John McCain

[PhillyKev 0]

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In 2000, I would have willingly voted for McCain over Gore (and certainly over Bush).

Ditto.

[jazzjumper 0]

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Putting Bush forward was in some ways a power play -- "we Republicans will take control of the country in any damn way we want to, and you'll just have to live with it."

No one put Bush forward except Bush. He was lambasted and thought ill of right up until he started winning primaries. It's like the Democrats don't act that way when they are in power.

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And whoever Bush "anoints" might actually have to do something in an election to win; it's not really particularly automatic, if you look at the past.

Clinton annoited Gore and he was the Pres... Every incumbent President does.

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Frankly, anyone that Bush would anoint would be more a reflection of his handlers and the party hacks than of him personally -- more machine politics. Just what we need

It's not like that is an exclusively Republican thing. Why is it that Democratics insist that Bush's handlers are responsible for everything he does? Have you met the man? Do you know how his inner circle operates? Are you privy to the respect he gets from his inner circle? I just don't buy in to the premise that this guy isn't running his own presidency (as much as any other modern President has.)

No matter how good she looks, someone, somewhere is
sick of her shit!

[wmw999 2,545]

I didn't say that someone wouldn't be anointed -- I just said that whoever was anointed wouldn't necessarily be elected.

Bush (and this is based on living in Texas, so I have a little more experience than a lot of people) is given to sweeping statements which don't seem to show a lot of attention to detail before their having been made. Then the people around him have to go to all kinds of lengths to make these things come true.

There are division chiefs of companies who are noted for this kind of thing -- they have folks who follow them around to see what they say, so that it can come true.

Unfortunately, unless the person is a true visionary, you don't end up with your best plans that way -- folks spend so much time trying to make promises come true that they don't have a good opportunity to spend time forecasting, so that they can come up with plans that build something after them, rather than being terminuses.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[jazzjumper 0]

Well, I lived in Texas all my life, until I joined the military, and have maintained my residency status there. I vote in every election as well, but I wasn't privy to the local news during his terms as govenor.

However, having action people follow up on your plans is exactly what being a leader is all about. Are you suggesting that Bush simply states things on the fly in speeches that his staff has to make come true after the fact? I'm hard pressed to believe that.

However, being in the military, I have had commander's that announced we (meaning me) were heading a certain direction and had never asked me if it was even possible.

Still, it's obvious who each of us supports out here. The Presidency (as with all leadership roles) isn't about "doing" as much as it is about leading and inspiring others to do. To that end, I believe he has lead those who are willing to follow pretty well. Frankly to me, this election is about a war-time President. If 9-11 hadn't happened, this election would be about other issues.... but then again, the administration would be focussed on other issues as well.

No matter how good she looks, someone, somewhere is
sick of her shit!

[Frenchy68 0]

They don't want to have to relenquish citizenship to their old country***
I have dual US/French. Germans can get dual as well. Legal in both countries. Can actually vote twice...

"For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

[PhillyKev 0]

Yeah, and you can have dual US by birth. But if you become a naturalized citizen, you have to relenquish all former allegiance and citizenship to other countries first.

[Frenchy68 0]

But if you become a naturalized citizen, you have to relenquish all former allegiance and citizenship to other countries first.***
Negative. I became a US citizen recently, and was never asked to relinquished the French citizenship. It used to be that way, but changed a couple of years ago.

"For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

[PhillyKev 0]

BZZZTTTT...wrong. France changed their rules, but the US didn't. In the oath you took, "absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty."

[freeflydrew 0]

dude, if I become a us citizen, I never have to give up my British Citizenship...

http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_web/acs/passports/dualcit.htm

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Dual Citizenship

U.S. law does not require a person entitled to more than one nationality to give up his/her other nationality. Travel on a foreign passport does not affect U.S. citizenship. However, please note that all U.S. citizens, even dual nationals, must enter and depart the United States on U.S. passports.

And to add: If McCain was nominated and I could have voted, I would have voted for McCain

[Frenchy68 0]

BZZZTTTT...wrong. France changed their rules, but the US didn't. In the oath you took, "absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty."***
OK, let me rephrase that. It is true that you do pledge the above. However, I specifically asked the (formerly) INS agent whether I have to turn in my passport and renounce my French citizenship, and he explecitely stated that I did not have to do so anymore. I am indeed pledging "exclusive loyalty" to the US, but can still also be the citizen of another country. I know it sounds very contradictory, but trust me, I just went through the whole ordeal.

"For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

[crwtom 0]

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BZZZTTTT...wrong. France changed their rules, but the US didn't. In the oath you took, "absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty."

The US position is roughly that you can still be a foreign citizen as long as
you are declare yourself (under oath) disloyal to your original nationality.
That means of course you'd bear arms for the US if necessary against your
own country of origin (also in the oath) and never use your original citizenship
in any official dealing with US authorities.

In more practical terms, the US has no issue with you owning a foreign
passport but you'd be in big trouble ever using it when entering the US or
officially idenitfying yourself with it after becomeing US-citizen.

That's probably an artifact from the times when "citizenship" wasn't terribly
well defined so that they just tested for "loyalty".

Don't know about the French but German law requires a special permission
to retain citizenship after taking on another one. If you didn't get that before
applying for and receiving (e.g.) US-citizenship you'd
lose German citizenship automatically. Until a few years ago that permission
was nearly impossible to get, basically because of the oath. That has changed
and there's a fair chance one can get that permission now.

Cheers, T

*******************************************************************
Fear causes hesitation, and hesitation will cause your worst fears to come true

[Frenchy68 0]

France does not seem to have a problem with it. Not only did I check with French authorities and was told it was legit, but a friend of mine (French) petitioned on behalf of his American wife and got her a French passport through the consulate in LA. Never once did they ask her to renounce her US citizenship.
Indeed, I am available for draft in the US army. But based on the image the Americans have of French soldiers, I'd probably end up behind a desk anyway...

"For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

[PhillyKev 0]

Right, legally and technically you don't need to apply for expatriation from your former country. But when you take the oath, you are commiting to being a US citizen and in case that conflicts with your previous citizenship, there are no takebacks. You MUST side with the US. They don't expatriate US citizens anymore for voting in foreign elections or travelling under foreign passports. But I don't think there's been a case of a direct conflict of interests since then except for what his name, the American Taliban. And that hasn't been decided yet.