Tuesday, April 15, 2003

Democracy - Bush-style   Three witnesses questioned by AFP and casualties who spoke to hospital staff said US troops had fired on the crowd, which was becoming increasingly hostile towards Governor Mashaan al-Juburi as he was making a pro-US speech.   How dare they dissent! Don’t they know that is unpatriotic and treasonous? After all, God himself selected Dubya to lead us all into the rapture…   These leftist-liberal Islamofascists should be made to tie yellow ribbons to trees as their community service – that is, the ones who are not already dead:   At least 10 people were shot dead and scores wounded in the northern Iraqi town of Mosul, a hospital doctor said, with witnesses claiming US troops had opened fire on a crowd after it turned against an American-installed local governor.   Thank goodness we have a right-thinking punditocracy in this country (solidly behind Bush) who will no doubt endorse such needed reprimands. After all wasn’t it the prescient Ann Coulter (Pundit-GOP) who claimed that liberals need to be physically intimidated, indeed threatened with death to curb their treasonous ways? That’s all we’re doing in Iraq… as well as here in the US.   Plus don’t forget that now we’ve invaded and killed the leadership it is incumbent upon us to “convert them to Christianity”… and we will too!   Under Bush democracy has a higher, transcendental meaning… forget the foolishness of quibbling over the counting of ballots (remember although under the constitution voters may have rights, ballots do not!), under Bush democracy means the freedom to choose your favorite Christian broadcaster…   And if the Iraqis pay close attention they’ll find that our fundamentalist aren’t really that different from Islamic ones like bin Laden (they both agree that liberals, tolerance and religious freedom are the root of all evil), so they won’t really be losing anything in bargain…   I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way, all of them who have tried to secularize America. I point the finger in their face and say 'you helped this [9/11 terror attack] happen'.   Democracy Bush-style: no need to deal with the muss and fuss of rights, liberties or freedoms! Just add one part grasping plutocracy, one part intolerant fundamentalism, and one part media ratings, stir with repeated mendacious hypocrisy - market-tested in the US and ready for export! 12:03:57 PM

"You know the world is going crazy when …the best rapper is a white guy, the best golfer is a black guy, the tallest guy in the NBA is Chinese, the Swiss hold the America's Cup, France is accusing the U.S. of arrogance, Germany doesn't want to go to war, and the three most powerful men in America are named 'Bush', 'Dick', and 'Colon'" - Chris Rock   I can live with all of the above except the last part…   This joke has been winging its way through the internet and a thoughtful reader forwarded it here. I’ve tried to verify its provenance but have only succeeded in verifying that it is an e-mail phenomenon – albeit far more funny than the usual spam that fills our filters.   We can all use a little humor now and then - enjoy! 10:09:12 AM

While the flags wave overseas… …your country and its values are being trashed at home.   The latest GOP budget shrinks funding for veterans as well as “child nutrition, medical care for children, child-care assistance and support for foster care and adoption (leave no child behind!).” Read about the shameless partisan attack upon veterans and children here.   For my money however the key sentiment was expressed in Krugman’s last three paragraphs:   For the overwhelming political lesson of the last year is that war works — that is, it's an excellent cover for the Republican Party's domestic political agenda. In fact, war works in two ways. The public rallies around the flag, which means the President and his party; and the public's attention is diverted from other issues.   As long as the nation is at war, then, it will be hard to get the public to notice what the flagwavers are doing behind our backs. And it just so happens that the "Bush doctrine," which calls for preventive war against countries that may someday pose a threat, offers the possibility of a series of wars against nasty regimes with weak armies.   Someday the public will figure all this out. But it may be a very long wait.   Indeed the public may well figure out the “war dodge” strategy currently being employed by the Bushies… but it might be a loooong wait. Particularly if public is waiting for the bought-and-paid-for-media to wake them up.   In the meanwhile everything that this nation has stood for over the past seventy years is being dismantled to suit the ideological tastes of plutocrats, fundamentalists and media moguls. Aid to veterans… why did they leave the service? Aid to children… that violates the sanctity of the fundamentalist family (father knows best – and if he doesn’t - too bad).   Plus shrinking or eliminating such programs weans this nation away from the “socialism” introduced by FDR that remains such an anathema to plutocrats.   Unless you’re in the armed services that is – the one place where “socialism” and shared sacrifice will permitted. Everything – food, healthcare, equipment - government owned, run and provided for… until your discharge, then you’re on your own. And don’t clutter the sidewalk with your shattered body begging for change… it is sooooo unsightly! 9:05:52 AM