Quotes of the Morning: Undermining Democratic Values

“But, you know, the biggest threat [Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez] faces is under — the biggest face we threat — the biggest threat we face in the neighborhood is undermining democratic values and institutions. And it's just — we will continue to speak out on behalf of — of democracy.
[…]
I view — I view him as a threat of undermining democracy. And I view him as a threat. You know, I — I — I would — wish he would invest his petrodollars with the people of Venezuela, and give them a chance to, you know, get out of poverty, and give them a chance to realize hopes and dreams.”
-George ‘Dubya’ Bush, August 1, 2006

“Sure, Chavez was democratically elected and has actually managed to overcome several military coups for control of Venezuela, but he also has been critical of Fearless Leader and likes Fidel Castro. For that he must fall. As to putting his money where his poor are… well, he does, which is why the poor in Venezuela overwhelmingly seem to support him.”
-Skippy

“Then again, there's no gainsaying the fact that Chavez first won office, in 1998, in a fair election with 56 percent of the vote, or that since then he has prevailed in several electoral tests—not to mention a general strike and a coup attempt—growing steadily in popularity each time. Nor is there any denying that he has brought into the democratic process, for the first time, large numbers of Venezuela's poor, most of whom live in the ranchos, or shanty towns, that ring the cities. (As for his alleged class baiting, in a country where the poor account for about 80 percent of the population and where income inequality is extreme and glaring, democratic politics can’t help but involve issues of class—and race: Venezuela's poor are disproportionately black and indigenous.) Through a string of ‘missions’ the Chavez government has brought healthcare and education to many of the ranchos and rural areas, which before now have seen little of either. The missions are financed by proceeds from Venezuela's oil industry, control of which Chavez seized after the 2002 (another sore point for opponents), and which, against expectation, is humming along quite nicely.”
-Mother Jones Magazine, October 4, 2005

“How are we doing on helping the poor in the United States? Apparently we don’t need to help the poor in the U.S.. Everything is going swimmingly here..”
-Skippy

“You know, the United States aggressively pursuing our own — or our security — and, yet, the economy is good. And the reason why is, is because, you know, people have got more money in their pockets to — which helps them unleash this great creativity of the American people. And, plus, we got great workers.”
-George ‘Dubya’ Bush, August 1, 2006

“See? We ‘got’ great workers, and they are all doing fine. As a matter of fact the Republican party is now even hip to the idea of a minimum wage increase for them, just as long as we can tie it to a tax break for the wealthiest Americans.”
-Skippy

“CAVUTO: But is it fair to link [elimination of the inheritance tax] with a hike in the minimum wage?
BUSH: Well, if it achieves the objective, I strong — you know, I support it. I support what the leadership is trying to do, which is to get tax extenders and the death tax and the minimum wage all passed. And, hopefully, the Senate will do so.”
-Question and answer session with George ‘Dubya’ Bush, August 1, 2006

“As always with Dubya the end justifies the means. We used the same logic in Iraq, where the goal of removing Saddam came by the means of a war that has killed thousands of American soldiers, maimed tens of thousands more, and killed over 100,000 Iraqi civilians. The ‘end’ was a good one though, so you can’t blame anyone for how we got there...”
-Skippy

"But, you know, the words 'amnesty' are loaded words. "
-George ‘Dubya’ Bush, August 1, 2006