George Bush has thrown down the gauntlet with his latest act of treachery, namely the use of the NSA to spy on American citizens. Regardless how many partisan hacks come to his defense claiming he has the right to do this because he is a war president, it does not change the fact that his actions are in direct violation of the FISA law. And though he is claiming legal and constitutional justification for his ongoing program of surveillance, he is most certainly aware that none exists.
This act, and his pathetic argument for its legality, is meant to exert an authority he is well aware he does not possess and to gauge public acceptance of limitless executive power. Bush’s administration has exceeded all previous presidents in exercising questionable authority and gaining acceptance of what was once unacceptable. Without the necessary checks and balances upon his powers he is unencumbered in expanding them beyond any previously conceived limits.
Congress, including bush’s partisans, apologists and water carriers, has been slapped in the face by this president who feels he is beyond their control. Those who have spoken out against him, as well as those who have spoken up for him, have been put on notice that he does not recognize their authority and is in defiance of the role of executive oversight. They must take positive action against the president now, or accept their new role as factotums with diminished capacity and heightened insignificance.
If Congress chooses the latter there will be no impediment for the president to overcome in claiming even greater authority including omnipotence. Considering the arrogance he has demonstrated thus far, it is no longer inconceivable that he would suspend elections and remain in office.
Saturday, December 24, 2005
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Caution
The spiraling descent of democracy under the Bush administration has just picked up speed and now appears to be unsalvageable. We have witnessed the decline of the liberties that make our nation unique, and we have experienced a corporate coup that has changed the United States from a country governed by the people to one governed by profits. Add to this the anti-constitutional surveillance Bush claims to have the legal right to perform, without warrants as mandated by the FISA Act and the remaining vestiges of democracy are being extinguished.
Democrats are raising a fuss over these illegal acts and believe their ability to regain majority control in either the House, the Senate or both is enhanced because of the public’s objection to Bush’s miserable leadership. However, no one seems to want to acknowledge the extremes to which this administration has gone and what that might mean to Democrats chances in upcoming elections.
The Republican majority in both houses of Congress have steadfastly refused to perform their constitutional duties and have barred Democratic attempts at oversight of the Executive branch. This is in stark contrast to the over zealous oversight they insisted on during the Clinton administration for rumored offenses, mostly existing in the minds of certain Congressmen, and of far lesser importance than the well founded accusations against, and obvious extralegal activities of the current administration. The invasion of Iraq is the principal example of the administration’s use of deceit to obtain a preordained objective but, by no means the only instance in which laws were ignored and lies were employed.
Republicans have demonstrated their willingness to exploit legal grey areas, employ misleading talking points, and ignore traditional procedures to obtain a strategic advantage over the Democrats. More recently, they have engaged in less than ethical activities as evidenced by Tom DeLay’s Gerrymandering of Texas voting districts and the use of Homeland Security to hunt down Democratic legislators who left the state to prevent a quorum and block the redistricting vote. Most telling however, is their complicity in Bush’s lies and refusal to investigate his illegal actions. This is imperative for the Republicans if they intend to maintain and increase their advantage in Congress.
It is my view that the Republicans have put themselves in a position, by submissively obeying party leaders and cowing to the whims of the administration, they can not get out of nor afford to have exposed. Their complicity in many of Bush and Cheney’s illegal activities, if exposed would jeopardize their careers if not their very freedom. Neoconservative zealots within their own party have convinced many, and forced others, to go along with actions they knew were outside of the law. Now, a Democratic majority in either House of Congress would initiate investigations that would expose their clandestine activities.
For that reason the Republicans must remain in power and to do so they will continue to exercise their dominance of the electorate through the use of voting machines running corrupt software, state officials willing to usurp the voting rights of their own citizens and enacting laws making it impossible for many predominantly Democratic supporters to vote. We saw this happen in 2000 when Bush was appointed by the Supreme Court and again in 2004 when the Ohio exit polls did not match the vote outcome for the first time ever.
If we want to continue to live in a free country and enjoy the liberties of democracy then we need to take action now. Everyone who is concerned about what the Republicans have done, and continue to do, to our country need to start calling their Senators and Representatives, writing letters to the local newspapers, writing letters and emails to local and state officials insisting on a fair and transparent system of voting. Demand this as a constitutionally guaranteed right of citizenry and do not allow them to ignore your demands or play them off with some non-committal response. Organize neighborhood and citywide groups and contact your representatives as a citizens group for fair elections. Search the internet for groups doing the same thing.
Do not stand by and watch totalitarian miscreants, like Cheney and Bush, disassemble the most successful democracy known to mankind. Do not mistake the agenda of those opposed to democracy for less than what it is, an assault on our freedoms. Do not under-estimate the conviction of those in power to do ANYTHING to remain in power.
Democrats are raising a fuss over these illegal acts and believe their ability to regain majority control in either the House, the Senate or both is enhanced because of the public’s objection to Bush’s miserable leadership. However, no one seems to want to acknowledge the extremes to which this administration has gone and what that might mean to Democrats chances in upcoming elections.
The Republican majority in both houses of Congress have steadfastly refused to perform their constitutional duties and have barred Democratic attempts at oversight of the Executive branch. This is in stark contrast to the over zealous oversight they insisted on during the Clinton administration for rumored offenses, mostly existing in the minds of certain Congressmen, and of far lesser importance than the well founded accusations against, and obvious extralegal activities of the current administration. The invasion of Iraq is the principal example of the administration’s use of deceit to obtain a preordained objective but, by no means the only instance in which laws were ignored and lies were employed.
Republicans have demonstrated their willingness to exploit legal grey areas, employ misleading talking points, and ignore traditional procedures to obtain a strategic advantage over the Democrats. More recently, they have engaged in less than ethical activities as evidenced by Tom DeLay’s Gerrymandering of Texas voting districts and the use of Homeland Security to hunt down Democratic legislators who left the state to prevent a quorum and block the redistricting vote. Most telling however, is their complicity in Bush’s lies and refusal to investigate his illegal actions. This is imperative for the Republicans if they intend to maintain and increase their advantage in Congress.
It is my view that the Republicans have put themselves in a position, by submissively obeying party leaders and cowing to the whims of the administration, they can not get out of nor afford to have exposed. Their complicity in many of Bush and Cheney’s illegal activities, if exposed would jeopardize their careers if not their very freedom. Neoconservative zealots within their own party have convinced many, and forced others, to go along with actions they knew were outside of the law. Now, a Democratic majority in either House of Congress would initiate investigations that would expose their clandestine activities.
For that reason the Republicans must remain in power and to do so they will continue to exercise their dominance of the electorate through the use of voting machines running corrupt software, state officials willing to usurp the voting rights of their own citizens and enacting laws making it impossible for many predominantly Democratic supporters to vote. We saw this happen in 2000 when Bush was appointed by the Supreme Court and again in 2004 when the Ohio exit polls did not match the vote outcome for the first time ever.
If we want to continue to live in a free country and enjoy the liberties of democracy then we need to take action now. Everyone who is concerned about what the Republicans have done, and continue to do, to our country need to start calling their Senators and Representatives, writing letters to the local newspapers, writing letters and emails to local and state officials insisting on a fair and transparent system of voting. Demand this as a constitutionally guaranteed right of citizenry and do not allow them to ignore your demands or play them off with some non-committal response. Organize neighborhood and citywide groups and contact your representatives as a citizens group for fair elections. Search the internet for groups doing the same thing.
Do not stand by and watch totalitarian miscreants, like Cheney and Bush, disassemble the most successful democracy known to mankind. Do not mistake the agenda of those opposed to democracy for less than what it is, an assault on our freedoms. Do not under-estimate the conviction of those in power to do ANYTHING to remain in power.
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
We don't need no stinkin' warrant!
The media’s response to the astonishing news that the Bush administration has been, and continues to, spy on American citizens, has been less than stellar. In fact, some members of the press are expressing the view that only liberal extremists are speaking of impeaching the president and that these views hold no credibility. Of course, this denies the fact that Republicans enthusiastically lowered the bar for impeachable offenses when Bill Clinton was in office.
What is even more telling about the media’s incompetence, or perhaps its actual complicity with administrations criminal activities, are even more under-reported stories that point to the politicization of the NSA by Bush & Company.
The first is a report by Raw Story that points out that NSA documents now show that then Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice authorized “President Bush’s and other top White House officials plan to wiretap the home and office telephones and monitor private email accounts of members of the UN Security Council in early 2003 to determine how foreign delegates would vote on the UN resolution that paved the way for the U.S. led war in Iraq.”
The other is a dairy entry from Lapin, a contributor to the Dailykos website. The report states that the NSA spied on then Secretary of State Colin Powell, Gov. Bill Richardson and Sen. Joseph Biden. It started with information requested by former Under Secretary of State, John Bolton. “It was revealed by Senator Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) during Bolton's Senate Foreign Relations Committee nomination hearing that Bolton requested transcripts of 10 NSA intercepts of conversations between named U.S. government officials and foreign persons. However, NSA insiders report that Hayden approved special intercept operations on behalf of Bolton and had them masked as "training missions" in order to get around internal NSA regulations that normally prohibit such eavesdropping on U.S. citizens.”
Bush and Cheney have committed felonies by using the NSA to perform espionage activities upon American citizens. Now it is also evident that they used the NSA to gain political advantage over members of the UN Security Council to ensure there would be an Iraq war. And they have used the NSA to spy on members of the opposition in Congress, powerful Democratic state leaders, and even members of their own cabinet like Secretary of State Powell.
The only way to end this tyrant’s misdeeds is to ensure Congress does their duty by impeaching him, removing him from office and trying him in open court where he should be easily convicted and sent to prison for the rest of his life.
What is even more telling about the media’s incompetence, or perhaps its actual complicity with administrations criminal activities, are even more under-reported stories that point to the politicization of the NSA by Bush & Company.
The first is a report by Raw Story that points out that NSA documents now show that then Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice authorized “President Bush’s and other top White House officials plan to wiretap the home and office telephones and monitor private email accounts of members of the UN Security Council in early 2003 to determine how foreign delegates would vote on the UN resolution that paved the way for the U.S. led war in Iraq.”
The other is a dairy entry from Lapin, a contributor to the Dailykos website. The report states that the NSA spied on then Secretary of State Colin Powell, Gov. Bill Richardson and Sen. Joseph Biden. It started with information requested by former Under Secretary of State, John Bolton. “It was revealed by Senator Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) during Bolton's Senate Foreign Relations Committee nomination hearing that Bolton requested transcripts of 10 NSA intercepts of conversations between named U.S. government officials and foreign persons. However, NSA insiders report that Hayden approved special intercept operations on behalf of Bolton and had them masked as "training missions" in order to get around internal NSA regulations that normally prohibit such eavesdropping on U.S. citizens.”
Bush and Cheney have committed felonies by using the NSA to perform espionage activities upon American citizens. Now it is also evident that they used the NSA to gain political advantage over members of the UN Security Council to ensure there would be an Iraq war. And they have used the NSA to spy on members of the opposition in Congress, powerful Democratic state leaders, and even members of their own cabinet like Secretary of State Powell.
The only way to end this tyrant’s misdeeds is to ensure Congress does their duty by impeaching him, removing him from office and trying him in open court where he should be easily convicted and sent to prison for the rest of his life.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
I Voted....So What!
An insider with Diebold Election Systems has come forward with information about the touch screen voting systems that have been such a great concern to the American voting public. According to the whistle-blower known as “Dieb Throat” an environment of corruption exists within Diebold and little if anything is being done about it.
If you followed the Ohio and Georgia voting stories, you’re aware that all indicators pointed to a result of those elections that was not even close to the result the Diebold machines rendered. In Ohio, a continuous stream of scandals has been reported by the Toledo Blade, involving election officials, bribery and illegal influence by outsiders. Yet, few in the main stream media (MSM) have bothered to follow up. California decertified their Diebold voting machines because the vendor had broken state election laws. They later tested the systems away from public scrutiny and claimed a failure rate of only 3%, an unbelievable improvement from the 30% failure rate reported previously.
Since our right to vote, and have our votes count, is elemental to the democratic system of government we are supposed to have in this nation it does not seem possible that any meddling would be tolerated by the public or its elected officials. So why have so many questions been raised regarding Diebold and ESS voting systems that have been ignored, falsely justified or hidden from public scrutiny? Why are our elected officials not charging around the halls of Congress demanding reform or initiating investigations into accusations of voting manipulation?
I believe the answer can be ascertained by an honest review of our government since George W. Bush was appointed President by the Supreme Court. Under his leadership a cabal of radical conservatives has assumed top level government positions and has had immense influence within the administration. These are the Neoconservatives whose agenda has been held in check by previous, more responsible administrations. Bush is an extremely weak leader with no practical experience and very limited imagination, so it has been relatively easy for Vice President Cheney and others to maneuver him in the direction they themselves want the country to go. Cheney, being a complete Big Money whore and totally owned by and vested in corporate interests, does not have the slightest concern for justice, fairness or equality. He is operating as a completely unethical Chief Executive without having to worry about concealing his activities because the pathetic Justice department is under his thumb and just as involved.
The number and frequency of abuses and outright criminal acts that have been committed by this administration on behalf of corporate interests would be near impossible to conceal when the next administration takes over. It is, therefore, imperative for the Republicans to maintain control of the White House preventing any Democrat from being in a position to uncover misdeeds and conduct an honest investigation that could result in the imprisonment of many Republican officials, expose the depth of corporate corruption, and stem the flow of largesse to which these officials have become accustomed.
The solution for the Neocons was obvious. If you can’t afford to loose an election, you must be willing to pay any price to win. In this case the price is not only monetary cost, since the money will come from our taxes anyway, but the loss of democracy as the electorate looses its voice in government to the pre-determined outcomes of elections orchestrated to satisfy the corporate masters.
If you followed the Ohio and Georgia voting stories, you’re aware that all indicators pointed to a result of those elections that was not even close to the result the Diebold machines rendered. In Ohio, a continuous stream of scandals has been reported by the Toledo Blade, involving election officials, bribery and illegal influence by outsiders. Yet, few in the main stream media (MSM) have bothered to follow up. California decertified their Diebold voting machines because the vendor had broken state election laws. They later tested the systems away from public scrutiny and claimed a failure rate of only 3%, an unbelievable improvement from the 30% failure rate reported previously.
Since our right to vote, and have our votes count, is elemental to the democratic system of government we are supposed to have in this nation it does not seem possible that any meddling would be tolerated by the public or its elected officials. So why have so many questions been raised regarding Diebold and ESS voting systems that have been ignored, falsely justified or hidden from public scrutiny? Why are our elected officials not charging around the halls of Congress demanding reform or initiating investigations into accusations of voting manipulation?
I believe the answer can be ascertained by an honest review of our government since George W. Bush was appointed President by the Supreme Court. Under his leadership a cabal of radical conservatives has assumed top level government positions and has had immense influence within the administration. These are the Neoconservatives whose agenda has been held in check by previous, more responsible administrations. Bush is an extremely weak leader with no practical experience and very limited imagination, so it has been relatively easy for Vice President Cheney and others to maneuver him in the direction they themselves want the country to go. Cheney, being a complete Big Money whore and totally owned by and vested in corporate interests, does not have the slightest concern for justice, fairness or equality. He is operating as a completely unethical Chief Executive without having to worry about concealing his activities because the pathetic Justice department is under his thumb and just as involved.
The number and frequency of abuses and outright criminal acts that have been committed by this administration on behalf of corporate interests would be near impossible to conceal when the next administration takes over. It is, therefore, imperative for the Republicans to maintain control of the White House preventing any Democrat from being in a position to uncover misdeeds and conduct an honest investigation that could result in the imprisonment of many Republican officials, expose the depth of corporate corruption, and stem the flow of largesse to which these officials have become accustomed.
The solution for the Neocons was obvious. If you can’t afford to loose an election, you must be willing to pay any price to win. In this case the price is not only monetary cost, since the money will come from our taxes anyway, but the loss of democracy as the electorate looses its voice in government to the pre-determined outcomes of elections orchestrated to satisfy the corporate masters.
Friday, November 25, 2005
Looking Forward
Today’s unprecedented chaos that defines the White House is concurrently a positive signal for Democrats seeking to unseat enough Republicans in either the House or Senate or both to regain the majority. Yet, the perception of the Democrats is of a party with no plans and much dissention, an image enthusiastically carried forward by the national media.
Is the Democratic Party capable of taking advantage of the administrations recent drop in the polls? Normally, it would be a forgone conclusion that certain gains could be made by the opposition party when the party in power runs into trouble but, how likely is that scenario today? As chaotic as the Bush administration has proven to be, the message the public continues to hear is of the divided and disorganized Democratic Party. When and if, the media does regain any modicum of credibility we should expect an equality of criticism or praise of both parties, honesty and accuracy in reporting and facts reported faithfully from a viewpoint of impartiality.
In spite of slanted media coverage, Democrats are still in a position to make gains in the 2006 elections and should do everything in their power to avail themselves of the opportunity. Senator Joe Lieberman’s recent speech advocating Bush’s talking points is an example of what Democrats must not do. Lieberman’s failed Vice Presidential campaign and his failure to acknowledge the immorality of the Iraq war and the dishonesty of its conception has rendered him ineffectual in government and pathetic within his own party.
It is vital for Democrats to endorse credible candidates with established qualifications and a publicized aversion to Bush’s war agenda. Certainly, Democrats stand for much more than opposing the Iraq war, but without holding majority control in Congress they will not be able to get anything accomplished. Their success in the coming campaigns will require unity and a central message that will resonate with all Americans, and of all the issues that face us today, none is more crucial, more devastating or more important to the country than the ongoing debacle in Iraq.
This undeniable truth is regrettably overlooked by several leading Democrats, several that could be contenders for their party’s nomination for president. This is the case for both Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden. Although both of these senators enjoy strong support and would mount a strong challenge to any opposition candidate, they are both less than stellar advocates against the war. And neither should receive their party’s support for the nomination unless they reverse those positions.
I may be more disappointed in Hillary than I am in Biden. After all, Biden sold out his own constituents, along with the rest of the nation, on the bankruptcy bill and no one believes that it had nothing to do with the immense presence of MBNA, the bill’s primary lobbyist, in his home state. His proven pliability to corporate pressure should warn potential supporters that Biden’s vote is for sale to the highest bidder.
Hillary has become an unbelievable disappointment after having shown incredible promise as a true Liberal. Her principled advocacy of national health insurance earned her massive vilification by the Republicans and the big pharmaceutical companies, but elevated her status among average citizens. But, now she has decided to ally herself with the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) and join them in their support for the Iraq war.
The DLC is nothing more than the business interests attempting to take over the Democratic Party the way the energy, pharmaceutical and other corporate interests have taken over the Republicans. The DLC has been called Republican Lite, but it should more accurately be called "Demonizing Liberals Constantly". They are so close to the conservative agenda it is hard to differentiate one from the other. So, if Hillary believes she needs to ally herself with people like these and take up the banner for continued carnage in Iraq, I for one support her choice as long as she runs for office as the Republican nominee.
Is the Democratic Party capable of taking advantage of the administrations recent drop in the polls? Normally, it would be a forgone conclusion that certain gains could be made by the opposition party when the party in power runs into trouble but, how likely is that scenario today? As chaotic as the Bush administration has proven to be, the message the public continues to hear is of the divided and disorganized Democratic Party. When and if, the media does regain any modicum of credibility we should expect an equality of criticism or praise of both parties, honesty and accuracy in reporting and facts reported faithfully from a viewpoint of impartiality.
In spite of slanted media coverage, Democrats are still in a position to make gains in the 2006 elections and should do everything in their power to avail themselves of the opportunity. Senator Joe Lieberman’s recent speech advocating Bush’s talking points is an example of what Democrats must not do. Lieberman’s failed Vice Presidential campaign and his failure to acknowledge the immorality of the Iraq war and the dishonesty of its conception has rendered him ineffectual in government and pathetic within his own party.
It is vital for Democrats to endorse credible candidates with established qualifications and a publicized aversion to Bush’s war agenda. Certainly, Democrats stand for much more than opposing the Iraq war, but without holding majority control in Congress they will not be able to get anything accomplished. Their success in the coming campaigns will require unity and a central message that will resonate with all Americans, and of all the issues that face us today, none is more crucial, more devastating or more important to the country than the ongoing debacle in Iraq.
This undeniable truth is regrettably overlooked by several leading Democrats, several that could be contenders for their party’s nomination for president. This is the case for both Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden. Although both of these senators enjoy strong support and would mount a strong challenge to any opposition candidate, they are both less than stellar advocates against the war. And neither should receive their party’s support for the nomination unless they reverse those positions.
I may be more disappointed in Hillary than I am in Biden. After all, Biden sold out his own constituents, along with the rest of the nation, on the bankruptcy bill and no one believes that it had nothing to do with the immense presence of MBNA, the bill’s primary lobbyist, in his home state. His proven pliability to corporate pressure should warn potential supporters that Biden’s vote is for sale to the highest bidder.
Hillary has become an unbelievable disappointment after having shown incredible promise as a true Liberal. Her principled advocacy of national health insurance earned her massive vilification by the Republicans and the big pharmaceutical companies, but elevated her status among average citizens. But, now she has decided to ally herself with the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) and join them in their support for the Iraq war.
The DLC is nothing more than the business interests attempting to take over the Democratic Party the way the energy, pharmaceutical and other corporate interests have taken over the Republicans. The DLC has been called Republican Lite, but it should more accurately be called "Demonizing Liberals Constantly". They are so close to the conservative agenda it is hard to differentiate one from the other. So, if Hillary believes she needs to ally herself with people like these and take up the banner for continued carnage in Iraq, I for one support her choice as long as she runs for office as the Republican nominee.
Sunday, November 20, 2005
International Consequences
Now that Democrats are beginning to voice their opinion about the Iraq war and the administration lies that lead us into that war, perhaps we will learn the real reason we are there. Of course, that information will not be supplied freely by those who know the answers. Instead, it will be uncovered by investigations such as that of independent prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald and possibly other congressional committees if the Republicans are finally prepared to allow an actual non-partisan action to take place.
For the American people, this information is gravely overdue and it is their right to be informed truthfully about the facts and determinations that propelled us into war. Nothing we were originally told turned out to be true, no WMD’s, no alliance between Iraq and Al Qaeda and no reconstituted nuclear program. Information uncovered since the start of the war is also very disturbing. The alleged torture of prisoners, imprisonment of supposed terrorists denied all legal rights and held without benefit of legal representation or even told the charges for their detention. Finally, the abuse of the system by well connected corporations like Haliburton and other war profiteers who also enjoy immune status granted by Congress.
The damage inflicted on our democracy by this irresponsible administration is incalculable but, we will need to determine the extent of it as best we can so that we can begin the task of correcting it. This includes the United States’ relations with the rest of the world. Bush’s cowboy policies have estranged us from other nations and taxed our friendship with traditional allies. If we are to mend these and other issues caused by Bush’s arrogance and unilateralism we must be willing to openly investigate all aspects of our government’s actions and be resolved to hold responsible all those who have violated U.S. and International laws.
However, America’s actions and their consequences are not confined to our country alone. We, as a country, attacked another sovereign nation for less than truthful reasons and solicited the participation of other nations in doing so. International intelligence agencies have been implicated for faulty information and falsified documents have been exchanged between certain countries which contributed to the decision to go to war. Because of the international involvement and the strife it has caused citizens of certain other countries it is only fitting that the findings of any investigations and the resultant charges, if any, should be tried in an international court of law.
To accomplish this, it is necessary to undo one of Bush’s first acts as president which was to withdraw from the United States from the International Criminal Court’s jurisdiction by cancelling an agreement signed by President Clinton. The reason for Bush’s action becomes clear now that his agenda has been exposed for the imperialistic power grab it has proven to be. Also disconcerting is the recent senate vote (49 to 42) to overturn the US Supreme Court’s 2004 ruling that permits Guantanamo detainees to challenge their detentions. This effectively removes the rule of habeas corpus which prevents the government from simply detaining its opponents. You can be damn sure no Republican would have voted for this if the Democrats were in the majority. However, it is not just the Republican Party that is in control of the executive and legislative branches of government but, it is a Republican majority led by a Neoconservative faction intent on keeping power and re-structuring government into a single party system with monarch style authority.
Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina sponsored this legislation that signals the death of civil liberties of Americans due to the demands of the “Global War on Terrorism”. In the Neoconservative view, what are civil liberties but legal tricks that allow criminals and terrorists to escape? Graham wants the power to imprison anyone the government considers dangerous, without explanation and for as long as they see fit. To give this authority to an administration that has already demonstrated its willingness to misinform the public by “news” clips produced by the government, to smear anyone that disagrees with their policies, and to heap one lie on top of another, all with amnesty assured through the criminal inactions of a complicit congress, is truly an act deserving of impeachment and conviction for violating his oath of office. If he has forgotten what that oath was, the salient points are “To protect and to defend the constitution of the United States of America”.
For the American people, this information is gravely overdue and it is their right to be informed truthfully about the facts and determinations that propelled us into war. Nothing we were originally told turned out to be true, no WMD’s, no alliance between Iraq and Al Qaeda and no reconstituted nuclear program. Information uncovered since the start of the war is also very disturbing. The alleged torture of prisoners, imprisonment of supposed terrorists denied all legal rights and held without benefit of legal representation or even told the charges for their detention. Finally, the abuse of the system by well connected corporations like Haliburton and other war profiteers who also enjoy immune status granted by Congress.
The damage inflicted on our democracy by this irresponsible administration is incalculable but, we will need to determine the extent of it as best we can so that we can begin the task of correcting it. This includes the United States’ relations with the rest of the world. Bush’s cowboy policies have estranged us from other nations and taxed our friendship with traditional allies. If we are to mend these and other issues caused by Bush’s arrogance and unilateralism we must be willing to openly investigate all aspects of our government’s actions and be resolved to hold responsible all those who have violated U.S. and International laws.
However, America’s actions and their consequences are not confined to our country alone. We, as a country, attacked another sovereign nation for less than truthful reasons and solicited the participation of other nations in doing so. International intelligence agencies have been implicated for faulty information and falsified documents have been exchanged between certain countries which contributed to the decision to go to war. Because of the international involvement and the strife it has caused citizens of certain other countries it is only fitting that the findings of any investigations and the resultant charges, if any, should be tried in an international court of law.
To accomplish this, it is necessary to undo one of Bush’s first acts as president which was to withdraw from the United States from the International Criminal Court’s jurisdiction by cancelling an agreement signed by President Clinton. The reason for Bush’s action becomes clear now that his agenda has been exposed for the imperialistic power grab it has proven to be. Also disconcerting is the recent senate vote (49 to 42) to overturn the US Supreme Court’s 2004 ruling that permits Guantanamo detainees to challenge their detentions. This effectively removes the rule of habeas corpus which prevents the government from simply detaining its opponents. You can be damn sure no Republican would have voted for this if the Democrats were in the majority. However, it is not just the Republican Party that is in control of the executive and legislative branches of government but, it is a Republican majority led by a Neoconservative faction intent on keeping power and re-structuring government into a single party system with monarch style authority.
Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina sponsored this legislation that signals the death of civil liberties of Americans due to the demands of the “Global War on Terrorism”. In the Neoconservative view, what are civil liberties but legal tricks that allow criminals and terrorists to escape? Graham wants the power to imprison anyone the government considers dangerous, without explanation and for as long as they see fit. To give this authority to an administration that has already demonstrated its willingness to misinform the public by “news” clips produced by the government, to smear anyone that disagrees with their policies, and to heap one lie on top of another, all with amnesty assured through the criminal inactions of a complicit congress, is truly an act deserving of impeachment and conviction for violating his oath of office. If he has forgotten what that oath was, the salient points are “To protect and to defend the constitution of the United States of America”.
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
What's the message
With the recent indictment of Vice Presidential Chief of Staff, I. Lewis (scooter) Libby, it has become undeniable that this administration has, at the very least, looked the other way when illegal activity has occurred or has actively promoted such activity as part of its overall strategy. Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald has broken through the Neoconservative iron curtain of secrecy just enough to give us a glimpse of what kind of nefarious activities have been taking place in lieu of the business of government.
Republicans have defended Bush and his administration from allegations of improprieties since he took office and in doing so, many have gone to extents they would not have previously been comfortable with. The discipline within the ranks of the Republicans has become well known and demonstrated by their strict adherence to conservative talking points, on message dialogue, and coerced party line voting actions such as the one on the Medicare Bill that earned the Hammer, Tom DeLay a rebuke from the faint-hearted ethics committee.
However, as more people come to the realization that the war in Iraq is not going well and that there is not now, and never has been a plan for victory nor an exit strategy for our troops, the haze of misjudgment slowly clears from the minds of many former Bush supporters and questions begin to arise as to how they were able to be taken in and what made them so adamant in their support of this administration. How could otherwise law abiding, patriotic citizens like themselves have come to accept the attack upon a sovereign nation that had done nothing to provoke such an attack? How could they continue to support the war and occupation when it was discovered the reasons for going to war had been manufactured. How could they justify putting the lives of our young men and women of the military into serious jeopardy in furtherance of a political policy of aggression that the majority of Americans despise and the majority of the world community is at odds with?
There have always been a certain number of hard right conservative wing-nuts supporting Bush and who would continue to do so if he were to conduct beheadings of Democrats in front of the Washington Monument. There is a like number of extreme leftists that will never be satisfied as well. These are not the groups being reflected in the changing poll numbers though. Those numbers are more accurately reflecting the mood of the American moderates.
The moderates are the swing votes of the local, state and national elections because they remain open minded instead of backing candidates simply by party affiliation. The extreme elements from either political end of the spectrum are not the people that can be easily, if at all, influenced by the messages from the other party. Moderates can be and are affected by the messages, the daily events in the news, the opinions of their families and friends, their faith and concern that the country is moving in the right direction.
And the polls tell us that these moderates are dissatisfied with the war in Iraq. With each new bit of information uncovered through tenacious reporting, the foreign press or Fitzgerald’s investigation the poll numbers drop further for Bush and his failed policies. It is this group of voters who will have the greatest effect on the next presidential election.
Both Republicans and Democrats are pursuing this block of voters, but the Right is doing so by attempting to scare them into believing the lies about the war on terror that have caused them to rethink their position in the first place. Democrats are pursuing them as well, but is the message the right one and are they making themselves heard? We will find out in 2006.
Republicans have defended Bush and his administration from allegations of improprieties since he took office and in doing so, many have gone to extents they would not have previously been comfortable with. The discipline within the ranks of the Republicans has become well known and demonstrated by their strict adherence to conservative talking points, on message dialogue, and coerced party line voting actions such as the one on the Medicare Bill that earned the Hammer, Tom DeLay a rebuke from the faint-hearted ethics committee.
However, as more people come to the realization that the war in Iraq is not going well and that there is not now, and never has been a plan for victory nor an exit strategy for our troops, the haze of misjudgment slowly clears from the minds of many former Bush supporters and questions begin to arise as to how they were able to be taken in and what made them so adamant in their support of this administration. How could otherwise law abiding, patriotic citizens like themselves have come to accept the attack upon a sovereign nation that had done nothing to provoke such an attack? How could they continue to support the war and occupation when it was discovered the reasons for going to war had been manufactured. How could they justify putting the lives of our young men and women of the military into serious jeopardy in furtherance of a political policy of aggression that the majority of Americans despise and the majority of the world community is at odds with?
There have always been a certain number of hard right conservative wing-nuts supporting Bush and who would continue to do so if he were to conduct beheadings of Democrats in front of the Washington Monument. There is a like number of extreme leftists that will never be satisfied as well. These are not the groups being reflected in the changing poll numbers though. Those numbers are more accurately reflecting the mood of the American moderates.
The moderates are the swing votes of the local, state and national elections because they remain open minded instead of backing candidates simply by party affiliation. The extreme elements from either political end of the spectrum are not the people that can be easily, if at all, influenced by the messages from the other party. Moderates can be and are affected by the messages, the daily events in the news, the opinions of their families and friends, their faith and concern that the country is moving in the right direction.
And the polls tell us that these moderates are dissatisfied with the war in Iraq. With each new bit of information uncovered through tenacious reporting, the foreign press or Fitzgerald’s investigation the poll numbers drop further for Bush and his failed policies. It is this group of voters who will have the greatest effect on the next presidential election.
Both Republicans and Democrats are pursuing this block of voters, but the Right is doing so by attempting to scare them into believing the lies about the war on terror that have caused them to rethink their position in the first place. Democrats are pursuing them as well, but is the message the right one and are they making themselves heard? We will find out in 2006.
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