Just Say Why

Are we witnessing the demise of the Republican Party, just like the demise of the old Republican Party called the Wigs (Whig) Party? The Whigs were the Republican Party of th 1850s.

Has Bush put the final nail in the coffin of the Conservative Party?

This really is two questions. The Republican Party is struggling for its life and is rejecting the ultra-conservative slash-and-burn philosophy which benefits nobody but the ultra rich. Even the Conservatives are screaming for the removal of the Neo-Conservatives from the ranks. The ultra-conservatives that have taken over the White House is the same party taken over by America’s religious fanatics.

Will the Republican Party be able to get the religious freaks under control while silencing the destrictive force of the slash-and-burn conservatives? If not, it won’t survive.

Too bad, too. A one party system is not good for America.

Have you given any thought to what you plan to do after the next terrorist strike?

There’s really no question any more that the Bush Administration bungled big time when they let 9/11 happen. We don’t know if they really wanted it to happen or not. There’s plenty of speculation and evidence to make one wonder.

However, there’s no doubt that nothing has been done to make us any safer. Nothing. But — there has been plenty done to expand the reach of hatred of America. The smoking gun in the form of a mushroom cloud is really the mushroom cloud of ever expanding American hatred. The number of terrorists has mushroomed since we invaded Iraq.

So, let’s do the math — more terrorists, more hatred, less security. Is someone just waiting for the next attack?

And, when it happens, will Bush declare Martial Law? Of course he would. Why not.

Imagine the awful really happening. Imagine all the right-wing America haters swearing up and down that we need a Hitler to protect us. “Let’s flush our rights and freedoms, quick!” Just like Hitler’s Germany.

And, what will America’s press do? You think it was despicable what they did the first time, just imagine what they’ll do the next time.

And, what will little Georgie do? There really should be no doubt in anyone’s mind.

Are you prepared? If you wait till it happens, it’ll be far too late to stop it.

Remember that America’s Congress is a reactive community. They will only do something about little George if you make it necessary. Otherwise, it is easier for them to just ride it out and hope nothing bad happens.

Are you ready?

There has been a noticeable increase in the rumblings for impeachment. Yet, you hear all the arguments over and  over about how much worse it could be with Cheney in Charge.  There’s also the “promise” from grandma Pelosi about not pursuing impeachments.

Then, there’s the incoherent right-wing talking point about how nobody the president appoints can be impeached. Of course, just the knowledge that it’s a right-wing talking point makes it pretty much unbelievable so I’ll leave this one for my readers to ponder if they believe it.  But let’s talk about the impeachment of Bush, Cheney, and Gonzales.

There has been an endless stream of crimes coming from the Republican White House, some as grave as treason. Maybe every one of these cases can be shrugged off as just a gross misunderstanding by the press or the people. However, without anyone able to investigate, all we can do is assume guilt. An innocent White House would he expediting the investigations.

So, using this simple litmus test, it’s obvious that something stinks.

Pursuing impeachments will have the right-wing nuts claiming that it’s retribution, reciprocity, and revenge. Maybe we can’t just dismiss every right-wing talking point as a lie, but we sure don’t need to spend much time in serious contemplation. If a crime has been done, America NEEDS to exact fair and reasonable consequences. Failure to do so will destroy this country as any future tyrant will be free to push the limits even further, and not fear the consequences.

Yes, indeed, we need to consider the consequences of our actions, but no action at all will be worse than the worst we can imagine, even with Cheney in charge of the country. Impeachment is necessary for this country to heal. Pardoning or ignoring the transgressions is a sure path to further crimes from future administrations.

We need to stop the nonsense, here, and now. The buck stops with us.

Impeach Bush, Cheney, and Gonzales.

What is the problem with America? Are we so self-centered that we don’t care what happens to our country? Do we just not care if it’s Bush’s Dictatorship? Do we just not care enough to think about it?

Get outraged!

Bush is following in lock step, the steps Hitler took to destroy Germany. Doesn’t that matter to you?

Bush’s latest move to marginalize Congress is exactly what Hitler did right before declaring himself The Decider.  In fact, the Republican party is hell-bent on turning America away from Congress and Bush will have an easy job of saying the Congress is worthless, and disband it. Exactly like Hitler.

Maybe this is Bush’s (and the Republican Party’s) plan, and maybe it’s not, but that doesn’t matter. We can’t let it get to this point where a president could anoint himself Supreme Leader, or The Voice of God. We have three co-equal branches of government, each designed and sworn to balance the others.  Three legs of a stool. Without any one of them, the stool falls, as does our country.

Where’s the outrage?

Why aren’t we marching in the streets to protect our country? Why are we so silent while these barbarians take over our country from within? If we don’t wake up soon, it will be too late.

We can’t wait till 2008!

For those who have been keeping track, this has been the most obstructionist congress in the history of America. Obviously I’m talking about the minority party since the majority has no reason to obstruct their own bills.

You can read these facts in the news only, most news channels report it as a general failure of the congress, not a Republican campaign to harm America.

The plan was to obstruct every piece of legislation they can. Then, start a multi-million dollar smear campaign to blame it on the Democratic party. Of course, Americans wouldn’t be so stupid as to fall for this, now would they? Would they? Huh?

Now, we Americans need things to get fixed and we need them fixed right now. We don’t have time for these political games at the expense of the country. What kind of people would actually play games with the needs of the country just to arrange for a smear campaign? Do people really vote for these traitors?

Is the American Conservative party suffering from a treatable illness?

This isn’t a joke or a slam against a political party, but an honest and heart-felt concern. With all the new books on the market every day, it’s easy to miss valuable information. There have been quite a few books lately regarding the question of whether or not conservatism is an illness. The symptoms certainly point to a curable and avoidable condition.

For a little insight into the issue, I suggest you read, among other books, Glenn Greenwald’s A Tragic Legacy, John Dean’s Conservatives Without Conscience, and Dr. Bob’s The Authoritarians (online only).

The symptoms are quite obvious and at the same time frightening. Imagine someone so blinded by the convictions of their beliefs or decisions that they actually refuse to see and believe the facts to the contrary. Though it may be related, I’m not talking religion, but just simple personality definitions. Hitler, at his low point, still appreciated support from over 30% of the people. How could this possibly be? It can happen easily when the 30% are unable to believe what they’re seeing, or believe that they’re wrong.

Who are these stuck-in-the mud conservatives? Why can’t they realize they’re wrong? Why do they continually lie or appear to lie to defend their positions?

It not a lie. They really believe that up is down and black is white if that’s what’s necessary to avoid admitting they’re wrong. Now, sometimes this is the sickness you see with TV and Radio talk show hosts spewing disproven lies and misinterpreting polls, but most often, these sick people suffer from greed, more than conservatism, and they’ll quickly switch to spewing the lies out the other side of their mouths if that’s where the money is.

These Conservative symptoms are not attractive and are not successful in a society. They do not improve the odds of producing offspring. In cave men, this was a good survival trait. In a civilized society, it’s being cleaned from the gene pool. However, occasionally, it rears its ugly head, especially under times of social stress such as hard economic times or times of war.

This particular sickness tries to spread itself much like a disease. Conservatives want to kill or repress or stifle or export everyone who doesn’t agree with their twisted views. Do the Crusades and the Dark Ages ring a bell? Do you know any well known conservatives that have this attitude? A better question would be, do you know any that don’t?

Some self-proclaimed liberals have these same traits, but if they had made the wrong decision to believe the wrong interpretation, they’d be just as dogmatic about retaining that perspective as they are at retaining their self-proclaimed liberal prospective. The symptom of a Liberal is their willingness to learn and adjust to new facts.

Are conservatives doomed to be stuck in their make believe world the rest of their lives? Of course not. Just look at how many have finally realized that they can no longer bend the facts to continue their support of the Bush Debacle. Often a lesson as hard as this is enough to wake them from their stupor of infallibility. Unfortunately, though, the next spell of hard times and they’re right back in the pot.

Conservatives may need our help getting out and staying out of the pot. Education is usually a good antidote but it’s not a cure-all. Children raised in conservative environments generally carry forward the sickness and continue to try to spread it to others when they become adults. Some kids even try to spread it in schools, but that’s another story, entirely.

So, how do we save mankind from this sickness? Here’s my list of suggestions:

1. Require and provide free higher education to everyone
2. Screen teachers in all schools for this inability to assimilate facts when they contradict the teacher’s inherent prospective.
3. Remind people that it’s a sickness, not necessarily a choice.

Having written Ensign and asking him to help restore Habeas Corpus, I received the stupidest reply I would ever expect from anyone who knows what Habeas Corpus meant. Perhaps he just doesn’t.

We all know that the Bush administration has been arresting Americans here at home and kidnapping suspects in foreign countries and stealing them away to be tortured, all without allowing the accused the common sense of a right to defend themselves in a court of law. Someone (an angry neighbor?) reports you as a terrorist and you are never heard from again. IT IS HAPPENING IN AMERICA.

So, we ask our representatives to stop the criminal behavior; Ensign replies:

I do not believe that these terrorists should be afforded the same rights as civilians or military personnel who have committed crimes. These are not common criminals, nor are they soldiers. These are savage individuals who have rejected civilized society and ignored the rules of war.

Say what? Is he retarded? Does he really think that we are only kidnapping the guilty? Of course he knows better. But why would he even say something as stupid as this?

I can only come up with two possible explanations:
1. He’s mentally retarded, or
2. He knows that Nevadans are too stupid to know any better and they voted for him knowing what he was up to.

Which do you think it is? Is Ensign stupid or is Nevada? Based on the many other brain-dead replies others have posted from his office, I’m suspecting the first.

Recall Ensign! Now!

Ensign the Obstructionist

By now, I’m sure most of Nevada knows that Ensign stayed up late last night to obstruct the vote in congress. He has no evidence that he wants to share with us as to why we should stay in the war, even though it’s doing more harm to America than any other mistake we’ve ever made. Yes, he continues his school boy crush on Bush and is determined to defend him to whatever depths it takes, no matter what harm to the country.

Ensign is not representing Nevada and he’s not representing our country.

Recall Ensign! Now!

Back in the 60s and 70s our universities used to teach politics and in that they taught Communism. This was quite important when Communism was spreading around the world and the cold war was responsible for our learning to hide under our desks during bomb drills. Our government and our universities realized how important it was that we understood our rivals.

We were smarter then.

Now, we have Poly-Sci teachers who explain that the Democratic party, taken to extremes would lead to Communism, and the Republican party would become anarchy. In fact, one UNR professor then spends the rest of the semester referring to the DemocRATS as Communists.

There’s something seriously wrong with our educational system.

But, just like the stupid, “Just Say Why” campaign, the current government and Republican party spends serious effort making us freightened of Communism. Any time we tax payers try to organize and use our tax dollars on something to improve our lives, the Republicans cry Communism. “What?!! You want the government to provide services? That’s Communism!” Or, “Oh my god, Universal Health Care” is Socialism which is just like COMMUNISM!” Ooh, SCARY!

We don’t know if Communism would ever work because every experiment with it has lead to political corruption. Every one. However, we do know that there is immense value in tax payers combining their tax dollars to make the country better. Just think of anything. Anything! Anything that makes this country great has been created using tax dollars. The Republicans want to make it illegal for us to use our tax dollars to create a Food and Drug watchdog group that helps us protect our food supply.  It should be illegal to have a FEMA to help with natural disasters.

So, I’m inclined to think the UNR professor was wrong. The Democratic party, to the extreme, is a country that takes care of itself and its people.  The Republican party to the extreme is political corruption and hypocrisy, in diapers.

The Spin

The Republican Party has turned politics into a full time business, complete with fact-bending marketing firms. This isn’t really news. I know.

But, the Democratic Party is so far behind on this that they don’t even have out-of-work marketers working on their news stories. No wonder the press ignores them. It’s cheaper and easier to take a story that’s already wiz-bang dressed up and selling it to your readers than it is to have to research your own story. Hence, the main stream media loves the Republican for doing their work for them. It’s simple economics.

The OCCUPATION

2,000 soldiers’ lives ago, the Iraq war was over. Bush said it was so, and it really was. It wasn’t done right, or completely or intelligently, but it was executed faithfully. Now, it’s a total mess. But, it’s still Mission Accomplished! The war is over! The foreign military and government fell. It’s over!

The Republican marketing firms know that “Global War on Terror” gives their base secret little erections, so they continue to paint the Iraq disaster as war.

It’s not a war and America needs to stop referring to it as such. It’s an occupation. That’s all. Plain and simple. OCCUPATION. Get used to the sound of it. That’s what we need to call it. Forget spreading the marketers spin. Be responsible and use the correct term for it. OCCUPATION.

In fact, we need to all be more careful about not using the marketers’ spin. Think about the words before you continue to use them.

The Solution

This brings the faithful reader to the next question. What happens when we cut an’ run from Iraq? Cut and Run? It’s not a war. There’s no cutting and running. We continue to fight the war on terror, but we obviously need someone else to manage it. This CEO has had his last chance and is only making things worse. We’re considerably less secure than we were when the Republican Government let the terrorists into the country. And, what’s worse, there are many times more terrorists and terrorist attacks than there were before we made the mistake of putting this manager in charge of our security. Is he just waiting for the next attack so he can say, I told you so! Most likely.

What happens to Iraq? I can’t see into the future, but I can guarantee that they have a much better chance of getting their country together (or separated) without us in the middle. We are only delaying and prolonging their reconstruction. It’s time to cancel the OCCUPATION.

To say that Iran or Syria or Saudi Arabia are helping kill our soldiers, is just plain stupidity! Of course they are, Bush! It’s an occupation, stupid, and they’re getting help from their friends and neighbors. We would do the same! But, this is doing nothing to help solve the problem of terrorism.

Exit Strategy

It would be a mistake to just pack up our bags and leave Iraq. We really do need a viable exit strategy – something this administration refuses to consider. It’s time to get them out of the decision-making process! But, we can’t just up and leave. We need a plan.

White House Continuing to Disgrace Tillman

The Tillman story is still being hidden by the White House.  Isn’t this just disgusting?

There is no sewer too sick that we can’t find this Administration wallowing in it.  King Bush is saying that the Congress has no power to keep him in check. HE IS THE KING!

“I’m the decider.”

It wasn’t bad enough that they used this poor soldier’s death as a publicity stunt, but now he is disgracing his memory by claiming the country has no constitution that prevents him from such actions.

Where’s the outrage?

We Americans are at risk of becoming desensitized to this dictatorial behavior.  If we become complacent, we will be responsible for further and continued abuses and eventually we won’t be surprised if he really does appoint himself King Bush. We are closer to this day than many of us know or are willing to admit.

Get out there! Talk to your neighbors. Talk to your coworkers. Talk to your church.  By remaining silent, you’re the one responsible for this continuing.

Last night on Hannity Radio ( Link ), Rudy Giuliani defended himself against criticism for his decision toput New York’s emergency command center in the World Trade Center, by saying that in the aftermath of 9-11, they had a new command center upand running in “half an hour” ( Link ) at Police Academy.

But it’s not true. The reality, documented in his own book (and the media) is that he and others traipsed around Manhattan for THREE HOURS trying various sites out before settling at the police academy.

From the Democratic Party’s research team, here’s the timeline:

Option 1: WTC 7 Evacuated Shortly After 9 AM. Giuliani wrote that “Now that the second plane had hit, the command center was being evacuated” it was too near to the attacked buildings and could itself be a target…We had to set up a new command center.” [Giuliani, Leadership, p. 5-6]

1 Hour Later: 75 Barclay, Picked On The Run, Is Another Brief Stop. According to Giuliani’s book “Bernie [Kerik] and his staff had already identified a building at 75 Barclay Street, just northeast of 7 World Trade Center.” [Leadership, p. 6] He wrote that “at about 9:50 A.M. we
commandeered the offices at 75 Barclay.” [Leadership, p. 10] There the group was trapped and had to escape through the basement into 100 Church Street [Leadership, p. 12]

Another 90 Minutes Later, Tower 1 Falls, Government “No Longer Had A Place To Work.” Giuliani wrote that after Tower 1 fell at about 10:30 AM, “There was no way to find out what was going on.” [Leadership, p. 15]

Now NYPD Searching For New Command Post, Hotel Tribeca Grand Rejected On Arrival. “Bernie had sent a couple of his guys ahead to the Tribeca Grand to set up phone lines and clear the place out, like a scouting party in an Old Western.” Finding this space unsuitable, the group moved on again. [Leadership, p. 15]

Next Stop: Locked Out From Firehouse With A “Couple of Working Phones.” Giuliani wrote that as they continued to seek a new command post, “Somebody mentioned Engine Company 24, a firehouse at Houston Street and Sixth Avenue. We made our way the few blocks north.” [Leadership, p. 15] Because the firefighters were at the World Trade Center, the door was locked and “the entire city government”mayor, deputy mayors, commissioners” spent several minutes trying to get into the firehouse.” [Leadership, p. 15] Once inside “we found a couple of working phones. [Leadership, p. 16]

Three Hours Later, At Noon: City Government Finally Settled At Police Academy. After a continuing search for a workable location, “Bernie [Kerik] had heard back from his scouts and suggested the Police Academy on 20th Street.” [Leadership, p. 19]

“We arrived about noon, and nearly every member of my administration crammed into the small administrative offices. Soon we were at work, planning our response.” [Leadership, p. 19]
Mitt Romney: Republican of Convenience ( Link )

Mr. Romney has tacked heavily to the right in his presidential bid, seeking to portray himself as the true conservative in the race, but when he ran for governor of Massachusetts, a heavily Democratic state, he conveyed a much more moderate image. The 40-second video, posted on YouTube.com and a Web site created by the Massachusetts Democratic Party, www.romneyfacts.com ( Link ), seeks to
highlight that difference. “I’ve been very clear, I think, to people across the commonwealth that my ‘R’ doesn’t stand so much for Republican as it does for reform,” he said in one clip to a reporter on September 21, 2002 on WBZ-TV.

In another interview on WGBH Greater Boston on Sept. 19, 2002, he said, “I’m not running as the Republican view, or a continuation of Republican values. That’s not what brings me to the race.” The video also shows Mr. Romney speaking negatively of the dominance of Republicans in Utah, where he had just spent three years running the Olympics.

“I’m not convinced the state would be better off with all Republicans,” he said in a speech before the Bostonchamber of commerce. “As a matter of fact, I’ve been in a state like that, for the last three years. It’s not a good thing.” ( Link )

Send John Ensign a Message: “Enough Already” In Irag

Support the Letter-writing Campaign to Impact Ensign’s War Vote! The Washoe County Democrats are organizing a letter writing campaign to urge Senator John Ensign to “get off the fence” and commit to a vote to end the war in Iraq. A major vote on war appropriations is expected in September (also keep watch on the Senate amendment to draw down the troops being debated this week). We want to accumulate a significant packet of letters and deliver them to Ensign’s office as a “bomb” late in August. Many powerful Republicans are crossing the aisle on this issue, and in conjunction with the Democratic initiative to begin scaling back the troops and reining in war spending, we can hope to see progress on this issue.
Tell John Ensign Nevadans want a clear message that our national representatives will no longer support a failed occupation that is claiming American and Iraqi lives and taxing both economies. Send your letters to:

Washoe County Democratic Party
1465 Terminal Way, Suite1
Reno, NV 89502
Attention: John Ensign: Enough Already

Fred Thompson: Wanted to ditch divisive Republican platform in 1996

Described as pro-choice It seems Mitt Romney has some competition in the “say-anything-to-get-elected” department. Election central

( Link ) links to a David Brody post ( Link ) which has some choice quotes from lobbyist Fred Thompson in 1996–when he wanted to chuck the national Republican platform.

Thompson wants to change the way the 1996 Republican National Convention is conducted. For starters, he wants to abolish the party platform–just toss the archaic thing away. ‘It’s the most useless device I’ve ever heard of,’ Thompson said during a recent visit to Memphis.”

“Thompson said he opposes making early-term abortions a crime, as some Republicans would like to do with a constitutional amendment. ‘But I don’t think you should bolt on one issue. I’m still not convinced platforms are a good idea. We know what we believe in and I don’t think we need to write it all down in a document,’ Thompson said. The Tennessee Republican, a pro-choice defender in a party with an anti-abortion tilt, is preparing for next week’s convention in San Diego. He said the party must avoid distracting issues and focus on electing Bob Dole as president. ‘We need to concentrate on what brings us together and not what divides us,’ Thompson said in an interview with The Tennessean published Tuesday.

So if Fred Thompson thought in 1996 that the Republican platform is divisive, when did he change his mind? He’s an actor, so was he acting then–or is he acting now?

Link

Giuliani: I Swear They’re Volunteers … Really Big Volunteers. Rudy
breaks federal campaign law

Giuliani’s campaign spending reports showed no security expenses during the first three months of this year. But the burly guards who trail Giuliani around the country have not been working for free.

For most of this year, Giuliani’s consulting firm, Giuliani Partners, has paid the cost of the security detail — an arrangement that has existed since Giuliani stepped down as New Yorkmayor– campaign spokeswoman Maria Comella said. His campaign travels eventually became so extensive that the campaign began picking up the costs on June 18,
she said .

“It certainly appears to challenge the law, with respect to a corporate contribution,” said Ellen Miller, a longtime campaign finance watchdog in Washington. “A corporation cannot make an in-kind contribution by paying for a service or a party or even food at a party.”

( Link )