A discussion of how
this century has gotten off to such a bad start.
In other words: A discussion of The Bush Administration
- Wednesday, May 12, 2004 -
I just heard, from CNN's Bill Schneider, perhaps the most ridiculous reason for keeping Rummy: To fire Rumsfeld would be a signal from the Bush administration that the war was going badly and, thus, they must keep him.
News flash to CNN: The war *is* going badly. As Harold Meyerson points out in his "Fantastical Occupation" WaPo opinion piece, contrary to administration claims prior to the conflict, things haven't quite turned out as planned. We weren't welcomed as liberators; the oil revenues have not come close to paying for the occupation; we've needed a continuous presence of 135,000-160,000 troops; the war has cost nearly 150-200 billion (a figure that Larry Lindsey was fired for expressing); 771 dead Americans; 10,000 plus dead Iraqis; no WMDs; no security; looted museums and world treasures; etc etc. By no standard that I can think of, is the war going *well.* But by all means, don't fire the guy who made those plans that are FUBAR right now. In fact, reward him! Keep him on the job! Give him a raise! He's doing a "superb job."
How do I get a job in the Bush administration? Apparently the worse you do, the better you are! Reminds me of the old war adage that the village was burned in order to save it. In fact, I think I'm going to start applying that logic in my own personal life:
*I'm sorry Visa, I didn't send my payment, but I'm not going to send you one now because to do so would be to admit that I didn't send my payment. Besides, if I sent my payment now, you'd look bad for letting me send it in late.
*Sorry boss, I didn't get that thing done. But don't blame me, I only had total responsibility for it. If you blame me, you'll only be putting yourself in the position of having to accept my failures and it will reflect badly on you for hiring me in the first place. In fact, why don't you give me a vacation while you're at it.
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.
"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 Sites we often
like:
more coming...
"There's nothing wrong with America that can't be fixed by what's right with America." - Bill Clinton.
Hey, this is what our banner looks like. You like it?
Hey, feel free to put it on your site and link it to here.
We'd really appreciate it.
you don't have to of course, but if you do that's great.