NationStates Jolt Archive

Stolen by the Republicans. Remember that last part the next time one of these AM radio blowhards, or more appropriately, one of the imbeciles who parrots those talking points around here (you know who you are) says the Democrats never have any positive plans, and are always attacking Bush.

Yesterday, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) outlined the Democratic plan (http://reid.senate.gov/record2.cfm?id=248707) to move forward on Iraq. Some highlights.

With more than 2,050 Americans killed… more than $250 billion spent… and no end in sight after three years of war -- “staying the course” is no longer an option.

“Together, we can do better. Democrats have developed a very clear path forward. There are three areas we believe need to be addressed:

* First, 2006 should be a significant year of transition to full Iraqi sovereignty, with Iraqis taking more and more responsibility for their own security. It’s time to take the training wheels off the Iraqi government. Iraqis must begin to run their own country. In 2006, the US and our allies must do everything we can to make that possible.

* Second, the Administration must advise the Iraqi people that U.S. military forces will not stay indefinitely in Iraq, and that it is their responsibility to achieve the broad-based and sustainable political environment essential for defeating the insurgency.

* Third, the President needs to submit – on a quarterly basis - a plan for success to Congress and the American people. This plan must specify the challenges and progress being made in Iraq, timetables for achieving our goals and estimated dates for redeployment from Iraq as these goals are met.

So what does the Republican leadership do with this plan? They steal it (http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/15/politics/15cong.html) and they admit they're doing it. (I have another bitch about the NY Times headline writer, but I'll save it for later--liberal media, my ass.)

Mr. Warner said he decided to take the Democratic proposal and edit it to his satisfaction in an effort to find common ground between the parties on the issue.

Now I have no issue with the actual action being taken--I happen to think that's what government is all about, the exchange of ideas, the coming together in compromise, the piggybacking of good ideas to make better ones. But if you take someone else's source material and merely edit it, it ain't yours. And you can't call it your plan simply because you changed a couple of words. It's your plan when you did the legwork and the skullsweat to actually outline what it is you want to accomplish, not when you take someone else's ideas and claim them as your own.

Now I have no issue with the actual action being taken--I happen to think that's what government is all about, the exchange of ideas, the coming together in compromise, the piggybacking of good ideas to make better ones. But if you take someone else's source material and merely edit it, it ain't yours. And you can't call it your plan simply because you changed a couple of words. It's your plan when you did the legwork and the skullsweat to actually outline what it is you want to accomplish, not when you take someone else's ideas and claim them as your own.

You kidding?

Worked for Puff Dadddy, didnt it?

You kidding?

Worked for Puff Dadddy, didnt it?
Nope--he had to pay usage fees and acknowledge his original source material. And Puffy was far from the first--it always cracked me up during the Napster episode how Dr. Dre had the stones to get stressed over this when he made his name sampling other artists during the earliest days of NWA.

The Republican Party:

The Party of other people's ideas, executed poorly.

You know, for some reason I find a thread in wich you can range from poltical scheming to old school NWA, nearly surreal.

The Republican Party:

The Party of other people's ideas, executed poorly.


I also find the fact that hard-nosed, left leaning, constantly sarcastic Gymoor, happens to know several tasty recipes for butternut squash equally surreal.

Stolen by the Republicans. Remember that last part the next time one of these AM radio blowhards, or more appropriately, one of the imbeciles who parrots those talking points around here (you know who you are) says the Democrats never have any positive plans, and are always attacking Bush.

Yesterday, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) outlined the Democratic plan (http://reid.senate.gov/record2.cfm?id=248707) to move forward on Iraq. Some highlights.



So what does the Republican leadership do with this plan? They steal it (http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/15/politics/15cong.html) and they admit they're doing it. (I have another bitch about the NY Times headline writer, but I'll save it for later--liberal media, my ass.)



Now I have no issue with the actual action being taken--I happen to think that's what government is all about, the exchange of ideas, the coming together in compromise, the piggybacking of good ideas to make better ones. But if you take someone else's source material and merely edit it, it ain't yours. And you can't call it your plan simply because you changed a couple of words. It's your plan when you did the legwork and the skullsweat to actually outline what it is you want to accomplish, not when you take someone else's ideas and claim them as your own.


Retreat is not a "positive" idea. It's a negative one.

That said, the British are apparently ahead of the Democrats. And in a real sense, there's an Iraqi minister who is ahead of the British on this. So it's an Iraqi idea.

I would rather this be an Iraqi idea than a Democrat, Republican, or British idea.

“Together, we can do better. Democrats have developed a very clear path forward. There are three areas we believe need to be addressed:

* First, 2006 should be a significant year of transition to full Iraqi sovereignty, with Iraqis taking more and more responsibility for their own security. It’s time to take the training wheels off the Iraqi government. Iraqis must begin to run their own country. In 2006, the US and our allies must do everything we can to make that possible.

* Second, the Administration must advise the Iraqi people that U.S. military forces will not stay indefinitely in Iraq, and that it is their responsibility to achieve the broad-based and sustainable political environment essential for defeating the insurgency.

* Third, the President needs to submit – on a quarterly basis - a plan for success to Congress and the American people. This plan must specify the challenges and progress being made in Iraq, timetables for achieving our goals and estimated dates for redeployment from Iraq as these goals are met. So basically, keep doing what were doing, but give the President quartly homework?

You know, for some reason I find a thread in wich you can range from poltical scheming to old school NWA, nearly surreal.
I am a man of wide-ranging knowledge and tastes. :D

Besides, old-school NWA, when you look at it as a discussion of urban life among the economic underclass, is deeply political. Now if I were talking about, oh, the HotBoys, that might be a more difficult connection to make.

I also find the fact that hard-nosed, left leaning, constantly sarcastic Gymoor, happens to know several tasty recipes for butternut squash equally surreal.

(grins and bows)

You're the first NSer to make my signature. Don't let it go to your head.

The proposal on the Iraq war, from Senator Bill Frist, the majority leader, and Senator John W. Warner, Republican of Virginia, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, would require the administration to provide extensive new quarterly reports to Congress on subjects like progress in bringing in other countries to help stabilize Iraq.
Who wants to guess how much this pointless movement of mountains of paperwork will cost?

Who wants to guess how much this pointless movement of mountains of paperwork will cost?

First Law of Ass-Covering

Paper is useful in covering your ass. You should already know this from your experience with toilet paper.


Republicans want to be seen implementing a strategy, and Democrats don't want to be blamed for voting for it in the first place. So there's obviously a huge requirement for generating paperwork in order to cover everyone's ass.

Who wants to guess how much this pointless movement of mountains of paperwork will cost?

Well, considering the alternative ($8 billion gone missing anyone?) I think some records and accountability would be a nice change of pace.

Well, considering the alternative ($8 billion gone missing anyone?) I think some records and accountability would be a nice change of pace.
More paperwork is not going to result in explaining money that purposefully disappears like a rabbit in a magic show.

I would rather this be an Iraqi idea than a Democrat, Republican, or British idea.

As long as they don't start claiming its their idea when it was somebody elses.

As long as they don't start claiming its their idea when it was somebody elses.
Well, I claim it was the Iraqi government's idea (they want the British out first, as a trial move in handing control over to the Iraqi Army).

I supported the war, and opposed pre-mature withdrawl, but I will be a very happy person when our troops finally get to come home. I'll also be buying a lot of brave people a lot of beers (except one, who likes tequila. Don't worry honey, I didn't forget! ;) )

I supported the war, and opposed pre-mature withdrawl,

Well, as long as the Democrats are accusing us of rape, we might as well finish screwing...

Well, as long as the Democrats are accusing us of rape, we might as well finish screwing...
Shit, I'm already done, and going back for seconds! RAW!