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From the State of the Union Address
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From the State of the Union Address |
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Essorant Member Elite
since 2002-08-10
Posts 4769Regina, Saskatchewan; Canada |
Did anyone else find the theme of these comments a bit annoying and arrogant? quote: quote: quote: [From President in State of the Union Address] |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
The first statement? Inaccurate The second? Exactly what I want to hear from the leader of our nation. The third? Hmmm. We can HOPE.  |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
There are so many ways to emphasize what the POTUS said. There are so many ways to prove one right or wrong. There are so many votes to place.  NOW is the time to vote this way. NOW is the time to vote that way. It does seem, however, in some places and spaces that the PEOPLE want to come together. I only wonder if I can find the voting spot for the PEOPLE. |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Perhaps you would welcome a Canadian Prime Minister who says, "Second place is fine with me!"  |
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Huan Yi Member Ascendant
since 2004-10-12
Posts 6688Waukegan |
. "But here’s the thing — even if you doubt the evidence, providing incentives for energy-efficiency and clean energy are the right thing to do for our future -– because the nation that leads the clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the global economy. And America must be that nation." which is akin to: “We’ve got to ride this global warming issue. Even if the theory of global warming is wrong, we will be doing the right thing in terms of economic and environmental policy.” Timothy Wirth, Former U.S. Senator from Colorado, Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs in the Clinton Administration, and President of the United Nations Foundation (Kyoto Treaty & AGW activist).. “No matter if the science of global warming is all phony, climate change provides the greatest opportunity to bring about justice and equality in the world.” -Christine Stewart, former Canadian Minister of the Environment And UN Kyoto Delegate. Are we supposed to be ok with that? . |
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Denise
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-08-22
Posts 22648 |
Nope. |
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Essorant Member Elite
since 2002-08-10
Posts 4769Regina, Saskatchewan; Canada |
Balladeer quote: No, because I think it is arrogant to try put one's country on a hierarchical place of superiority over other countries. It doesn't make sense. |
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Essorant Member Elite
since 2002-08-10
Posts 4769Regina, Saskatchewan; Canada |
quote: No. Global Warming is a concern, but human stupidity is the crisis. |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Essorant, I don't think striving to be the best is either arrogant or something that will be going out of style anytime soon. Individuals do it, teams do it and countries do it. It is human nature to want to reach that goal. It is human nature to compete. WOuld you consider it arrogant for the Montreal Canadiens to want to be the best hockey team in the world? As much as I enjoy pointing out shortcomings in the Obama man, I don't see the arrogance or annoying nature in those comments that you do. |
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threadbear Senior Member
since 2008-07-10
Posts 817Indy |
Agreed, Mike. There's far worse comments and actions being made DAILY by Dem's; I kind of feel sorry for them, seeing as they can't stop putting their foot in their mouth. Even when they try to clarify something, they wind up saying something worse. Rahm Emanuel's comments about F**ing Ret*rds in the Republican party; Pelosi flipping and flopping on whether Health care is dead; Barn-Dog Frank flipping and lying about Fannie, Freddie and Sallie Mae; Obama bowing to the Mayor of Tampa with his head down, eyes down, below her head level (not even GOOD manners for any Asian- the higher prestige person should NEVER bow below the other's heads, and should never break even eye contact.) Hmm...that's just this weekend. Lately the Republicans having being feasting on the Progressive's asanine comments. Somebody's GOT to wise up. |
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Huan Yi Member Ascendant
since 2004-10-12
Posts 6688Waukegan |
. “No, because I think it is arrogant to try put one's country on a hierarchical place of superiority over other countries. It doesn't make sense.” I agree. It’s not that countries like Iran, North Korea, or Zimbabwe are somehow inferior; they simply have different but equally valid ways of defining excellence. . |
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Essorant Member Elite
since 2002-08-10
Posts 4769Regina, Saskatchewan; Canada |
quote: Yes, because it is beyond reason. If the Montreal Canadiens were the best, then they wouldn't need to give the Stanely Cup to any other team. It would be for them all the time, because they would be the best team over all. But that is not the way it is. Teams are always changing ranks and positions, because they never play with the same success, even though they play the same game and by the same rules. They win now, they lose now. None is the best. And even when they are winning in one league, other teams of course are winning in other leagues. Therefore, even if they do it in a very outstanding way, they are still only an example of what many teams are doing in the world, not what only they do. Likewise for the United States and other countries. United States is not the best country and never will be any more than Heidi Montag is the best looking woman. Try as hard as you want, but "best" is never going to happen, and worse than some other example in one way or another is probably always a given. |
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threadbear Senior Member
since 2008-07-10
Posts 817Indy |
Really, though, Essorant, from a purely debatable standpoint, there is NEVER a consensus opinion on what is the BEST of anything. Who is the Best President? What is the best NFL team ever, or who is the Best quarterback, or running back? What is the Best food? What country has the best healthcare? It's all subjective, and ALL opinion. It's an unwinnable argument, either 'for' or 'against.' |
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Huan Yi Member Ascendant
since 2004-10-12
Posts 6688Waukegan |
. Perhaps the universal goal should be mediocrity. That way no one suffers any self esteem issues. . |
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threadbear Senior Member
since 2008-07-10
Posts 817Indy |
lowered expectations leads to less dissappointment therefore more happiness.... ...and everybody wants more happiness. |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Essorant, hopefully you just misread my comment. "If the Montreal Canadiens were the best, then they wouldn't need to give the Stanely Cup to any other team." You have left out an important word.... "WOuld you consider it arrogant for the Montreal Canadiens to want to be the best hockey team in the world?" I never said the were the best nor did I say any country was the best....but they can all WANT to be the best. How can you fault that? According to you, it seems arrogant for anyone to even want to be the best. I find that line of think strange, to say the least. |
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Bob K Member Elite
since 2007-11-03
Posts 4208 |
I think it's The President's job to guide the country to be the best country he thinks it can be. It would be an insult to the country and the people in it, if the leader they elected as the best leader they could find to lead them to the best place they could envision for themselves couldn't envision a place for the country they share as being the best in the world. The vision of the Canadians that I've known has been for the most part, whatever other pieces of identity they might have as Canadians, that they are not Americans. The very notion that Americans would be first in anything seemed to be slightly grating to the Canadians that I've known and loved, at least among themselves. I lived in Canada for a while a long time ago, in Montreal. The Canadians always asked me if I was a draft dodger, and alweays seemed upset with me when I said I wasn't. I don't think they ever forgave me. I loved the country. If it seems less jingoistic to you, why not think of President Obama thinking of himself and the United States as first among equals. It has a more parlementary feel to it. But I think most Americans actually feel like they want to be the best in the world, and that they already are. I thought the French thought the same thing about themselves as well, and so did the Britons, and so did almost every other national and ethnic group I've run into. The Canadians, too, actually, especially in thinking that they're above all that nonsense. As for the competitive instinct, we've all got it, I think, and like to give it a bit of exercise from time to time. Except for me, of course. Clearly I'm better than all that. |
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rwood Member Elite
since 2000-02-29
Posts 3793Tennessee |
I think it’s healthy to want to be the best at something, to someone, for just a time in life--being it’s so short. Especially if it means betterment of a person’s ability to love, grow, & prosper in a community or team effort, etc, as others have somewhat stated. And Ess, you are the best study & néodfréond of Old English I’ve read or been acquainted with in words...most interested parties of OE “met the firedrake” eons ago, so it’s nice to have a living person to exchange interests with on occasion. Obama can have an opinion, but he has yet to top Gore as the International Man About the Global Warm-up. “My fellow Americans, people all over the world, we need to solve the climate crisis. It's not a political issue; it's a moral issue. We have everything we need to get started, with the possible exception of the will to act. That's a renewable resource. Let's renew it.”(Gore-wiki) Ok, THAT statement above is annoying and arrogant. “We need to solve the climate crisis.” Can we make the earth rotate in the opposite direction, too? ok, and still live Gore is HOT! He’s the BEST episodic broadcaster since Orson Welles!! Shame on him for being such a sizzler in the spotlight. Glaciers are not safe while he’s on the planet. Gore’s movement helped earn him the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize…"for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change’ (which is code for: Being able to lay perfect bricks of steaming bull hockey,) which ok, Obama received the NPP in 2009 "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples." (which is code for: being really good at employing college students to plastermaster Facebook. But Obama hasn’t moved anyone to want to save the planet from “man-made” global combustion, he’s just made a few people hot under the collar. (all quotes on Wiki) But Gore won numerous awards, and his film? “[An Inconvenient Truth] also earned $49 million at the box office worldwide, becoming the fifth-highest-grossing documentary film to date in the United States.” That boy’s sure his shoes so shiny the whole globe wears shades when he tap dances. I’d say his film is the BEST most grossly misguided documentary film in history, despite its placement as 5th at the box office. Who even remembers those other “top” titles?? And who wants another one to top Gore’s? Not everyone can be the Greatest Show on Earth, but Obama’s gotta ringmaster something. Just like the oil & railroad tycoons did way back then, and it’s going to take more than Obama to knock them off their rockers. And this is laughable: “There's no reason Europe or China should have the fastest trains, or the new factories that manufacture clean energy products.” Oh really? No reason at all? I think: We’re second because of Who’s on First. What’s on third will never have a clue and I Don’t Know is voting (and making documentary films.) Word to my homeboy Al: I had to shovel about a foot of snow off my walk and unbury my car to get church on Sunday. Would you please get yer head outta the polar bear? |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
I think I'm in love  |
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Bob K Member Elite
since 2007-11-03
Posts 4208 |
Best and worst at the same time, methinks! Welcome to the Democratic Party! |
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