In other words: A discussion of The Bush Administration
Trying to make sense out of war is like staring at sand and trying to imagine the rock it came from -- that is, as one definable thing with a recognizable shape now as an infinite number of imperceptible grains. I could go on with this metaphor.
I also think that selling a rock is a lot easier than selling sand at the beach.
Following the threads of this war, you realize that the United States has lied about everything from the beginning, lied inconsistently, will continue to lie, and that none of it matters. I've actually seen the lies diagrammed on huge spreadsheets, with timelines. I believe this is a pointless activity, ill-suited to the study of history; rather look into the dark heart of the planners. Iraq is clearly a pitstop, only this one and all subsequent Arab wars for years to come will erase entirely any benefit this administration claims in behalf of its actions. Why most Americans can't -- or refuse -- to acknowledge that this war is being fought for private companies' private (and sole) enrichment is maybe not so much a mystery as an infuriating irrational native response. It reminds me of all the steelworkers wrapping themselves up in Ronald Reagan's flag as their jobs disappeared and their families broke up and their towns died -- and then they went out and voted for Reagan again overwhelmingly, pumping their fists in the air and shouting jingoistic cant. None of it makes sense. I always hear, "People vote their pocketbooks." Bullshit, they do not. I saw a recent photograph of an old Russian man kissing a portrait of Stalin, and I thought, That's us, that's who we are right now. I knew we were in trouble ten years ago when everybody in New York fell at Giuliani's knees and sucked his dick during his entire autocratic regime. I knew then that a nationwide wave of tyranny was coming. Last night after reading the paper and listening to the news and finishing my e-mails and considering the events of the day, I came to the gut realization that what we're witnessing now is the rise of dictatorship in the United States, that this war(s) serves a host of purposes, not the least of which is to consolidate power at breathtaking speed into the hands of four or five conscienceless men who are by all accounts mad. Donald Rumsfeld is insane. When you look at what happened to Germany under Hitler, you have to ask, How could it come to pass that an entire nation handed itself over to a madman? Well, now you know.
We acknowledge no one, and have little grasp of history. The rest of the world will align itself against the United States, and this is of no consternation to most Americans; the possibility is hardly considered. It's floating out there on the airwaves but quickly gets lost in the clutter and babble. Inevitably, though, Europe will ally itself with Asia and within the next 30 years power will shift to that part of the world. This is as clear to me as the coming wars with Iran and Syria. When something horrible happens in New York and Washington (I can't really see it not happening, can you?), Bush will declare War Powers and martial law could take effect, maybe not. Either way, the next election won't be like anything we ever witnessed in this country before.
It always bothered me that Bush acts as though he will never pay a political price, that the rules don't apply, that he doesn't need to curry favor with the electorate, apart from a photo op and happy talk. That nothing will come to haunt him, that he has no obligation to his political base. I keep thinking, What does he know that the rest of us don't?
- Michael 2:28 PM - [PermaLink] -
----
TCS Now offers a News Reader Feed
Subscribe to the TCS Feed
Having trouble with some of the poor English
on this site?
Imagine what it looks like when translated by a machine:
This is a "team" blog. We are a bunch of
Americans, whose rising distress
in our leader's decisions brought us together to make this site.
As Bush said, he's a "uniter." Many of us have never even met.
That's the internet for you.
Buy our cool stuff.
And tell everyone what you feel.
We have a little Store
you can visit.
Our store's selection of items is constantly growing. Come
see what we have.
We're also Amazon Associates, so if you want to buy something from Amazon, please search for it below, and we will get a few bucks from the sale.
Static Sky
Tin Foil Caps
The Free Speech Zone
The office of the independent blogger
Buzzflash
Tom The Dancing Bug
VerifiedVoting.org
Get Your War
On
This Modern World
Eschaton / Atrios
Daily Kos
meowpurrmeow
Contribute to America's Future
It is now more important then ever.
Donate to the Democractic Congressional Campaign Committee
Donate to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
Some More Site Mottos
"To announce that there must be no criticism of the
president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is
not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the
American people."
- Teddy Roosevelt
"Government has a final responsibility for the well-being of
its citizenship. If private cooperative endeavor fails to provide work
for willing hands and relief for the unfortunate, those suffering
hardship from no fault of their own have a right to call upon the
Government for aid; and a government worthy of its name must make
fitting response."
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt
"I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and Constitutions, but laws must and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths discovered and manners and opinions change, with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors."
- Thomas Jefferson
"The means of defense against foreign danger historically have become the instruments of tyranny at home."
"All men having power ought to be distrusted to a certain
degree."
- James Madison
"I believe in human dignity as the source of national purpose, in human liberty as the source of national action, in the human heart as the source of national compassion, and in the human mind as the source of our invention and our ideas. It is, I believe, the faith in our fellow citizens as individuals and as people that lies at the heart of the liberal faith. For liberalism is not so much a party creed or set of fixed platform promises as it is an attitude of mind and heart, a faith in man's ability through the experiences of his reason and judgment to increase for himself and his fellow men the amount of justice and freedom and brotherhood which all human life deserves."
- John F. Kennedy
"Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things. Among them are [a] few other Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or business man from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid."
- Dwight D. Eisenhower
more coming...
