View Full Version : If only Bush enjoyed FDR's wartime powers
Letters to the Editor
Denver Rocky Mountain News
4 January 2006
If only Bush enjoyed FDR's wartime powers
I don't believe President Bush should be impeached any more than President Roosevelt should have been impeached, and FDR was a great deal more intrusive. The Bill of Rights took a vacation during World War II.
Roosevelt minimized attacks on the continental United States through martial law. Censorship, internment and wiretaps were used in a concerted effort to keep the homeland intact. Roosevelt understood the costs of losing a city or a harbor to a conventional attack. A nuclear strike today on Denver would be far more costly than Hurricane Katrina at $100 billion and climbing.
We're at war with Muslim extremists, not an identifiable island nation whose soldiers wear uniforms and dog tags. Our enemy is here getting an education in pyrotechnics and aviation from a top university at our expense. He wears no uniform and is shielded by our legal industry at the expense of the taxpayer.
Further erosion of the executive branch's powers to protect this nation would be a breathtaking betrayal of our families and of our economy. The contrasts between World War II and today's effort to protect our nation are stunning and worth some reflection. We had enough sanity then to fear and hate the enemy, not our government.
If the president possessed Roosevelt's identical war footing - power for power - today, this war would be a distant memory instead of an expensive, prolonged, daily reminder of our national impotence.
Ron Rizzo
Littleton
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/letters/article/0,2777,DRMN_23966_4361052,00.html
alkemical
01-13-2006, 10:34 AM
What a way to defend the erosion of personal liberty in the thought that the gov't can protect and promise saftey!
People like that are ruining this country.
But then the FBI's terrorism watch pamphlet also states that people who are 'defenders of the constitution' are also terrorists - so what would you expect.
Rascal
01-13-2006, 10:37 AM
I agree FDR certainly put the Bill of Rights on the shelf, and what he did to American citizens of Japanese descent is IMO a lot worse then anything that has been done to Muslims during Bush's reign. And of course there are incidents in both situations in which people of those groups I mentioned were affected by the admistrations policies.
The major difference of course is that WWII was a lot bigger of a threat and we didn't start the invasion, but nevertheless the guy has a valid point IMO.
alkemical
01-13-2006, 01:49 PM
I just find it so funny that Rightwingers want and say how the gov't can protect us, yet at the same time bash systems that were enacted that the gov't runs for such poor performance.
Dizlexus
01-13-2006, 01:56 PM
that dude needs to get a few fact right before hitting "send". What's this crap about terrorists getting an education in explosives and aviation at tax payer expense? What the hell is he talking about? Do they claim that on Right Wing radio or something?
Rascal
01-13-2006, 02:02 PM
that dude needs to get a few fact right before hitting "send". What's this crap about terrorists getting an education in explosives and aviation at tax payer expense? What the hell is he talking about? Do they claim that on Right Wing radio or something?
I believe he is referencing the fact that some of those that have been identified asy terroists have been found to be educated in the States...sometimes on a free ride.
Dizlexus
01-13-2006, 02:08 PM
ok, if that is what he is refering to. But, I know for a fact that the VAST majority of Middle Eastern students in the US are paying students. Most often THEIR Gov. foots the big bill and has the student under contract to return and employ their education for (typicaly) 7 years. I helped teach English to allot of these students at CSU in the 90s and some in MN recently.
Rascal
01-13-2006, 02:15 PM
ok, if that is what he is refering to. But, I know for a fact that the VAST majority of Middle Eastern students in the US are paying students. Most often THEIR Gov. foots the big bill and has the student under contract to return and employ their education for (typicaly) 7 years. I helped teach English to allot of these students at CSU in the 90s and some in MN recently.
I don't know for sure but that is my guess.
Well of course then the arguement could be made of where did their gov't get the money...oil...so in effect we are paying for them as well :)
Dizlexus
01-13-2006, 02:17 PM
WIGS,
Are you just throwing commentary out there for our reading pleasure or are we to assume your postings reflect your iedology? Because if the latter is true, you are indeed a Bush apologist just like LABF says.
Dizlexus
01-13-2006, 02:18 PM
I don't know for sure but that is my guess.
Well of course then the arguement could be made of where did their gov't get the money...oil...so in effect we are paying for them as well :)
you could bust out that kind of argument, but it sould break, rather than strain, credulity. Hilarious!
Are you just throwing commentary out there for our reading pleasure or are we to assume your postings reflect your iedology?
Are those my only two choices?
Dizlexus
01-13-2006, 02:21 PM
lol!
no, I don't want to create a falicy of false division like a Neo Con
Dizlexus
01-13-2006, 02:22 PM
but I'm too dense to think of an alternative, or possable nuance
Some things I toss out to be provocative, others to provide evidence for my beliefs, others still just to see what the reaction will be.
I don't always agree 100% with everything I post. Heck, I don't always agree with myself some time later.
Dizlexus
01-13-2006, 02:35 PM
Some things I toss out to be provocative, others to provide evidence for my beliefs, others still just to see what the reaction will be.
I don't always agree 100% with everything I post. Heck, I don't always agree with myself some time later.
ok, I can take that answer.
L.A. BRONCOS FAN
01-13-2006, 03:20 PM
that dude needs to get a few fact right before hitting "send". What's this crap about terrorists getting an education in explosives and aviation at tax payer expense? What the hell is he talking about? Do they claim that on Right Wing radio or something?
Not having the facts straight never prevented W*GS from being a purveyor of this kind of stuff.
L.A. BRONCOS FAN
01-13-2006, 03:58 PM
http://www.bartcop.com/monkey-show.jpg
L.A. BRONCOS FAN
01-13-2006, 11:23 PM
http://z.about.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/H/_/bush_vietnam_joke.jpg
lol!
no, I don't want to create a falicy of false division like a Neo Con
Or LABF. You're either fer 'im, or agin 'im.
Dizlexus
01-14-2006, 08:27 AM
Or LABF. You're either fer 'im, or agin 'im.
lol, exactly
L.A. BRONCOS FAN
01-14-2006, 02:19 PM
Or LABF. You're either fer 'im, or agin 'im.
tsk tsk
As if this thread didn't already tell you all you need to know about Whigs' credibility - now he has to go makin' up even more fibs. :pity:
As if this thread didn't already tell you all you need to know about Whigs' credibility - now he has to go makin' up even more fibs.
LABF always responds to different political viewpoints with personal attacks. He cannot tolerate the slightest deviation from his opinions. Thus, either one agrees with him 100%, or one is subject to vile slanders, smears, insults, and lame name-calling.
Like I said, you're either fer 'im, or agin 'im.
Anyway, aside from the quibbles over one of the specific comments in the letter, and the usual personal attacks from LABF, does anyone else have comments on the basic premise of the author?