America is no longer the nation that can "fix anything"....that has changed now.

[madfloridian]

On the local news today I heard an anchor say that France's Sarkozy seemed to be leading the negotiations between Russia and Georgia.

There was a time that would never have been the case. America would have been front and center as a leader. Instead our leader was looking like he was about to swat an Olympic beach volley ball player on the butt. He apparently did not not. But just thinking about it and seeing the picture was disturbing.

Howard Dean addressed this failure of leadership at the August 2006 DNC meeting. He was speaking about the devastation of Katrina and the lack of leadership. He used these words near the end.

The American people are extraordinary people. What we saw was great acts of generosity and courage and heroism, of people coming together opening their hearts reaching out to help one another. That reminds us that the American people will transcend the incompetence of our leaders.

I hope we will. We have a chance in spite of the media and in spite of the politics of ugliness that have played out.

More from his speech that day. I found the video at the DNC.

Dean at the DNC convention in Chicago August 2006

Here is part I transcribed in 2006 and part from an email.

We will not turn our back on the people of the state of Louisiana and Mississippi. The president had no plan for the gulf coast as we come up on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. And he still has no plan for the gulf coast. He had no plan for Iraq. And he still has no plan for Iraq. Katrina was a terrible tragedy, not just for New Orleans and Mississippi, and not just for the people who died or who still have not been able to move home.

Katrina was a tragedy for America. Because one thing everybody believed throughout the world, throughout this country but throughout the world, whether they liked us or not, they believed that Americans could fix anything. And we believed that about ourselves, that if something really bad happened, call on the Americans. They are the best organized people, best managing people, and they can fix anything. If something really bad happens, call the Americans

He went on to say that Katrina changed that perception in the eyes of the world, and in our own eyes.

And what we experienced a year ago was not just a personal loss and tragedy in all of our lives because so many of us knew people or had family in New Orleans or Mississippi. What we experienced was the tragedy of seeing unmasked the incompetence and failures and indifference of the president and the Republican majority. We need a new direction for America where no one is left behind.

The American people are extraordinary people. What we saw was great acts of generosity and courage and heroism, of people coming together opening their hearts reaching out to help one another. That reminds us that the American people will transcend the incompetence of our leaders.

Meanwhile the illustrious former leader of the free world gets to meet the volleyball players up close and personal.

Bush learns traditions of volleyball


The president needs some work on his passing, mis-hitting a pair off his knuckles. When May-Treanor passed the ball back to him, he acted like he was going to dive after it but decided to stay on his feet.

Then May-Treanor turned her back to the president, offering her bikinied rear for one of the traditional slaps that volleyball players frequently give each other.

"Mr. President, want to?" she asked, repeating an offer she made when Bush gave a pep talk to the U.S. athletes before Friday's opening ceremonies.

Bush smilingly gave a flick with the back of his hand to the small of her back instead.

Dear God, I hope Dean is right and that we can transcend the incompetence of our leaders.

[Aristus]

1. Nope. We can't fix anything anymore. Half the battle is simply acknowledging that something

is broken. And THAT always goes over well with the "Love It or Leave It" muttonheads! :sarcasm::eyes:

Then, if you can convince people it's broken, then you need funding to fix it.

"What? Another liberal tax-boondoggle? Are you going to let them liberals take your money?? HUH??? It's YOUR money! You EARNED it! Which is more then them collect-a-paycheck-for-not-workin' LIBERALS can say, huh? Let the damn bridges fall! Who cares? Do you wanna be like socialist Sweden? Huh? Anybody who worries about shit like that is a latte-swilling, Volvo-driving, granola-eating, tree-hugging LIBERAL, RIGHT??? Don't let 'em take your money to fix NOTHIN'!"

This is why we are no longer the nation that can "fix anything..."

[Happyhippychick]

2. The world (mostly) loved us when Bill Clinton was in office. They will regain respect for us

when Obama wins.

If he loses, then the world will continue to hate us.

It's really that simple.

[madfloridian]

18. You are right.

.

[Diclotican]

21. Happyhippychick

Happyhippychick

I don't know about others, but I for one have never hated USA.. But I have to say, the last 8 year have been a reat disappointment for everyone in the world. US have not been like the superpower it once was, but rater acted as an spoiled little kid with little to much time of his hand.. And no grown up to tell that he is doing something wrong..

Yes we loved US when Bill Clinton was in office.. Off course I to was disappointed about his extra martial thing, but I have to say, the circus who was folloving the Republican Party's work to trow him out off office was just plain stupid.. Yes it harmed Clinton's Presidency, but he was elected twice, so something this man was doing must be right.. And when Bush was "elected" president in 2000 I was little disappointed most because I was going to sleep with the believe that mr Gore had von the election.. And wake up to the nightmare of mr Bush..

I don't hate mr Bush, and I don't hate USA but I am disappointed about US, and how it acted after 9/11 2001.. If mr Bush, and the rest of his Administration have not been lying, swindling and tell all the lie in the book to get Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Then US maybe have had some power to go around when other have been behaving bad.. As in Georgia, As in Tibet as so on.. When the american president now are talking about human rights - the context is just ridiculous.. He have maybe ordered more misuse of human rights he last few year then even the Peoples Republic of China does in a bad year... Mr Bush sounds and act as an stupid little twit, who have no clue..

I hope mr Obama would win, not because I believe him to so different from the current administration, It would ta a long time to turn around the house of the US when it come to bad habit, and I am not sure about how Obama should manage do that in 4-8 year.. But he would be a better President than mr McCain, who looks like a clone of mr Bush.. Just older... And therefore maybe even more dangerous han the current president. He have less to loose if hell broke out than Bush maybe have...

I for one hope just USA would wake up, and do the right thing to repair what is wrong. I know the road there is long and difficult, but you can get your moral standing back if you want it.. But you have to work hard.. And something would possible never be as it was ever...

Diclotican

Sorry my bad english, not my native language

[Bobbieo]

3. My sentiments - exactly!! I am so depressed these days!

[stillcool]

5. me too..more so than at any other time...

I think that I always had faith that people would be able to see through the bullshit at this late date. But it appears that people revel in the bullshit to such an extent that nothing else really matters. I try to hope for the best, and expect the worst..but I'm not sure what either is anymore.

[jakem]

4. we fix our elections pretty good...

[madfloridian]

6. Now that's a good point...unfortunately.

:hi:

[SammyWinstonJack]

16. The Party that can't win elections, fixes our elections pretty good.

[RB TexLa]

7. There is nothing wrong with more balance in world power. The US watching the EU lead is going to

happen more and more. The diversity of regional political unions is going to provide them with greater moral authority as there is less suspicion of one nation acting in it's on self interest.

[madfloridian]

8. Not my point.

At least we could have respect.

You did not get my point.

[asteroid2003QQ47]

11. Respect is earned!

That opportunity was lost at inception, was it not?

[CrazyDude]

9. We never were that nation n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. You get it, that is the country of myth

not reality

[madfloridian]

17. Katrina was the first time I remember people on rooftops with no help coming.

Our country at least took care of its own pre-Bush.

And yes, many in the rest of the world did expect us to fix things and to be there whether they liked us or not.

[JeffR]

12. In my half century

we've never fixed a damn thing, we've only made it worse.

That's my America.

[depakid]

13. Hell, 3/4's of the nation is functionally innumerate- and no longer critically thinks

The so called "leaders" merely refect the nature of the majority of the people.

[jakem]

15. i heard that the statistic was 6 of out 4% of most people...

but i just think what the news tells me!

[Truth4Justice]

14. Yeah, but I think nothing else matters other then staring at Walsh's @$$!!!

Dayamm, what a set of legs !!!!

[Brigid]

19. Some time ago . . .

I think it's been at least a year . . . Ted Kennedy was on "the Daily Show" and he said, "We used to be able to get things done in this country. What happened?" That still haunts me.

We have no moral authority in the world, thanks to the Bush regime, and we have a federal government that doesn't work because it's starved of funds. That, and a weakened economy and a military bogged down in a useless war makes us pretty much irrelevant right now. If if McCain wins (God Forbid! :scared: ) we had better get used to it. This is our last chance to get it right. I really believe that.

[madfloridian]

22. No moral authority.

Good way to put it.

[MindMatter]

20. Thank you for that post

I have been thinking the same thing. Anymore, I just cringe when I see Rice or Bush hugging in front of the cameras with their empty bellicose rhetoric. In 7 years, the only time they have actually been part of a constructive dialog is with N. Korea. It is happening more and more that other leaders are no longer looking to the US for any leadership. Indeed, they figure they are more likely to achieve a better result if they go forward WITHOUT involving the US.

We are now being marginalized. You cannot normally marginalize a country that spends 1 trillion dollars a year on its military. They just goes to show how badly this administration has messed things up. The other countries look at us and they conclude that we are so bogged down in Iraq and Afghanistan that any military threats are hollow indeed.

[eppur_se_muova]

23. Just as long as we fix the elctions -- *smirk*. nt