Big props to Sally Field for her passionate speech condemning war at The Emmy's. She's soooo right. If mothers ran the world, there would be no such thing as war. But for some reason...our so-called cultural arbitrators have decided American citizens whose career choice lands in the field of the arts; be it acting or music or visual...have somehow relinquished their First Amendment rights.
I guess those so-called arbitrators of culture believe everyone should be as limited in the realm of intelligence, depth and compassion as they are. It's quite amusing how off the mark media critics are in their opinions compared to the current overwhelming anti-war sentiment of Americans, but it's not amusing at all when our elected represetatives share that same opinion.
Thursday September 20th, 2007 is a date that marks a a new low for our government. The Senate could not pass the Webb Amendment giving soldiers and National Guardsmen serving in Iraq enough time off from their tours to keep them from losing their lives, their families, their jobs and their minds. The Senate could not pass the Dodd/Leahy amendment to Restore Habeas Corpus - every human's right to face their accusers and defend themselves in a court of law. But, 72 Senators, which means many Democrats were in that mix, voted to condemn Move On for their ad that asked the question 'Will General Petraeus Betray Us?'. It was a fair question and as polls have shown us, a large majority of the American people believed he would and as a loyal political figure he lived up to our expectations.
But the finger wagging DC Establishment think they can tell Americans that there are people in our government, under civilian rule and paid for by citizens tax dollars, that are off limits when it comes to public criticism. Excuse me but if 'civilians' are fair game for scrutiny then by God so is the military. If the GOP can tear Cindy Sheehan, the 9/11 families, and veterans protesting this war (including those who have served in Iraq) apart then Mr. Petraeus is fair game.
Since when did America become a nation willing to give those in power a free ride? Since never. Americans aren't giving any member of the power structure a free ride and that's not just pissing off Republicans anymore. It seems DLCC Darling Steny 'I Hate The Little People' Hoyer is especially annoyed with 'the base' because we keep insisting his party keep the promises they gave when we gave them the majority.
Both General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker based their claims of progress and less violence in Iraq on a rebranding strategy promoted by the civilian administration that reclassified the definition of 'insurgent casualties'. If an Iraqi was killed by a car bomb? No longer a victim of the insurgency. If an Iraqi was shot to death from the front rather than behind, no longer a victim of the insurgency. They narrowed the definition of insurgency caused deaths to suit their political purposes. And the so-called 'venerable' General Petraeus hopped on the Parsing Train with his striped conductor hat cocked to the side and his right arm ready to pull the horn and toot a car full of big fat lies because he's a good soldier? I. Think. Not.
Many supposed wonderful Generals (Shinseki, Abizaid, Zinni, Batiste, Casey, Pace and so on and so on) lost their rank or job for telling the truth to the public and the Bush Administration when it comes to Iraq. But for some reason publicly trashing those generals is perfectly acceptable to both political parties but the ones who currently spout the administration's propaganda are off limits. I. Think. Not.
Those who enter the armed forces swear an oath to protect and uphold The Constitution and not the sitting administration's personal desire for unchecked power. And while the petty officers and infantrymen on the lines in Iraq are just following orders, their commanding officers in charge of making sure their oaths are followed are the ones failing them and the American people. Those are who we as Americans have the right to hold accountable.
But if we as a nation are willing to say the military should operate without criticism and without oversight; we are not a representative Republic with constitutionally codified checks and balances. We're something else. Something very dark. Something maybe a small minority of our nation thinks is fine but the lion's share of us are not willing to accept.
General Petraeus is not the only person who should be accused of betraying the American people. The United States Congress, one day after cementing the demise of Habeas Corpus, took the time out of their day to condemn an organization made up of millions of concerned citizens for exercising their right to free speech.
There's a part of me that thinks maybe they all really do 'hate us'. And I have no idea where that puts us in the future. Except for the fact that it doesn't matter if they do hate us. They work for us, no matter how they feel about us. And it's up to us to tell them what to do.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
They're Baaaack: Prelude To A Persian Affair and A Liberal's Flirtation With Tough Love.
Is Summer over already?
Yes kids, Congress is back. And I'm beginning to wonder what the living hell good it does anyone. Besides throw the little people their minimum wage crumbs, pass watered-down-why-did-they-even-bother-ethics reform and pass the 9/11 Commission Recommendations that are being completely ignored by the Bush Administration; what has the Democratic led Congress done since they won their majority?
They caved to GOP fear-mongering and continued funding the Iraq Occupation they promised in 2006 to end. Overwhelmingly passed Joe LIEberman's amendment that prohibits Congress from stopping yet another Neocon War of Choice against Iran. Or how about the time they were bamboozled by Trent Lott (R-Why Is He Still Relevant?) into letting a truly vile Bush judicial nominee that had been blocked by committee through to a full house vote.
You see poor fragile Diane Feinstein's ego has been so bruised by the mean old far left that the delicate little flower was talked out of her vote by that swarthy hot tower of manliness, Trent Lott. Leslie Southwick, an anti-gay, anti-union, anti-workers' rights nominee is expected to get enough votes for confirmation unless of course a Democrat decides to filibuster....I know, I know..I can't believe I wrote that either.
Yeah, yeah, yeah...I know the Republicans have been 'obstructionist'...boo hoo. But you know what? Democrats control what legislation and which nominee hits the floor. Between 2000 and 2006 the Republicans kept every bill they didn't like from seeing daylight. There's no excuse.
How will the Democrats finish up the year? By approving another 50 billion to continue the bloody occupation of civil-war-torn Iraq and caving to the GOP on a timetable for withdrawal? Letting Gone-zo & Co. off the hook because going forward will hurt their chances in '08? Continue to ignore the wholesale theft of our national treasury by corrupt Iraq defense contractors? Or, maybe they'll sing backup to the Neocons on their Top-40 hit 'Bomb Iran Bomb Bomb Iran'? Color me shocked, I figured Barack Obama for a baritone but his last solo effort sounded distinctly more Soprano-like. To be fair, The Dems' golden girl Carmela is also singing the same tune.
Last month Bush declared the Iran Military a terrorist organization without so much as a peep from the left side of the aisle. Kids, the time to sell us another war is nigh and the compliant Right Wing Traditional Media is dutifully practicing their pitch as we speak. Which means the overpaid DC bubble-dwelling DNC Political Crapsultants will be advising their clients to play along lest Fox News' Big Bad Basset Hound-faced Brit Hume calls them wimpy terrorist lovers.
I know some will be upset after reading this post. Why am I not beating up on the Republicans? Why aren't I making fun of the last pitiable self-loathing conservative closet case (or stall case, if you will) to get busted for leading a doubly hypocritical life? Why aren't I berating the GOPunditutes over the last burst of verbal fecal matter that flowed from Rush O'Reilly or his blonde half-brother Sean Coulter's mouth? First of all, it's been done to death. And second of all.....they don't matter anymore.
Even with a compliant media, Republicans haven't been able to convince a vast majority of the people their way is the best way for the nation. In fact, just the opposite is true. Polls show that the American people trust Democrats to find a way out of the war, they trust them more on national security, the economy and yes...even 'family values'.
It's time the left side of the aisle realized this and instead of shying away from their liberal moniker, proudly defended those ideals. Being a Liberal Drinker, I have to tell you it hurts when the party that claims to love the same ideals as I, pretends not to know me Wednesday morning after the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November.
Six months or so pass, then the love letters containing envelopes show up in the mail. A charmingly coy electronic entreaty asking me to sign their petition and throw them another 50 bucks pops into my inbox then the next thing you know they are all over me like Fred Thompson on a Viagra binge; promising me the progressive moon and stars as long as I pay a few hundred bucks to join them for a romantic dinner with just us two and 800 friends.
I'm beginning to feel our consituential relationship is one sided. I call and I write. They promise me they feel the same way then go ahead and vote the other. I give and I give and I give. And what do I get? They grant Dubya McTesticle-wires sole power to take away my right to defend myself in a court of law. I'm tired of the broken promises and erosion of our civil liberties. I'm tired of them refusing our liberal surname as if it's something to be ashamed of.
I don't want a divorce the lovable long-eared lugs. But, they've given me no choice. I'm cutting off any candidate currently in government that has not shown me they will fight for our Constitution, work to actually end the occupation of Iraq, restore habeas corpus, and proudly wear our liberal ideals on their sleeve. Sigh, tough love is soooo hard, especially when the only other political fish in the sea resemble creepy Orwellian carp.
Regardless, I'm going to stay strong. But a political support group would sure come in handy at a time like this. And, there just so happens to be one called Cleveland Drinking Liberally, where you can find like minded souls to kvetch with and solace in a frosty brew laced with tears of frustration. They meet this Sunday at or about 6pm at Sullivan's Irish Pub on Madison Avenue in Lakewood, Ohio. If you see a redhead at the bar with a double of whatever's strongest next to a mound of wadded up Kleenex, come say hello.
Yes kids, Congress is back. And I'm beginning to wonder what the living hell good it does anyone. Besides throw the little people their minimum wage crumbs, pass watered-down-why-did-they-even-bother-ethics reform and pass the 9/11 Commission Recommendations that are being completely ignored by the Bush Administration; what has the Democratic led Congress done since they won their majority?
They caved to GOP fear-mongering and continued funding the Iraq Occupation they promised in 2006 to end. Overwhelmingly passed Joe LIEberman's amendment that prohibits Congress from stopping yet another Neocon War of Choice against Iran. Or how about the time they were bamboozled by Trent Lott (R-Why Is He Still Relevant?) into letting a truly vile Bush judicial nominee that had been blocked by committee through to a full house vote.
You see poor fragile Diane Feinstein's ego has been so bruised by the mean old far left that the delicate little flower was talked out of her vote by that swarthy hot tower of manliness, Trent Lott. Leslie Southwick, an anti-gay, anti-union, anti-workers' rights nominee is expected to get enough votes for confirmation unless of course a Democrat decides to filibuster....I know, I know..I can't believe I wrote that either.
Yeah, yeah, yeah...I know the Republicans have been 'obstructionist'...boo hoo. But you know what? Democrats control what legislation and which nominee hits the floor. Between 2000 and 2006 the Republicans kept every bill they didn't like from seeing daylight. There's no excuse.
How will the Democrats finish up the year? By approving another 50 billion to continue the bloody occupation of civil-war-torn Iraq and caving to the GOP on a timetable for withdrawal? Letting Gone-zo & Co. off the hook because going forward will hurt their chances in '08? Continue to ignore the wholesale theft of our national treasury by corrupt Iraq defense contractors? Or, maybe they'll sing backup to the Neocons on their Top-40 hit 'Bomb Iran Bomb Bomb Iran'? Color me shocked, I figured Barack Obama for a baritone but his last solo effort sounded distinctly more Soprano-like. To be fair, The Dems' golden girl Carmela is also singing the same tune.
Last month Bush declared the Iran Military a terrorist organization without so much as a peep from the left side of the aisle. Kids, the time to sell us another war is nigh and the compliant Right Wing Traditional Media is dutifully practicing their pitch as we speak. Which means the overpaid DC bubble-dwelling DNC Political Crapsultants will be advising their clients to play along lest Fox News' Big Bad Basset Hound-faced Brit Hume calls them wimpy terrorist lovers.
I know some will be upset after reading this post. Why am I not beating up on the Republicans? Why aren't I making fun of the last pitiable self-loathing conservative closet case (or stall case, if you will) to get busted for leading a doubly hypocritical life? Why aren't I berating the GOPunditutes over the last burst of verbal fecal matter that flowed from Rush O'Reilly or his blonde half-brother Sean Coulter's mouth? First of all, it's been done to death. And second of all.....they don't matter anymore.
Even with a compliant media, Republicans haven't been able to convince a vast majority of the people their way is the best way for the nation. In fact, just the opposite is true. Polls show that the American people trust Democrats to find a way out of the war, they trust them more on national security, the economy and yes...even 'family values'.
It's time the left side of the aisle realized this and instead of shying away from their liberal moniker, proudly defended those ideals. Being a Liberal Drinker, I have to tell you it hurts when the party that claims to love the same ideals as I, pretends not to know me Wednesday morning after the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November.
Six months or so pass, then the love letters containing envelopes show up in the mail. A charmingly coy electronic entreaty asking me to sign their petition and throw them another 50 bucks pops into my inbox then the next thing you know they are all over me like Fred Thompson on a Viagra binge; promising me the progressive moon and stars as long as I pay a few hundred bucks to join them for a romantic dinner with just us two and 800 friends.
I'm beginning to feel our consituential relationship is one sided. I call and I write. They promise me they feel the same way then go ahead and vote the other. I give and I give and I give. And what do I get? They grant Dubya McTesticle-wires sole power to take away my right to defend myself in a court of law. I'm tired of the broken promises and erosion of our civil liberties. I'm tired of them refusing our liberal surname as if it's something to be ashamed of.
I don't want a divorce the lovable long-eared lugs. But, they've given me no choice. I'm cutting off any candidate currently in government that has not shown me they will fight for our Constitution, work to actually end the occupation of Iraq, restore habeas corpus, and proudly wear our liberal ideals on their sleeve. Sigh, tough love is soooo hard, especially when the only other political fish in the sea resemble creepy Orwellian carp.
Regardless, I'm going to stay strong. But a political support group would sure come in handy at a time like this. And, there just so happens to be one called Cleveland Drinking Liberally, where you can find like minded souls to kvetch with and solace in a frosty brew laced with tears of frustration. They meet this Sunday at or about 6pm at Sullivan's Irish Pub on Madison Avenue in Lakewood, Ohio. If you see a redhead at the bar with a double of whatever's strongest next to a mound of wadded up Kleenex, come say hello.
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