Bush’s main point was to accuse Kerry of inconsistency, of sending mixed messages. What Kerry hasn ‘t done (so far, I’m still watching) is to point out that Bush has been consistently WRONG in Iraq, and elsewhere in the world. It’s not sufficient to be consistent. You have to be consistently right — or willing to admit mistakes and learn from them.
test
The correct answer is “Business.”
Government should not be run like a business; businesses should not be run like goverment.
Schools should not be run as businesses; businesses should not be run like schools.
Churches should not be run like business; business should not be run like a church.
Are we clear?
I realize that I’ve spent much of this space expressing my disdain for George Bush and his administration, — there is so much to loathe — but let me turn to why I’m supporting John Kerry.
1) Philosophically, I believe that government has an important and positive role in establishing the public good. I believe that one of government’s tasks is to act on a check to the profit motive, which we have seen must be somehow controlled (see Teddy Roosevelt; see Enron). I think John Kerry shares this view; I think George Bush views government as a servant of overweening corporatism. (I don’t think that all Republicans are as irresponsible are George Bush!)
2) I believe that John Kerry is a more sensible and thoughtful person than George Bush (whose personal and political history is unencouraging). For some sense of Kerry’s public service, I recommend reading this summary in “The Nation.” (I tend to think of “The Nation” as a fairly wild-eyed leftist publication, but this is a very measured look at Kerry’s record.)
3) I believe that Kerry will develop policies — particularly tax policy — that lead to a more sensible distribution of goods and services in this country; a more thoughtful, measured response to the threat of terrorism; a wiser foreign policy; a decent health care system; a cleaner environment.
4) I believe Kerry is neither corrupt, nor reckless, nor deceitful, and I am sure George Bush is all of those things.
Caveat: It’s 4 a.m. and cold medication have given me a restess night.
But, I need to ask: Is this country sliding toward fascism?
Here we are, in a war begun recklessly at best, and conducted with gross incompetence.
Here we are with roughy 50% of the voting public allowing itself to be lied to about the war in Iraq, about the fiscal management of the nation, about tax policy, about the environment.
Here we are with the vice-president manifestly corrupt(he lies that he has severed connections with Haliburton, but is being paid large sums by Haliburton; Halliburton, under his watch, defied the embargo of Iraq), a defense department run by arrogant fools, the legislative leadership running on politics of distortion and deceit.
Here we are, with a major political party whose current hallmarks are destruction and deceit.
Here we are with an electorate swayed by the politics of fear.
Here we are with a religio-ethnic scapegoat.
Here we are, with government being made subservient to radical ideology and corporatism.
I’m fundamentally an optimist, but things don’t look so good at the moment.
I’m fundamentally a democratic (small D), but the voting public has been irresponsible. I don’t see an alternative mind you, but it is deeply disappointing to watch the voting public swallow lie after lie.
This is serious, folks.
Let’s see, why are we in Iraq?
Weapons of mass destruction? Horrid mistreatment of citizens? Bringing democracy?
Sounds like we should be fighting in North Korea, which has nuclear weapons, has created mass starvation in its own country, and has a certifiably insane leader.
Moreover North Korea is an imminent dnager to our ally, Sounth Korea, which would also be able to step in and establish democracy its ethnically identical neighbor. Iraq has no such potential assistant.
As usual, Bush has it all wrong. OR, more likely we aren’t really being told why in the hell we are fighting in Iraq. Unless it’s a personal vendetta against the man who “tried to kill by daddy.”
Bush delenda est!
So when are we going to hear the mainstream media talk about Dick Cheny’s Halliburton doing business with Iraq during the embargo? See http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?section=root&name=ViewWeb&articleId=8498
Pat Robertson (I think it was) says the spate of hurricanes in Florida is a sign of God’s wrath at the Republican election fraud over the past four years.
I think it’s just the weather, but heck, I’m not Bush Republican…
I’m not a Republican. I don’t even play one on TV. But, while I don’t agree with what I consider the basic tenets of the GOP, I can respect those who have differing views about the role of government in creating a just society and sensibly distributing goods and services.
However, I believe that since roughly Nixon, the GOP has been hijacked by people who are not content to have their ideas tested in the intellectual and political marketplace, but instead resort to a relentless campaign of lies, distortions, character assassination and fear-mongering.
Ultimately, this is simply a reflection of the American public’s refusual to subscribe to the Republican view of the world. But in the short term I believe that the right-wing hegemony in the GOP is foully corrupting the public discourse in this country.
Let’s review the record.
Reagan. Convinced the American public that “the government” was the enemy, rather than the democratically created instrument of the people. He convinced the people that there was something evil about taxes. This despite the obvious: Taxes build roads, protect property, educate the citizens, eliminate misery and suffering, defend the country. Iran-Contra: Hello? U.S. Constitution?
Bush Sr. Read my lips: The beginning of the Oil Oligarchy.
Clinton. Hmm, what is it about eight years of peace and prosperity that people don’t like? As far as I’m concerned, the attacks on his personal life were a tacit admission that alternatives to his successful policies were bankrupt. It also revealed the win-at-any-cost mentality of the right wing.
And now we come to George W. Bush. Destined to be remembered as the most reckless, deceptive and corrupt administration in my lifetime. (God I hope so; I couldn’t take worse.)
But enough. I’ll have separate entries for each of those categories in the future.
Then, I promise, I’ll be more positive. (Think Health Care.) Here’s a positive thought: I liked eight years of peace and prosperity (the Clinton years). Let’s have eight more (the Kerry years).
And, to my Republican friends: Can’t you do better than this administration?
Religious Tolerance versus Incipient Theocracy
When considering questions of Islam, terrorism, abortion, and stem cell research, those on the right may to wish to consider an America in which you can?t eat ham, bacon or bratwurst because it comes from an unclean animal.
The point of the first amendment is to let those who enjoy pork (Christians, generally) eat pork, and those who abhor pork (many Jews and Muslims) avoid pork.
I am opposed to abortion, and consider it an abomination. Essentially, I feel that it is tragic that someone would choose to destroy a life they could create. However, I view it more as an indictment of society than as a personal sin. However, I am frankly agnostic on the question of whether it is the destruction of a human life.
There are many, however, who do believe that it is murder, and further, seek to impose their beliefs through the rule of law. This is a serious mistake. Furthermore, many of those are willing to allow abortion in the case of rape. How is it that it’s murder in the case of careless or concupiscent conception, but not in the case of rape?
(As a matter of social policy, it?s worth noting that abortion rates steadily declined from Reagan/ Bush Sr. rates during the Clinton administration. I?m willing to bet they are rising during Bush W?s administration, but I haven?t seen figures, yet. Why hasn’t CDC released fiures recently?)
The stem cell research issue is similarly riven with inconsistency and theocracy. First off, it should be noted that many fertilized eggs are created — and destroyed — in the process of in vitro fertilization. I imagine the number of destroyed embryos approaches the number of abortions. Those who feel that life begins with conception should, I think, be opposed to in vitro fertilization, at least as it’s currently conducted. That, however, is not the case. Beside that, we are again brought to the question of when human life begins. I don’t that that’s a matter of fact, but a matter of faith or belief, and hence not appropriate for legislative force. For my part, if I were to be destroyed, I’d like to see some of my parts go to some use to other human beings. In fact, that’s why I’ve designated myself as an organ donor.
Regarding radical fundamentalist Muslims, I feel about them the way I feel about radical fundamentalist Christians and radical fundamentalist Jews. I don’t see a great difference between Muslims who want to attack America, Jews who want to attack Palestine, or American Christians who want to attack Iraq. Troglodytic thinkers like Lt. Gen. Boykin who regard the war on terror as a Christian crusade should keep their mouths shut or resign from public life.
A useful source when considering issues like this is http://www.religioustolerance.org.
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