All republicans are natural patriots

I fear that, for him, the opposite of this a couple of months ago was Giantism, or rooting for New York in the Superbowl, in the past the opposite was Ramsism, Eaglesism, and Pantherism...

A patriot is the one who will do whatever it takes to safeguard his nation. Bush is one of the most patriotic Presidents and history will remember him as such.

A true patriot does not start illegal wars.

With patriots like Bush, who needs traitors?

Duh-bya is not smart enough to know the meaning of the word. If he had to say it, they would have to spell it out phonically.

Ugh? Viet Nam there George. YOU  COWARD!

Bush is a patriot to his agenda(s).

Bush is a globalist, not an American patriot. He was quoted as referring to the constitution as "just a goddamned piece of paper". Don't believe me? Google it.

Chicken-hawk patriotism is always easy to come by, never requires any sacrifice or loss, and readily lends itself to facile, superficial bumper-sticker slogans. Bush and his cabal were all able to shirk their "patriotic duty" during Vietnam and yet show no hesitancy about sending others into combat to shed their blood for a specious "cause"...they represent the onerous "patriotic chicken-hawk" trend at its most reprehensible.

Such a patriot he doesn't feel the need to follow laws that he finds inconvenient. . .such a patriot that he sends others to lie (and die) for his foreign policy blunders. . .(Hey kids! Don't worry! It's not the first war where he has evaded real responsibility!). . .funny how those who scream 'patriotism' the loudest are those who have consistently ignore the lies and deception surrounding the Iraq war. . .those who want accountability for this mess, those who want justice done in fashion according to the law, those who refuse to keep quiet while this administration refuses to answer the questions are patriots. Can you dig it or does your vision of America not include those who feel differently than you?

He is not a patriot. He is a nationalist, a man who believes that his country can do no wrong and is a genlte giant, rather than the reality being a cyclops: big, dumb and inordinantly strong[militarily], not a nice combination. Funnily enough nationalism is one of the constituents of facism...

Patriot: One who loves, supports, and defends one's country. Patriot does NOT mean- One who avoids going to war himself, drops the ball on 9/11, and then proceeds to send thousands of men to their deaths based on lies. One who spends BILLIONS of dollars spreading Democracy for those who never asked for it, yet cuts money for education, veterans and health care.

If by patriotism, you mean making money in the US by any means available and at any cost, why hell yeah!

It's so easy to wave a flag when you,your children and your friends are not the ones getting killed in the War you started.I'd like to go back to the days when a leader rode in the FRONT of his troops-THEN we'd see some real DIPLOMACY instead of macho-posturing from some spoiled ex-alcoholic who thinks he's a cowboy.

Yeah! Sure! I guess...but only if it is the kind of PATRIOTISM that can be put on and taken off...like...let's see...like...ok...like a flight suit on an aircraft carrier...perhaps?!

Patriotic enough to stay out of Nam. Same for his brothers. Couldn't he get those twins to do a USO thing or something instead of being a couple of rich New York city drunk Elitist?

Since these are all positive attributes, it is useless to rate them. They are almost all ones.

He believes that he is patriotic, but doesn't know what it means to BE patriotic. I've MEVER questioned a president's patriotism (R or D) until now.

I think George W. Bush is patriotic, but I'm concerned about the direction his patriotism leads him in terms of foreign policy. His philosophy seems to be Let's get them before they get us. He's turning the U.S. into an international bully, and it's no wonder that we are hated by many countries.

I don't doubt President Bush's patriotism one bit. I think he legitimately wants to do what's right for this country and he acts on these instincts. The only thing is that he never lets people forget what a patriot he is by enveloping himself in the flag. I think that patriotism is more than just that. It isn't about national superiority and the grave obligation we have to spread democracy and American values to the rest of the world. That's a bit arrogant and it gives patriotism and love for your country a bad name. Patriotism is not going with the policies of one leader and conforming to his standards. America is one of the few countries that was established on the basis of a creed and it is upholding the creed that makes you a patriot. It is being willing to fight for and die for your country. You can grandstand all you want, but actions are more indicative of patriotism than mere words. But it's more than just fighting for your country, it's about our right to question our leaders. We must maintain a pluralistic society; without this, the American ideal loses its potency.

Patriotism means never having to say you're sorry for being A.W.O.L. in the National Guard.

Politics must not be an issue when determining someone's patriotism. Just because the President's political and philosophical views may be different than mine does not make him any less of a patriot than I am. I believe that if Bush has proven anything over the past 36 months, it is that he has an unquestionable faith in his country, its people and its mission in the world. The problem with George W. Bush is that his definition of patriotism, based on the rhetoric coming out of the White House, is a flawed one. Patriotism is not just about waving American flags and conforming to the views and initiatives of the President, whoever he may be. Patriotism is a deep, undying devotion and love for your country. It is a faith in the people of your country. It is standing up for what you believe in. So yes, I do believe that Bush is a patriot, but he has at times overstepped the bounds at questioning the patriotism of those who disagree with him, as they are ardent patriots that simply have a different approach to solving the problems facing the nation and the world. ANY man who has the fortitude and strength to undertake the arduous task of the Presidency has to be a patriot.

I don't doubt that Bush loves his country. What I doubt is that he actually understands how much he is harming it by sending it down a path of imperial domination, with arrogant and reckless disregard for the needs of the rest of the world. He doesn't have a sufficient understanding of history and world culture to see the damage he is doing, indeed has already done. Once the United States stood for the idea that beginning a pre-emptive war was wrong, and a crime against the common good of humanity: Bush has led us into exactly such a war. The place where the United States pioneered this idea was a city in Germany named Nuremberg, and the time was 1946. We have thrown away one of the great moral principles of western civilization, and I think very few people realize the full magnitude of what we have lost in the last year.

I beleive that W's heart is in the right place, he is truly patriotic. I think though that his ways of displaying it are questionable, but he has access to information that I don't so for the time being I am not going to question his actions. I know his motives are good, and I think that overreacting is better than not reacting at all. I trust him.

A man who thinks he is a patriot, yet condemns those who do not agree with him and does not accept dissent.

He does not believe in the basic liberties of this country; therefore, I think he is unpatriotic & a horrible president!!

This is another quality that Bush lacks. If he really loved this country he wouldn't be running it into the ground, destroying the hopes and dreams of most of its citizens, sending its economy into a nosedive, inciting anti-US hatred around the world, inflicting his own narrow version of Christianity on non-Southern-Baptists (ie. most of the country), sending its loyal soldiers out to die in a meaningless war whose only purpose is to put more wealth into the pockets of his father's friends, slashing veterans benefits, pillaging the national treasury, and creating a national debt that our great grandchildren will still be paying for. Nope, he may prattle on about how much he loves his country, but his actions (if anyone would care to watch him rather than just listen to his BS) seem to indicate the exact opposite.

Isn't this the guy who went AWOL from the National Guard during the Vietnam war?

Hmmmm... because of Bush the American econonomy has plummeted, he blindly enforced his country into an unjustified war ruining international relations, he blatently ignores internal affairs and if you ask me he admits hypocracy through his actions ( announcing new technology in the production on mini-nuclear weapons)If you ask me this is not patrionism....The american people however are patriotic...almost too much so ( I believe this is due to american propaganda...[otherwise you would realize he is in fact wrong] ) ....NOTE-this in NOT referring to ALL americans.....I know some of you still have a head on your shoulders.

Comparing Bush to Hitler, in my opinion, is unpatriotic, stupid, and shows ignorance of history. Has Bush built mass graves? Wheres the gestapo style governement these liberals keep talking about? All they do is whine about a few hundred terrorists and illegal immigrants not getting lawyers!

Too bad this isnt a personal war. Too bad 70% of Americans support war. So how can all of you idiots say that no one supports it!? 40 countries support war and are helping us! Trying to fight his daddy's battle right, Axlrod? Actually learn something about history. The only point of the Gulf War was getting Saddam out of Kuwait. 1990 was very different times than 2003.

Those who question Kerry's patriotism in voicing his objections to george w's policies should heed historian Henry Steele Commanger warning that "Men in authority will always think that criticism of their policies is dangerous. They will always equate their policies with patriotism, and find criticism subversive." Blindly following the dictates of those in power is not patriotism. It is far more patriotic to oppose illegitimate policies set forth by an illegitimate regime. As for who is truly patriotic: Kerry is a decorated Vietnam Vet. Where was george w while Kerry was getting wounded in combat? george w went AWOL from the Texas Air National Guard in 1972 to avoid taking a drug test. But now, he has no qualms in sending others to kill and die for his country. Who truly "supports our troops?" How is george w thanking the past and present American military personnel for their service? In January 16, 2003, the Bush Administration announced it will suspend enrollment in the VA health system for at least 160,000 qualified veterans due to budget constraints. Furthermore, the Administration has proposed cutting ¤15 billion from the veteran programs over the next 10 years. This while proposing tax cuts which provide millionaires a tax break of at least $90,000 per year.

The true patriots are the men & women fighting in Iraq. These soldiers left their families to fight Evil Saddam's troops. Is Bush a patriot? During the Vietnam War, He did not show up for duty. John290 and cewilliamsound also brought up the sticky civil liberties issue. Bush let Chairman Ashcroft take our rights away. That is why Bush is getting a '1."

Hitler was a patriot. He loved his country. He was also a nutball. Lets see how similar W gets.

A man can not be a Patriot and allow a thing like the Domestic Security Enhancement Act (patriot Act II) to rear its ugly head during his presidency. The thing that made George Washington a great man was that he recognized at the end of eight years of service that it was time for him to step down. (Something not enacted into law until after F.D.R.) Now we are seeing a suppression of the ability of the people to make political speech and Mr. Bush hasn't said anything about it. A true Torie.

Rarely does one express one's patriotism by suspending civil liberties, and bombing civilian populations.

How can someone who is trying to take away ALL our rights be a patriot?

if hes a patriot and he wants this war than he can go and fight it

True patrotism is more than vain, shallow flag-waving. If one truly loves one's country one will do what is best for it, and for its people. One does not show patriotism by exploiting one's countrymen's fears to advance one's own narrow personal agenda. There's no patriotism in Bush's plutocratic tax policies, nor is there any patriotism in presenting our country as a global bully, to the indignation of our friends and the delight of our enemies. Bush's brand of "patriotic" bluster has done more to feed anti-Americanism abroad than anything bin Laden could have done. When we think of America's place in the world, we Americans imagine the Western movie character in the white hat--the "good guy" who is always ready to stand up for what is right and to (reluctantly) take up arms in a good cause. But the guy in the white hat NEVER throws the first punch, and he never puffs himself up by thrashing the weak. Bush is spoiling to do both. I consider myself a patriotic American, and I consider George Bush's presidency a disgrace--and a clear and present danger--to the America I love.

Certainly I'm wiling to believe the man THINKS he loves his country, but he's got a funny idea of what patriotism is. Patriotism, contrary to polular believe, does not mean "stomp your feet, wave your flags, thump your Bible, and do whatever your leader says we should do". In truth, I do not think our friend Bush has done much to better his country, and that's what patriotism is. Perhaps if he worked at it a little more (and stopped listening to John Ashcroft) he COULD be patriotic, but as of now, when I see him referred to as a "great patriot" by Cal Thomas and Mona Charen, I have to laugh.

Jimmy Carter is a true patriot. The Bushies are counterfeit patriots: jingoistic flag-wavers.

He LOOKS Patriotic, and I have no doubt he sincerely loves the flag, Mom, and apple pie. But to exploit America's resources for your own profit is not patriotism. To spill American blood in pursuit of a personal vendetta (in Iraq) is not patriotism. To promote tax policies that further impoverish working Americans while further fattening the coffers of wealthy stock speculators is not patriotism.

What can be said.