American History To Repeat Itself...?

[voivod]

American History To Repeat Itself...?

"And there is only one answer to such a record of failure, and that is the complete house cleaning of those responsible for the failures and that record. The answer is the complete reappraisal of America's policy in every section of the world. We shall begin with Iraq.

We all hope in this room that there's a chance that current negotiations may bring an honorable end to that war. And we will say nothing during this campaign that might destroy that chance.

And if the war is not ended when the people choose in November, the choice will be clear. Here it is: For five years this administration has had at its disposal the greatest military and economic advantage that one nation has ever had over another in a war in history. For five years America's fighting men have set a record for courage and sacrifice unsurpassed in our history. For five years this Administration has had the support of the loyal opposition for the objective of seeking an honorable end to the struggle.

Never has so much military and economic and diplomatic power been used so ineffectively. And if after all of this time, and all of this sacrifice, and all of this support, there is still no end in sight, then I say the time has come for the American people to turn to new leadership not tied to the mistakes and policies of the past. That is what we offer to America.

And I pledge to you tonight that the first priority foreign policy objective of our next Administration will be to bring an honorable end to the war in Iraq. We shall not stop there. We need a policy to prevent more Iraqis. All of America's peacekeeping institutions and all of America's foreign commitments must be reappraisal.

And now to the leaders of the Muslim world we say, after an era of confrontations, the time has come for an era of negotiations.

Where the world super-powers are concerned there is no acceptable alternative to peaceful negotiation. Because this will be a period of negotiations we shall restore the strength of America so that we shall always negotiate from strength and never from weakness.

And as we seek through negotiations let our goals be made clear. We do not seek domination over any other country. We believe deeply in our ideas but we believe they should travel on their own power and not on the power of our arms. We shall never be belligerent. But we shall be as firm in defending our system as they are in expanding theirs.

We believe this should be an era of peaceful competition not only in the productivity of our factories but in the quality of our ideas. We extend the hand of friendship to all people. To the Afgan people. To the Iraqi people. To all people in the world. And we shall work toward the goal of an open world, open sky, open cities, open hearts, open minds. The next eight years my friends ...

This period in which we're entering - I think we will have the greatest opportunity for world peace, but also face the greatest danger of world war of any time in our history.

I believe we must have peace. I believe that we can have peace. But I do not underestimate the difficulty of this task.

Because, you see, the art of preserving peace is greater than that of waging war, and much more demanding.

For the past five years we have been deluged by Government programs for the unemployed, programs for the cities, programs for the poor, and we have reaped from these programs an ugly harvest of frustrations, violence and failure across the land. And now our opponents will be offering more of the same - more billions for Government jobs, Government housing, Government welfare. I say it's time to quit pouring billions of dollars into programs that have failed in the United States of America.

To put it bluntly, we're on the wrong road and it's time to take a new road to progress.

Again we turn to the American Revolution for our answers. The war on poverty didn't begin five years ago in this country, it began when this country began.

It's been the most successful war on poverty in the history of nations. There's more wealth in America today, more broadly shared than in any nation in the world.

We are a great nation. And we must never forget how we became great.

America is a great nation today, not because of what government did for people, but because of what people did for themselves over 220 years in this country.

And so it is time to apply the lessons of the American Revolution to our present problems.

Let us increase the wealth of America so we can provide more generously for the aged and for the needy and for all those who cannot help themselves.

But for those who are able to help themselves, what we need are not more millions on welfare rolls but more millions on payrolls in the United States of America.

Instead of Government jobs and Government housing and Government welfare, let Government use its tax and credit policies to enlist in this battle the greatest engine of progress ever developed in the history of man-American private enterprise.

Let us enlist in this great cause the millions of Americans in volunteer organizations who will bring a dedication to this task that no amount of money can ever buy.

My fellow Americans, I believe that historians will recall that 2008 marked the beginning of the American generation in world history. Just to be alive in America, just to be alive at this time is an experience unparalleled in history."

[Executionor]

Sounds great, but I have lost faith. Not in our military or soldiers, lets get that straight first and foremost. How can we have a revolution if we do not own ourselves?

Greed has been the downfall of many many nations throught civilized history and I believe this great nation will crumble in the same way.

Do I want this? NO WAY! I have children that I want to prosper much better even than I have.

Look at what the senate did just today. Voted down a pathetic minimum wage increase to begin with because an estate tax cut could not be included.

The rich are getting greedier and it is getting more difficult for the middle class person to make ends meet. I am not talking about welfare recipient poor either. I am talking about good honest folks trying to make a living, have children, buy a house and a car...

The suggestion to throw out everyone that is in office seems like a good step on the surface, but the real culprits along with those office holders are the special interest groups and lobbyists. Basically buying votes. It doesn't matter who is in office, the machine is already in place so no matter who is in the driver's seat, the course is set.

Tell me I am wrong and make me understand that I am way off base. Gone are the times when you can jump on a ship and just sail off for a new shore and start over.

My bro spent a year in Iraq. His opinions of the war are to support our troops first and foremost period, no questions asked. It seems, however, either the leadership has no clearcut goal OR they are simply not sharing it with anyone.

I personally live quite comfortably and have no real desparate needs. I do see lot of people that work very hard to make ends meet every day and still come up short on payday. This isn't a revelation or anything new, but at this time in history, there should be a better "sharing of the wealth". Look at all of the multi million and billionaires.

I look at money different than most people I know. Money is the grease of life. Why on earth should one man have billions or even millions, while there are people right here in our own country starving and have basic needs? I do not know the proper term for what I must think like, but there should be a better dispersement of wealth in this country.

Why do we not use our very own armies to rebuild our country's infrastructure? Why do we not use our prisoners to do the same? I call bullshit on cruel and unusual punishment for such a thing.

I have become disillusioned at our direction as a country. I do not follow our leaders blindly or need direction, but I do question some of the decisions made, and for that, I would be called a radical...or maybe a better word would be a revolutionary, but that is a bad thing and out of line...right?

Sorry for the rant, but I am just fed up with the nonsense and really have no idea what to do about it. YES I do vote every time and research as well as I can for every vote. Our country is supposed to be better than it is, nevertheless, I DO love this country and support our troops!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mistere]

I think this thread is about to repeat itself. But like the war itself, Magic 8 Ball says it gets worse before it gets better.

[MikeL]

Cut and paste makes America lazy and unimaginative. What's the point?

[TheArchitect]

And who are you quoting?

[voivod]

And who are you quoting?

Nixon's Acceptance of the Republican Party Nomination for President
August 8, 1968
http://www.watergate.info/nixon/acce...ech-1968.shtml

I heard a part of it on the radio today and swapping Vietnam/Communism with Iraq/Muslim made it relevant some 37 years later...

[smithjc]

So the suits voted down the minimum wage act then? Yet they get increases?

Makes perfect sense. NOT.

[twonabomber]

So the suits voted down the minimum wage act then? Yet they get increases?

Makes perfect sense. NOT.

then remember that, and vote accordingly.

[voivod]

So the suits voted down the minimum wage act then? Yet they get increases?

Makes perfect sense. NOT.

The rich get richer and the poor become more of...

[voivod]