Eloquence From the White House

"So?"
From Dick Cheney, when told that most Americans don't believe the Iraq War was worth it

"the American people have input every four years, and that's the way our system is set up."
From Dana Perino, when asked if the Bush White House cares about input from Americans

From Time magazine "Perspectives"

Comments

[RepublicanBrain]

"So?"

So, indeed. Why is it no one looks at the meaning behind the answer and just want to get up on their offended high-horses?

X amount of Americans don't believe the Iraq War was worth it. What, indeed, is the point of that sentiment? Does it prove their assertion true? No. Does it mean the Iraq War was a fraud or, less seriously, an error in judgment? No. Does it prove anything the whiners are proving? No. Does it prove that Bush/Cheney/Rice/whomever should be impeached? No.

The opinions of the common person, especially about complex topics like war, don't amount to much.

[GoreyFantod]

Ooh, ouch, war make brain hurt. Stop talk complex things - me like hear happy talk. Me like pretty flowers.

RepublicanBrain, you certainly live "up" to your moniker.

[RepublicanBrain]

Do you have anything constructive to add?

[oldpotsmuggler]

When "the opinions of the common person don't amount to much", democracy is dead!

Yeah, I'd say that you're definitely a Republican. A full on sponsor of death, destruction and unlimited stupidity, and proud of it.

[RepublicanBrain]

Actually, I'm a pacifist and an anti-war activist. Please try to avoid making reckless assumptions.

You might want to try again with the whole democracy thing. The common person can still make their opinions heard, it just doesn't have input in policy. People make their decisions not necessarily for the smartest of reasons. The opinion of the common person doesn't lead to democracy, it actually leads to anarchy, people doing whatever they want.

[Roxanna]

To RepublicanBrain
Your quote of "The opinions of the common person, especially about complex topics like war, don't amount to much."

What makes you think that the opinions of the common person are of any less importance or intelligence than those up at the top? Up at the top, doesn't have a problem with letting the common person die for them.

It is that kind of attitude and short sightedness that has lead us to where we are today. It is shooting yourself in the foot by not valuing the opinions and worth of others.

[RepublicanBrain]

What makes me think that? First off, I must say that I am pleased you ask the question rather then just throw random insults. It's refreshing, to say the least.

Now, to answer the question: The reasons why the opinions of the common person don't matter as much are several. Firstly, it comes with lack of information. The common person doesn't know that much about two things. The first is where we stand, the second is the topic at hand. Ask the man on the street what he knows about battle strategy. Chances are, you're not going to get a very good answer. Ask the person next door the specifics of weapons and how they stack against each other. Does offense truly take three times the amount as defense? What things make for significant factors.

Odds are, most people don't know this. This isn't a crime; there's nothing wrong with this. However, when people who don't have that kind of knowledge, their decisions aren't going to be as strong.

All other problems stem from this: lack of planning and forethought, missing key details, and so on. The common man can do the "what" but not the "why" very well. That why is key.

[TerenceHartnett]

""the American people have input every four years, and that's the way our system is set up."
From Dana Perino, when asked if the Bush White House cares about input from Americans"

I don't have a king. So, I disagree with Perino.

If HRC or Obama become President, then I will wait and see these same lying bastards jump up to defend executive powers then. Don't hold your breath. Remember these are the same guys who came one vote away from removing a President from office (Clinton) for the most trivial of offenses. And now they argue that the American people have zero recourse once they are in office. Man, I am so sick of these worthless faux-patriots.

[mommadona]

Seem 'THE HELP' are a bit uppity these days.

Time for a bit of a reality check to that Sad old Rottweiler and that Perky little puppy.

You dogs don't hunt any longer.

Put those back legs down and go home.

[ShawnMichel]

The problem is, the American sheeple *actually* participate in our so-called democracy (yeah, right) about 5 minutes every four years. Beyond that, they're too busy watching American Idol and surfing porn in their McMansions. And so heinous, evil little men like DICK Cheney come to power.

Has anyone noticed the huge collective yawn to this "So?" comment, by the way? The sheeple, soundly asleep, forever ensconced in their suburban unexistences, couldn't care less.

Not a democracy, no. Not even close.

[anfractuous]

On the other hand, what does regularly fanning your outrage by reading blogs accomplish? Either way, American Idol, or Huffington Post, we're just insipid brains bobbing in a vat. Maybe W has a point in spurning any kind of external stimulation (brush clearing excepted.)

[Blivet]

But impeachment is a possibility in between.
I think it's about time for this to become a reality in Cheney's experience.