Please Allow Me To Introduce Myself...

[Rob_Lister]

Howdy, Y’all!

My name is Rob Lister (not my real name but close). I’m a senior at Bayside High in Virginia Beach, Virginia. I’m not the best student in the class, but I’m not the worst either. I’m middle-of-the-road, academically – overall, anyway. My greatest weaknesses are with math and science. I take the core classes and still only manage a C average. My greatest strengths regard the softer stuff, like history, literature, English.

My interest has always been politics. I’m currently looking to making it a career choice, even though my father thinks I should be an engineer/doctor/lawyer/plumber/whatever. You know, something productive (probably shouldn’t have included lawyer in that list!)

Anyway, I found this forum and liked what I read but didn’t have much to contribute to the posts already here, so I thought I’d start my own.

If I Were King!

Okay. I’m King (capital K if you don’t mind) of these far-too united states. I get to stay as long as I want. I don’t have to worry about being ‘reelected’, impeached or shot. My ‘minions’ will work it out so that I always win as long as I want and always have the majority of both houses of congress. I’ll profess to be a Democrat so as to better accomplish my goals without making most of the press and Barbara Who? enemies.

Here’s what I’d do regarding the Middle East.

Iraq – pretty much exactly what Bush is doing. In PoliSci we discussed this a little bit. If you look at a complete map of the region, it’s pretty clear what the U.S. is doing. Very smart, according to me (and only me if you listen to the rest of the class. Nobody else likes my opinion, but my grades are better so I don’t much care).

Israel – Maybe I shouldn’t say. When I expressed my opinion in class, I almost got suspended. I did have to see the principal but nothing came of it. Let me just say that Polk is my all time favorite president. When I told the principal that, he said, and I quote, “Polk? Which one was that?” Oh, he has a ‘Dr.’ in front of his name. He’s still pretty cool, for an old guy.

[Westbrook]

[ QUOTE ]
Rob_Lister said:
When I told the principal that, he said, and I quote, “Polk? Which one was that?” Oh, he has a ‘Dr.’ in front of his name. He’s still pretty cool, for an old guy.

[/ QUOTE ]
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon16.gif
Thanks for the laugh, Rob. Great stuff.

By the way, you appear far too articulate for a modern public-schooled youth, by my reckoning. Are you putting us on?

[Warlady]

Welcome to FC Rob. Are you a Republican? What party do your parents belong to if any? Do you like Bush?

[The_RANDy_Corporation]

You should listen to your father.

[noon23]

[ QUOTE ]
Do you like Bush?

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh....never mind /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/roar.gif

[Rob_Lister]

[ QUOTE ]
Westbrook said:
Are you putting us on?

[/ QUOTE ]

On what do you think I'm putting you?

That's a grammar joke, kind of.

[Rob_Lister]

[ QUOTE ]
Warlady said:
Welcome to FC Rob. Are you a Republican? What party do your parents belong to if any? Do you like Bush?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not legally anything until April of next year. Then I guess I'll be independant, at least for a while. My father is a Republican. My mother is a Democrat. Neither is happy with their party, but less happy with the other.

[Large_Al]

So how are the Marlins this year???

[Rob_Lister]

[ QUOTE ]
Large_Al said:
So how are the Marlins this year???

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't really follow the sports but even if I did, you'd have to be more specific. Which sport?

[The_RANDy_Corporation]

This is starting to sound like one of those scenes in the war movies where as part of the test to make sure the "GI" you were greeting wasn't actually an enemy infiltrator you ask where's he's from and then tricky questions about the town's sports teams.

"Where ya from Bob?"

"I am from Flor-e-dah."

"Oh yeah? How the Marlins look next year?"

"Vhat do your mean? A Marlin is a feesh. Ees it not?"

Bang

[Large_Al]

LMAO!! Randy!!

Rob. The Girls Gymnastics of course.

[dPrasse]

[ QUOTE ]
Okay. I’m King (capital K if you don’t mind) of these far-too united states. I get to stay as long as I want. I don’t have to worry about being ‘reelected’, impeached or shot. My ‘minions’ will work it out so that I always win as long as I want and always have the majority of both houses of congress. I’ll profess to be a Democrat so as to better accomplish my goals without making most of the press and Barbara Who? enemies.

[/ QUOTE ]

sounds as though you are a member of the Democratic Machine of Chicago and Richard M. Daley ! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tank.gif

yes , the Marlins womens gymnastic team Looks awesome ! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon125.gif
and I like Bush ......

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

dP
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/patriot.gif

[Peachdiane]

[ QUOTE ]
Rob_Lister said:
Let me just say that Polk is my all time favorite president

[/ QUOTE ]

Well! I'm related to Polk on my mom's side. Said what he intended to do and did it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon16.gif

Welcome! Sounds like some very interesting discussions between your parents! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[Charles]

I like the part about being sideways with the rest of the class!

Sounds like me,...In my classroom full a non-inquisitors.

I'm a studyin' Land survey in south Arkansas Rob, & I am the lone Republican on campus, amoung a bunch a undecidid's.

Welcome to FC!

[Etaoin]

If you don't know, but want to learn and participate, I'd recommend lurking for a while. Get the feel of the place and then jump in. We don't have too many liberals here as they don't last long spewing their emotions which have no shields against logic and rationality.

Then, jump in and get your feet wet, regardless of your orientation!

[DeclinetoState]

"My greatest strengths regard the softer stuff, like history, literature, English."

Rob, history is not "soft." It is the totality of human experience–science, math, literature, philosophy, art, etc. English lit is soft if you judge it by the political beliefs of pro-communist or proto-communist college English profs. Some high-school English lit teachers may be a bit more solid, if you know what I mean.

[Rink]

I'm good in English, grammar and spelling, Love history, took a prerequisite course in college for my major that included the History of Non-western Art. Kinda interesting, learned a good thing or two there too.

Heres an interesting piece of literature for yas /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

The Dante Home Page (http://www.dc.peachnet.edu/~shale/humanities/literature/world_literature/dante2.html)

Just a lil reading fun

[Rhino]

[ QUOTE ]
Rob_Lister said:
My interest has always been politics. I’m currently looking to making it a career choice, even though my father thinks I should be an engineer/doctor/lawyer/plumber/whatever.

[/ QUOTE ]
You should be in my house. My wife has been trying to get me to run for office for many years now.

[TheRealLobo]

If you were king (lower case if you don't mind), you likely would be assasinated by the first conservative to come along.

Our Middle Eastern policy isn't about building an empire or suppressing the weak.

What exactly is "clear" about what the U.S. is doing there?

My first thoughts upon reading your post is that you're implying that the U.S. is practicing Imperialism.

While (in my opinion) the U.S. SHOULD take over the world and allow backwards ass dictators no quarter, many would disagree with me.

[Rhino]

Naivete makes for some very well intentioned mistakes.

[Apollo5600]

[ QUOTE ]
If you were king (lower case if you don't mind), you likely would be assasinated by the first conservative to come along.

Our Middle Eastern policy isn't about building an empire or suppressing the weak.

What exactly is "clear" about what the U.S. is doing there?

My first thoughts upon reading your post is that you're implying that the U.S. is practicing Imperialism.

While (in my opinion) the U.S. SHOULD take over the world and allow backwards ass dictators no quarter, many would disagree with me.

[/ QUOTE ]

my God lobo, he didnt mean it like that!!!!!!!!

my first thoughts while i was reading his post.............................................. .................................................. ........well whatever i was thinking, it wasnt that!!


if he turns out to be a lib later, then just shoot him then!!!!!

[Warlady]

[ QUOTE ]
The_RANDy_Corporation said:
This is starting to sound like one of those scenes in the war movies where as part of the test to make sure the "GI" you were greeting wasn't actually an enemy infiltrator you ask where's he's from and then tricky questions about the town's sports teams.

"Where ya from Bob?"

"I am from Flor-e-dah."

"Oh yeah? How the Marlins look next year?"

"Vhat do your mean? A Marlin is a feesh. Ees it not?"

Bang

[/ QUOTE ]

ROTFLMBO

[Rob_Lister]

[ QUOTE ]
TheRealLobo said:

Our Middle Eastern policy isn't about building an empire or suppressing the weak. What exactly is "clear" about what the U.S. is doing there?
My first thoughts upon reading your post is that you're implying that the U.S. is practicing Imperialism.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, I was implying just that! WE ARE practicing imperialism, but we are not practicing it very well. We could do much better. By the way, why is it that Imperialism has become such a dirty word? From Webster's

From Webster's:
[ QUOTE ]
Main Entry: im·pe·ri·al·ism
<T>he policy, practice, or advocacy of extending the power and dominion of a nation especially by direct territorial acquisitions or by gaining indirect control over the political or economic life of other areas; broadly : the extension or imposition of power, authority, or influence <union imperialism>


[/ QUOTE ]

I guess some forms of imperialism, like what we have sometimes (not always) practiced in the past (mostly behind the scenes), might have caused a lot of suffering, it doesn't have to be that way now or in the future. In Afganistan, are we re-building that nation without consideration of our future direct and indirect political influence? Same question goes for Iraq? So I like imperialism, so long as it's done the right way. and...

[ QUOTE ]
While (in my opinion) the U.S. SHOULD take over the world and allow backwards ass dictators no quarter, many would disagree with me.

[/ QUOTE ]

It sounds like you do too!

[Nolan Void]

Say Rob, since this is not only turning into a foreign policy discussion, but also serves as an introductory thread for yourself, why don't you list some of your defining beliefs as regards politics, the US, and the world, so that we can better know how to interpret the more subtle of your references. That imperialism one for instance, could be considered a criticism of the US, something that would naturally ruffle a feather or two around here.

I'd say imperialism is a dirty word anymore. We may be exercising power in our own self defense, but we do not have a policy of projecting this sort of military power unprovoked, or for any purely self-serving reasons. We see ourselves as liberators in this effort, and if our action serves our interests, it is because it serves those of the occupied nation and the world foremost. In my opinion (and some would disagree), that is the test that establishes the validity of military force when employed by the United States.

[Beowulf]

[ QUOTE ]
Rhino said:
[ QUOTE ]
Rob_Lister said:

You should be in my house. My wife has been trying to get me to run for office for many years now.

[/ QUOTE ]

So has mine.

[Rhino]

Maybe we'll run on the same ticket someday. LOL!