I don’t know what I was thinking- thanks! 
To the pain.
I don’t feel sorry for Bush. I feel sorry for our wounded Iraq veterans, especially the ones with PTSD who the DoD is trying to claim already had a screw loose when they signed up, so the Army’s not responsible. I feel sorry for the families of the dead. I feel sorry for the millions of Iraqis whose lives have been disrupted by this war - family members killed, no jobs, scarce electricity and water - and for the hundreds of thousands dead.
Nobody is going to hold him and his henchmen - Cheney, Rummy, Wolfie, Feith, Rice, Powell, Bremer, etc., etc. - responsible. No impeachment, no war-crimes trial, no nothing.
The one thing we can do is make sure, when these people come out of their bubbles, that they are reminded that we are revulsed by their handiwork. Every time one of them shows his/her face, we can ask them how they live with themselves in the knowledge of the deaths they’ve caused - how come the psychic pain of dealing with that reality hasn’t forced them to throw themselves under a train or something.
If nothing else, we can make them prisoners inside their privileged bubble. That far from suffices, but if it’s the best we can do, then it’s what we should do.
This is, to me, one of the most stinging indictments on Republican patriotism - as exemplified by the admin of late.
I cannot and will not pretend that all Republicans think in this way - but those in power seem to. That bothers me.
Yet… the discussion is about using a flag as an item of apparel? Are people aware of the traditional rights and wrongs of displaying a flag? (I digress)…
It’s just… so calculating and manipulative. Send you to war - you were sick when you signed up. sigh…
I called former Australian PM Paul Keating a liar. To his face. About 24 inches away. I refused to shake his hand.
Booing POTUS would be a cakewalk.
You’re right. Sorry about that, and thanks for the clarification.
The mans a public servant, I feel it’s my duty as part of the public to let him know what I really think, to his face. And if I ever get the chance I will.
I hear and read this sentiment frequently (multiple times in this thread alone). I don’t necessarily doubt it, but I wonder as to its source. I’ve never seen any evidence other than statements from those who dislike him. What is the source and in what way is it different from any other president or high office holder?
He may not know if from first hand contact with the plebes, but he definitely has been asked by the media multiple times about his low approval ratings, and he gives the standard answer about how something like the war may be unpopular but its the right thing to do and everybody who disagrees will one day see the light.
When your approval ratings look like this and you have no intention of changing course at all (which has been consistently demonstrated for years) calling a president out for not consenting to the will of the people is fair.
The 2004 campaign was what brought it to general awareness. Audiences at Bush appearances (whether they were theoretically Presidential or campaign appearances) were generally pre-screened, not just with respect to security concerns, but with respect to political loyalties. People were tossed out of Bush appearances for wearing critical T-shirts. Protesters were often kept far away even from his motorcade route. In the annals of American political campaigning, I’d be surprised to hear of another instance where the public had less opportunity to make critical feelings known to a candidate.
Try googling the two words Bush and dissent. Variations on that theme might work too.
He doesn’t tolerate dissent. And works to minimize it in most every way he can…
But the claim was made that Bush is unaware of his approval rating. That is absurd.
As for the OP, some people here seem to be confusing whether we should be able to boo the president and whether we should, under these circumstances, boo him. I say keep politics out of baseball. Boo him all you want in any political situation, but let it go for 15 freakin’ seconds at the opening of Baseball season.
So, was he invited to the function because he’s the POTUS or “The Number One Baseball Superfan”?
-Joe
How is this in his role as Chief of State? Pitching isn’t exactly one of the duties laid out in the Constitution. The guy who throws out the first pitch at a baseball game is there as an individual who happens to be prominent. And if people don’t like that individual, they’re going to boo.
I’m not saying your opinions are wrong, I just wanted to chime in on how I felt about it.
Fan or not, Bush has got to know by now how many feel about him. If he went out there he deserved the boos. The only reason NOT to boo him is becasue of his office. And personally thats not a good enough reason.
Well, the entire fiasco in Iraq sure didn’t benefit the country. Dubya’s administration hasn’t made us any friends. Impeaching him would probably set a standard in my opinion. hiding behindthe office o saying it wouldfn’t benefit the country seems like a way of not being able to admit that the president and by extension the country was wrong. No one is beyond scrutiny…we can’t pretend that we as a country are. I think its embarrassing that we let people in public office get away with half of the crap they do.
I feel worse for the 4000 or so trops and the Iraqis that died. Booing him in public is nothing to feel bad about. IMO he deserves worse.
Why, is the season now ruined? How often does one get to let the POTUS know how they feel about them? Don’t blame the people, if you feel a freakin Nationals game was lessened as a result, blame whoever scheduled his appearance, knowing full well what the reaction would be. People are paying 4 bucks a gallon for gas, losing their houses and family members because of this asshole, but these same people should be above such pettiness and heartily cheer the man who may well be ruining their lives?
I have no idea. But what is the point of booing him at a baseball game other than making yourself feel better? Get off your baseball-watching ass and march in a picket line outside the WH if you want to boo him. I can think of many, many ways to do something that might actually make a difference in our government. Booing the president at a baseball game isn’t one of them.
I agree with your sentiments that NOT impeaching Bush sets a really bad precedent.
Flip side - as many have noted that would make Cheney the President. And that’s a problem. I’d submit that Cheney is more impeachable than Bush in some respects…
And a wholesale turnover of VP and then Pres - that just looks way too funny.
Despite saying all that - I think someone needs to fall.
Name one thing legal a person can do that would have any effect on Dubya, a president not up for re-election. What would the picket signs do? Booing is pretty much the only thing one can do to let him know how you feel- he wouldn’t see the picket signs anway, its not like he rides his bike to work.
It’s things like this that make me wish we had a separate head of state apart from our head of government. That way, people who hate the way government is run could still rally behind the leader (head of state) without feeling conflicted.