"Like a reunion of one family." The Dalai Lama re: Bush

[MonkeyFunk]

Where's the outrage?

When Nancy Pelosi refuses to leave a turd on the White House China, people here go nuts. And today, the Dalai Lama said seeing Bush again was like a "reunion of one family".

Oh wait, I know why. The Dalai Lama is not a Democratic leader.

[Rhythm and Blue]

1. A man of peace made a conciliatory gesture? I'm offended! nt

[MonkeyFunk]

2. I'm not offended at all

I'm just trying to understand why Nancy Pelosi is vilified for being civil to him, but the Dalai Lama gets a pass.

[Rhythm and Blue]

3. Half of it is the reason I just stated.

I would be shocked if the Dalai Lama were to not offer an olive branch.

The other half is that everyone here expects Democratic politicians to be just as bitter, caustic, and vitriolic as DU at its worst.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

19. Pretty much nailed it R & B

Not really the answer that was wanted, apparently.

[CoffeeCat]

4. What did you expect...

the Dalai Lama to say..."That boy is one fucked up, dry-drunk mofo on wheels!"?

I don't think so.

[MonkeyFunk]

5. Why do people expect

Nancy Pelosi to do anything different?

[CoffeeCat]

10. Well, the Dalia Lama...

...wasn't elected to turn this country around and reverse the
BushCo damage.

It's Nancy Pelosi's job and her marching orders from "We The People" are
to get our soldiers out of this insane war and do everything you can to
control that lunatic in the White House who is dismantling our democracy.

We EXPECT it from Nancy Pelosi because it's her frickin job to do so!

[MonkeyFunk]

13. Name 5 Democrats

who campaigned on a platform of ending the war immediately.

Nonetheless, being civil has nothing to do with it. Why is Pelosi pilloried for social niceties with Bush, but the Dalai Lama is given a pass? Pelosi never pretended to be a moral leader for peace.

[CoffeeCat]

22. Clearly, the voters in the 06 elections...

...were rejecting BushCo and this insane war. Poll after poll showed
that Dems showed up to the polls with the Iraq war as their #1 concern.

That election was a referendum against BushCo.

We've seen our Dem leaders do nothing that has impeded his steamrolling
of our democracy and our civil rights.

Furthermore, we wanted an end to the Iraq war, but Bush is continuing at
breakneck speed, and he's also widening the war by propagandizing about
Iran.

The opposition party is not doing its job.

This certainly isn't what I voted for!

The Dalai Lama is revered for his philosophical and religious wisdom
and insight. That's his calling. Nancy Pelosi is not a philosopher, and
I certainly don't see anyone booking her to give speeches about "finding
self in a chaotic world." She's in charge of opposition party in the most
powerful country in the world, that is being led by a maniac who is dismantling
our Constitution and perpetuating an illegal, lie-based war.

If you can't see the distinctions between the Dalai Lama's calling and the
responsibilities and duties that Nancy Pelosi has as Speaker of the House.
--then I guess it all falls apart right there.

[MonkeyFunk]

23. Nice dodge

Who was elected on a platform of pulling funding for the troops?

Bonus points for naming anybody who ran on a platform of impeachment.

[CoffeeCat]

26. You're posing red herring questions...

Nearly every Dem who was running, ran AGAINST Bush's handling
of the Iraq war.

Even the Republicans were running from it during their campaigns!
Remember how most of them opted to not have Junior stump for them?
They couldn't get far enough from his war.

Voters certainly weren't voting for "business as usual". They
were voting for change in the form of improving our situation
in the Middle East.

It's true that not everyone agrees on how or exactly when the Iraq
war should end. That's not the point.

The point is that we voted for CHANGE and IMPROVEMENT...something
better and more sane than BushCo.

That has not been achieved. The Dems have not impeded Bush one
iota. The have not galvanized and got off their fat asses and
spoke out against this sickening pResident. They kow tow to him
and send him "Oh please stop doing that" letters on flowery
stationery. That's not leadership.

We didn't elect Nancy Pelosi to write George Bush polite letters, come on!

[MonkeyFunk]

29. The dems

have passed legislation that is directly in line with what most Americans want.

Bush vetoed it.

The notion that Democrats are responsible for this war is ridiculous. This is Bush's war, and we won't end it without getting Republicans to join us.

[CoffeeCat]

37. Not true...not true at all...

All the Democrats have to do is stand up and say, "Not one more damn dime
for this perverted, lie-based, devastating war that has bankrupt our nation,
derailed our domestic priorities and murdered our soldiers and hundreds of
thousands of innocent Iraqis. Not one more damn dime for this shameful,
horrendous war! No more!"

That's all they have to do.

They could end it all tomorrow if they wanted.

Please do not make it out to be so complicated, when it's really not.

The Dems have the power. They actively choose not do use it.

[MonkeyFunk]

45. 3% of Americans

support an immediate de-funding.

The majority support a phased pull-out. You're just wrong. Sadly wrong.

[Mythsaje]

6. The Dalai Lama is a revered religious leader...

Nancy Pelosi is, obstensibly, the de-facto leader of the opposition party.

[MonkeyFunk]

8. and that means

civility is unacceptable for her?

[Mythsaje]

12. Nah...just contra-indicated. n/t

[MonkeyFunk]

16. So Pelosi

should be a prick to Bush, but the Dalai Lama gets a pass for acting like a normal human being. Got it.

[Mythsaje]

18. She shouldn't come across like she's kissing his ass...

But that's just me.

[MonkeyFunk]

21. That's what you want...

but America doesn't want the Speaker of the House to be a jerk. That's why Newt had to resign.

Pelosi is not gonna be a dick just to please people like you. She's gonna follow 230 years of tradition and be polite to the President.

[Mythsaje]

24. If tradition and decorum requires civility to war criminals

who piss all over the Constitution and America...

It's overrated.

[CoffeeCat]

27. No kidding...

...and providing "civility" and "decorum" to a bunch of
dry-drunk frat boys who are laughing their asses off at
how they can push you around--is just plain stupid.

[MonkeyFunk]

31. In America

the Speaker of the House is usually civil to the President.

No matter how much you'd like to see a childish display or tantrum, I'm grateful that we elect adults.

[Mythsaje]

35. I prefer honesty to false flattery...

Part of the problem we're having is that our politicians are afraid to speak the truth about anything regarding the Bush administration. I'd like to hear a little honesty for a change.

[MonkeyFunk]

46. What you prefer is irrelevant

we have a government run by adults.

[Mythsaje]

51. No, we have a government run by criminals.

And others too penned in by enablers much like yourself to state as much out in the open.

[MonkeyFunk]

57. Meh...

If you think Nancy Pelosi should piss in the Blue Room, you're just silly.

[Mythsaje]

59. Yeah, because as we all know,

telling the truth is the same as public urination.

[CoffeeCat]

39. No one is suggesting that Pelosi...

...act childish or have a tantrum.

We are suggesting that she stand up and represent the people of this
country who TRUSTED her to make positive changes in this country.

Why do you make these red-herring arguments anyway? Do you think that
taking a stand and being tough is "childish"? Do you believe that
telling Bush "NO MORE!" I will not allow you to disparage our Constitution
and destroy our civil rights!" a 'tantrum'"?

Leaders lead. She doesn't need to be rude, childish or bullying.

She just needs to stand up, speak her mind and affect positive change--the
change we asked for when we elected these people!

[MonkeyFunk]

47. Of course people here advocate a tantrum!

there were many posts saying the Dems should walk out of the State of the Union. There was rabid hatred for Pelosi because she said she respects the President

It's entirely childish.

[Mythsaje]

52. Do YOU respect the President?

The person, not the office.

[Mythsaje]

33. I don't think any of our people should be saying anything nice

about the guy. If put on the spot...say being asked "What do you think about Bush?" the best response is a simple "no comment" or "I'd rather not say."

Didn't Reid once call him a "liar and a thief" or some such? And then retracted the "thief" comment? Honestly, I can't remember who said it, but it was funny.

[MonkeyFunk]

30. Then why is it OK

for the Dalai Lama to be civil to a war criminal? You're just thrashing.

[Mythsaje]

36. I daresay the Dalai Lama is probably civil to EVERYONE.

Pelosi wasn't particularly civil to the protesters in front of her house, but she's nice to Bush?

[MonkeyFunk]

48. She was very civil to the trespassers in her yard

did she have them arrested? Did she bring down the hammer? NO.

She was exceedingly civil to them. She denounced them - that's fair. She didnt' do anything to them.

[Mythsaje]

53. She degraded them publicly

That's not particularly civil. Then again, she obviously respects Bush more than she does them.

[MonkeyFunk]

55. That's idiotic

she didn't do anything to them.

She had a right to complain - I would, too, if people were trampling my yard.

She had every right to complain. she did NOT call the cops on them, she did NOT call the Secret Service.

Your hatred is blinding.

[Mythsaje]

56. Hatred? Wrong word.

Disgust is more like it.

She suggested it would be nice if she could have them arrested, like homeless people.

Pure arrogance. Hardly an icon of liberal values, there.

[MonkeyFunk]

58. And yet she did nothing to them

she didn't have them arrested. She was complaining about how stupid it was for war protesters to target Democrats, nd she was 100% right.

[Mythsaje]

60. Right--they should target people who don't care WHAT they think...

Oh, wait. They are.

[CoffeeCat]

11. I wouldn't exactly call her a "leader"....

..but you can if you like.

Leaders lead-I always thought.

[Mythsaje]

14. You know what I'm saying...n/t

[JVS]

17. I wouldn't call him one either. He doesn't lead squat, he just bitches about China

[Mythsaje]

38. And if you said that to his face, he'd probably simply smile at you.

He's got me beat all to hell in the enlightenment department.

[JVS]

7. You tell that theocratic blowhard!

[MonkeyFunk]

9. Bastard hasn't even come out for impeachment!

[JVS]

15. That fucking asshole

[RB TexLa]

20. "When Nancy Pelosi refuses to leave a turd on the White House China"

Good one.

:toast:

[Warren DeMontague]

28. But imagine the hits it would get on Youtube! nt

[CoffeeCat]

32. We're not asking for much from Pelosi...

...but somewhere between crapping on salad plates and writing
pithy prose to our murdering, thug president on lavender scented stationery--lies true
leadership.

No one asked her to poop in the finger bowls. Making an effort
to do what she was elected to do--and stopping the necon train wreck--
would be a nice start.

[Rhythm and Blue]

34. Actually, we kinda are.

Impeachment would be an unimaginably huge media and political circus, and could very well turn into an absolute trainwreck for the Democrats just as easily as it could for the Republicans.

You have to understand that by asking for impeachment, you are asking her to bet her Democratic majority against the house.

[CoffeeCat]

40. I'm not asking for impeachment...

I'm asking for her to do SOMETHING...ANYTHING.

She needs to take a lesson or two from Newt Gingrich and his ilk---after
they swept the 96 elections and gained majorities in the House and Senate.

They busted out of the gate, insisting that their majority status meant that
they had a "mandate". They couldn't say "mandate" enough. They parlayed
their mandate into a visible, cogent agenda with specific goals and plans.
They galvanized and stood on the steps of the Capitol and declared that they
would change America, because the electorate wanted it and deserved it.

Now that's leadership. That's stepping up to the plate.

You might have disagreed with Gingrich's "Contract With America". However, they
knew how to lead. They knew how to convert election wins into policy
changes.

The Dem's--in contrast--have done NONE of this. They are too afraid of Bush Co.
Too afraid to say anything of substance against this pResident.

Can you imagine them huddling on the Capitol steps and declaring a revolution?
No. They are not leading. They are a disgrace and they are enabling Fascists.

Congressional approval ratings are at historical lows--11 percent. It's a total
failure and a disgrace.

[Rhythm and Blue]

41. The 110th has voted against Bush more frequently than

any of the Republican Houses did with Clinton, for what it's worth.

[CoffeeCat]

42. Symbolic votes are nice...

...but when they translate into no change--change that the voters
specifically asked for--it really becomes worthless.

The Dems could have declared a revolution and fought like hell
and spoke out against BushCo. They could have laid out his crimes
and traveled around the country marketing their own "Contract With America".

They haven't.

They're complicit. Why do you make excuses for these people? They have
an 11 percent approval rating, for God's sake. The worst in Congressional
history!

[Rhythm and Blue]

44. Their approval rating is meaningless.

A third of people are pissed because they aren't left enough. A third are pissed because they're not right enough. The rest are pissed because they're too partisan.

Low approvals aren't a mandate for anything in particular. They aren't a mandate for impeachment, or a withdrawal, or a surge, or anything. They're just a reflection of partisanship and gridlock.

The Dems did propose a version of the CWA. You may recall NP's First Hundred Days. You may recall them passing much well-needed legislation. You may recall other good legislation being vetoed or filibustered. And I'm kind of bemused at your calling the historic levels of opposition to the executive "symbolic votes," in part because the majority actually does quite a bit more than 'symbolism,' and in part because your claim is that they should have spent more time on completely, totally symbolic affairs like denouncing Bush's failures and declaring a revolution etc., etc.

[Warren DeMontague]

25. Can we stick up for Nancy Pelosi without taking lame shots at the Dalai Lama?

I happen to like both of 'em.

And he's right- we ARE one Family. I mean, Cheney is related to Obama. I'm related to my cat, and even further back, to my front lawn.

(If you believe in all that crazy talk about the Earth being 4.7 Billion years old and that scientist nonsense about "evolution", that is.)

Hey- at least the Dalai Lama isn't trying to outlaw anyone's birth control, or cover up for pedophiles...



Off topic? Yeah, that's my point.

[Kiouni]

43. lame dude, lame

he considers himself to be the spiritual leader of all people. He's a Buddhist and above all a humanist. If anyone can forgive the W its him.

[MonkeyFunk]

49. It's not lame

it's the truth. Nancy Pelosi utters niceties to him, and is denounced here almost the anti-christ. The Dalai Lama said Bush is like family and nobody bats an eye.

It's bullshit.

My position is that neither person deserves to be assailed for being civil to the President of the United States.

[Disturbed]

50. Are they being civil or kissin' his ass?

Just wonderin'.

[MonkeyFunk]

54. Is the Dalai Lama kissing his ass?

Try to be consistent.

[Evoman]

61. You won't hear any love for the dalai lama from me.

To me he is just another asshole theocrat who spits out a bunch of simplistic platitudes. I don't get why people like him so much. He simply communes with the rich and powerful so that they will back his rule of a country that is better off without him.