Quote from bkveen3:
Look at Iraq's oil production pre and post war. Insignificant in both time frames. On the other hand Iraq does have a massive amount of oil under its feet.
Did you vote for W?
If so, too bad that the imbecile you voted for, who has had 8 years to accomplish something positive, has only managed to help to destroy a good chunk of the middle class in the U.S., huh?
And we don't even get lower oil prices, to boot.
Bush didn't manage to accomplish that feat all by his lonesome. No. He had a lot of help in the form of manipulation and just plain incompetency from members of his trusted inner circle.
That's what happen when you live in an idiocracy; majority rules, and you're obviously in the majority, because I never did and never would vote for someone with Bush's (lack thereof) resume.
There are other contributing factors to the precarious state of the union, but Bush sure has helped things along.
Unlike you, I can find fault in all candidates and all parties. Unions have to be more flexible, Americans have to be more willing to sacrifice for a common good (as long as it's rational and well thought out policy that will better their children), environmentalists have realize a balance is in order, liberals have to realize that 5% of the U.S. can't shoulder 90% of the tax burden, conservatives have to quit their seemingly endless pursuit of enriching the military-industrial complex at the expense of the rest of the nation (including the 95% of the balance of the business community, large and small) - which Eisenhower warned of all America against in his farewell address, parents have to assume responsibility for disciplining their children and making sure that they actually study, the education lobby has to quit pushing the notion that fancy building and more money lobbed at education won't improve the performance of American youth, and all Americans need to quit living beyond their means (including our beloved local units of government, which have increased spending at a vastly greater rate than even the very portly federal government).
The Iraq War is going to cost the United States 3 trillion in economic terms, not to mention the human costs, was waged for illegitimate purposes, without widespread world support, on a nation that (despite having a paper tiger douche bag despot leader) posed no real threat to us, nor was responsible for the attacks of 9/11, and here you are, loud and proud, shouting off like you actually have a clue.
It's pretty amazing how big a coping mechanism delusion is, huh?
While China spends its money wisely, educating its people, absorbing our (and others') technology, building out its infrastructure, and focusing on the future, we have spent eight long years pissing away trillions on military misadventures, while our infrastructure crumbles, we have idiotic policies like the corn-ethanol program with its subsidies shoved down our collective throats, less than 60% of U.S. students graduate from high school, and we have an idiotic media that is more interested in educating us about the latest forays of Britney Spears than generating real discussion about military, economic, energy and educational policies.
But what do you expect when you have a frat boy par excellence, who'd rather be seen as the guy you'd want to slam a cold one with, than someone who can actually help craft constructive policies that will lead to America remaining competitive with its rivals and that will lead the world.
Most of all, we need independent, intelligent thinkers, completely insulated from particular interest groups, leading the country.
Until you realize these things, you're a big part of the problem regarding what's wrong with America.