Soft-bigotry-of-low-expectations watch

November 12, 2006

I believe it’s important that Americans appreciate the democratic process, but this seems to have “soft bigotry of low expectations” written all over it. From yesterday’s presidential radio address:

One freedom that defines our way of life is the freedom to choose our leaders at the ballot box. We saw that freedom earlier this week, when millions of Americans went to the polls to cast their votes for a new Congress. Whatever your opinion of the outcome, all Americans can take pride in the example our democracy sets for the world by holding elections even in a time of war.” (emphasis added)

We should be “proud” that the federal government didn’t cancel our elections? That the Bush administration didn’t use the war as an excuse to interrupt the democratic process?

Setting the bar a little low, aren’t we?

We’re surprised that every once in awhile President Bonehead comes out and says the truth?

I’m totally amazed they didn’t use “time of war” as an excuse to cancel everything after they won in 2002.

What an idiot he is.

  • Sounds like a “coulda, shoulda, woulda” note of regret. Is the monday morning quarterback lamenting not imposing martial law?

  • Let’s not be quite so hard on Bush on this one. It is, in fact, a thing worth pointing out, and should be a point of some pride for us. In time of war, several times of war, this country has never deviated from its schedule of elections.

    This was not a given. There was at least some question in 1864 of whether the elections would proceed. We all know how that worked out.

    Don’t get me wrong — Bush is still a king-sized boob. Let’s be grateful that at least one of the things that define this country somehow penetrated his bubble.

  • We’re in “a time of war”??

    I’m trying to remember when in my lifetime we weren’t – Cold War – various military things throughout the 90s – what’s so different about now except that Bush gets a hardon for being referred to as a “war president” and needs to keep reminding us of that to keep himself relevant?

  • Coming from someone else, the statement may not have been disturbing at all, but from this president — the one so eager to sacrifice our rights for “security” and the one who got us into a bogus “war” — it gives off a putrid odor. If the man truly believed a Democratic win would be a win for the terrorists, wouldn’t it follow that he would have tried to stop the election? George ought to just shut up.

  • Oh yes. What with all the food rationing, tending the victory gardens, holding scrap metal drives and the signs asking “Is this trip really necessary?” I’m surprised anyone made it to the polls…Sorry, wrong war.

    GWB, GFY. His bloody invasion has had minimal impact on the majority of the U.S. population. ShrubCo has taken steps to make this the case (sacrifice = shopping) in a desperate attempt to stave off what happened last week.

    Unless the War he is referring to is the constant barrage of lies unleashed against the Democrats by Mehellman & Co and his increasingly shrill threats that Democrats Win = Terrorists Win. In a war of words it helps if the “troops” aren’t blatant liars lead by an inarticulate fuckwit.

  • They have two years to try to spread the talking point that we may have to cancel elections because “terrorists might try to interfere” or some other BS reason, and when 2008 comes around, Bush finds a reason to try to cancel them.

    You thought he wouldn’t actually invade Iraq either. Don’t put it past him.

  • Translation: If we had only known the outcome, we would have used the “time of war” card to hijack the elections. Sometimes you can fight the war you need, not the one you have.

  • It’s certainly not just Bush that’s a bonehead. The previous article here at the bagger is just so darned accurate that it reads like a book report on the House Record for (not just six years, it’s been twelve).
    .
    .
    http://thomas.loc.gov
    Congressional Record
    104th
    “they say take this 10 hours and cram it down your throat”
    .
    It’s a classic right from the beginning.
    .
    Anyway, about boneheads, we don’t have to say it. Ike said it. And he even identified the source of their bone-headedness and wouldn’t you just know it?
    .
    http://politicalcompass.org/iconochasms
    See #3.
    .
    Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things. Among them are H. L. Hunt (you possibly know his background), a few other Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or business man from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid.
    .
    Who me? I didn’t say that.
    .
    What do they have to be proud of?
    .
    Anyway, there’s plenty of time to outdo them in the numbskull and bonehead department, so keep that FREINDLY FIRE burning… Our representatives will undoubtedly need fairly constant reminders who there base is and/or was…
    .

  • That fact that he would state it shows the extent to which he was contemplating it.

    I never once heard LBJ or Nixon remark that suspending elections was even a possibility during our longest war. I don’t recall ever hearing that it occurred to FDR during WWII. We even held elections during our bloodiest and most divisive war in 1864.

    As far as I know, Bush is the only president who’s ever even brought it up. Obviously, it’s been on his mind.

  • I think that Bush is probably trying to prove that he does understand the value of debate and the political process, but he’s so out of touch that he doesn’t realize that it sounds likes he’s saying he maybe thinks there could be war-related reasons for suspending an election, short of a practical impossibility of holding them, or a risk of electing Adolf Hitler president.

    Could be I’m totally wrong. The right response in any event is to say of or to the president, “Yeah, well you do know that it would be insane to suspend the elections for war-related reasons– unless it was just practically impossible to hold them or there was a risk of Adolf Hitler getting elected president– right?”

  • I need to go sit by the fire, and I don’t think it’s a cold Autumn afternoon that put that shiver down my spine.

    What is it with Boy George II that makes him think he can compare himself to Abraham Lincoln?

  • #8: and when 2008 comes around, Bush finds a reason to try to cancel them.

    I was terrified of just that possibility last week. Not now. There is no way Republicans are going to cancel elections and leave Dems with a permanent Congressional majority. Bush might want to, but he doesn’t have enough power in his own party anymore to pull it off. Lame duck minority sees to that.

  • Good thing we don’t hold our elections a month later, or Bush would likely have said, “all Americans can take pride in the example our democracy sets for the world by holding elections even in a time of Christmas shopping.” It would have about the same degree of gravity coming from the chimperor’s mouth.

    Dubya, STFU and stop embarrassing us. How about taking a nice vacation to Europe? I hear the Hague is lovely this time of year.

  • What is it with Boy George II that makes him think he can compare himself to Abraham Lincoln?

    American citizen, bi-pedal, male, Caucasian, opposable thumbs. Did I miss anything? However, when you consider Shrub thinks God is on his side, comparisons to mere mortals seem rather tame.

  • As the rhinestone TAIO-boy #7 so eloquently limned, what war? This is literally a war of words. Only words. The “War” on Terror is in the lineage of The War on Drugs and The War on Poverty. It doesn’t bestow war powers on the (long string of curse words here) President.

    The timid congress’ voting for the use of force in Iraq was not a declaration of war. As I recall not even Johnson or Nixon took on war powers although they illegally took the power to wage war without Congressional permission.

    Bush has been channeling the imp again.

    A seemingly innocent sentence spoken by a friend can be a lot different when spoken by a homicidal maniac with a knife at your throat. Not that I’m comparing Bush to a homicidal maniac. Bush doesn’t have the mental energy to be a maniac.

  • Can’t blame George for finding a silver lining on the turd handed to him on election day. “At least we had an election.”

    To augment semper fubar’s point, above, the United States has held “time of war” elections at least 16 times prior to 2006:
    1812, 1814
    1846 – War in Mexico
    1862, 1864
    1898 – War with Spain
    1918 – War in Europe
    1942, 1944
    1964, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1972 – War in Vietnam
    2002, 2004 – whatever war we’re in now

    Did you know that Bush majored in history at Yale?

  • My favorite quote from Gore Vidal on this so called war:

    “Little Bush says we are at war, but we are not at war because to be at war Congress has to vote for it. He says we are at war on terror, but that is a metaphor, though I doubt if he knows what that means. It’s like having a war on dandruff, it’s endless and pointless”

  • Oops. Seventeen times. I forgot the elections of 1952.

    Also of note, the 1814 elections occurred within months of Washington being burned.

    I’d like to ask Bush, was there ever the option of not holding the elections??

  • It’s not over until IT’S OVER! Don’t breathe any sighs of relief YET. Two years to go. There are 3 US Navy Battle Groups doing military war games in the Persian Gulf just off the Iran coast right now. There WILL be an attack on Iran! Cheney WILL NOT go out without a FIGHT. His policy: SCORCHED EARTH and TAKE NO PRISONERS (or if you do, hold them definitely without right to trial as “enemy combatants”).

    Regarding US history as a precedent to be followed for future plans? The Bush Cabal could care less about it. They will do ANYTHING they want. ANYTHING they can get away with.

    You could very well still end up with martial law here. Halliburton just got a no-bid multi-million Department of Homeland Security contract to build MULTIPLE large capacity detention centers in the Arizona Desert. Reason given: “in the event of civil unrest or national emergency” the US government will need to incarcerate those who are uncooperative. Google it for yourself and read the details if you don’t believe me.

  • semper fubar (#12), I remember a photo of Nixon’s Attorney General John Mitchell standing on a balcony smoking his pipe, sometime which I was in grad school (must’ve been ’69 or ’70). The story accompanying it said that Mitchell wondered if elections could even be held, given the turmoil in US cities and campuses at the time. So it has been at least thought of … by one of the biggest creeps in my memory.

  • Actually, those war games ended about two weeks ago. Don’t know if those warships are still there though.

  • Actually those war games ended about two weeks ago. Don’t know if those warships are still there though.

  • I’d like to ask Bush, was there ever the option of not holding the elections??

    There was open discussion of it in the Summer of 2004, as per this piece from Newsweek:

    “Sources tell NEWSWEEK, Ridge’s department last week asked the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel to analyze what legal steps would be needed to permit the postponement of the election were an attack to take place.”

  • How many of you believe that Bush would have tried to prevent the transfer of power had Kerry won the electoral vote in 2004? I was actually wondering about this potential scenario at that time, which is rather sad.

  • Dems, it’s really up to you to take words like these and make the most of them.

    Bush thinks he’s an aw-shucks, harmless, good-hearted guy. Meanwhile they’re using him to say and do all kinds of stupid, and harmful, stuff. It’s not your fault that Bush is defamed and his words are criticized. He’s standing in the wrong place. He’s letting himself be used for a wicked purpose.

    Dems have to catch this stuff everytime you notice it and find a time and a place to criticize it immediately.

  • Republicans need to not be treated as if everything they say is a list of honest opinions, undiluted by psychological attacks, intimidation, slander, rhetoric, and mischaracterization. You need to stop treating them as if they’re a set of cool kids that you want to respect you while you disagree with them. You need to start recognizing that almost all of what they say is couched in ways of saying things that are constrcuted to dissuade you from approaching your goals and to keep you from doing and even recognizing all the things you need to do to be successful.

  • I googled it as Zamboni says. Absolutely true. The details to the plans devised and implemented so far are there for anyone to find. Iraq will just be a ‘comma’ in Cheney’s ‘full speed ahead’ insanity. Why do I think that Dick and Rummy will be speaking everyday untill the next phase kicks in. And be sure, it will. The order should be attack Iran, declare martial law. But how do you predict the moves of madmen?

  • Time of war? I haven’t been sent a ration card for nylons, and the mall was open on that holiday yesterday, whatever it was.

    It’s a time of occupation. Ain’t no stinkin’ war.

  • #27 “Sources tell NEWSWEEK, Ridge’s department last week asked the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel to analyze what legal steps would be needed to permit the postponement of the election were an attack to take place.”

    That’s just common sense. Think of the NYC mayoral primary in 2001, which was postponed by two weeks because of 9/11. An earthquake or hurricane could disrupt an election just as easily. There are any number of permutations. So far as I know, there are no contingency plans.

    “Time of war,” however, doesn’t rise to the same level of disruption.

  • I hear Dubya has read the Bible the whole way through twice. Maybe he should read the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution just once.

  • The new Congress will not assume office until January. There is still plenty of time a domestic emergency, requiring imposition of martial law.

    Put nothing past these criminals. Literally “anything” is possible.

  • The new Congress will not assume office until January. There is still plenty of time a domestic emergency, requiring imposition of martial law.
    Put nothing past these criminals. Literally “anything” is possible. — barry60x, @40

    Yes… Maybe… But it really doesn’t “smell” that way anymore. Like many others, I feared it before the ’04 elections and a little bit before the ’06 ones (though less — I thought they had the Diebolds “fixed” better this time).

    I came here in ’73, so observed the imposition of martial law in Poland (Dec 13, 1981) second hand, but the first requirement of a successful take over — cutting off all the info and the communication between individuals — is going to be very difficult, if not impossible, to achieve in the US. Even in Poland of ’81 things “escaped”, as they did during the ’89 mini-revolution in USSR. In US of ’06 or ’08, with all its cell-phones and all its puters? And some dedicated ham-radio operators (my cousin in Poland says hams are alive and kicking here)? And people already on planes getting the news and getting pissed off and taking hte news out of the country before the official messge is fixed? I don’t think so. And then there’s the constitutional right to bear arms, which many people have taken seriously (Both Poland and USSR had *stringent* gun-control laws).

    No, I don’t think so. All the same, when CB was having problems with this website, the day before elections, I was really worr

  • Friends,

    Please write to your Democratic Representative in the House of Representatives, and ask them to join with Speaker Pelosi in supporting Rep. Murtha for the post of Majority Leader.

    Rep. Hoyer helped sponsor the HAVA (the Help Fascists Take Over America Act, otherwise known as the Help Amerika Vote Act).

    Find your Representative (and their email form):

    http://www.house.gov/

    Here are the votes OPPOSING HAVA. See if you recognize any favorite names:

    Baldwin, Becerra, Blagojevich, Bonior, Brown (OH), Capuano, Clayton, Conyers, Davis (IL), Doggett, Frank, Gutierrez, Hilliard, Hinchey, Jackson (IL), Jackson-Lee (TX), Jones (OH), Kilpatrick, Kleczka, Kucinich, McDermott, McGovern, McKinney, Meehan, Mollohan, Murtha, Napolitano, Olver, Pastor, Payne, Pelosi, Rahall, Reyes, Rodriguez, Roybal-Allard, Rush, Sanchez, Schaffer, Scott, Shows, Solis, Waters, Watt (NC)

    Help STOP HOYER. Write your Representative TONIGHT.

    Thanks,

  • “The new Congress will not assume office until January. There is still plenty of time a domestic emergency, requiring imposition of martial law”

    They DO NOT have the political OR police power they would need for that.

    A city like Los Angeles, alone, would require something like 20,000 National Guard (minimum) to lock the town down (10 million residents).

    They would be suing for a return to normal law in three days, as gangs ranged the streets burning cars and smashing windows. Not a pretty sight — but we WILL NOT be ruled by martial law except for short periods after major disasters.

    Major disasters is WHY we need our National Guard home — TODAY.

    Help push the return of the National Guard as a primary goal of the early 110th Congress.

  • “I hear Dubya has read the Bible the whole way through twice.” –Vincennes

    HILARIOUS. You didn’t notice the Men’s World he was REALLY ‘reading.’

    GFH Bush has never finished a book in his life. It’s a point of pride.

    He could NOT answer even ten basic questions about the Bible. Though he was supposedly in a study group that worked over one of the Pauline books for a full year, his fellow student (I forget who) was unable to identify the content of that book, or say whether a particular PARABLE was in that book or not.

    It doesn’t take much knowledge of the Bible to know that parables are not found in the Pauline tracts.

  • “Whatever your opinion of the outcome, all Americans can take pride in the example our democracy sets for the world by holding elections even in a time of war.”

    Well, I guess he must be speaking about this election…

  • Another thought: In attempting to convince himself he is a “War President” (v. a War Pig) ShrubMaster thoroughly belittles the Iraqis who had to dodge real bullets and tip-toe through the IEDs to vote. What was the obstacle to the average American on Nov. 7th? Oh yea, artificially inflated gas prices, which I haven’t checked recently. Are they rising like a vengeful rocket yet?
    Grubby little bastard.

    tAiO

    p.s. V-e-e-e-ry nice Dale. I’ll be wearin’ the boots in case I get a chance to give the Cowboy a kickin’.

  • Insane! We didn’t cancel elections even during the freakin’ Civil War. This tells me just a bit too much about what the deserter in chief really thinks.

  • Insane! We didn’t cancel elections even during the freakin’ Civil War! This does show that the Deserter in Chief thought about it though.

  • A time of war…

    That’s an excuse for everything. When Bush told all of us that, during a “Time of War”, we could best support the troops by GOING SHOPPING, it might be more appropriate for him to tell us that our true sacrifice would have been to stay away from the malls instead of staying away from the voting booths.

    This “time of war” is a bunch of nonsense and a lie. First, Congress NEVER declared war. Second, the war is not a national effort because we, as civilians, were NEVER asked or required to participate in any way. Bush told us that it was his job to conduct the war, and for the rest of us to go about our business, remember? And third, there was NEVER a national consensus about the purpose for invading Iraq. Bush never articulated a rationale that resonated with the population, and when one rationale got weak, another one was concocted.

    It was all about oil and the New World Order, the nonsense (and a rationale for mass murder) that was made up by Bush 41, and before that, Prescott Bush’s client, Adolph Hitler.

  • Sounds like bubba is trying to let his subjects know that he is daMan, he has the power. Wants us to know we had our elections only because he “allowed it. He probably counted on his operatives rigging this one.

  • OR maybe we should cancel WARS DURING ELECTION TIME. Elections then, elections now, ELECTIONS FOREVER!

  • Guys………he’s softening us up for when he attacks Iran…….the 2008 elections will be cancelled. He’s planting the idea that war means he can cancel elections.

  • Comments like Dubya’s only reinforce in my mind that he & rove truly believed Election 06 was in the bag. It sets the Conspiracy Theory Corner of my Mind all aflutter. Because I believe Diebold’s voting machines not only can be hacked, but have been hacked. The fix is in, but only within a certain margin of error. And if the GOP candidate in question is within a point or two of winning, he’ll win. The vote in this election skewed so much towards the left, even with a fix in place, it wasn’t enough to bypass an acceptable margin of error. I’m sure they could, in theory, fix the machines to give a win to the GOP candidate with a 6, or 8, hell why not a 10-point margin of error. But at what point does impropriety become balatantly obvious? I’m sure THAT’S a question they’ll be asking a lot every day we get closer to 11/2008. Meanwhile, the Mushy Middle’s insistence that this man and his monkeys (or this monkey and his men) get not an ounce more power is what tipped the scales so far beyond what Diebold could seamlessly fix during this election. And had they knows just how pissed off the Mushy Middle was, I’m sure Rove would’ve floated the idea of “postponing” elections until the War on Terrrrrrr with some vigor.

  • This is my thought. We just got out of a controled government. Now that the democrats control the senate and the house,its now time to look for a good republican president to keep the checks and balances. I just wish rep Ron Paul would run for president. He is the one man scandal will not touch. Check this man out. By the way,I am a democrat.

  • The Republikan march toward the overthrow of the constitution has been derailed for two years. But in 2008 the Republikans will no doubt nominate for president some piece of krap who is very much like Bush and the the Congressional candidates will be the same pack of killers, thieves, pathological liars, bigots, religious fanatics and intellectual twinkies. If they win, the march toward theocracy and serfdom will start all over again.

  • What the s said: “planting the idea that war means he can cancel elections.” Mega-tonnage dittos.

    And new Dem Majorities don’t say Dem Majorities until the calendar says they say Dem Majorities.

    Somewhere in the cricks and hollows of my spongebrain squaredance, I recall a piece during the rain of the Put All The Republican Infamy On Trial (PATRIOT) Act, to the effect that ‘legitimate’ Congress could continue and enact enforceable government with as “few as 100 Members” in attendance.

    It was trojan-horsed thru the anthrax murders and bogus-iness.

    The idetic phrase I remember is “few as 100,” if someone seeks sources.

  • When you consider all the people who have to proof and vet every word that comes out of this guys mouth…this should send a little chill down your spine. We were allowed to have this election by the grace of the little fuhrer!
    The statement begs the question: Will we be able to get rid of him in two years? Or will some untimely calamity force him to stay in office for the “good of the country” in a time of perpetual war?
    Unfortunately for the fearless leader, the national guard wont be available to defend the gates of the white house should the next election turn out to be problematic.
    This fight ain’t over by a long shot folks…we were just allowed a few more rounds.

  • Yeah…It must have been “… the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,

    Gave proof through the night that our flag Voting Booth was still there….”

    All that WAR– gave me pause about going out to vote…

    But now we can ask…

    “O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
    O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?”

    Damn Straight it DOES! And it Votes BLUE!!!!!

  • Sorry W! We’re in a time of occupation, not war…

    Major hostilites have ended as he announced off the coast of San Diego. Mission accomplished!

  • To impose martial law, you need the army. Do you really think the army would follow these fools??

  • I hope everyone who reads this article and the comments
    is writing to their ‘elected’ ‘representatives’ as well as
    bitching in this space and patting ourselves on the back
    for having done so.

    I wrote to Hillary and Chuckie and McHugh to say nothing
    short of:

    Repeal The Patriot Act
    Dissolve Homeland Security
    Troops oput of the MidEast
    $300 mil budget redirect to home use
    Impeach Bush

    Would make me a believer!

    Christine
    NYS

  • I have noticed a lot of comments here regarding the potential imposition of martial law. Frankly, in the USA, the President does not have the authority to declare martial law. Only the Congress can declare martial law and they cannot do it except in certain specific instances and only under certain strict conditions including the fact that they CANNOT IMPOSE MARTIAL LAW IN AN AREA WHERE THERE IS A FUNCTIONING CIVILIAN COURT. For more information on this see the following: Article I, Section 9 of the US Constitution, Ex parte Milligan 71 US 2 1866, Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, et al.

    Now for those that think that the John Warner Defense Authorization Act of 2007 (passed and signed by Bush on October 17, 2006) has changed that, i would like to remind them that the constitution which prohibts the imposition of martial law in any area that has a functioning civilian court is superior to any federal act and the constitution takes precident over federal acts.

    Thus if Mr. Bush had suspended the election, it would have been an act of treason punishable by death. I guess its a good thing for everyone involved — including bush — that he did not attempt such a contemptable act.

  • I’m having this bizarre mental fantasy wherein Rove deliberately misprognosticated a Republican win in order to keep Bush/Cheney from suspending the elections. Not because Rove suddenly joined the side of good, but because he would’ve realized how thoroughly such an act would sink the party. Maybe he really is a genius.

  • If we were actually in a war and not in what this pipsqueak imagines what a war must be like his comment might not be so disturbing. To utter such nonsense at this time shows how close he is willing to go to destroy America. It is like Hitler at the end of his tyranny: He wanted Germany destroyed because the German people did not deserve to live – they had not fought hard enough to keep him in place.

    Shrub is going to have to answer for the evil he has done.

  • “As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron” – H.L. Mencken, The Baltimore Evening Sun, July 26, 1920

  • “America would be a heck of a lot easier if it was a dictatorship just so long as I am the dictator.” George W Bush December 2000

    That says all you need to know. He meant it

  • We are not at war. We are not at war. We are not at war, and haven’t been in the entire tenure of this bush. Ony Congress can delare war. Sing this one to the rafters– call him on this, over and over and to his face. Make him back down on this, Nancy and Harry. Do it.

  • With FEMA, the misnamed “patriot act” and the “state of war” the bush does have the power to cancel, then control LITERALLY everything in the country, mostly of the provisions are from FEMA’s emergency power provisions. this means, roadways and transportation (such as trains, ferries, jet liners), radio, tv, electricity, water, advertising, local police, public gathering, public functions INCLUDING ELECTIONS, and businesses of all kinds will be controlled by the top level of FEMA, which is in turn of course, controlled by the president’s orders. Let New Orleans be a sample of what FEMA can do, including forcing people into refugee camps (internment/concentration camps according to the refugees’ descriptions)

    war on terror? hint –
    1) if it was a war, why are the borders WIDE open for anyone to jump the cattleguard of a fence?

    2)if the vaguely named “terrorists” are the targets, why does the text of the patriot act target primarily american citizens and american financial life, and the military commissions act of 2006, target also american citizens for undefined imprisonment and coercion (torture) because a “capable officer” says so(the military commissions act [MCA 2006] also changes the judicial system, to use a military tribunal for the trials)?

    3)if the war on terror is keeping americans safe, why are there reported to be approximately 800 internment camps (same thing hitler used against his opposers) on american soil, some underground?

    these three questions should help to eliminate the unsensible war on terror for what it has always been: global conquest by pre-emptive war and abolition of human freedom springboarded by the fear of another 9/11 event. This is by far the oldest trick in poltical history, to scare masses of people into your own solution, and its effect never has dulled.

    Apparently bush and the traitor democrats & republicans are waiting to halt the democratic process for something, possibly for 2008 (any plans for your RFID driver’s license May of that year?) after Iran has been another sad victim to hegemony.

    Its nothing short of a fascist trap, and its about to terminally activate, if there isn’t an enormous pulse to resist it. Fortunately, the army isn’t likely to shoot it’s own families and friends. Unfortunately, when Bush (or his replacement, if there is one) calls in NATO for martial law, will they have the same sympathy toward a foreign country’s people. at this point, refer to the second amendment of the bill of rights and prepare for the second american revolution.

  • I wouldn’t trust ANY of the Rethuglicans as far as I could throw them.

    And I’m still scared that Reichsfuehrer Bush and his gang of thugs are going to try something; perhaps another attack on the scale of 9/11 – to enable him to declare martial law. All the machinery is in place – all they need is an excuse…

  • Every single one of them – Bush, Rove, Donny, Condi,- the whole gaggle (and I mean gag!) of the cronies, inside men (and women) — every Republican who thought that the “war” was a good way to make money and keep their power — everyone of them should be stripped naked and flogged during a national broadcast . It’d be too good for those cocksuckers, as I had originally wished for public crucifixion on the White House lawn for these rapacious greed- and power-mongers.

    They should be then sent to Iraq to replace the brave men and women that they so callously sent to die there. Let’s see how the shrubweed would deal with a gang of angry insurgents! In the meantime, keep up the pressure on the Dems to DO SOMETHING NOW!

    I am as mad as hell — we need to take our country’s money and support OUR citizens – the ones who need health care, adequate housing, FOOD — and not spend 300 billion on a “war” that continues to cost us lives and world respect. Help the people of America first, dammit!

  • Re. comment # 71, I feel just as “mad as hell” about what needs to be done. Miss Allen has articulated the feelings rather well.

    Incidentally, I sent out a letter to Nanacy Pelosi and Barabara Boxer soonafter November 7th. The following is the text of that letter, and also my comments on this issue to another friend. I am appending these below FYI.

    (comments to friend)

    My reactions, too, have been likewise tempered. In plain terms, I maintain that simply replacing a gang of criminals does nothing for justice and reparations (in fact, given the magnitude of America’s crimes, justice and reparations are just not possible). I would like to see every one of these neocons and right-wing fascists serve hard time for their crimes.

    It is greatly disappointing to hear the conciliatory tone from John Conyers and Nancy Pelosi (which is precisely what prompted my letter). Unless, of course, it is a clever political ploy to catch the criminals off-guard. We will have to see.

    Talk to you soon.

    Very best- (etc)

    (letter to Pelosi/Boxer)

    Dear Speaker-Elect Pelosi and Senator Boxer:

    While we (progressives) are quite delighted by the electoral outcome, I feel the electorate will not be satisfied simply by a cosmetic change of guard.
    WHAT WE EXPECT TO SEE IS SOME SERIOUS, MEANINGFUL CHANGE.

    We certainly expect better and more humane approaches to dealing with social and public issues. BUT JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, IF NOT MORE SO, WE EXPECT ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE CRIMES COMMITTED BY THIS ADMINISTRATION UNDER THE WATCH OF THE LEGISLATIVE ENABLERS before you were allowed by the voters to take over.

    This means setting up serious investigative mechanisms to depose the parties implicated by the grievous lies that have led to genocide, curtailment of domestic human rights, and circumvention of the Constitution.

    America as a democracy cannot allow all this to have been grossly violated (this also includes shenanigans vis-a-vis honoring that most fundamental right of all in a participatory democracy-the right to vote, and for the vote to be counted)- and somehow, in the interest of so-called bi-partisanship, which your opponents never, ever cared for, to simply let all these horrendous crimes be swept under the rug.

    Please show some courage and determination to hold these offenders accountable. THE NATION AND HISTORY DEMAND THIS. Absolutely nothing less will do.

    Please make sure there are no WHITEWASH commissions that only serve to exonerate criminals. America’s honor, which is in tatters right now, is at stake.

    We shall watch all this (especially the actions of stalwarts such as John Conyers, Henry Waxman, Russ Feingold, and yourself) in the months ahead.

    Regards, and best wishes-

    Monish R. Chatterjee, Ph.D.
    Professor, ECE

  • Small correction to #72:

    Pl. correct misprinted names “Nanacy” and “Barabara” to Nancy and Barbara. Thanks- MRC.

  • It seems every post here has taken what Georgy said out of context. He was simply stating that our government, even in the worst of times (i.e. “even in a time of war”) can maintain its stability.

    In no was was he suggesting that elections be cancelled.

    He may be a dolt, but not everything Georgy says is idiotic.

  • Meanwhile the innocent victims in Iraq needlessly die. The non violent families of Iraq and the American soldiers who are also paying the price yet again in one of the American wars that should have been avoided. Might is not allways right. I do think that alqueida and taliban are bastards. Iam Canadian. I sincerely wish the best possible outcome for all the caring American people. The ones that want war for power and personal gain kill a lot of innocent Americans by their actions. Overwhelming feelings of superiority give rise to unfeeling actions. I initially thought it wasnt wise to go into Iraq but at times along the way I felt more positive about it. It was reassuring when I knew that they wouldnt cut and run and would actually help Iraq rebuild. I think Bush had to think this way to save face when the queries came. I dont think they even thought of the possibility of having to stay on before that.Success might still be more possible in Afghanistan seeing as it is supported by so many countries. I wonder if there hadnt been a war in Iraq then the bad guys there (taliban-alqueida and west haters) would have been pouring into Afghanistan to fight.Then Afghanistan would be much more difficult . Take care. By the comments I have read I can see that you are good people and it is good read what you are saying.

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