Bush a Progressive?
No, but he is concerned with his Presidential legacy and that is causing him to lighten his touch a bit, just a bit mind you, which is good news.

I never thought of Bush as being particularly hardcore conservative or anything really, more of a go with the flow, live and let live, kind of guy in his personal life.

As a result, Bush has made two interesting and I think, positive moves.

First, he has taken the middle ground on immigration against the hard-line approach of his party. I can't help but think this is the result of living in a boarder state. He is calling for compromise on a very tricky and complex problem. I can't remember ever hearing the word "compromise" from the President in the last 6 years. This is good news and the right approach on immigration.

Second, he's made a good choice for Sec. of Treasury by picking a Goldman Sachs man, in Paulson. Goldman Sachs is a hard working and smart investiment/financial company that hires the brightest and hardest working guys and gals. To get the CEO of GS is a sign that Bush may want to surround himself with smart poeple, not ideological yes-men. Another good move.

Granted, its only the Sec. of Trea., but its a start.

Now, if he could dump Rove and Rumsfield, Bush really might be able to make some progress and his poll numbers may even increase. Rummy might be on the way out with the lasted, tragic, Marine corp problem his Hidetha and other places. If Rummy is canned, Bush should again avoid ideological yes men and choose the smartest and brightest Sec Def he can find to deal with the mess of Iraq and Afghanistan.

And if the Plame investigation can indict Rove, Bush would have an excuse to hire a new political advisor, although with two years left, he probably doesn't need one.

I'm not saying that this Admin is even approaching the smarts of the Clinton years, but there are signs of a shift from ideologues to guys and gal who are smart first and foremost, and that is good for the country.

Of course, this post will be mute, if not stupid, if Bush comes out (heh, get it) in favor of an amendment banning gay marriage, which it looks like he might do next week.

Democrats-The rest of Us

I'm a democrat because I'm not a republican. As a democrat I can:

1. Be for or against abortion or have an alternative view, like no abortions after the second trimester. Repugs are allowed only one view.

2. Be a Christian, a Muslim, or an atheists. Repugs are only Christian.

3. Be gay or straight or in between. The GOP has gays, but they must stay in the closet.

4. Be concerned or skeptical about global warming. The GOP again has one position.

5. Love and hate the former democratic President. GOP can only hate him.

6. like or dislike Bush, or even scratch my head a shrug my shoulders at what he does. The GOP can only idolize everything he says and does because he is a man of Jesus.

7. Support the war in Iraq or be completely opposed. I can also scratch my head and wish that smarter people were in charge of the war. The GOP can only love Iraq and thirst for Iran next.

8. Sincerely hope that brighter minds come to a peaceful and positive conclusion with Iran. The GOP can only attack.

9. Have various thoughts about the WOT that conflict with common ideas, and hope that brighter minds bring us through this time. The GOP can only be afraid, very afraid.

10. Be for against gay marriage. The GOP has a single opinion on this.

Etc-think of your own.

As a democrat, I can be who I am and still have a political voice. As a Republican I am one type of person, at least in public and say and do things that I might not agree with.

That is the difference between the GOP and the Dems.