Ghost of BiB Posted February 28, 2006 Author Share Posted February 28, 2006 I wonder how many people who would support the government's acting proactively outside the US take the time and trouble to do so in their own communities? As in, for example, working on planning boards etc. instead of merely reacting when stuff they don't like gets pushed through. Not trolling, just wondering. 613277[/snapback] Speaking for myself, I don't, because I don't care. I have no reaction nor interest in anything going on in the community, mostly because none of it affects me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 As in, for example, working on planning boards etc. instead of merely reacting when stuff they don't like gets pushed through. Not trolling, just wondering. 613277[/snapback] much more time than I would like to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crap Throwing Monkey Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 I wonder how many people who would support the government's acting proactively outside the US take the time and trouble to do so in their own communities? As in, for example, working on planning boards etc. instead of merely reacting when stuff they don't like gets pushed through. Not trolling, just wondering. 613277[/snapback] That which is important to me. Which, at the local level, isn't a hell of a lot. I suppose if I owned a home and paid property taxes I might feel differently... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clinton, Bill Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 I mean, I pretty much know what Bush is trying to accomplish...what was Clinton trying to accomplish? 612883[/snapback] I called Sandy and Madeline and asked for their input.. We all think the proper description is, "shoveling sh-- against the tide." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YellowLinesandArmadillos Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 Speaking for myself, I don't, because I don't care. I have no reaction nor interest in anything going on in the community, mostly because none of it affects me. 613289[/snapback] Really that is too bad. Suburban DC got you down? That is why we moved from there to quasi-rural. Good public schools for my kid..s, taxes are a third less than a comparable private school, low crime, only 3 police officers needed in our town and good home value. Nearest town, Amherst has more crime, but mostly is drunk and disorderly related stuff due to college students. I have to drive slowly on evening weekends to avoid swerving pedestrians. Still and hour from Boston and 2.5 from downtown Manhattan to see a show. Can't beat it, except the long winters. But I will take snow over the 30 degrees and rain crap you get and heck, I am avoiding this winter out in SoCAL. Carlsbad, CA isn't so bad, first day of rain today in a month and it is weird, but everyone here gets out and watches it like "Dude" the first snow of the year. Seriously enjoy the local community discussions at the town eateries and coffee shops, something refreshingly simple about local gossip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRC Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 I wonder how many people who would support the government's acting proactively outside the US take the time and trouble to do so in their own communities? As in, for example, working on planning boards etc. instead of merely reacting when stuff they don't like gets pushed through. Not trolling, just wondering. 613277[/snapback] I am pro-active in my community and I support a pro-active foreign policy, if the situation calls for it. When I see a problem (or something that could become a problem), I try to fix it. I am a member of a couple historical associations, working to preserve history and historical landmarks. I am a member of the Youth Aid Panel with my local police department. I am also an elected official in my township. I have regular contact with my state rep and have written legislation to fix things that I see are problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASCI Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 I think it's artificially constraining to lable foreign policy in general as "proactive" or "reactive". Committing to one to exclusion to the other limits your options unnecessarily in situations where "the other" might be more applicable. The key point, I think, has to be that your foreign policy goals shouldn't be reactive. If they are, the effect is a "no foreign policy" foreign policy. Clinton's administration is, again, a perfect example of this: whether the execution of policy was proactive or reactive, the foreign policy goals were largely, maybe even universally, reactive. 612529[/snapback] Classic example of double speak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crap Throwing Monkey Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 Classic example of double speak. 614080[/snapback] Everyone else understood what I was saying. Leads me to believe your problem is with you, not me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of BiB Posted February 28, 2006 Author Share Posted February 28, 2006 I even like Debbie. She's good people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheRocks Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 If anyone wants to discuss it. This colors everything going on, and should affect the next set of elections. Should the US act aggressively and proactively to affect things in other parts of the world? (Not necessarily military) or, should we be observers and react to things we don't like? I think we should stick with the proactive approach, including military action when needed. That said, I don't want ANYONE lifting a finger without a decent at least 5 year plan, including plan B, C, and D if A doesn't work. 612504[/snapback] i think we should use the philosophy of George Washington. Something to the affect of "mind our own business unless it effects our business." Classic examples of "double speak" then too! Get what you need to further your cause and get out. Leave the allies and enemies to futher their cause on thier own. i.e.... France, England, and Native American Indians in 18th century. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IowaBill Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 Speaking for myself, I don't, because I don't care. I have no reaction nor interest in anything going on in the community, mostly because none of it affects me. 613289[/snapback] That's a somewhat disappointing response fom both you and CTM because I value your opinions here on PPP (and occasionally on TSW!!). The idea that what happens in your local community doesn't affect you is somewhat short sighted. A quick example; over the years I have been recruited to move to a number of medium to large cities across the US in the line of work I do (or did, actually). One of the first questions I would have for a the group recruiting me was whether or not the most recent school bond was passed either by the general public, or by whatever issuing authority that controlled the bond issuing process. I don't have any children. My reasoning was to help me determine what sort of interest there was locally for making an investment in the community, by the community. I have lived in too many places where the people just didn't care enough to make an investment, either in time, money, or effort. Those communities tended to have a lower quality of life, and they also made my job much more difficult. Things that happen in your community do affect you, whether you do or don't have kids, pay property taxes or not own property, own a business or commute outsoide to another community to work. To think otherwise is putting your head in the sand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASCI Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 Everyone else understood what I was saying. Leads me to believe your problem is with you, not me. 614085[/snapback] I understood what you said and it still double speak, but as long as my goal is proactive I can be reactive, right. Foreign policy is inherently reactive. The only way to be truly proactive is to install puppet governments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crap Throwing Monkey Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 Foreign policy is inherently reactive. The only way to be truly proactive is to install puppet governments 614110[/snapback] Or you can put clowns with lasers at the South Pole to preempt the Chinese. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 Foreign policy is inherently reactive. The only way to be truly proactive is to install puppet governments 614110[/snapback] Who taught you that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASCI Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 Or you can put clowns with lasers at the South Pole to preempt the Chinese. 614117[/snapback] Not a bad idea I hear the Chinese are scared of clowns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 That's a somewhat disappointing response fom both you and CTM because I value your opinions here on PPP (and occasionally on TSW!!). The idea that what happens in your local community doesn't affect you is somewhat short sighted. A quick example; over the years I have been recruited to move to a number of medium to large cities across the US in the line of work I do (or did, actually). One of the first questions I would have for a the group recruiting me was whether or not the most recent school bond was passed either by the general public, or by whatever issuing authority that controlled the bond issuing process. I don't have any children. My reasoning was to help me determine what sort of interest there was locally for making an investment in the community, by the community. I have lived in too many places where the people just didn't care enough to make an investment, either in time, money, or effort. Those communities tended to have a lower quality of life, and they also made my job much more difficult. Things that happen in your community do affect you, whether you do or don't have kids, pay property taxes or not own property, own a business or commute outsoide to another community to work. To think otherwise is putting your head in the sand. 614100[/snapback] Just because you could care less about the local politics of the community because it doesn't affect you, as they said, doesn't mean you cannot or do not affect it. I could care less what happens in my little LA community, both the broad city and the small section of town that I live in. And yet I almost always buy from the local merchants rather than chains, attend and support local street fairs and community events, volunteer for the Big Brother program and other local things, am helpful and friendly to my neighbors, etc. Its politics don't interest me much. I am more concerned with the Buffalo politics where I grew up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASCI Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 Who taught you that? 614125[/snapback] Joseph Stalin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of BiB Posted February 28, 2006 Author Share Posted February 28, 2006 Well, I'm a bad, bad man because I don't care. Sue me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crap Throwing Monkey Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 Joseph Stalin 614149[/snapback] Good God, I hope you're joking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 Joseph Stalin 614149[/snapback] Foreign Policy is inherently reactive unless you make a state your puppet? The US is constantly exerting external pressure on foreign nations in ways that are unilaterally beneficial, potentially bilaterally beneficial, and often multilaterally beneficial, (such as creating common markets). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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