An Interview With George W. Bush

Since President Bush seems to be in a chatty mood as of late, I was thinking it does not seem fair that Juan Williams of NPR and FOX News Sunday should get all the fun of talking to him. So I have put together my list of 10 questions I’d like to ask our President. Since I am of the liberal side of the aisle, I hope my conservative friends over at Chatterbox Chronicles, Mike’s America, and Midnight Blue will be able to get me in to see him. Do you think we will ever see a baseball team from Texas, where football is king, win the World Series? (I know it is not really political, but hey, I’m breaking the ice here.) You said in the 2000 campaign that “China is a competitor, not a strategic partner,” do you still believe this, and if so, how is this reflected in your policies? Do you think other countries in the world have a higher regard or a lower regard for America since you took office? Could you tell me why you feel this way? Paul Bremer has said his biggest mistakes in Iraq were disbanding the Iraqi Army and to pursue a policy of de-Baathification. Do you agree? If not, why then are we currently reconstituting certain elements of that army? If so, do you regret giving Bremer the Presidential Medal of Freedom? You and your administration said repeatedly during the 2004 and 2006 campaigns, that Democrats who advocated leaving Iraq did not want to win, helped the terrorists, and were only interested in a cut and run philosophy. Given that there are currently a number of Republicans advocating a reduction of troops, are people like Senators Warner, Brownback, Hagel and others guilty of the undermining our troops and advocating a cut and run philosophy? You said in the 2000 campaign that “I'm a uniter, not a divider. I refuse to play the politics of putting people into groups and pitting one group against another.” Can you cite some specific examples where your policies have united our government and America since you took office? If you leave clothes laying around in the White House, does Laura pick them up, or do you have a maid? And who does your laundry? (Don’t any of you ever wonder this kind of stuff about the presidency?) If you could have a do over on our response to Hurricane Katrina, what, if anything, would you do differently? In dealing with immigration, Americans seem to want to secure our southern border. If we desire to do this before any type of guest worker plan, or “amnesty program” as some have labeled it, what steps do feel we should take to control that border? One of the reasons cited for going to war in Vietnam was the “Domino Theory,” first proposed by President Eisenhower. After the fall of South Vietnam to the Communist backed regime of North Vietnam, we did not see the rest of Asia fall to Communism as we had thought. How can we be sure that a free Democratic Iraq will be such a shining example that we will have a kind of domino effect in our favor in the Middle East? Finally Mr. President, I know this is an extra question, but what is your favorite coffee and how do you take it? Feel free to chime in with your answers or how you think the president might himself answer any of these. As an equal opportunity offender, next week I’ll have my 10 questions for the Democratic Leadership. technorati tags: Bush Interview, Juan Williams, NPR

The Greatest

I was 12 years old and listening to the radio. Radio was big in our house those days. Being 1971, American families had not yet learned the beauty of having a television in every room, so if the one set was being used, as it usually was; you listened to the radio for entertainment. On this particular night though, I was not listening to be entertained. It was March 8, 1971. A night I had long anticipated. The night one of my idols, Muhammad Ali would regain the World Boxing Heavyweight Championship. He was fighting Smokin’ Joe Frazier at Madison Square Garden in New York City. This was the biggest event on the planet at that time, and I had a ringside seat in front of our radio. Not listening to the fight, but awaiting the round by round updates broadcast every few minutes over the CBS News affiliate in Los Angeles, KNX. For me, Ali was legend. Someone who, whether you agreed with him or not, had to be respected because he stood up for what he believed was right. And he did not fear the consequences. A man who for three years, could not work in his chosen profession because he chose religion over war. Now I know many of you may argue that what he did was wrong, that he should have gone to Vietnam and all, but the fact remains, when faced with losing everything he had worked for, he did not waver. He stood his ground and faced the consequences. Our country would be better off today if there were more leaders willing to show the courage that Ali did back in the 60’s. I remember hearing how Ali started fast, and I was excited. It was looking good. The middle rounds went back and forth, but Ali was starting to tire. And that was when Frazier had him. The layoff had taken its toll. Unable to build up enough stamina in the 5 short months since his reinstatement, Ali was now vulerable to the punishment Frazier was doling out. After nearly falling in the 11th round, Ali needed a miracle in the 15th to win. It was not to be. Rocked by Frazier's devastating left hook, Ali went down. The fight was lost, along with his quest to regain the Heavyweight Title that had been wrongly taken from him in 1967. I cried that night. It was as if Frazier had hit me. Back in those days, we really did have sports stars we cared about and for me, Ali was a hero. Today, on his 65th birthday, he still is. Happy Birthday Muhammad Ali. You were, are, and always will be “The Greatest!”

Pizza Pizza

Last week, Texas based Pizza Patrón announced that they would begin accepting Mexican Pesos as payment in their stores. It did not take long for the firestorm to begin. Soon we began hearing from assorted critics saying that it was Un-American for Pizza Patrón to accept pesos. In their logic, since the business is in the United States, the only type of currency acceptable is gold old American green backs! I thought there were more important things to worry about in this country. Things like the war in Iraq, a rapidly shrinking middle class, soaring health care costs, and lack of quality educational options for our children. But apparently not. According to CBS News, CNN, USA Today, and others, the company began receiving death threats soon after the announcement was made, even though other All-American companies like Wal-Mart have been accepting pesos for years in some of their stores. What difference does it make if a company decides to do business in pesos, yen, dollars, or even Canadian Looneys? If Pizza Patrón is able to make a profit, and their stockholders are happy with the return, isn’t that their choice? Nobody is making anyone who doesn’t want to shop there are they? It seems to me that folks are a little upset that a small upstart pizza company has found a way to build a better mouse trap and make more money. Isn’t this what capitalism is all about? Now before you get all worked into a lather and start sending me your e mails saying this is America, I know that. I also know that when I went to Canada, I was able to use US Dollars to buy things. I also know that every single gas station in Mexico takes US Dollars. As do many of the businesses in the tourist areas. Those simple facts do not change the facts that Canada is still Canada, and Mexico is still Mexico, regardless of the currency they accept in their businesses. So get over it. We are no less America then we were last year just because Pizza Patrón is accepting pesos. Besides, based on their recent sales figures, you might want to take a look at adding a few shares of their stock to your 401(K). technorati tags: Pizza Patron, Mexican Pesos, Pesos

Ringing in the New Year

A little New Year's potpourri... I live in So Cal so the Annual Tournament of Roses Parade is our big party. This year I got to take a couple of friends from out of town to see the floats being decorated and then through the generosity of my in-laws, (remember, I am a poor missionary guy) sit in the grandstands and watch it all go by. It was a great parade, as it almost always is. I really liked this one. The hair, music, colors, and silliness all worked. This one, from Oklahoma, was spectacular. It was by far my personal favorite and even won an award. It was pulled by Clydesdale horses, looked awesome, and was a great first time entry from the Okies. But the real stars of any parade for me are these guys. The bands. Most people in America can't walk 2 miles without getting winded. Imagine marching 5 miles in a pair of brutal shoes. I know what this is like because I too was band geek. So to all of you fellow band geeks who make a parade what it is through your marching and incredible music, may you all receive an extra pair of Dr. Schol's inserts before your next parade. And thanks! Now what is New Year's without a little football? This year USC won the Rose Bowl, crushing the spirit of Michigan once again. It just never gets old. Auburn won ugly against Nebraska, and, in one of the great college games of the last few years, Boise State managed to beat Oklahoma. This game was phenominal. It started out looking like a Boise St. blowout, but the Sooners caught up and forced the game into overtime, where Boise State won on the last play of the game, a two point conversion. This picture sums it up. Spent. Both teams pretty much left it on the field.Finally, our nation mourns the loss of one of our Presidents, Gerald Ford. Ford was never elected to national office, but rather took office, some say, as a result of the Watergate scandal. But really, he became president because the framers of our constitution did a good job. The situation surrounding the Nixon resignation showed that our system of government, with all of it's flaws, works. technorati tags: Rose Parade, President Ford, Band Geeks