Yesterday's QUOTES ...

Now this is a real surprise, is it not? ... Worries about jobs and the overall economy flared in September, driving a key barometer of consumer sentiment to its lowest level in nearly two years ... Fantasy euphoria wearing thin? Years late, but what the hey!

The irony ... "In Cuba, the long rule of a cruel dictator is nearing its end," Bush said. "The Cuban people are ready for their freedom. And as that nation enters a period of transition, the United Nations must insist on free speech, free assembly and, ultimately, free and competitive elections." ... how to choose between hypocrisy and a complete lack of understanding of the meaning of his words?

A handful of crazy people have brought us to a state of lawlessness. I don't just mean the Department of Justice, I mean the whole world. The United States was a significant part of an international agreement to lawfulness, and the Bush-Cheney administration has announced a reversal of that charter.

The rule of law only works if people generally agree to it. When that breaks down, all bets are off.

The rest of the world has noticed. They are quietly taking steps to try to minimize the damage to themselves. I don't know if they can; it's probably too late for them, too. They waited for 2004 to see if we would handle our problem, and we didn't. They have stopped waiting. That's probably going to hurt us a great deal in the future. I'm glad I don't have children.
... I've wondered for sometime about those who are raising families and how they see the future. I thought working through the Democrats would help. It didn't! I have no solutions, at least none that I can effect. The politicians are not leaders and I do not know if leaders can get through the noise. But Americans have become followers and they followed Bush. All, apparently, that's needed is a tall, slim, faux cowboy to destroy the world.

Bush is counseling that Clinton modulate her rhetoric? Do I laugh or cry? President Bush is quietly providing back-channel advice to Hillary Rodham Clinton, urging her to modulate her rhetoric so she can effectively prosecute the war in Iraq if elected president. ... does anyone really think Bush could counsel his way out of a paper bag much less a women a million times more intelligent and knowledgeable than he is? He could attempt to threaten her but certainly cannot counsel her.