Picture of JP2 on cover of Newsweek's latest issue a subliminal portrait of George W?

[gnjsdad]

stumbler:

If someone takes a critical and unsupported pot shot at the presidency and the president, then yes, that is just unthinking anti-Americanism.

stumbler:

Backed into a corner, the liberal reaches for his handy quip and imagines himself dancing lithely out of harm’s way . . .

I’ll tell you a couple of things about myself. I’m an orthodox Catholic who is registered as a Republican. I’m pro-life. I voted for George W Bush twice; in 2000, becuase I didn’t want to see 8 years of Clinton corruption and debauchery validated by having his lackey Al Gore elected; in 2004, despite grave reservations about Bush’s governance, I voted for him because he represented the best practical chance available to advance the Culture of Life. So, now that I’ve divulged this information, I’ll thank you to stop using terms like “liberal”, “anti-American” and “Bush hater” with reference to me. Incidentally, I didn’t intend “physician, heal thyself” as a quip; it was offered as a sincere piece of advice.

stumbler:

Apples and oranges (but nice try). Clearly the Judiciary has long wandered into the legislative function (since the mid-20th century). A logical (and I think obvious) case can be made that the judiciary needs reined in. You even reference a recent example to support your premise. (You’re learning!) But your sole basis for deriding Bush is that he occupies the presidency. What incisive analysis.

It’s not at all apples and oranges. The judiciary has gotten out of control because it has forgotten its Constitutional origins; the presidency has become too powerful for the same reason. Spreading democracy all over the world is not a Constitutional function of the office. My basis for ‘deriding’ Bush is my belief that that he talks the conservative talk, but walks the liberal walk. He’s grown Federal spending more than even Clinton ever dreamed of doing. He’s saddled future generations with a huge debt through the new Medicare prescription drug benefit. He’s not addressed the problem of illegal immigration satisfactorily, and his foreign policy is downright dangerous, guaranteeing that we will be involved in interminible wars for years (and maybe decades) to come. I reference the second inaugural address and the national security directives issued after 9/11 outlining the ‘preventive’ war doctrine. This is hardly conservative, IMO.

stumbler:

Sheesh. The only party that might be guilty here is Newsweek. But your Bush hatred is so consuming that the only outrage you can muster for Newsweek is a “partly” followed by a mushy “if” qualifier.

I believe I said If Newsweek did this, it would be morally offensive. What’s ‘mushy’ about that?

stumbler:

You are the one who claimed to have seen a “mere politician” being elevated to a level “comparable to the Holy Father.” Asked to prove your claim, you try to avoid an answer by directing a smirking comment at me. Just answer the question: Who claimed GWB was “comparable” to the Holy Father?

stumbler:

Nobody on this thread suggested that Bush was a spiritual leader.

I know nobody on this thread suggested that. My complaint was a general one directed at Bush supporters I’ve encountered, who, you’ll note, have been quite liberal in directing their vitriol at me. I’ve seen enough to think that if *Newsweek *actuallydid something as crass as morphing a picture of John Paul II and George W Bush, that some here would not find that offensive, but would applaud it.

stumbler:

You failed to notice my thumbs up to your comment re: Clinton? I’m deeply offended.

Peace,

I did notice that. Thanks.

Peace, too

 

[TomK]

Ooh, I just love such lively and well-organized debate.

Wish my family dinners could be so illuminating.

BTW, just remember, that it took the “power” of the over-bearing American President, Roosevelt, to free the Pope from the fascists. If it wasn’t for the “overbearing” sense of altruistic heroics (principles?) that Americans seem to be saddled with, the Pope would still be stuck playing the shell game to protect the Jews.

Granted, we did come late to the party, but also remember that in the early thirties there was considerable sympathy for the Nazis and how Germany had been done wrong at Versailles, etc. Look up the public statments of Charles Lindburgh and the “intelligensia.” We had brownshirts marching down Pennsylvania Boulevard in parade. Even the late President Kennedy’s father, Joseph, got caught up in that net and had to be returned to Washington in disgrace when the war started.

It took a while to get our house in order to save the world, but it was a job that no one else wanted to take on. Look at the territories that our great ally Stalin took as his spoils and compare that to what the US received (Guam, American Samoa, the Marshall Islands).

Clearly, for the most part we liberated countries and then went home.

 

[Zooey]

Madaglan:

This might sound somewhat silly, but if you have the latest issue of Newsweek (Apr. 11, 2005), look very closely at the cover picture that shows John Paul II praying. Take your hand or some other object and cover JP’2 head, leaving only his face exposed. Stand back or hold the picture at a distance from your face and tell me if what you see is also a picture of George W. Bush.

Just a coincidence?



If you don’t get Newsweek, you can find the cover picture at this site:

msnbc.msn.com/id/7370324/site/newsweek/

Huh??? Ummm, are you running a temperature or anything???

 

[delcor]

I don’t see the comparison at all. Not one bit, sorry.

I’m not necessarily offended that you would be looking for President Bush in the face of the Pope, but I do find it quite a stretch to compare a lapsed/recovered Protestant to the spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church, whose Holiness has spanned some 3 decades.

Any US President is elected based on their respective platforms, which they may or may not believe in their heart, but they do whatever they can to get votes. The Pope devoted his entire life in awe of God and the teachings of The Church. There is no comparison whatsoever between any US President and His Holiness who represents The Vatican, IMHO.