To american users

[MrPresident]

Shrug, was a joke, but i view him as a very dangerous man indeed, acting like a cowboy.

You mean he herds cattle from Texas to the meat-packing factories of Chicago?

Its no reflection at all upon what i think of americans. Ive met quite a few and found them very nice people.

Does anyone get the feeling Americans are the new gay.

"No I don't mind Americans. In fact I have several American friends." or "It's not their fault they are American. They were born that way."

 

[ellie]

quote
_____
Does anyone get the feeling Americans are the new gay.
_____

nope

And given the american public are very split on it all. It would be stupid to associate americans with the american presidents current attitude.

Ellie

 

[MrPresident]

It would be stupid to associate americans with the american presidents current attitude.

Since when has stupidity ever stopped anyone?

 

[ellie]

Ahh for once we agree on something ;p

Ellie

 

[Switch625]

Mr. President raises a good point:

What is "acting like a cowboy" supposed to mean?

Cowboys were cattleherders. How is the President acting like a cattleherder?

 

[MrPresident]

Mr. President raises a good point

I always do.

How is the President acting like a cattleherder?

Doesn't he own a ranch which has cattle?

 

[Switch625]

Originally posted by MrPresident

I always do.

If you say so.

Doesn't he own a ranch which has cattle?

Yes, but he pays people to herd the cattle around.

 

[anarres]

Originally posted by MrPresident
You made a good point please don't ruin it by insulting the President of the United States. It makes you appear childish and therefore people are more prepared to dismiss your argument. Also even if you don't repect the current President then remember that you are talking about the office of the Presidency not just the person who occupies it. It doesn't cost anything to show respect.

Well, what if the current President doesn't command respect? Should we give it anyway? It seems a little old fashioned to respect power for the sake of it...

And as for respecting the office, every president needs to command respect, it is not automatic. For a Brit to say that beggars belief.

 

[MrPresident]

Well, what if the current President doesn't command respect? Should we give it anyway? It seems a little old fashioned to respect power for the sake of it...

In a word, yes. I believe that regardless of your feelings for the President you should show proper respect to the office of the Presidency. This is no doubt not a widely held belief but that has never stopped me before.

And as for respecting the office, every president needs to command respect, it is not automatic. For a Brit to say that beggars belief.

We Brits are very respectful to those in authority. It's just the tabloid newspaper that aren't.

Yes, but he pays people to herd the cattle around.

The American dream.

 

[ellie]

Roll,

ok for the incredibly pedantic people here , cowboy is a slang term for a person who is unscrupulous and irresponsible.


Ellie

 

[MrPresident]

cowboy is a slang term for a person who is unscrupulous and irresponsible.

Only when you are talking about a builder or another similar profession. And what was that about being pedantic?

 

[EzInKy]

Originally posted by ellie
Roll,

ok for the incredibly pedantic people here , cowboy is a slang term for a person who is unscrupulous and irresponsible.


Ellie

There are about a million country singers who would disagree with you on that, lol.

 

[ellie]

Pedants are obsessed with small unimportant details

hmm a good example would be arguing over the correct use of a slang word when the topic is nothing to do with the use of slang words

Ellie

edit
nod ezinky, i know it has another meaning

got this from oxford dictionary though

cowboy (DISHONEST PERSON)
noun [C]
INFORMAL
someone who is not honest, careful or skilful in their trade or business, or someone who ignores rules that most people obey and is therefore not considered to be responsible


Sounds like a perfect bush description to me!

 

[anarres]

Originally posted by MrPresident
In a word, yes. I believe that regardless of your feelings for the President you should show proper respect to the office of the Presidency. This is no doubt not a widely held belief but that has never stopped me before.

We Brits are very respectful to those in authority. It's just the tabloid newspaper that aren't.

For those non-Brits out there, please don't think we are all like this.

Some of us question authority, as it is the basis for a healty society. When we stop questioning, and respect authority automatically we run the risk of rampant abuse of power and corruption.

There is enough corruption already in governments, it is our civic duty to question the actions those in power!!

 

[MrPresident]

Pedants are obsessed with small unimportant details

Unimportant to you.

Some of us question authority, as it is the basis for a healty society. When we stop questioning, and respect authority automatically we run the risk of rampant abuse of power and corruption.

You can respect and question something at the same time. In fact the questioning makes the respect all the more easier. If all you do is question then you will quickly become cynical and from cynical it is a short walk to apathy (longer if you take the scenic route).

There is enough corruption already in governments, it is our civic duty to question the actions those in power!!

Isn't it also our civic duty to give the benefit of the doubt to our elected officials?

In a democratic civilised society if we disagree with someone we must surely also show them the proper respect.

 

[meldor]

Originally posted by EzInKy


There are about a million country singers who would disagree with you on that, lol.

And most of those who are cowboys.

However, it seems popular to refer to Bush as a cowboy becuase of his Texas roots. They seem to mean he "shoots for the hip, without thinking first" or that he"sees the world in only black and white terms".

To me, cowboys have always been protrayed as the opposite of what the current crowd would make it. The same thing was applied to Reagan because of his acting in cowboy movies.

It is yet another attempt to make President Bush seem simple minded and unable to grasp complicated issues. Sultan, feel free to jump in........

 

[CurtSibling]

Originally posted by MrPresident

In a word, yes. I believe that regardless of your feelings for the President you should show proper respect to the office of the Presidency. This is no doubt not a widely held belief but that has never stopped me before.

MrPrez,
This is the most un-British thing I have ever heard!

Please leave our Island...

 

[SewerStarFish]

Ah, The Europe/US divide. This crisis has revealed the depth of the long standing and ever widening rift between cultures. Europeans use cowboy to mean:
a slang term for a person who is unscrupulous and irresponsible.
Americans mean:
a hardworking cowhand noted for his honesty and individualism.

I will now parry the arguements against my well founded and intelligent position with gross generalizations that seem to solve nothing:

Why do people think that name calling and hyperbole will change someone's mind.I'm sure calling the French snobs makes them say," Gee, how right you are. My position was totally unfounded."
Or arguements like war will cause lots of deaths wil convince hawks to say, "Oh my, I never realized war caused deaths or was risky. I should wait until I am attacked to fight."

In the real world, people's beliefs are usually well entrenched before they post them. The protesters you see on the news are the least open-minded people on the subject. They represent their own views. They are however ineffective in achieving anything. If you agree, they don't sway your opinion;if you disagree, they just make you angry (and me want to shout:"Why aren't you people at work!")

Whether Bush/Blair speak for your opinion they hold the office that speaks for US/UK opinion.While you may have utopian ideas to solve these world problems,the truth is the ideas have to actually deal with people who won't cooperate.

 

[wtiberon]

Originally posted by ellie
Can you help clear something up for me?

Im not too hot on american process, can president bush declare war or does congress do that?.

If its the latter, is it a sure thing will would do so?, ie does he have their full backing?

Ellie

I don't know if anyone answered your question yet but your right it takes an act of congress to declare war. However in December after the September 11th attack congress passed a bill tha gave Bush a kind of blank check with the Military. Still we have not decared formal war in 50 years...no one does anymore.