I hope Mrs. Karlson may find peace. I hope she gets the answers she deserves. Her son was a handsome young man. Her loss is our loss.
I hope the President does help her. I hope he directs more time and energy into keeping the VA solvent. Our soldiers deserve the best care. No cuts to VA entitlements. EVER.

I disagree when you say "Bush really is beyond the reach or understanding of most of his critics." The new book by fellow conservative John Dean called -Conservatives With Conscience- does a fine job at describing him.

I remember reading a letter from a man who had been able to meet the President in a group and he told the President he was praying for him and also asked for the President's prayers. When the President asked what he should pray for, specifically, the man said he had cancer. The man was later invited to meet with the President personally, and he expected a two or three minute audience. But the President spent more than an hour with him, talking with him, praying with him, holding his hand, and hugging him.

raker is right that it would be wrong to cut VA spending, and I hope this is not on the agenda of the White House. If it is, it would be the second major issue on which I would have to disagree with the President, the first being immigration.

Our soldiers deserve the best care. No cuts to VA entitlements.

Nothing is going to happen to the VA. And as a combat veteran from the Viet Nam era and the son of a WWII and Korea combat vet, I assure you that there is no such thing as an "entitlement" in the VA. Those benefits are earned with the blood of our fighting men and women. Entitlements are things like welfare and farm subsidies. VA benefits are not entitlements in that sense.

I don't think we have ever had a president with as much care and devotion for the American people as George W. Bush!!
In my book We will be lucky to have another on like him!!
The sacrifice that the president has given to his country through his time and devotion remind me of:

Romans 8:28 The power of Gods love for his people!

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose"

And I believe without the shadow of a doubt that George Bush was called to be our president by God!!

And that's one thing about the President, by knowing that he has his heart right with the Lord, that, there is NOTHING in ALL creation will EVER seperate him from the love of God, and if any of you out there are true believers then that appropriately applies to you as well!!

And not only that, but the president exercises his faith in public, and what a tremendously wonderful witness he is!! That the world may know the love of Christ!!

I know it has to be hard for him to confront the families when they lose a loved one in this war, well you see, this is where his love for Christ shines through, because he uses his love for Christ to comfort those in sorrow!!

Many people cannot understand this love of Christ, because they don't know Him in a personal way, and make no mistake, NO ONE or NOTHING can comfort you like knowing Jesus as you personal savior, Not one single thing on earth!! Because when you are down and out and it seems no one cares there is always Jesus there to talk to! All it takes is a little faith!! faith the size of a mustard seed will move mountains God says!!

And don't worry about those who say all kinds of things against you for His name sake, because He will take care of them too!!

He tells us Those who do not believe stand in judgement!!

Anyways.......... the President has my full respect for the man that he is, He indeed is a man of honor and dignity to his country!! and I thank him for it!!

Jeremiah

In this case (only) your right Scaramooch. Entitlement was a poor choice of words. I was at work and in a hurry. But I always keep an eye on what you knuckleheads are writing.

My point was, they have EARNED everything and MORE, please don't tell me the VA budget has not been touched though.

I was at work and in a hurry

There's always an excuse for you libs, isn't there? It was work's fault - it made you hurry. Nasty old work.

The research I did showed me that President Bush has consistently submitted budgets to congress which included increases for budget allocations for the VA. As just one example, you can look at the 2007 VA Budget Request (in Adobe Acrobat format), which shows that once again the budget requests submitted by the President support increases in the VA budget. There is also this blog article from January 11, 2004, which talks about the mysterious "slashing of the VA budget" that no ones seems to be able to substantiate. But since the accusers are anti-war nuts, it is not surprising that they would make stuff up to scare everyone.

Of course the budget of the VA is subject to the same activities in the congress as any other agency, but the President has little to say about that. But he submits the budget for the VA to them with more-than-adequate justification and they have to write the appropriations bills. Then all he can do is sign or veto the resultant bill.

And the VA budget is likely to rise and fall with the population of living vets who are eligible for its benefits. The median age for WWII vets still living is 80. They once numbered in the millions but their numbers are shrinking daily and soon there will be none left. New wars generate new vets but nothing since WWII has seen those kinds of numbers. I have never heard of a vet being denied services because of budget issues. I would be surprised should such info (in the form of proof) be revealed.

Rev,

You're right. The only "cuts" have been between what is submitted by the VA and the President, and what Congress Appropriates and Authorizes. When Congressional actions comes in below what the VA has requested, through the President's Budget, the Bush detractors cry that Bush is cutting the budget for the VA. The truth is that Congress "cut" the amount of increase. However, during every year of the Bush Administation, the VA's budget has increased. Here are the numbers:

2002 - $51.7 Billion

2003 - $56.6 Billion

2004 - $63.6 Billion

2005 - $67.0 Billion

2006 - $71.8 Billion

2007 - $80.5 Billion

That's a $28.8 Billion, or a 55.7% increase, since 2002. Sounds like a substaintial increase to me.

Hmm, Mark. I wonder what kind of Mother this President has, especially concerning casualties of this illegal war.

"Why should we hear about body bags and deaths," Barbara Bush said on ABC's Good Morning America on March 18, 2003. "Oh, I mean, it's not relevant. So why should I waste my beautiful mind on something like that?"

Now let's see what your pResident says about this war:

The most important thing is for us to find Osama bin Laden. It is our number one priority and we will not rest until we find him.
October 13, 2001

I don't know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority.
March 13, 2002, Whitehouse.gov

I'm a war president.
February 13, 2004, Meet the Press

Nobody wants to be the war president. I want to be the peace president.
July 20, 2004, campaign speech

For a while we were marching to war. Now we're marching to peace. ... America is a safer place. Four more years and America will be safe and the world will be more peaceful.
July 20, 2004, campaign speech

U.S. Figures Show Sharp Global Rise In Terrorism
State Dept. Will Not Put Data in Report
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/04/26/AR2005042601623.html

Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.
August 5, 2004, at the signing ceremony for a $417 billion defense spending bill (H.R. 4613)

Those weapons of mass destruction have got to be here somewhere. No, no weapons over there! Maybe under here?
speaking in jest at a Radio and Television Correspondents' Association dinner on March 24, 2004. To that date, hundreds of Americans had already died in Iraq in a futile search for the mentioned weapons.

War Helps Recruit Terrorists, Hill Told
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8853000/site/newsweek/

This President is responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent human beings world wide and you, in your twisted mind try and portray him as someone good and decent. I know this is a blog for Bush and I am responding negatively to your views of this imbecile who currently sits in our white house but you need to hear this because there will come a day when the people of this country take back their country, and more than likely it will be in 2006 and 2008 and the good people of this country will begin to restore all that was good and decent before 2000.

You are a minority and you know it and that is why your commentary is full of hysterical and quite frankly bizarre interpretation of what is really going on in the world.

John Dean is no conservative and to describe him as such is a travesty.

Had the chance to meet Bush last week in Ohio...it was incredible. Spoke for almost an hour to about 600 of us. No media, totally off the cuff.

The guy so totally gets it. His vision for the Middle East was very interesting and he knows that he will be long gone and dead before it's likely to take hold...we are dealing with a region that has gone a certain way for thousands of years.

It was incredible.

It's so obvious the difference here. Conservatives pour out their appreciation and love. Libs pour out their doubt and hate, and "Jesus was a leftie" makes that so clear.

Do you know what besides the war on terror helps recruit terrorists? Doing absolutely nothing. For all the time up to the declared war on terror, global terrorism led by the islamic fascists was getting worse and worse. If the war on terror is what is recruiting terrorists, then where did all the 9/11 terrorists come from? Where did the terrorists from the USS Cole come from?

Do nothing when others teach hatred for humanity, and watching as humanity is poisoned by the lack of compassion and love for each other, is what allows terrorism to continue growing. I thought Jesus "the leftie" taught compassion, taught this at great risk to himself and those he loved.

Do you want to sacrifice Jesus' teachings just because Islamic fascists want to teach hatred and kill our people if we try to teach love? If people 2,000 years ago had that attitude, we'd never know the name Jesus, his name would have died and our world would be much darker.

But love is bold. True compassion is bold. And, thank God, George Bush is bold. Thank God George Bush took out Saddam before he had time to reconstitute his WMD program which the Duelfer report on CIA's website says he was going to do, before he could use them on our troops, on Israel, on Saudi Arabia, and on "everybody" as he had vowed to do if threatened during Desert Storm. Thank God for George Bush.

""He said, 'I just love the military. There's just something about miliary families.'"

Wow, you're right. There's just no way anyone can get this man. A president meets with the family who lost their son in Iraq, there's just no way to comprehend the depth of what this man brings to the table. It's mind boggling. No other president we've seen could give the passion, depth and soul of his words to this family. Right on the money, Mark!

http://republicans06.blogspot.com/2006/08/be-sure-to-vote-in-my-first-poll.html

Morris - Oh dear...you so contradict yourself. But first let me clear something up for you...

"If the war on terror is what is recruiting terrorists, then where did all the 9/11 terrorists come from? Where did the terrorists from the USS Cole come from?"

Most of those that hijacked the planes on 9/11 were from Saudi Arabia, NOT Iraq as Chaney and others tried to connect over and over and over again.

"Thank God George Bush took out Saddam before he had time to reconstitute his WMD program which the Duelfer report on CIA's website says he was going to do, before he could use them on our troops, on Israel, on Saudi Arabia, and on "everybody" as he had vowed to do if threatened during Desert Storm."

But, but, but...

I thought we were told that Saddam HAD weapons of mass destruction. The rush up to this war was because he HAD them and we were just waiting for a mushroom cloud. Which is it? Did he or didn't he? Cause with your logic, Saddam was the one who drove those planes into the towers and the pentagon. And if Bush is so "bold" then he should send his daughters into battle if he believes what he is doing is for the good of this country. Like Roosevelt, whose sons fought in WWII, Bush should send his children and let their blood be spilt for the cause that you all seem to think is so noble.

JWAL - here is a site just for you.

http://www.westegg.com/unmaintained/carnegie/win-friends.html

I think this describes full well President Bush and his ethics. He is a man of character, and a man of deep care for those who have lost loved ones. If that weren't the case, why would he not be doing this? And don't say that it's just because he feels he has an obligation. No one made him do this, and frankly no one could. He has a mind of his own, he can decide how to divide up his time. And President Bush, being the man he is, decided to take time to speak with these families. Because he knew that they had lost loved ones so that others loved ones could be protected. And President Bush, like so many other decent Americans, greatly greatly appreciates what they have done.

But then you have guys like Tom, the sicko leftie person who wants to defame the name of Jesus, and other brain-washed lefty fanatics who want to accuse Bush of every travesty since the creation of Earth. To these guys, you just do what you would do to any other gnat that happens to be bothering you. Shew them away, and just wait for them to come back and shew them away again. Although they get aggravating, you just shew them away until they finally get the picture!

Thier hate mongering is not acceptable, and comes to a point to where it is non-acceptable. They can't see truth, and they refuse to see truth. They don't believe in justice, and they have no sense of humanity. Thier ideals and ethics are so screwed up it isn't even funny.

But, as Mark once said, we let thier actions serve as an exemplar. As a guide post to others what to steer clear of.

May God bless the troops, our President, and our Nation as a whole. And I pray that he will continue to have mercy upon the homeland, and his hand of protection will continue to cover the troops as they fight this noble war.

Lucas.

Deleted - Mindlessly offensive comment.

TAO - given upp on rational statements and just doing insults now eh? Whatever.

You could use that Dale Carnegie course also.

http://www.westegg.com/unmaintained/carnegie/win-friends.html

Deleted - Mindlessly offensive: you know, like something a ill-mannered boy might post, as opposed to a reasoned dissent from GOP/Presidential policy...

Most of those that hijacked the planes on 9/11 were from Saudi Arabia, NOT Iraq as Chaney and others tried to connect over and over and over again.

Over and over again? Delusional troll. War

BTW, Jwal, it's "Cheney." If you're gonna troll, at least act like you have an IQ. War

Well, I was wondering which troll would be the first to begin a tirade of the same ol' talking points on a thread that was addressing the President's concern for those who have lost a loved one in this important fight against terrorism. And ding, ding, ding we have a winner...JWAL you can choose from three doors!!! Pssst..BTW they are all exits...get lost troll!!!

You can quibble with him on some issues, but Bush's head and heart is solid IMO. ITs too bad that the un -MSM will not even give him any credit for the following: getting us out of the Clintune recession; the economy growing at the fastest average race over a five year period; low unemployment and inflation; cutting the deficit by $200 billion over a two year period; the fastest revenue growth; mainstream Supreme Court justices; security and the war on terror.

He inherited a mess.

To Jesus was a leftie,

To begin with, What you believe in and spew should never be twisted just to assoiciate your warped views with the name of Jesus.
I do admire your way of one line, out of context cherry picking of the President's words from different days in relations to that days line of questions. For instance, when he said he is a war president, well, is'nt he? Just because on a later day he said he does'nt like or want to be does not change the fact the he is currently one. When he said he did'nt care where Bin Ladon is, he was right. At this point in time it does'nt matter. Whty? Because this has gone beyond catching the man who lit the fuse to this world of fighting. Yes he may have started it and I want him dead or caught, but this is now bigger than one fanatic. So pull your head out of your one line sound clips and see the WHOLE picture. And please my savior out of your lies and garbage. Thanks.

To JWAL; To begin with, please quit using my saviors name in connection with your one sided, often wrong, hateful ideas.
In regards to the President saying he is a war presiden, well, is'nt he? Just because he on a later date says he does'nt like being one does not change that fact he is. You can cherrry pick anyones speech orideas apart by clipping one from here or there. Remember that on different days he fields different questions that when answered BASED ON THE QUESTION CURRENTLY BEING ASKED,an honest answere will have a lightly differt angle.
I think what throws you off is your not used th a President giving honest answeres. It's not your fault though since you did'nt get many throughout the Clinton years. Please try to see the WHOLR picture and not just pieacemeal snipits together.

Before anyone writes to complain about my recent spelling errors, sorry. I have carppel tunnel and tennis elbow both this week making it tough to type fast without mistakes. I will preview and correct before sending out next comment.

Kahn, Mary S,
Hilarious! I love this blog. I get my spirit lifted, and laughs to boot.

JWAL,
"If the war on terror is what is recruiting terrorists, then where did all the 9/11 terrorists come from? Where did the terrorists from the USS Cole come from?"
Most of those that hijacked the planes on 9/11 were from Saudi Arabia, NOT Iraq as Chaney and others tried to connect over and over and over again.

I wasn't meaning geographically, leftie. I was wondering that if the global war on terrorism is responsible for rising terrorism, then what was it before the global war on terrorism that was responsible for rising terrorism? 9/11 was without a doubt the sharpest rise in terrorism in decades. Where did that sharp rise in terrorism come from?
Yes, most of the 9/11 terrorists did come from Saudi Arabia. What do you think might be a good non-violent, leftie kind of approach to hatred in a country? Perhaps, it might be liberating another country in the region that isn't as strong so that fair handed truth and compassionate ideas can find their way into Saudi Arabia without the great number of casualties and immediate world war that would come when we captured Mecca?

"I thought we were told that Saddam HAD weapons of mass destruction. The rush up to this war was because he HAD them and we were just waiting for a mushroom cloud. Which is it? Did he or didn't he?"
Why don't you ask Clinton-appointed intelligence director Tenet? He said we had a "slam dunk case."

Or if you want to blame Presidents for intelligence failures, there was a great documentary on the Bay of Pigs last weekend about how Kennedy took over the project, changed it up after not listening to his advisors, and got whipped in Cuba. Then he sent troops into Vietnam. Do you understand why it is he wasn't reviled then as he would be today by the left? He had a vision of America as strong, a positive vision of what America could be, an America people wanted to believe in. He made mistakes, but people remember him for his vision.

Where is that kind of vision today in the left? Where is the unity of most of the country behind a leader who dreams such a vision of peace and prosperity? Or have they been told so much since LBJ that they're entitled to it that they think anyone who isn't capable of fulfilling all of their hearts selfish desires is the enemy, so that in their narcissism they want to replace the person whose fault it is, because it can't be their fault because they deserve it. Saudi schools aren't the only ones that could improve what they teach.

"Cause with your logic, Saddam was the one who drove those planes into the towers and the pentagon."
I never said that, though there's tons more evidence to support that conclusion than there is supporting the left's theory that America sent those planes into the WTC. But why limit our thoughts to what is supported by evidence when we can find another reason to bash Bush, right? What I said is what Duelfer said in his report if you're really interested in evidence. There is much evidence that Saddam was gathering WMD scientists and using UN Oil for Food money to bring down sanctions so that he could start his programs at full speed once that was complete. He had violated UN resolutions against developing and producing medium range missiles so that once he had WMDs again, he could reach Tel Aviv, Riyadh, or any of his enemies in the region.

But why should we think it important to hold him accountable for not keeping his word. Perhaps we should have taken him on his word that he hadn't produced those missiles, just as Clinton took Il's word that he wouldn't use all those enrichment facilities to build weapons. Why actually believe a crazy dictator to be as crazy as he claims to be in Iraq, North Korea, Iran, or Nazi Germany? Are you learning yet?

"And if Bush is so 'bold' then he should send his daughters into battle if he believes what he is doing is for the good of this country. Like Roosevelt, whose sons fought in WWII, Bush should send his children and let their blood be spilt for the cause that you all seem to think is so noble."
I feel such pity for you that you would say something like that, that you would want anyone who didn't feel their place was serving our country in that one noble way to be "held responsible" by risking great injury and death. We have an all volunteer force, one representing our country's liberty, and Bush has not ordered a single person into combat who had not at one time or another taken an oath to protect this country in that particular way with their lives. You must be so angry, and I hope the compassionate force running through this world will lighten your spirit and turn you again toward the light.

Before anyone writes to complain about my recent spelling errors, sorry.

Not to worry, OhioJ.C.--I only go after the libs for their writing deficiencies. You see, we in the GOP aren't always harping about how smart we are. The libs are supposed to be enlightened, so they should know better than to write poorly.

He inherited a mess.

Tina, you nailed it--he inherited a mess, and has worked hard to right the ship, even against great odds. Got us through a recession, despite 9/11 and two costly battles in the war against Islamofascism.

Unfortunately, the mess will be around for a while. So it's up to us to ensure that whomever inherits the mess is capable of dealing with it. I hardly trust the left to solve any of our, or the world's problems. Not in '06, nor in '08. War

Don't worry about the typos or misspellings. Nobody here really cares, unless its a liberal who makes those mistakes, since they know all and as Keefer says they are smarter than everyone else.

Keefer - this mess w/ the Islamofascists will last for decades at least. However, I think if the Eurorail rats are beginning to understand this problem.

**Eurorail rats are the European liberals, commies, socialsts, etc.

Now we've got the slavering fever-swamp trolls comparing themselves to Jesus! No great surprise, given the superiority complex (wholly unjustified) we keep seeing from the rabid Left.

But wouldn't you think they'd get some new talking points? I can't believe they're still trying to convince anyone that the only (or even main) reason to invade Iraq was WMD, or that admitting to an obvious fact---that of being a war president----and then saying he would rather be a peace president is somehow a contradiction.

The only point losers like the self-styled Jesus-like leftie can possibly make is that he has no point. He has some tepid, left-over, repeatedly debunked talking points that are silly and meaningless, and the fact that he took the time to do his pathetic cut and paste to parade them around in front of us is sad, just sad. He's so proud of his garbage, so tickled to have the chance to drag it out and pass it around, he doesn't even mind the snickering.