@realjohnboy,
I also personally opposed the U.S. invasion of Iraq, RJB, and I very much wanted President Bush and the hawkish members of Congress to fail in their initiative to do that. During the long months that we appealed to the UN for help and sanction for that, I thought we might dodge that bullet. I advised my elected representatives of my feelings.
The President and members of Congress, both Democratic and Republican made me see that I wasn't going to get my wish and actually made me hopeful that I was wrong. And before the vote was taken in Congress, the impassioned bipartisan arguments for war had me believing that it was the right thing to do. Once the troops were committed, I threw my whole support behind the effort. I believe that is the thing to do when you have boots on the ground in harms way.
And no, once the vote is taken and the deed is done, I don't want people to get hurt or the country to be damaged just because I didn't get my way. I won't and have not spoken against President Obama or the initiatives in any way to undermine efforts in progress.
But nobody has convinced me that a 3.5 trillion dollar budget is a good deal for this country. Nobody has persuaded me that it is smart to put the people now, and however many future generations into deep debt for initatives that the experts are giving us little assurance have any chance to work. No one has made an impassioned speech to convince me that it is a good thing for the government to threaten private citizens because the citizens benefitted from a law that Congress passed and the President signed just because some members of Congress and the President were then embarrassed.
When the deal isn't done yet is the time to speak up. And yes, I hope the President fails in his attempt to pass a 3.5 trillion dollar budget. I hope the Congress rethinks and reins in the enormous stimulus package and adopts one that will actually stimulate the economy and create jobs. I don't believe the one they passed will do that and I think it is wrong not to say so before it's a done deal. I hope the President fails in his cap and trade scheme and other measures that I believe to be the wrong way to go.
There is a huge difference between opposing the government when you think it is wrong and calling the President hateful names and accusing him of all sorts of things that he has not done and wishing the worst kind of scourge upon him. That was done to George W. Bush for most of eight years. I do not wish that on Barack Obama and I won't do that to him.
I will continue to speak out when I believe the President and Congress are taking the wrong path or when I believe they are not forthcoming and when I believe those we elect to represent us are failing to do that.
As for the auto bailout, it isn't a done deal yet. I agree with CI that it is the wrong thing to do. I think it is incumbant upon all of us to advise our elected representatives how we feel about things like that before they do it rather than wait and condemn them after it is done. I hope the President fails in his intent to throw more good money after bad in a scheme that I think is the wrong way to go. And now is the time to say it and not wait until it is already done.
Once it is done, if it is done, then I will hope for the best that it will work.
