In Hoc Signo Vinces

I'm taking a short, three-day break to restore my mind, body and soul. On the third day, I shall return, resurrected if you will with fresh thoughts and new ways of seeing things.

I chose this particular title to commemorate the fact that the Roman emperor Constantine had a vision before a battle (with Maxentius, I think) in which a cross appeared to him in the sky. After his victory, his conversion to Christianity was sealed. I use it to remind us all, both of the faith and those who believe in other systems of faith, that we can win this battle for America, for peace, for equality, for justice, and for the very soul of this nation.

It's easy to think, when you look around you, that this nation is ruled by a majority of morons who elect puppets of evil men, if not evil men themselves. It's easy to think, when you look around you, that most Americans would rather see rigid dogma replace enlightened thought. It's easy to think, when you look around you, that most Americans are more afraid of the marriage of Ed and Fred than they are of losing their jobs.

But that's simply not true. And it is on THAT ground that we can win. America has values. Hell, we have a goddam mission statement that lays them out, and that mission statement says nothing about who can or cannot marry, about how much taxes is the right amount, about whether a mother has the right to decide on the birth of her baby.

In fact, that statement, the most holy statement ever issued by men, specifically gives us the right to revolt and overthrow any government that abuses those rights! We will honor the spirit of this statement when we get these bastards out of office.

Happy Easter, and Happy Passover to you all. May God bless America, once again.

He Has Accomplished What He Set Out To Do

Divided on Iran
Poll: Majority say they’d support action against nuclear targets but don’t trust Bush to lead a military strike

BY CRAIG GORDON
Newsday Washington Bureau

April 13, 2006

WASHINGTON -- As a growing chorus of former generals criticizes the Iraq war and fresh questions emerge over flawed intelligence, a new poll shows that nearly half the U.S. public supports a possible military strike to stop Iran's nuclear program but most don't trust President George W. Bush to lead it.

The Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll suggests many Americans are worried about the dangers of a nuclear-armed Iran. At the same time, a majority doubted Bush's ability to make the right decision about whether to go to war with Iran -- a reflection of the public's growing lack of confidence in Bush's leadership in national security, once his strongest suit.[...]

Nearly half of all respondents -- 48 percent -- say they would support taking military action against Iran if it continues to produce material that can be used for nuclear weapons. But the country appeared divided on the issue, as four in 10 oppose it.

The poll of 1,357 respondents was taken from April 8 to April 11 and has a margin of error of plus-or-minus 3 percentage points.

...which is to turn us into a bloodthirsty bunch of bullies.

See that "Recommended Reading" on the sidebar on the right? I recommended that series, the Foundation series, for a reason, in light of Iran: a country that achieves or attempts to achieve greatness through aggression is doomed to failure in the long run (or as Salvor Hardin said, "Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent." A saying dear to my heart.)

Military action against Iran must be an absolute last resort, contingent ONLY upon the detonation of a nuclear bomb, clearly traced to Iran without subterfuge, on US soil. For no other reason should an American soldier unilaterally set foot on Iranian soil (except for humanitarian reasons, of course). As Hardin would also be wont to say, "A nuclear bomb is a good weapon, but it can explode both ways."

So how to solve this dilemma? Well, let's take a careful look at the situation. First among all our handicaps (as noted in the article I cited) is our lack of credibility. Any action taken against Iran, whether it is diplomatic or economic, must have the support of at least Russia or China (don't underestimate the importance of China in this.) We are seen as bullies, but worse, we are seen as ineffectual bullies who can only sweep in and sweep out, and leave behind a bigger mess than we found. That perception may not be popular here in America ("Why don't you talk about the GOOD things happening in Iraq? Wah! Wah!") but it happens to be the truth and denial will serve no purpose here.

Our asset in this case is fairly decent relations with Russia, and tenuous-yet-friendly relations with China. As they are deeply involved in our North Korean imbroglio, it will be tough to ask them to assist us with Iran, but I think that's vital, and I think they may welcome the break from talking to Kim, who I imagine taxes them as much as us.

Our other handicap is Israel, but it's also an asset. Obviously, Israel has a lot at stake in this situation, as Iran's first target for any nuke would likely be Jerusalem (thus wiping out two problems with one stroke: Jews and Palestinians, who are viewed with much distrust and dislike in the Muslim world.) Understandably, their rhetoric has been strident and aggressive.

We have to smooth over some of that, but I'm not sure silencing Israel serves the best purpose here. We could use them as a surrogate for our invasion talk, allow them to take the heat for it, while we work a masterful diplomatic solution.

OK...I was joking about that last bit, because in fact, this situation is way over the heads of the Bush administration, and it's their own fault. Stay out of Iraq and Iran isn't a problem. We picked on Iraq because it was the weakest member of the "Axis of Evil," which showed us to be both bullies AND cowards (as most bullies are). It will take a new administration to handle this mess.

Clinton showed that enforcing international sanctions and proclamations worked well against Saddam: he was unable to further develop weapons of mass destruction, and further, his army became weakened and disheartened.

I would think that same strategy would work against Iran, but it may be too late.

snarkasm, snarcasm, snarky

Bush
Iran

The Protocols Of The Elders Of Republicanism

So I'm flipping channels on my dish last night, when I happen to catch a documentary called The Protocols of Zion. Rather provocative title, says I, having dissected the extremist mindset for many years now, and knowing precisely what this title refers to.

A précis on the film:

While rattling through the bustling streets of New York City in a yellow cab, filmmaker Marc Levin (SLAM) discovered the idea for his next film from an unlikely source. Striking up a conversation with his Egyptian taxi driver, Levin was unnerved when the conversation turned to the events of September 11, 2001. Angrily informing the filmmaker that he believed no Jews had died in the terrorist attacks on that day, the cabbie explained that they had all been warned of the event in advance so they could stay safely home. Levin subsequently turned to the 100-year-old book THE PROTOCOLS OF THE MEETINGS OF THE LEARNED ELDERS OF ZION, which was exposed as a forgery in the 1920s, but is still followed by a disconcertingly large number of anti-Semites across the globe.

After examining the book--which was furtively written by the Russian Secret Police, and was alleged to be the meeting minutes of a group of Jews who were hell-bent on world domination--Levin decided to explore some of the protocols in his film. Traveling across America with his father, Levin encounters various hate-filled figures, and attempts to understand their feelings toward Jews. His most entertaining, Michael Moore-like excursions take place in New York City, where he encounters people whose oddball behavior does a fine job of discrediting their views, and attends a discussion group about Mel Gibson's THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST. However, these moments are tempered by some jaw-dropping footage of an Egyptian TV mini-series based on the PROTOCOLS book and the Malaysian prime minister paraphrasing from the pages in 2003. Creating a fascinating and worthwhile film, Levin sensibly discounts various crackpot theories, but makes it clear that many of the people who spread anti-Semitic feeling remain worryingly influential.

You'll agree, I'm sure, this deserve more than a five minute scan and a switch back to the Rangers' game (they lost, 3-2, the rat bastards...)

The film takes the "Protocols" and tries to divine what about them resonates with people who believe that jews run the world, the Congress, the Presidency, and are so powerful that they (and they alone) were responsible for the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks AND managed to pin it on Osama bin Laden.

Now, I cannot possibly in the short space of this blog do justice to the Protocols in terms of depth and detail, but as I watched this movie and as select protocols were read, I couldn't help but shake the feeling that they documented precisely the taking over of first the Republican party and then the United States by a fringe radical group of extremists (some of whom, coincidentally, are Jewish).

The Protocols are set up in twenty four chapters, each dealing with an aspect of world domination. For example, chapter one is entitled "The Basic Doctrine" and deals with the differences between "Them" and "Us", and how "We" can control "Them".

PROTOCOL No. 1: 3. It must be noted that men with bad instincts are more in number than the good, and therefore the best results in governing them are attained by violence and terrorisation, and not by academic discussions. Every man aims at power, everyone would like to become a dictator if only he could, and rare indeed are the men who would not be willing to sacrifice the welfare of all for the sake of securing their own welfare.[...]

6. Political freedom is an idea but not a fact. This idea one must know how to apply whenever it appears necessary with this bait of an idea to attract the masses of the people to one's party for the purpose of crushing another who is in authority. This task is rendered easier of the opponent has himself been infected with the idea of freedom, SO-CALLED LIBERALISM, and, for the sake of an idea, is willing to yield some of his power. It is precisely here that the triumph of our theory appears; the slackened reins of government are immediately, by the law of life, caught up and gathered together by a new hand, because the blind might of the nation cannot for one single day exist without guidance, and the new authority merely fits into the place of the old already weakened by liberalism.

7. In our day the power which has replaced that of the rulers who were liberal is the power of Gold. Time was when Faith ruled. The idea of freedom is impossible of realization because no one knows how to use it with moderation. It is enough to hand over a people to self-government for a certain length of time for that people to be turned into a disorganized mob. From that moment on we get internecine strife which soon develops into battles between classes, in the midst of which States burn down and their importance is reduced to that of a heap of ashes.

Sounds a bit familiar, don't it?

George W. Bush, quoted in Business Week, July 30, 2001, "A dictatorship would be a heck of a lot easier, there's no question about it...especially if I was the dictator"

The other protocols are as follows, each as extensive as the first:

Protocol I The Basic Doctrine
Protocol II Economic Wars
Protocol III Methods of Conquest
Protocol IV Materialism Replace Religion
Protocol V Despotism and Modern Progress
Protocol VI Take-Over Technique
Protocol VII World-Wide Wars
Protocol VIII Provisional Government
Protocol IX Re-education
Protocol X Preparing for Power
Protocol XI The Totalitarian State
Protocol XII Control of the Press
Protoco XIII Distractions
Protocol XIV Assault on Religion
Protocol XV Ruthless Suppression
Protocol XVI Brainwashing
Protocol XVII Abuse of Authority
Protocol XVIII Arrest of Opponents
Protocol XIX Rulers and People
Protocol XX Financial Programme
Protocol XXI Loans and Credit
Protocol XXII Power of Gold
Protocol XXIII Instilling Obedience
Protocol XXIV Qualities of the Ruler

Eerie, isn't it? I could spend months examining each of the protocols and the subparagraphs and drawing parallels to the neo-con rise to power (as assisted by the Christian right). For example, choosing strictly at random, this is from Protocol #23, "Instilling Obedience"

1. That the peoples may become accustomed to obedience it is necessary to inculcate lessons of humility and therefore to reduce the production of articles of luxury. By this we shall improve morals which have been debased by emulation in the sphere of luxury. We shall reestablish small master production which will mean laying a mine under the private capital of manufactures. This is indispensable also for the reason that manufacturers on the grand scale often move, though not always consciously, the thoughts of the masses in directions against the government. A people of small masters knows nothing of unemployment and this binds him closely with existing order, and consequently with the firmness of authority. For us its part will have been played out the moment authority is transferred into our hands. Drunkenness also will be prohibited by law and punishable as a crime against humanness of man who is turned into a brute under the influence of alcohol.

So by attempting to rid the country of illegal immigrants, as an example, the Republicans are trying to drag down the standard of living for the rest of us-- after all, capitalists will not raise their wages to living wages and harm their profits, so the only other alternative is to lower employees' expectations.

But the most chilling of the Protocols as it applies to George W. Bush? From Chapter 24, "Qualities of the Ruler":

5. Direct heirs will often be set aside from ascending the throne if in their time of training they exhibit frivolity, softness and other qualities that are the ruin of authority, which render them incapable of governing and in themselves dangerous for kingly office.

6. Only those who are unconditionally capable for firm, even if it be to cruelty, direct rule will receive the reins of rule from our learned elders.

To-wit:

Bush's strength is also his weakness - he's an unmovable rock

A note: Crackpot conspiracy theory espousal surrounding the events of 9/11 in the comments will be quickly deleted. This story is NOT about 9/11.

snarkasm, snarcasm, snarky

Bush
Protocols of Zion
Protocols Of The Learned Elders Of Zion

tags technorati : Top 50

Baby, You Can Drive My Car...

...if you can afford the gas, of course...

Gas pump price pressure

BY TOM INCANTALUPO
Newsday Staff Writer

April 11, 2006


Driving is the most expensive it's been since the fall as drivers and experts alike wonder how high gasoline prices will march.

High crude oil costs and a near-perfect storm of other factors have prices rising particularly steeply this spring -- by 37 cents a gallon in the past month compared with about 20 cents a year ago -- when warm weather brings motorists out of hibernation.

[...]"We will see or we will have seen $3-a-gallon gas in every state by Memorial Day," said Peter Beutel, president of Cameron Hanover, an energy risk management company in New Canaan, Conn. "Some of the cheap places will escape it, but you guys [on Long Island] have high prices."

Yesterday's Long Island average for regular unleaded, $2.855 a gallon in the AAA's daily survey of stations, was the highest since Oct. 18. Although that was still well short of the record $3.347 a gallon set last Sept. 11 after Hurricane Katrina disrupted petroleum operations in the Gulf of Mexico, nobody could rule out seeing that again this year.

Thank you, Captain Obvious!

Look, anyone who's driven a car for any length of time knows that prices jack up twice a year: in May, and in October when the MTBE formulae are released for lower emissions. Does it surprise anyone that, like global warming forcing the seasons, people are driving more earlier in the season as the weather turns nicer earlier?

Now add to this the unrest in Nigeria, the uncertainty over Iran-American relations, and in particular how this immature bunch of redneck cowboys is going to behave over the next few months, and you can see why gas is jumping like a cricket on a hot stove.

The OPEC oil strategy is working to a T. The US energy policy...you remember we have one, right? Cooked up in a back room with lobbyists and Dick Cheney, with George Bush's blessing?...The US energy policy has been shown to be flawed and basically relies on one thing: praying ANWR has enough oil to tide us through until we can pump oil out of Iraq (and maybe now Iran).

Idiots.

snarkasm, snarcasm, snarky

Bush
Cheney
Iraq
Iran

Suing For A Right They Already Have

Christians Sue for Right Not to Tolerate Policies
Many codes intended to protect gays from harassment are illegal, conservatives argue

By Stephanie Simon
Times Staff Writer

April 10, 2006

ATLANTA — Ruth Malhotra went to court last month for the right to be intolerant.

Malhotra says her Christian faith compels her to speak out against homosexuality. But the Georgia Institute of Technology, where she's a senior, bans speech that puts down others because of their sexual orientation.

Malhotra sees that as an unacceptable infringement on her right to religious expression. So she's demanding that Georgia Tech revoke its tolerance policy.

With her lawsuit, the 22-year-old student joins a growing campaign to force public schools, state colleges and private workplaces to eliminate policies protecting gays and lesbians from harassment. The religious right aims to overturn a broad range of common tolerance programs: diversity training that promotes acceptance of gays and lesbians, speech codes that ban harsh words against homosexuality, anti-discrimination policies that require college clubs to open their membership to all.

Look, maybe I'm wrong, but isn't this truly a frivolous lawsuit?

No one is telling Ms. Malhotra that she can't speak out against homosexuality. What they ARE saying is that such opinions cannot be worded in a way that inflicts harm on other people. The very essence of the public square (to use a hackneyed phrase) is to promote tolerance while respecting the rights of people to form and have their own opinions. The whole point behind the politically correct movement is that people were terrorized in the past for being "different" from you and me: black, gay, Buddhist, poor.

Complaints seem to focus on a handful of activities that have caused "Christians" to be punished for their outrages, including wearing anti-gay T shirts, denouncing Gay Pride Month, and refusing to attend diversity training.

Yah, hullo? If your boss requires you to attend diversity training, then you go. Since this is an "at will" country in terms of employment, that's a firable offense, refusing to go, no matter what the underlying reason. Similarly, I don't see too many gay men or lesbians wearing "Straights Suck, Only Not In A Fun Way" T-shirts, nor do I see too many gay publications talking about the shame of living eleven months out the year watching straight couples necking in the park.

Still, let's give ol' Ruth here her say. What is she suing for?

In their lawsuit against Georgia Tech, Malhotra and her co-plaintiff, a devout Jewish student named Orit Sklar, request unspecified damages. But they say their main goal is to force the university to be more tolerant of religious viewpoints. The lawsuit was filed by the Alliance Defense Fund, a nonprofit law firm that focuses on religious liberty cases.

Malhotra said she had been reprimanded by college deans several times in the last few years for expressing conservative religious and political views. When she protested a campus production of "The Vagina Monologues" with a display condemning feminism, the administration asked her to paint over part of it.

She caused another stir with a letter to the gay activists who organized an event known as Coming Out Week in the fall of 2004. Malhotra sent the letter on behalf of the Georgia Tech College Republicans, which she chairs; she said several members of the executive board helped write it.

The letter referred to the campus gay rights group Pride Alliance as a "sex club … that can't even manage to be tasteful." It went on to say that it was "ludicrous" for Georgia Tech to help fund the Pride Alliance.

The letter berated students who come out publicly as gay, saying they subject others on campus to "a constant barrage of homosexuality."

"If gays want to be tolerated, they should knock off the political propaganda," the letter said.

What's next, Ruth, "Jews are Jesus killers"? Sounds to me like Ruth stuck her hand too far into the cookie jar and had it smacked.

Memo To Ruth: You already have the right to be a dick, and it sounds as if you are exercising it.

snarkasm, snarcasm, snarky

tags technorati : Top 50

Palm Sunday

Two millennia ago, my Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, rode into Jerusalem on the Hosannas of the Jews there. Garments were rent and placed on the ground, along with palm fronds, in a signal honor to Jesus. Mind you, this was a political statement, the one and only political statement Jesus was ever to make.

A political statement. If you recall, it was during the following week that He went to the temple and overturned the moneychangers' tables. After this, the Sanhedrin had determined that Jesus was to be a bigger problem than they feared ("Messiahs" were a dime a dozen in those days) and had him arrested and tried for the blasphemy of claiming to be the Son of God (Mark 14, in particular verses 61-62).

His fate was sealed before he even rode into Jerusalem, for this was a conscious decision on His part to reveal His true self and to take on the powers that be, the corruption and degradation of the church, and those who permitted it and the Romans who encouraged it. All this, knowing full well He would die for this and with His death, redeem those who believe in Him.

If you believe that, of course.

I say "my Christ" to distinguish Him from the Christ that is so easy to mock, the one the Religious Right carries around on a false banner of purity, a band aid that does not cover their sucking wounds of blasphemy. It's interesting that Christ's most memorable words, his speeches and allegories, deal with poverty and humility, tolerance and peace, while the "Christian" Coalition can only use His words to warp love and diminish peace.

Sadly, I get lumped in with them by those whose fear of the unknown forces them to mock the possibilities that the greatness we've seen around us, the beauty of life and the sanctity of the planet and the universe, could be a creation. Yes, believing in a God is a cop-out, I can see that point, but I can also look at a painting by Da Vinci, or Michelangelo, and see God's work. Religion inspires war. God inspires art. And music. And writing.

It is this relationship that made me realize that the problem isn't with God, it's with man. Jesus' teachings are pretty clear: be nice to other people, shun the material in life for the spiritual, and through your faith in Him and the Father, you can claim heaven. He says nothing about judging other people or banning gay marriage, or supporting an illegal war (one can only imagine how He rolls his eyes on that one.)

Meanwhile, the blasphemers preach from their crystal churches and multimillion dollar pulpits with the webcams and the large screens for those in the back, and talk about humility as if it is something to be denigrated, to be mocked, all the while they force the flock to vote like sheep for this candidate or the other and speak of eternal damnation for those who rebel.

The moneychangers have returned, and churches are no longer for praying, but for propaganda. The Antichrist does appear to be among us, but oddly, these folks seem to be assisting him.

My Christ, the Christ that rode an ass into Jerusalem, informed my life. He taught me that strength doesn't have to come from war, but that peace holds more strength than war ever could. There is more power in love than in hate. Hate eventually wears itself out, taking with it the hater. Love can only strengthen us. Peace can only strengthen us. The blasphemers would weaken us with fear and anger. We must instill peace back to people. Show them the love that Christ teaches us exists through Him, but through the world as well.

So...What does this all have to do with a blog that's basically a snarky political blog?

It's about values. Moral values. My Christ's values.

I wish we could see a Democrat ride in to "Jerusalem" and clear the moneychangers out. To remind people that America is greatest not when we are selfish and self-indulgent, but when we share and give to the least among us.

Think about it: the entire country has done better with taxes that were much higher than they are now. "Give unto Caesar"...This is not merely a spiritual call to arms, but it's simple, practical economics. Taxes create wealth for all, which means that those paying more taxes end up earning more than they do when taxes are low and jobs and employment is scarce.

Or to remind America that what our neighbors do in the privacy of their home is their business, because what we do in our own is ours. And who cares if what we're doing is "moral" and what they're doing might not pass our judgment: that's NOT our decision to make. Only Jesus can judge what any of us do. And yes, that includes two men or two women, and yes, that includes the heart-wrenching decision to terminate a pregnancy, for whatever reason under carefully established medical guidelines. Maybe partial birth abortions wouldn't be such a big issue if we didn't terrorize women about being pregnant in the first place. Jesus wouldn't do it, and we sure as hell shouldn't.

Or to remind America that national security really only comes when you respect the rights and sovereignty of other nations and don't try to impose our values and mores onto others.

Education should be a right, because through education, particularly science, we advance Jesus' work and make it truly our own. We don't have to fear knowledge. He gave us a brain, and we must use it for more than finding loopholes for our rich cronies in the Ten Commandments.

Healthcare should be a right, because as the poorest among us deserves that care as much as the richest. And hey, if that means having a nationalized health care program that the government pays for, well, maybe it's about time! Every other civilized nation has it and prima facie evidence indicates that our mortality rates suck compared to those nations. Jesus demands that we see to the least among us. Jesus would be pissed to see what's happened in America.

Remind America that God gave us this planet to shepherd, to care for, and that by allowing the Republicans to roll back the baby step environmental laws we established during the 70s and under Clinton is to turn our backs on Him and His Son.

Finally, remind Americans that leaders will lie to us, but we can hold them accountable for those lies. There's a system and that Dems, when confronted with the most ludicrous challenge to the actions of a leader, allowed the process to go forward, and didn't try to pervert the law of the land, based on His law, in order to protect our power. We put our faith in the intelligence of the people and the Lord's hands and guess what? We found out he was innocent!

If we only had a Dem to ride into "Jersusalem"...but sadly, I don't see one.

So maybe it's time you and I got on the donkey and did it ourselves...after all, isn't that What Jesus Would Do?

tags technorati : Jesus

tags technorati : Jesus Christ

tags technorati : Palm Sunday

tags technorati : Top 50

An Appreciation of Bob Dylan

There's this great thread going on over at Blondsense where people are sharing their favorite Bob Dylan lyrics, and I realized that, hell, I could blogjam over there and tie up the entire thread with mine, or I could roll my own.

So roll away.

My favorite lyrical pieced of all time is Idiot Wind....

Someone's got it in for me, they're planting stories in the press
Whoever it is I wish they'd cut it out but when they will I can only guess.
They say I shot a man named Gray and took his wife to Italy,
She inherited a million bucks and when she died it came to me.
I can't help it if I'm lucky.

People see me all the time and they just can't remember how to act
Their minds are filled with big ideas, images and distorted facts.
Even you, yesterday you had to ask me where it was at,
I couldn't believe after all these years, you didn't know me better than that
Sweet lady.

Idiot wind, blowing every time you move your mouth,
Blowing down the backroads headin' south.
Idiot wind, blowing every time you move your teeth,
You're an idiot, babe.
It's a wonder that you still know how to breathe.

I ran into the fortune-teller, who said beware of lightning that might strike
I haven't known peace and quiet for so long I can't remember what it's like.
There's a lone soldier on the cross, smoke pourin' out of a boxcar door,
You didn't know it, you didn't think it could be done, in the final end he won the wars
After losin' every battle.

I woke up on the roadside, daydreamin' 'bout the way things sometimes are
Visions of your chestnut mare shoot through my head and are makin' me see stars.
You hurt the ones that I love best and cover up the truth with lies.
One day you'll be in the ditch, flies buzzin' around your eyes,
Blood on your saddle.

Idiot wind, blowing through the flowers on your tomb,
Blowing through the curtains in your room.
Idiot wind, blowing every time you move your teeth,
You're an idiot, babe.
It's a wonder that you still know how to breathe.

It was gravity which pulled us down and destiny which broke us apart
You tamed the lion in my cage but it just wasn't enough to change my heart.
Now everything's a little upside down, as a matter of fact the wheels have stopped,
What's good is bad, what's bad is good, you'll find out when you reach the top
You're on the bottom.

I noticed at the ceremony, your corrupt ways had finally made you blind
I can't remember your face anymore, your mouth has changed, your eyes don't look into mine.
The priest wore black on the seventh day and sat stone-faced while the building burned.
I waited for you on the running boards, near the cypress trees, while the springtime turned
Slowly into autumn.

Idiot wind, blowing like a circle around my skull,
From the Grand Coulee Dam to the Capitol.
Idiot wind, blowing every time you move your teeth,
You're an idiot, babe.
It's a wonder that you still know how to breathe.

I can't feel you anymore, I can't even touch the books you've read
Every time I crawl past your door, I been wishin' I was somebody else instead.
Down the highway, down the tracks, down the road to ecstasy,
I followed you beneath the stars, hounded by your memory
And all your ragin' glory.

I been double-crossed now for the very last time and now I'm finally free,
I kissed goodbye the howling beast on the borderline which separated you from me.
You'll never know the hurt I suffered nor the pain I rise above,
And I'll never know the same about you, your holiness or your kind of love,
And it makes me feel so sorry.

Idiot wind, blowing through the buttons of our coats,
Blowing through the letters that we wrote.
Idiot wind, blowing through the dust upon our shelves,
We're idiots, babe.
It's a wonder we can even feed ourselves.

You can feel the anger and remorse practically in the same line. It astounds me.

Another of my favorite songs is Tangled Up In Blue. I guess because I know the places he's talking about in the Village and have my owm memories of them, this one really strikes hard...

Early one mornin' the sun was shinin',
I was layin' in bed
Wond'rin' if she'd changed at all
If her hair was still red.
Her folks they said our lives together
Sure was gonna be rough
They never did like Mama's homemade dress
Papa's bankbook wasn't big enough.
And I was standin' on the side of the road
Rain fallin' on my shoes
Heading out for the East Coast
Lord knows I've paid some dues gettin' through,
Tangled up in blue.

She was married when we first met
Soon to be divorced
I helped her out of a jam, I guess,
But I used a little too much force.
We drove that car as far as we could
Abandoned it out West
Split up on a dark sad night
Both agreeing it was best.
She turned around to look at me
As I was walkin' away
I heard her say over my shoulder,
"We'll meet again someday on the avenue,"
Tangled up in blue.

I had a job in the great north woods
Working as a cook for a spell
But I never did like it all that much
And one day the ax just fell.
So I drifted down to New Orleans
Where I happened to be employed
Workin' for a while on a fishin' boat
Right outside of Delacroix.
But all the while I was alone
The past was close behind,
I seen a lot of women
But she never escaped my mind, and I just grew
Tangled up in blue.

She was workin' in a topless place
And I stopped in for a beer,
I just kept lookin' at the side of her face
In the spotlight so clear.
And later on as the crowd thinned out
I's just about to do the same,
She was standing there in back of my chair
Said to me, "Don't I know your name?"
I muttered somethin' underneath my breath,
She studied the lines on my face.
I must admit I felt a little uneasy
When she bent down to tie the laces of my shoe,
Tangled up in blue.

She lit a burner on the stove and offered me a pipe
"I thought you'd never say hello," she said
"You look like the silent type."
Then she opened up a book of poems
And handed it to me
Written by an Italian poet
From the thirteenth century.
And every one of them words rang true
And glowed like burnin' coal
Pourin' off of every page
Like it was written in my soul from me to you,
Tangled up in blue.

I lived with them on Montague Street
In a basement down the stairs,
There was music in the cafes at night
And revolution in the air.
Then he started into dealing with slaves
And something inside of him died.
She had to sell everything she owned
And froze up inside.
And when finally the bottom fell out
I became withdrawn,
The only thing I knew how to do
Was to keep on keepin' on like a bird that flew,
Tangled up in blue.

So now I'm goin' back again,
I got to get to her somehow.
All the people we used to know
They're an illusion to me now.
Some are mathematicians
Some are carpenter's wives.
Don't know how it all got started,
I don't know what they're doin' with their lives.
But me, I'm still on the road
Headin' for another joint
We always did feel the same,
We just saw it from a different point of view,
Tangled up in blue.

Thanks, Jersey Cynic!

Please Pilot, Rev The Engine, Just Once?

An Offer To The President

Libby: Bush OK'd leak

BY CRAIG GORDON
WASHINGTON BUREAU

April 7, 2006


WASHINGTON -- For more than two years, President George W. Bush has decried leaks and threatened to fire anyone who revealed classified information. But a former White House aide told prosecutors it was Bush himself who authorized him to leak sensitive intelligence to rebut an Iraq war critic.

As you have effectively promised us you would fire yourself, you must be finding yourself in a bit of a pickle.

I mean, if you won't fire yourself, then surely Congress will keep you to your word, especially after the November elections when the Democrats will take back at least the Senate and very likely the House (the only reason the Republicans made gains in the House after the 2004 elections was due to the cynical manipulations of one Tom DeLay in Texas, forcing an illegal redistricting plan to secure more Republican seats, now under review by the SCOTUS).

Now, this may come as a shock to you, Mr. Bush, but you're running out of options to remain in office to complete two terms.

Many on the left take some of the things you've done-- passing the Patriot Act springs to mind-- as a signal that you are preparing to eventually declare the Constitution null and void, possibly after some really devastating "terrorist" attack, staged by you.

I have a simpler, more elegant solution: Declare your self queen. Monarch for lifetime, you can pass it onto Pierce or George the III, hell, your dyna-- I mean, family already has the royal thing in your blood! You're a distant cousin of Elizabeth II, and of Bill Clinton! You and the Clintons can exchange the throne every, say, ten years, as a sop to those pesky patriots who insist that there be free elections, though they don't seem to mind that you basically own the firm that runs them. So you can pull a Saddam and have yourself re-elected, ad infinitum, occasionally allowing Cousin Bill and Cousin Liz a say in who's next.

And check out the cool White House portrait I've painted for you...As Elton John always says, "America loves a good queen"...

snarkasm, snarcasm, snarky

Bush

Ladies, Have At It!

Nominate and Vote For the Sexiest Male Blogger

Unfortunately, I was forced to nominate myself, since a certain someone...who shall remain nameless but her initials are Miss C, forgot to post this link earlier this week AND didn't nominate me, so y'all can put in seconds for me, and then the voting will commence tomorrow.

I better see some votes up there for me! I know where some of you live!

YOU CAN VOTE DAILY!

I REALLY Hate Being Right All The Time...

Remember this little tidbit?

Sunday, April 02, 2006
File This Away For Future Reference...

Rice, Straw in Iraq to break deadlock

That's all I'm saying...until the inevitable failure.

Now comes this:

Iraqi Says Visit by Two Diplomats Backfired

By KIRK SEMPLE
Published: April 6, 2006
BAGHDAD, Iraq, April 5 — A top adviser to Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari said Wednesday that the visit this week by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw of Britain had backfired, prolonging a deadlock over a new government and strengthening Mr. Jaafari's resolve to keep his post.

"Pressure from outside is not helping to speed up any solution," said the adviser, Haider al-Abadi. "All it's doing is hardening the position of people who are supporting Jaafari."

He added, "They shouldn't have come to Baghdad."

His comments were echoed by several political leaders on Wednesday, including Kurds and Sunni Arabs.

[....]The visit by Ms. Rice and Mr. Straw appeared to grate even on politicians who oppose Mr. Jaafari. "They complicated the thing, and now it's more difficult to solve," said Mahmoud Osman, an independent member of the Kurdistan Alliance, speaking Wednesday about Ms. Rice and Mr. Straw. "They shouldn't have come, and they shouldn't have interfered."

snarkasm, snarcasm, snarky
Bush

And Your Bird Can Sing...

UK confirms first deadly bird flu case: report
Thu Apr 6, 2006 8:16 AM ET

By Ian MacKenzie
EDINBURGH (Reuters) - Tests have shown a wild Mute swan found dead in a Scottish coastal town had the lethal H5N1 strain of bird flu -- Britain's first case of the disease, Sky television reported on Thursday.

Officials from the Scottish Department of Environment said they had not yet received the test results from the bird, found last week.

The discovery in the swan of the highly pathogenic strain blamed for 108 human deaths elsewhere since 2003 would make Britain the 14th country in the European Union to find the disease on its territory.

Now, one thing I will say for England: they do seem to have an inordinate fondness for birds. The Tower of London keeps ravens under royal decree (one of the Henrys, I think) and of course, the famous pigeons of Trafalgar spring to mind.

So clearly, avian flu is of the highest concern in United Kingdom, and once it's in Scotland, it's literally a hop, skip and jump, across Greenland and Iceland, to Nova Scotia and the Maritimes and Canada, to the US.

However, Bob McCracken, past president of the British Veterinary Association, said contact between wild birds that may be infected and poultry should be kept to a minimum.

"We also have to work on the assumption that there is some spread among wild birds. "There is no doubt we are getting closer to the day when moving birds indoors will be necessary," he said.

Scientists said they were confident that surveillance for possible cases of the disease was good enough.

Translation: we have no clue what we can do, and so you're on your own, Jack...but see, this isn't the news that scared me. The article that scared me...

Nigerian H5N1 bird flu outbreak spreads to Lagos

By Estelle Shirbon
ABUJA (Reuters) - The deadly H5N1 bird flu virus has been found in backyard poultry and at a commercial farm in Lagos, Africa's largest city which is home to about 13 million people, health officials said on Thursday.

The latest discovery of the virus hundreds of miles from Nigeria's first infection indicates the disease is defeating measures to contain it and raises the prospect of much wider human contact with infected birds.

13 million humans and goodness knows how many rats, cats (which have now been included in the list of animals that will need protecting from the avian flu), dogs, livestock (it may be a city, but goodness knows what's there), and other transient critters. A highly contagious (and therefore widespread) virus that has defeated all efforts to contain it (Vietnam reported yesterday that chickens infected with the virus had been imported from China, which had claimed to have their outbreak under control), with very good odds of mutating to an infectious form in mammals, and all these mammals around Lagos as incubators.

All this occuring in the place where humans first evolved, and where some basic DNA mutations have not occured that many in the rest of the world have obtained. Any mutation to mammalian form will strike hard at the basic blueprint of humanity, if it happens in Africa.

Now THAT'S scary...

bird flu, avian flu
United Kingdom
Scotland
Africa
Nigeria
Lagos
cats

Republican Family Values

(Hat Tip once more to Miss C)

Item:

U.S. official held in Polk sex-sting case

Amy C. Rippel
Sentinel Staff Writer

April 5, 2006

A U.S. Department of Homeland Security official was arrested Tuesday after he had sexually explicit conversations with a person he thought was a 14-year-old girl, authorities said.

Brian J. Doyle, 55, the federal agency's deputy press secretary, was actually talking to an undercover Polk County Sheriff's Office detective. Investigators said he sent pornographic movie clips to the "girl" over the Internet, used instant messaging to have explicit conversations with her and encouraged her to purchase a Web camera so they could exchange graphic photos.

As disgusting and personally repugnant as this story is, there's a *snark* element to it:

Secretary Ridge Announces "Operation Predator"

March 16, 2006: AG Gonzalez Announces International Child Pornography Ring Busted (hmmm....guess he missed Doyle...)

Now, you'd LIKE to think that the party of family values and religion would be upright and moral and would shun this guy like the plague.

Apparently, the Republicans have a problem with the shunning and the shibollething, and the boingyboingy mit the underage children...macht leben!

Republican Neverland ranch

Posted by: Brad Watkins
Thanks to Merritt for sending me this....yikes...

This list isn't speculation or conspiracy...sadly its a matter of public record.

Please send this out to whomever you deem necessary.
--

* Republican anti-abortion activist Howard Scott Heldreth is a convicted child rapist in Florida.

* Republican County Commissioner David Swartz pleaded guilty to molesting two girls under the age of 11 and was sentenced to 8 years in prison.

* Republican judge Mark Pazuhanich pleaded no contest to fondling a 10-year old girl and was sentenced to 10 years probation.

* Republican anti-abortion activist Nicholas Morency pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography on his computer and offering a bounty to anybody who murders an abortion doctor.

* Republican legislator Edison Misla Aldarondo was sentenced to 10 years in prison for raping his daughter between the ages of 9 and 17.

* Republican Mayor Philip Giordano is serving a 37-year sentence in federal prison for sexually abusing 8- and 10-year old girls.

* Republican campaign consultant Tom Shortridge was sentenced to three years probation for taking nude photographs of a 15-year old girl.

* Republican racist pedophile and United States Senator Strom Thurmond had sex with a 15-year old black girl which produced a child.

* Republican pastor Mike Hintz, whom George W. Bush commended during the 2004 presidential campaign, surrendered to police after admitting to a sexual affair with a female juvenile.

* Republican legislator Peter Dibble pleaded no contest to having an inappropriate relationship with a 13-year-old girl.

* Republican activist Lawrence E. King, Jr. organized child sex parties at the White House during the 1980s.

* Republican lobbyist Craig J. Spence organized child sex parties at the White House during the 1980s.

* Republican Congressman Donald "Buz" Lukens was found guilty of having sex with a female minor and sentenced to one month in jail.

* Republican fundraiser Richard A. Delgaudio was found guilty of child porn charges and paying two teenage girls to pose for sexual photos.

* Republican activist Mark A. Grethen convicted on six counts of sex crimes involving children.

* Republican activist Randal David Ankeney pleaded guilty to attempted sexual assault on a child.

* Republican Congressman Dan Crane had sex with a female minor working as a congressional page.

* Republican activist and Christian Coalition leader Beverly Russell admitted to an incestuous relationship with his step daughter.

* Republican governor Arnold Schwarzenegger allegedly had sex with a 16 year old girl when he was 28.

* Republican congressman and anti-gay activist Robert Bauman was charged with having sex with a 16-year-old boy he picked up at a gay bar.

* Republican Committee Chairman Jeffrey Patti was arrested for distributing a video clip of a 5-year-old girl being raped.

* Republican activist Marty Glickman (a.k.a. "Republican Marty"), was taken into custody by Florida police on four counts of unlawful sexual activity with an underage girl and one count of delivering the drug LSD.

* Republican legislative aide Howard L. Brooks was charged with molesting a 12-year old boy and possession of child pornography.

* Republican Senate candidate John Hathaway was accused of having sex with his 12-year old baby sitter and withdrew his candidacy after the allegations were reported in the media.

* Republican preacher Stephen White, who demanded a return to traditional values, was sentenced to jail after offering $20 to a 14-year-old boy for permission to perform oral sex on him.

* Republican talk show host Jon Matthews pleaded guilty to exposing his genitals to an 11 year old girl.

* Republican anti-gay activist Earl "Butch" Kimmerling was sentenced to 40 years in prison for molesting an 8-year old girl after he attempted to stop a gay couple from adopting her.

* Republican Party leader Paul Ingram pleaded guilty to six counts of raping his daughters and served 14 years in federal prison.

* Republican election board official Kevin Coan was sentenced to two years probation for soliciting sex over the internet from a 14-year old girl.

* Republican politician Andrew Buhr was charged with two counts of first degree sodomy with a 13-year old boy.

* Republican politician Keith Westmoreland was arrested on seven felony counts of lewd and lascivious exhibition to girls under the age of 16 (i.e. exposing himself to children).

* Republican anti-abortion activist John Allen Burt was charged with sexual misconduct involving a 15-year old girl.

* Republican County Councilman Keola Childs pleaded guilty to molesting a male child.

* Republican activist John Butler was charged with criminal sexual assault on a teenage girl.

* Republican candidate Richard Gardner admitted to molesting his two daughters.

* Republican Councilman and former Marine Jack W. Gardner was convicted of molesting a 13-year old girl.

* Republican County Commissioner Merrill Robert Barter pleaded guilty to unlawful sexual contact and assault on a teenage boy.

* Republican City Councilman Fred C. Smeltzer, Jr. pleaded no contest to raping a 15 year-old girl and served 6-months in prison.

* Republican activist Parker J. Bena pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography on his home computer and was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison and fined $18,000.

* Republican parole board officer and former Colorado state representative, Larry Jack Schwarz, was fired after child pornography was found in his possession.

* Republican strategist and Citadel Military College graduate Robin Vanderwall was convicted in Virginia on five counts of soliciting sex from boys and girls over the internet.

* Republican city councilman Mark Harris, who is described as a "good military man" and "church goer," was convicted of repeatedly having sex with an 11-year-old girl and sentenced to 12 years in prison.

* Republican businessman Jon Grunseth withdrew his candidacy for Minnesota governor after allegations surfaced that he went swimming in the nude with four underage girls, including his daughter.

* Republican director of the "Young Republican Federation" Nicholas Elizondo molested his 6-year old daughter and was sentenced to six years in prison.

* Republican benefactor of conservative Christian groups, Richard A. Dasen Sr., was charged with rape for allegedly paying a 15-year old girl for sex. Dasen, 62, who is married with grown children and several grandchildren, has allegedly told police that over the past decade he paid more than $1 million to have sex with a large number of young women.

snarkasm, snarcasm, snarky
Bush
Republican
pedophilia
Brian J. Doyle

Thank YOU, Mr. Obvious!

Giuliani: Another terror attack in U.S. likely

By Josh Noel
Tribune staff reporter

April 5, 2006

Speaking in Chicago today at an urban affairs forum, former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani warned another large-scale terrorist attack on U.S. soil was likely.

"It's better to assume we will be attacked again and go from there," Giuliani said during a speech at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Ya think?

Ya think the failures of the administration that you so whole-heartedly have supported, in stark contradiction to your years of battling fellow Republicans when they simply were wrong, *might* come back to bite us in the ass?

Ya think it's any wonder that the cities and areas with the largest and most dense populations voted for Gore and Kerry ahead of these jackasses?

"It would be irrational not to be afraid of another attack," he said. "But the fear should lead you to do what a police officer does or a firefighter or a soldier or what Mayor (Richard M.) Daley did: prepare."

Oh? You mean terrorizing the shit out of nation whenever you fall behind in the polls is not a good idea? That maybe, eventually, you end up being Chikcken Little, and people ignore you?

What is it with these bozos in the Republican party that they think it's OK to manipulate people until it isn't such a good idea (like, say, after a devastating flood) because it draws attention to their failures?

Why not do what every President should do: be honest with us.

No one expected another 9-11 attack right after the first, even if many of us were scared of one. We sensed that Osama had shot his wad for a while, and guess what? It took him 911 days to attack again, and even then, he had to attack closer to home. And then 7/7/05 happened in London. A little further away.

NOW is the time to have been preparing all along for an attack, but calmly, rationally. We had a terrorist attack, and the best this administration could do was give us a rainbow. And sell duck tape and plastic sheeting, produced, I note, by some heavyweight campaign contributors.

Rudy, as a side note, I really hope you run for President. And get clobbered, which is likely from both sides, because maybe, just maybe, the truth of your mayoralty will become evident to everyone: you are an unprincipled jerk who only knows how to promote yourself at the expense of those who suffer your ego.

(hat tip to Miss C for the graphic...OK...you're forgiven, officially :-) )

snarkasm, snarcasm, snarky

Bush
New York
Rudy Giuliani

Check Out The Time On This Post...

That's right...01:02:03 04/05/06!

A Whole New Meaning To The "Rubber Chicken Circuit"

Dear Carl,

Tom DeLay announced he's quitting Congress today because he's afraid of losing his seat to a Democrat.

Democracy for America has dogged DeLay for years. With TV commercials and billboards, at rallies and online, DFA has been on the front lines of the battle to clean up Congress. But we didn't think DeLay would "cut and run" like he did.

If he did nothing wrong -- as he claims -- then Tom DeLay shouldn't be afraid of a re-election campaign in a district he drew for himself. But he is quitting by mid-June.

Let's help send Tom DeLay the rubber chicken award he so richly deserves:

http://contribute.democracyforamerica.com

For every $50 Democracy for America raises today, we'll send Tom DeLay an authentic rubber chicken for his mantle. It'll be our goodbye present.

If you can't donate today, you can still sign the "Thanks for the Memories" card that will go along with the chickens being delivered to his office in Texas:

http://www.democracyforamerica.com/tomdelaymemories

My favorite memory is when DeLay called my brother, Howard, "a cruel and extremist demagogue."1 I bet you have a favorite DeLay memory too. Maybe the lobbyist funded golfing trip to Scotland; or the time he spouted, "I AM the federal government," in a Washington restaurant while chomping on a cigar.2

Send Tom DeLay a rubber chicken and a goodbye note today:

http://contribute.democracyforamerica.com

In 2006, with your help, the chickens will come home to roost.

Thanks!

Jim Dean
Chair, Democracy for America

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1: http://washingtontimes.com/national/20030903-120256-5693r.htm
2: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A57541-2003May14

Next Time A Fundie Right Winger Gets On Your Case About "Values"...

...remember this quote.

"On Wednesday, March 1st, 2006, in Annapolis, Maryland, at a hearing on the proposed Constitutional Amendment to prohibit gay marriage, Jamie Raskin, professor of law at AU, was requested to testify.

At the end of his testimony, Republican Senator Nancy Jacobs said: "Mr. Raskin, my Bible says marriage is only between a man and a woman. What do you have to say about that?"

Raskin replied:

"Senator, when you took your oath of office, you placed your hand on the Bible and swore to uphold the Constitution. You did not place your hand on the Constitution and swear to uphold the Bible”

The room erupted into applause. "

A Quote From Bill Maher

"Mr. President, this job can't be fun for you any more. There's no more money to spend--you used up all of that. You can't start another war because you used up the army. And now, darn the luck, the rest of your term has become the Bush family nightmare: helping poor people. Listen to your Mom. The cupboard's bare, the credit cards maxed out. No one's speaking to you. Mission Accomplished!

"Now it's time to do what you've always done best: lose interest and walk away. Like you did with your military service and the oil company and the baseball team. It's time. Time to move on and try the next fantasy job. How about cowboy or space man? Now I know what you're saying: there's so many other things that you as President could involve yourself in. Please don't. I know, I know. There's a lot left to do. There's a war with Venezuela. Eliminating the sales tax on yachts. Turning the space program over to the church. And Social Security to Fannie Mae. Giving embryos the vote.

"But, Sir, none of that is going to happen now. Why? Because you govern like Billy Joel drives. You've performed so poorly I'm surprised that you haven't given yourself a medal. You're a catastrophe that walks like a man. Herbert Hoover was a shitty president, but even he never conceded an entire city to rising water and snakes.

"On your watch, we've lost almost all of our allies, the surplus, four airliners, two trade centers, a piece of the Pentagon and the City of New Orleans. Maybe you're just not lucky. I'm not saying you don't love this country. I'm just w ondering how much worse it could be if you were on the other side.

"So, yes, God does speak to you. What he is saying is: 'Take a hint.'"

Remember When?

REMEMBER WHEN you displayed your flag on the front porch on the 4th of July, and you didn’t have to worry about whether it would be misinterpreted as support for a corrupt president and his administration?

REMEMBER WHEN ‘Support the Troops’ meant equipping our military with everything necessary for battle, instead of just being a catchy phrase that looked good on a bumper-sticker?

REMEMBER WHEN your tax dollars paid for things like improved education and social programs, instead of making Halliburton shareholders millionaires?

REMEMBER WHEN you watched movies about WWII, and it was the enemy who tortured captured American soldiers, instead of American soldiers torturing the people they’d allegedly ‘liberated’?

REMEMBER WHEN you heard something on the TV news or read something in a newspaper, and you didn’t have to go to the internet to find out just how much of it was fact, and how much of it was ‘spin’?

REMEMBER WHEN a politician was caught with his hand in the cookie jar and he resigned in disgrace, instead of excusing his own behaviour by claiming that his political opponents were equally as guilty of wrongdoing?

REMEMBER WHEN ‘Made in the USA’ labels on products were the norm, and not a total oddity?

REMEMBER WHEN you hitchhiked through Europe as a teenager, and you DIDN’T have to replace the American flag on your knapsack with a Canadian flag in order to be a welcomed guest in a foreign country?

REMEMBER WHEN organized crime figures had to make phone calls from the corner phone booth, because they were the only people who had to worry about wire-taps?

REMEMBER WHEN telling a fellow politician on the floor of the House to ‘go f*ck himself’ was considered behaviour unbecoming an elected official, instead of being accepted as the way a Vice President behaves himself?

REMEMBER WHEN you could pretty well count on the fact that if the president said it, it was based on sound intelligence and was probably true?

REMEMBER WHEN you could rely on your elected representatives to put your interests ahead of the corporations that filled their campaign coffers, or the lobbyists who gave them great basketball tickets?

REMEMBER WHEN you didn’t even KNOW what religion the people you voted for were, because it didn’t really matter? Remember when you didn’t know what party your neighbour belonged to, because that didn’t really matter either?

REMEMBER WHEN the pension you’d worked for your whole life wasn’t in danger of being wiped out by corrupt CEOs, assisted by respected accounting firms that made that corruption almost impossible to detect?

REMEMBER WHEN you could brag that as an American, you were guaranteed things like free speech and due process of law, without checking the nightly news to see whether those rights were still in effect?

REMEMBER WHEN the president upheld the law of the land, instead of coming up with ‘legal loopholes’ to support the idea that he’s above the law?

REMEMBER WHEN you could say, “I’m a proud American,” without qualifying it with a list of all of the things your government is doing that you’re not exactly proud of?

REMEMBER WHEN you actually thought that the people in charge of running your country were smarter than you were?

REMEMBER WHEN your parents worked all their lives to ensure you a better life, instead of worrying about how bad the life they’d be leaving their children might be?

REMEMBER WHEN the importance of clean drinking water and breathable air were unquestionable mandates, and not some crazy hippie agenda to be weighed against corporate profits?

REMEMBER WHEN questioning your government’s policies was seen as ‘participating in the process’, and not ‘giving aid and comfort to the enemy’?

REMEMBER WHEN the ‘enemy’ was a country or military force that posed a threat to American democracy, and not a nation of innocent civilians who whose destruction was dismissible as ‘collateral damage’?

REMEMBER WHEN your country went to war based on facts beforehand, instead of constantly-changing suppositions after-the-fact?

REMEMBER WHEN ‘patriotism’ was judged by your words and actions, and not by whether you were a member of the party currently in power?

REMEMBER WHEN the ‘American Dream’ was attainable through diligence and hard work, and not the luck of the ‘outsourcing’ draw?

REMEMBER WHEN the election of a president was considered the result of democracy in action, and not the result of Diebold executives doing the job they were expected to do?

REMEMBER WHEN you sang ‘God Bless America’ as a kid, and never thought you’d grow up to wonder if, in view of your country’s actions, asking God’s blessing was asking a bit too much?

I REMEMBER WHEN … and I wonder if these ideas will become ancient history by the time those of us old enough to recall them are dead and gone.

snarkasm, snarcasm, snarky

Bush

File This Away For Future Reference...

Rice, Straw in Iraq to break deadlock

That's all I'm saying...until the inevitable failure.