I bought my first house at the best 30-year fixed mortgage rate in decades during the bush years.
- I paid off my college debt for my bachelors degree and earned my masters while working full time and paying for school (by myself).
- I sold my small house during the best real estate market in decades to a first-time homebuyer during America’s highest rate of (total AND minority) home ownership ever.
- I now know we are finally fighting the Islamic extremists that have been attacking and killing Americans without response during almost every one of the Clinton years. (Although Clinton *did* bomb an aspirin factory Sudan and kill a couple Afghani camels, 3 days after he admitted to committing perjury.)

I'm not going to list 10 things because I'm not a 'bush lover' (and he may not have done 10 things for me). I do think he is better than anything the Democrats have offered. I think everyone in Washington D.C should be thrown out of office. I wish they would be replaced with average Americans that care more about this country than they care about putting their party into power. I know you'll agree that Republicans are not the answer, but Democrats are not the solution either.

The best person Democrats have to offer is Joe Lieberman and the leftwing is pushing him out of your party.

I don't really keep a scorecard of American deaths like you do, but whether you like it or not, 9/11 blood is on Clinton's hands. "Maybe" if he wasn't raping women in hotel rooms, getting blowjobs in the oval office, or committing perjury - he could have been addressing a growing threat. Ever hear of "Able Danger"? Of course, if it doesn't support your opinion - it must be a conspiracy.

Anonymous said...

Ted Kennedy blocks windfarms because they will destroy the view from the Kennedy Compound

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/04/27/kennedy_faces_fight_on_cape_wind/

Anonymous said...

Bush, Clinton, blah blah.
Until the USA abolishes the CFR and the Federal Reserve,the office of president will always be held by a sock puppet.
As for terrorists, communists and any other ists out there, all they can do is kill people and destroy property. The USA can only be brought down from within, which is precisely what we have been witnessing every day since 1871.

Wake up and smell the jackboot.
See you in the gulag.

Anonymous said...

Abolish the IRS and social engineering via class warfare with the fairtax.

http://www.fairtax.org/

stop America's entitlement culture and stop supporting the Democrats

Anonymous said...

There are some first class morons on this site I. wonder what kind of drugs the Bush lovers are on? You don't have to set the bar low for Bush just pickup the rock once in a while.

Anonymous said...

The president is a great man. He knows how to ride a bike. He likes to look people in the eye. He, unlike the vp, is a straight shooter. He shot an endangered dove his first day as governor of Texas. The president is a great man. He is like the easter bunny. He is like a statue made out of hollow chocollate. God talks to him. He's sweet.

Anonymous said...

are there any intelligent democrats out there? What's this site full of windsurfers and europeans?

Anonymous said...

Where's my tax break?
My salary and circumstances were the same in 2005 as in 2004 but I paid $700 more in Fed income tax!
My math must be wrong...

Anonymous said...

If America had a choice of going down the hole becoming a third world nation or keeping it's Paris Hilton lifestyle by getting hold of major oil lands by any means possible you'd go the latter.
Your kids can't play video games if there's no power, you can't drive your two storey trucks if gas is 4bucks a shot so let the chips fall where they may. Why stop at killing a million Muslims in the last decade alone, President Bush has 'em all in his sight's and they are scared. Even Madaline Albright knew that America had to sacrifice some bombs to kill people and sanctions to starve babies to death so the smarter innocent citizens can watch America build a McDonalds and pay burger flippers 25 cents an hour in Iraq and Afghanistan. American christians know the non-christians are going to hell anyway so why not speed things up for them and save satan the time of corrupting more free spririts.
Sometimes righteous American minds have to kill cause killing is for the greater good of America freedom.
God bless America.

nolocontendere said...

You know, I agree with your premise that the sockpuppet isn't fit to mow the white house lawn let alone live there, but I also agree with some of these comments that you seem to have a naivete concerning stuff like the fake Zarqawi.

And, um, what nuclear threat from Iran?

Anonymous said...

seriously, is this website full of intolerant liberal idiots or what?

this website is a perfect example of why liberals are typically the oxygen wasting organ-banks that fill low-level roles in society.

good thing you guys at least know how to stand in line - I'm sure the welfare representatives appreciate your cooperation.

Anonymous said...

This is the largest number of comments I've seen from the Republicans - they DO read this blog. It's fairly obvious that the only thing that arouses their response reflex is a criticism of Bush. And the reason for that has also become obvious: they are as inept as he is.

Anonymous said...

keep telling yourself that "The Republicans" do read this blog. You'll soon find yourself in the same daze you found yourself after the liberal media polls predicted a Kerry landslide.

Anonymous said...

Bah, the only "real nuclear threat" anyone faces is from the United States of America.

- New nuclear weapons programs(how..Hypocritical?!)
- "Depeleted" Uranium used around the globe
- "Pre-emptive NUCLEAR First Strike" policy (got Nazi flashback?)
- Deranged fascist cold war loonies running the show
- Thumping great stockpiles of nuclear weapons
- Ohh yeah, and the only nation on Earth to ever use them.

You can blather on about virtual nukes like Iraq (Ohh dear, where are they?), and probably Iran (Got evidence?? Or is that negated by faith too?), or talk about the ones the good ole boys in red white and blue REALLY HAVE.

It's called dealing with facts.

Anonymous said...

I have only four words to all you ding-dongs out there: RESIST THE METRIC SYSTEM!!

Anonymous said...

"...some of the most stupidest people..."

liberal intelligence is heart warming

Anonymous said...

Lets face it our grand fuhrer GW is by far a complete, utter moron. But think about it if Dems would have never gotten affirmative action passed, GW wouldn't be Prez. I mean who would have thought that a Mentally retarded, alcholic coke fiend would have ever been prez? Oh wait....Don't forget about Bill. Really America used to be viewed as a country of Pride and good values, as well as a country that dosen't impose their values on other people/countries, now, we are fucking laughing stock, our current generation of kids are nearly as retarded as our Prez, and we practically worship death and destruction, as much as we worship our televisions.

This country is a fucking sick cespool of individuals who volunteer for ignorance(hillbillies,rednecks,negroes,choloes)
thess people take no resposibility in the advancement of society and thus, pass this trait to thier children. Why do you think the Chineses and Indians are graduation far more doctors and engineers?

George Bush is a mirror of our Society.

Peace and chicken grease, ya'll just at he American Dream.

Anonymous said...

well said by another liberal who sees people by their 'race'.

Attention Liberals: There is only one race - the human race.

WITHOUT RACE AND CLASS WARFARE, THE DEMOCRATS HAVE NOTHING.

The Ostroy Report said...

While The Ostroy report is an equal opportunity blog, and we certainly welcome voters of all parties and persuasions, might I suggest to our Republican friends here that if they find us Democrats so idiotic and pathetic, perhaps you should move on to another site where the views shared may be more to your liking. That you continue to read this blog and stay here to bicker with our readers proves two things: (1) that you are really more concerned about us than you'd like us to believe; (2) that you are even more idiotic than you claim us to be. Either way, you're not flattering yourselves here unless you can stop the personal attacks and engage in intelligent debate of the issues and opinions expressed on this message board.
Andy

The Ostroy Report said...

Correction, pal. Coulter's words and actions have always been outrageously propagandistic and inflammatory, racist, and meant to create scapegoats for public ridicule and hatred. Sounds pretty Nazi-like to me. As for Bush, that was an allegation made by someone who claims to have been there. 'Smatta, fella, don't like it when your guy's been swift-boated? If ya can't take the heat.....

Anonymous said...

If George Bush is gay, I have no problem with it at all. I have a few friends that are homosexual and unlike liberals, I don't treat them any different than my hetero friends.

Ever notice how liberals like to slip stuff into conversations that they suggest they support until they can use that same thing to try to torpedo their competition? I seem to remember both Kerry and Mr Thumb John Edwards slipping the Cheney's daughter is gay comment into their televised debates.

I think this exact website even hints that Coulter might be a transsexual as if that was bad if it was true. So what if (s)he is? It doesn't change the FACT that (s)he is CORRECT in most of what (s)he says.

Liberals also like to claim to be pro-minority. Please remind me of the highest ranking minority cabinet members of any previous democrat administration in history. Remember, women are not minority since they are 50% of the population. Ever hear what a liberal calls a conservative black person? True liberal colors (excuse the pun) really come out in this situation.

Please, remind me...wasn't it the DEMOCRATS who were hosing down black people during the civil rights movement. YES IT WAS.

Also, wasn't it the DEMOCRATS who were PRO SLAVERY during the civil war?? YES IT WAS.

Anyway, for people who have no real idea what it was like to be persecuted under Nazi Germany; Liberals are extremely quick to label people Nazi's. In case you don't know, the Nazis KILLED MILLIONS of people. It's quite the stretch to call someone a nazi because they happen to have a different opinion than you do and maybe even write a book. Seems like even a (gasp) 'personal attack' as you call it. Why don't you try growing up and try to organize your thoughts in a manner that you don't have to jump right to the Nazi word. Seems liberals always use that word when they can win an argument. This is how a conservative should know that he WON the debate. If a liberal calls you a Nazi, you just beat him/her in the discussion because the lib had nothing else to say.

"Swiftboat" Bush all you want, I don't care. I stumbled onto this website by accident and decided to shake things up and try to find evidence of intelligence on the left. Unfortunately, I'm not having much luck; but I am having some fun getting you guys all riled up.

I can take all the heat you want to throw at me. Flame away, but before you do, please note that this entire comment has zero personal attacks. Why don't you try responding without using the word Nazi, without saying I must have drank the Kool-Aid or I'm on some killer drug (dude), without calling me a neocon, without attacking whatever religion you assume I have. Also, I'm from a freakin' blue state and probably have more degrees than most people on this website - so no need to go there either. I don't talk to 'my preacher', don't watch NASCAR, and don't fall into any other stereotype that you might wish to place me.

I'm an independent thinker who doesn't tow any party line. I do believe that the democratic party was once a great party - long before anybody on this website was old enough to vote or even born. TODAY'S DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS THE WORSE PARTY THIS GREAT COUNTRY HAS EVER KNOWN.

Syracuse Wholesaler said...

Anonymous,

I don't get you. Why are you here? Bush is an idiot and thats a fact. If you disagree with that, your an idiot too. All war is unjustified unless attacked and IRAQ, which had nothing to do with 911, was unjustified. This makes Bush and his retards behind him, a criminal. It also makes all the other political rabits of both parties criminals as well.

I recommend this to you and dems as well... Vote independant!! Vote Green Party!! Vote anything other than the two phony parties that have controlled politics for 100 years. Stop voting for the parties that have us trillions in debt... Stop voting for parties who don't have the peoples interest in heart.. Stop voting for the parties who allow illegals across our border to negate the true american's votes... Stop voting for a party who wants religion in our schools whether you believe in it or not... Stop voting for a party who will send your kid to war or yourself for that matter so their buddies can make a profit..All these people must go now or WW3 will happen. The world is arming itself again because of Bush and his war raging ways. The next war will be horrific if we don't do something soon. WW3 was predicted many years ago and if we don't stand up it will be too late for America... I will leave you with a prophecy for America that is down right scary.

Destruction in North America
""Far in the West, it will be different; the United States of America will be a country of total destruction. The cause for this will be manifold. With her global conflicts which are continuously instigated by her and which will continue far into the future, America is creating enormous hatred against her, worldwide, in many countries. As a result, America will experience enormous catastrophes which will reach proportions barely imaginable to people of Earth. The destruction of the WTC, i.e., the World Trade Center, by terrorists will only be the beginning.
Yet all the apocalyptic events will not only be brought about due to the use of unbelievably deadly and destructive weapons—such as chemical, laser and others—and by cloned murder machines; but in addition to this, the Earth and nature, maltreated to the deepest depths by the irresponsible human beings of Earth, will rise up and cause destruction and bring death onto the Earth. Enormous firestorms and gigantic hurricanes will sweep over the USA and bring devastation, destruction and annihilation, as this from time immemorial never before will have happened [sic].
Not only will America, but also all other Western industrial countries which still live at the beginning of the new millennium in the delusion that they could dominate and rule over underdeveloped nations, i.e., Third World countries, will not only soon lose influence over these but must defend themselves against them.
According to the prophecies of Henoch, the truth about industrialised countries is that they only seem to appear to be true civilisations, but in fact they are not; because more and more, at the end of the 20th century and at the beginning of the third millennium, they will disregard all true love, true freedom and true wisdom as well as true peace along with all values of humaneness and all values of men's and women's true being.
But not even all the terrible happenings will hinder the USA in continuing to proceed with her actions against all countries. Even when the North American continent will be stricken by the most terrible catastrophe which has ever been recorded, evil military powers will wreak havoc with computerised and nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, whereby it will also happen that computerised weapons become independent and cannot be controlled any longer by human beings. Overall, this is the most important part of Henoch's prophecies.""

Anonymous said...

Mark,
I'm the one you are responding to. You had me with the vote independent and throw out the 2 garbage parties, i.e. DEMOCRATS and REPUBLICANS
Unfortunately, you lost me with your lunacy. Maybe prophecies guide the decisions you make, but I'll stick with reality.

Anonymous said...

Mark,
Does your statement "All war is unjustified unless attacked" imply that America was wrong for invading France after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor?
Using your doctrine, do we have to allow Al Qaeda to attack us from each country they want us to retalliate before we can go after them?
If Bush is such a 'retard' as you call him, why did the Democratic party put someone with a lower GPA at the same school to run against him? If school GPA's don't mean anything, can you explain how the best the Democrats had to offer could not sweep the televised debates against the retarded Bush? I can see how Liberals live such angry lives, seeing how they keep getting beat by people who are lesser than them.

Anonymous said...

Mark,
maybe you should run for office, those prophecies seem to do well for you.

Anonymous said...

anyone got a prophecy for tonight's Met game?

Anonymous said...

You're with Ostroy??

Ostroy is MIA

Anonymous said...

The US doesn't face any nuclear threat from Iran, no country does. I am disappointed that you should have fallen for the "nuclear threat from Iran" nonsense. Iran is in full compliance with the non-proliferation treaty, the US is in full violation of it. Iran hasn't attacked, invaded or threatened any other country for centuries, the US has done little else in its short history.

Anonymous said...

Ostroy,
Vierotchka appears to have a problem with your 'facts'. How exactly did you determine that the US faces a 'real nuclear threat from Iran' ?

Anonymous said...

TO the "post" above: Liberals see nothing wrong with being gay so there is no "hidden motive" when they call someone gay. Whereas, Cheny and the other Republicans seem to think homosexuality is an abomination while seemingly not at all concerned about lying (bearing false witness) to lead a country into a war and thus (thou shalt not kill) killing thousands. Maybe it would be wiser if we confined our condemnation of others' sins only when they involve hurting others and not just a private matter between two.
(You know - like Bill and Monica as opposed to Bush and the world.)

Anonymous said...

Anonymous,
You're never going to make people believe that the Democrats who use homosexuality during presidential debates (twice) to try to win political points cares about the homosexuals they are using. Was it private when Kerry and Edwards both announced on national television during presidential and vice presidential debates that Cheney's daughter was a lesbian?
Bill and Monica's sexcapades were not private either. They were in the Oval Office. I'm all for blowjobs, but not in the Oval Office. Clinton could have been crushing Al Qaeda during working hours and getting blowjobs on his own time. Not to mention his perjury was criminal.

Anonymous said...

Try to understand what I write: Democrats don't see anything wrong with homosexuals so there was/is no need to keep it PRIVATE. Kerry and Edwards see nothing wrong with Cheny's daughter being a lesbian, unlike her father, it seems.

The Jesuits with whom Clinton was associating at Georgetown Univ. teach that a blowjob is foreplay and not sex. Perhaps that's their understand since it doesn't produce a child. This was all discussed at length at the time - guess you missed it. That was CLinton's belief and the basis for his "I didn't have sex with that woman." He was advised to change that argument. I guess the country was not ready for nuance. As for the Oval Office - better foreplay that involves only two than lies that involve the whole world in harmful and deadly activity.