Having spent the past four years crisscrossing America to uncover the real state of the union under King George the W and his rabid band of Bushites, I have come to a disturbing conclusion: THESE PEOPLE ARE NUTS! We’re talking bullgoose-loopy, ideological freaks whose snorting rampages pose a threat to us all and to all we hold dear. It’s not… return to article
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Reader Comments (47)Page 1 of 1 pagesNot a lot of facts, but I must say, it appeals to my sense of rage. You go Jim!
Dave
Posted by Dave on Aug 10, 2004 at 1:01 PM Great writing!
I absolutely can NOT understand how anyone that is capable of reading can support the “bushies” I have some friends that claim to be conservative. Almost all of them claim they don’t watch the news or read the newspaper because these organizations are just left wing propaganda mlls. I ask them how they get their “facts” if they don’t read or listen to the news.
I’ve come to the conclusion that conservative is synonymous for the term “functional illiterate”.
Owen
Posted by Owen Heckathorn on Aug 10, 2004 at 2:14 PM Great article! Couple of things you missed though:
1) Bush gave himself a 200% raise upon entering office.
2) Bush went back to his alma mater - Yale - and gave an address to the assembly, stating that he discovered the party life there, and see, even a C student can be president of the US!Send Bush back to Crawford! Permanently!
LC
Posted by LC on Aug 10, 2004 at 3:05 PM This was a great article, but then all Hightower articles are. You make us laugh! I hope that Kerry wins and Bush is out; however, I wish he’d go to some other state to live afterwards. I didn’t think he was a great governor and it really pains me when people say -"Send him back to TX” - Some of us really don’t want him here!
GJK
Posted by Glenna Jones-Kachtik on Aug 10, 2004 at 4:35 PM What, no negative comments here? Everybody agrees?
I consider myself an independent - not registered to any party, voting my own beliefs and conscience, every election. Listening to the same old diatribe, however, i.e. about Bush “being selected - not elected” (read your Constitution, folks, the so-called “popular vote” doesn’t mean diddly-squat for good reason.... hence the term “Democratic Republic") jsut tends to push me more to the right - I am tired of all the whining.
Get some new material - you aren’t convincing me.
Posted by Vic on Aug 10, 2004 at 10:27 PM Vic - Thank you for the first logical comment I have read here.
Posted by Dave on Aug 10, 2004 at 10:53 PM Vic and Dave,
I imagine had it been your names that were wrongfully placed upon a list of felons who were denied the right to vote, you might view the situation a bit differently. The Constitution and the law is supposed to protect the Right to Vote for all citizens, not just the ones you know will vote the way you want.
You see, this particular democratic republic was founded upon the idea of personal liberty. When one ideology prevents eligible voters from having a say, I would say outrage is a very warranted reaction.
Posted by Brian on Aug 11, 2004 at 12:51 AM Dear Owen,
I am surrounded by Bushites in my community and I can tell you where they get their news....the main right wing echo chamber, CBN. And they aren’t stupid, just very religious, incurious and unwilling to take the time to research a view that goes against their ideology. Sort of like the Prez, I suppose.
Posted by Annette on Aug 11, 2004 at 4:10 AM Annette is right. Many hog farmers, and tobacco farmers in rural NC listenselectively to the news they want to hear (which is so easy now for radio/tv listeners. The other group of Bush lovers are the “get everything you can while no one’s looking” types, smart enough to know Bush is scamming, yet identifying with him as a partier.
Just writing our outrage to eachother isn’t going to win us the White House back.
The prospect of a re-election really frightens me as Bush appeals to both of these two large silent groups: the Christain uncurious and the Good Ole Boys who love to grow their own marijuana between their tobacco plants. These people are very real. We are not going to easily defeat Bush. He appeals to a much larger group than the morally outraged.
And I haven’t been canvassing yet. Only NARAL is offering canvassing and door-to-door campaigns in our area.
Posted by Chrystal Stefani on Aug 11, 2004 at 6:24 AM I don’t understand comments like Vic’s or Dave’s. They are right up there with the insane. Please answer me this Vic or Dave in this blog or privately. Does this sort of complaining drive you to the right because you want vengeance? Your first step to recovery, stop complaining about the complainers.
Posted by John on Aug 11, 2004 at 8:08 AM While all Americans have the right to free speech, I do take exception to being called a “whiner” by the Republicans.
If those on the other side had been unable to vote because their name just happened to be on a “voter felon list”, they would be outraged!
If those on the other side had been unable to vote because of police blockades, they would be outraged!
If those on the other side had been treated with the disdain that the Democrats have been treated since Bush took office, and I mean in such ways as Ann Coulter’s book, “All Democrats are Traitors” which is ridiculous, UNFAIR and UNTRUE, I do believe Vic and Dave would be FURIOUS.
They only show the hypocrisy of the Republican Party. They are STILL whining about President Clinton and he is NOT, I repeat, NOT, President.
I believe the hatred from the Right Wing of the Republican Party comes from the FACT that they were UNABLE to REMOVE President Clinton from office.
They were also shown to be hypocrites because so many high ranking Republicans were “outed” during the HUNT for President Clinton. I know they are still HATING us for outing those people.
Now remember, these are the same Republicans that DUMPED the Star Report on the Internet so that ALL THE CHILDREN could read it. What a great group of people! I am still furious that my 9 year old daughter read that garbage!
Family values, my left foot!
Bush and his Regime MUST be defeated!
I do hope he moves back to New England where he is from. He is NOT a TEXAN. NOR WILL HE EVER BE!
Debra
Posted by Debra on Aug 11, 2004 at 9:12 AM Whenever I hear people, such as Vic, call themselves independents, I translate that to mean “closet Republican,” because it is not possible these days to be a true independent, unless you are uncaring or uninformed.
Posted by Dennis on Aug 11, 2004 at 9:36 AM I may have an insight to Vic & Dave’s delusion: I suspect (and I could be VERY WRONG) that they are both white males between 25-50 and they call themselves “Independents” because they feel marginalized by the society. Vic & Dave (probably) think that people of color, women, and other oppressed people look at V&D;as members of the “ruling class” but V&D;are too poor or not “vetted” properly and are just working stiffs like 99.5% of the rest of us. But they are targeted by right wing media (Rush, et. al.) and they buy into the propaganda because it justifies their feelings of inferiority by disguising it as “victimization.” I think I can say all this because I used to feel the same way, but I came to understand that we are all the same. We all want to be accepted for who we are, not how we look.
Posted by Tim on Aug 11, 2004 at 10:24 AM Yesterday afternoon, I spent three hours surveying in a local neighborhood on behalf of Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold (the only Senator with the courage to vote no on the “patriot” act). I highly recommend that anyone with any interest in politics and the ability to converse calmly with strangers should get involved in a similar way. I intend to get back out there again as time allows and meet with my fellow citizens to discuss the issues of the day. If all we do is commiserate with those who think as we do, little is likely to change other than for the present polarization to grow more intense.
Posted by KJ on Aug 11, 2004 at 10:59 AM I have been an Independent for the last several years, but I can honestly say that I, on the other hand, do not conform to the same beliefs (misconceptions) as Vic and Dave. I HAVE been listening and reading and I am profoundly affected by how this government has wiped me and my family into near bankrupcy. I have elderly (medically fragile) parents who rely on prescription drugs on a daily basis. They have outrageous heating bills in the winter because the house they live in is old and WAS poorly insulated (until I paid for that). They cannot afford to fix the house because they are on fixed incomes. I have watched them get raped over and over and it makes me angrier and angrier. What has Bush done for you, Vic and Dave? I know what he has NOT done. He is busy giving his buddies tax breaks while my parents need to decide on how much they can spend on food this month or if they can get by without a particular medication because it is just too expensive. You can take your Right-Wing crap and stick it! I am leaning more and more to the left and I can only pray that that moron doesn’t make it another term. If that happens then I guess Canada can possibly get four more people added to their population because I don’t want to be affiliated with the village idiot.
Posted by SW on Aug 11, 2004 at 11:01 AM So before Bush became the president Halliburton could’nt do business anywhere. Bush and co. went to war to “make the world safe for Halliburton”. So Iraq is a “safe” place to do business.
I’m sure Halliburton did quite well during the Clinton administration. You people are delusional.
Posted by Brett on Aug 11, 2004 at 11:04 AM Once again Hightower does it: get’s us talking and discussing. Isn’t that democracy in action?
Hey Vic, Dave and the rest of us. Let go of all the labels: Independent, Liberal, Republican, Conservative, Democrat, Libertarian, etc.
Why? The simple equation of American politics contains a two-option ballot: change things or keep-it-the-same.
A Democrat who is doing really well financially these days and contributing to the community in some fashion should have no problem voting for Bush, et al. To vote for change would endanger this person’s existance and PERHAPS affect it negatively, thus affecting those they assist with their community service.
By the same token the Republican who has lost a factory job and now works for half the wages and no benefits should have no problem voting for the change: Kerry. That person has everything to gain. And realistically very little to lose.
A president doesn’t single handedly set any real policy, only direction and mood.
As an example, the president nominates the SEcretary of Labor and then the Department of Labor greatly influences whether or not workers get protection or employers. Union or not.
The Bush folks have sided with employers. No big deal if you’re an employer that looks pretty good.
If you’re an employee, it doesn’t because whether or not you’re aware, your rights at work have been compromised. Your ability to earn extra money through overtime will soon go away for many, companies canunderfund thier pension plans, and OSHA safety standards have been relaxed through non-enforcement and actually turned back in some areas such as repetitive stress injuries (’carpal tunnel’ can seem like a bunch of hooey until someone you know well and trust starts complaining of that type of pain).
So we’ll see what bill of goods ‘Sound Bite City’ (major media) sells us this election since that’s where the vast majority of our voters (not necessarily citizens) gather their political information.
Posted by Chris on Aug 11, 2004 at 11:18 AM Vic, Dave and Brett are just Freeple Sheeples who think they can get away with their ridiculous, self-serving whining yet again. WRONG! Why don’t you all slink back to the “Free Republic” MB where everyone is as deluded and insane as you are? You are beyond stupid.
Posted by Eileen on Aug 11, 2004 at 12:07 PM Chris,
You make a lot of sense. It’s time for change and Kerry’s a good place to start.
Posted by Darrell on Aug 11, 2004 at 12:09 PM Unbridled faith to one party or another serves no citizen in the end. political parties do what is in their own best interest i.e. self preservation. both parties are working together in every way to meet this end. not questioning the ones placed in office after the election allows them to play business as usual. giving Kerry the White House without a clear and present difference of objectives is just as bad or worse than Bush. (at least with Bush we can see he’s an evil do’er) and who can miss the “both hands in the cookie jar” look that he has at every photo-op. so I challenge every one both Bush-elites and Kerry-any-but-Bush’ers to question both what you are fighting against but also to understand what you are allowing to power.
I am a citizen of this country and this world and I am voting third party for the reason that neither party is going to cooperate with us, the citizens, unless they understand their job is to represent not to supercede.
I believe that nothing will change until we install a instant run-off-voting
Learn more.
http://www.chrisgates.net/irv/
Posted by Anon on Aug 11, 2004 at 4:36 PM Anon:
I voted for Nader in the last two elections and felt good about doing so. I believed then, as you do now, that there was little difference between what would happen under the democrats or the republicans. This time, however, I will vote for John Kerry. Bush has clearly demonstrated that he lacks the capacity to lead the country effectively. I know there are those who feel Bush is a strong leader, but leadership is of no value, in fact it can be very detrimental, if you’re leading in the wrong direction. There is absolutely no question in my mind that we would be better off today if Gore were president. It’s been a hard lesson and it will be immeasurably worse if Bush is allowed to continue. There is no possibility for any candidate other than Bush or Kerry to win this election, and Kerry is clearly the better choice. If you want to work toward creating a viable third party, the time to do it is after we’ve removed this corrupt and dangerous administration from power. I hope you set aside your anger with the two parties and help elect Kerry, it will be your first step toward reforming the system. With Bush in power, the task of doing so will much more difficult.
Posted by KJ on Aug 11, 2004 at 5:56 PM Thanks KJ,
I urge those in swing (critical) states to vote for Tweedle-Dee rather than Tweedle-Dumb. but those in non critical states, to do the right thing. Do not vote based on fear or pressure and only vote for conscience. Don’t let the two parties feed off the turmoil. But really Kerry 2004 yet never reelect anyone for 2008.
If you can clearly see that no electable people represent you it is your duty to run for that office.
Posted by Anon on Aug 11, 2004 at 9:40 PM I love Hightower!! His website offers common sense commentaries every day, and it has an archive for them. They are short, but effective and commom people can understand them. He is entertaining. Some of the “highbrows” put him down for that as though they are too “intellectual” for him, but my guess is he is every bit as intelligent as most of them!! I have read several of his books.
I get slander about Kerry and his wife in my e-mail nearly every day. I think this election should be about policies, but I have become so angry I am beginning to respond to people who send me those slanderous e-mails with my own personal attacks on Bush as well.
One thing I think that can be used as ammuntion (in a nice way, of course) is to ask Bush’s supporters what they would think of a person who made fun of a woman before he executed her. Tucker Carlson, NOT a left winger, said Bush did that with Karla.
If you want more ammunition, do a google search for triteness and bush. There is an aticle with a title something like “the incredible triteness of being dubya bush.” That is not the exact title, but the article comes from a talk magazine interview. Send the article to your e-list. There is also an aticle by Glenn Wilson in “the Southerner” I think it is, that talks about the “Lost Year,” which covers his lost year in Alabama.
However, when it comes to Bush what leaves me the most “whopper jawed”—another Hightower expression—is that a man whose daughter was taken to the hospital for an emergency appendectomy (and these can, of course, be fatal) did not even go to the hospital to visit her, but left the next day for a Florida fishing vacation with his father and brother—he does, after all, MAJOR in vacations. He has spent about 600 days AWAY from the White House vacationing somewhere. When asked by reporters how Jenna was doing, he said she might be able to join them on vacation, but if not she could stay home and clean her room. you can find newspaper articles about this on the net as well.
To me, not only does that not seem like the response of any father I know, it does not even seem like the response of a NORMAL HUMAN BEING!!
I don’t know if he was in a different town at the time, but even if he was, this is a man to whom the money or means to get to her bedside would have been no object!! My husband, my father, ANY of my sons --- some of whom would not have the money for it to be easy for them would drive all night to get to their daughter’s side!!
To me, his responses to many things are not even human, let alone normal!! And not even visiting his daughter in the hospital is, to me, the most inhuman thing of all!! You can bet Bill would have come from anywhere to be with Chelsea!! Any normal, and half decent father would have!!
Lonna
Posted by Lonna on Aug 11, 2004 at 11:05 PM Brother Richard:
I am all for cloning of stem cells… but not from human embryos.
There are so many myths in this area. Those arguing for embryonic stem cell research have embarked on a campaign of disinformation, for example, Michael Reagan dishonoring and lying about stem cell research and his Father’s own position, at the Democratic Convention recently. Interviewed on NBC, Michael admitted that it is well know that embryonic stem cell research would not and cannot help Alzheimer’s patients. As well, he misinformed the public at the convention when he talked about supporting “embryonic stem cell research” as “using cells created from the materials of our own bodies”—Richard, this is known as creation of embryos by cloning—it is not embryonic stem cell research (which involves killing an embryo to harvest his or her [embryo now dead] own stem cells).
By the way, Michael Regan left people with the impression his father’s Alzheimers Disease would have benefited from this research and on NBC he admitted, as all scientists would agree, it is not at all likely to help with anything related to Alzheimers. The MSNBC article on http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5670247/ has a paragraph mentioning Alzheimers, also leaving people with that impression. Not the first time the press has misinformed.
Bottom line: there are four or five types of research to obtain stem cells and I support (a) adult stem-cell research, (b) use of umbilical cords and placentas after birth—these two methods have been shown to be plenty for the needs of medical advancement—and so I cannot and do not support killing live unborn children embryos, even after one week, for the purpose of conducting embryonic stem-cell research—it is provably unnecessary and is just part of the agenda of Marxists who mislead you otherwise in order to promote their pro-abortion positions.
Again, I support cloning stem cells—but not by way of embryonic stem cell research—in this form of research, cells are extracted from the “inner cell mass” (the 30-34 cells that will develop into the baby’s tissues and organs) from the center of a human embryo in the first week of life. Removing these cells destroys the embryo.
The following will help you:
http://search.freefind.com/find.html?id=30764598&pid=r&mode=ALL&n=0& &query=stem+cell
or just go to:
http://www.nrlc.org/news/2001/NRL09/laura.html
one interesting snippet I found here is where the public stands. Check out the following snippet:
(quote)What does public opinion say about stem cell research that would destroy human embryos?(quote)Proponents of research that would require destroying human embryos cite wide margins of public support. Their polls, however, often fail to mention that embryos would be destroyed for their stem cells. A June 2001 ABC News/ Belief Net poll avoided that reality, and claimed support from 58% of Americans for “stem cell research.” Here is the question they asked:
(quote)"Sometimes fertility clinics produce extra fertilized eggs, also called embryos, that are not implanted in a woman’s womb. These extra embryos either are discarded, or couples can donate them for use in medical research, called stem-cell research. Some people support stem-cell research, saying it’s an important way to find treatments for many diseases. Other people oppose stem- cell research, saying it’s wrong to use any human embryos for research purposes. What about you - - do you support or oppose stem-cell research?”
(quote)Americans gave an entirely different answer when International Communications Research asked, “Stem cells are the basic cells from which all of a person’s tissues and organs develop. Congress is considering whether to provide federal funding for experiments using stem cells from human embryos. The live embryos would be destroyed in their first week of development to obtain these cells. Do you support or oppose using your federal tax dollars for such experiments?” Given these details, 69.9% opposed government funding of such research. Only 23.9% expressed support.
(Harry) Thus, 70% are against government funding. This is a Democracy, right? 70% oppose abortion (I’ve submitted numerous polls in the archives)… this is a Democracy, right?
Bottom line—we should all take the time to research this a bit more, if you haven’t already, and please consider the will of the people: killing embryos for the purpose of gathering stem cells has never been proven necessary, and we have plenty of ways to harvest stem cells from other means.
Posted by RightToLife on Aug 12, 2004 at 7:43 AM Hightower and others bash Bush but at least Bush is not for murdering 40 million unborn children since 1973 (Roe vs. Wade).
Kerry is the loopy one for promoting the murder of 40 million unborn children.
I am here to inform you (and hopefully educate others) that after Clinton twice vetoed it, Bush, on Nov. 2003, signed and helped Congress pass the partial-birth abortion bill, preventing babies from a gory murder very late in the second trimester and early on in the third trimester—a huge step to reclaim the rights taken away from 40 million unborn children murdered since Roe vs. Wade.
Partial birth abortions occurred during weeks 20-32. By the way, here is how partial birth worked (and note Bush signed a law banning it, November, 2003): for women who are 20 to 32 weeks pregnant (or even later into pregnancy) the abortionist, guided by ultrasound, reaches into the uterus, grabs the unborn baby’s leg with forceps, and pulls the baby into the birth canal, except for the head, which is deliberately kept just inside the womb. At this point in a partial-birth abortion, the baby is alive and why it is referred to as “partial-birth”. Then the abortionist jams scissors into the back of the baby’s skull and spreads the tips of the scissors apart to enlarge the wound. After removing the scissors, a suction catheter is inserted into the skull and the baby’s brains are sucked out. The collapsed head is then removed from the uterus.
Also, Bush has stopped funding for Planned Parenthood which 100% supports abortion and he and others are working vigorously for a 24-to-48 hour cool-off period when someone wants an abortion so they can be handed a single sheet of paper with facts about the physical and psychological risks one undertakes when getting an abortion (shudder the thought that women might be well-informed, the abortionists want abortions so badly they don’t want women to know the risks/truth lest they make an informed decision and change their minds).
On partial-birth abortions, the Supreme Court stalled passage by asking for proof of and were given evidence that with very few exceptions, these partial-birth abortions are done as elective procedures, not for medical reasons (the abortionists and feminist movement lied and stated women needed this for medical reasons and they were, of course, exposed all the way to the Supreme Court—reminds me of Harris Miller and the like). The bill is here to stay! Another chink in the pathetic Roe vs Wade armor (even Roe, now a born-again Christian, said she was coached by feminists/abortionists to be used for their purposes and she regrets doing so but she knows she is forgiven and that if it wasn’t her, someone else would have been duped).
Finally, on April 6, 2004 in a landmark right-to-life victory, President George W. Bush signed into law the “Unborn Victims of Violence Act” also known as “Laci and Conner’s Law.”—Bush’s action culminated a five-year campaign by the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) to win enactment of the legislation, which recognizes unborn children as victims when they are injured or killed during the commission of federal or military crimes of violence. This in spite of the feminists and abortionists (estimated to represent <5% of women but who do a good job brainwashing about 30%) who state the baby is a fetus, a blob—without rights—until it exits the birth canal (how laughable).
Note this signing came just one week after the bill (H.R. 1997) survived a showdown in the U.S. Senate by a single vote 49-50. The anticipated Democratic presidential nominee, Senator **John Kerry** (D-Mass.), interrupted his campaigning to make a rare visit to the Senate to vote against the bill. Tup, you’re buddy: John Kerry!
I speak for 40 million unborn children… why don’t you?
As for job destruction, immigration being out of control, and unfair globalization—both Kerry and Bush are equally pathetic in this area.
Kerry is pro-uncontrolled immigration—he states in the official platform that amnesty should be given to millions of illegal aliens and says nothing about securing our borders to the massive, uncontrolled illegal immigration—all for cheaper labor (I am **for** controlled immigration, like it was for 230 years).
Kerry has recently caused caused an uproar with his media statements that he would uncap the H-1B visa and which his staffers cannot and will not clarify when job-destruction activists protested. H-1Bs were designed to be used to bring in workers when a skills shortage existed but American corporations have abused used it for cheaper labor: instead of hiring American workers, they hire H-1Bs which earn 30 to 40% less than their American counterparts, cannot easily leave their work for up to six years or else they reset their green-card wait-time to zero again, and work 50-60 hours per week to impress their employers into letting them stay so they can hit that six-year period and gain their permanent residency—all a form of indentured (salve) workers for cheaper labor and all at the expense of destroying Middle class American jobs—over 1 million H-1Bs are here from the last five or six years alone).
And we all know that experts in this areas of anti-offshore outsourcing state and know that Kerry just bites around the edges in terms of his proposed solutions against offshoring and that it is all rhetoric—at the end of the day he is just as much pro-corporation, pro-unfettered (unfair) free-trade as George Bush. Period. Plain and simple.
You might as well make local elections and the voting for U.S. House and Sentate be what matters because the Presidents cannot be trusted in this area.
Vote, vote, vote for local officials and Congresspeople!
And remember what Kerry’s wife, Teresa Heinz, said to a recent conference she spoke at for gays, lesbians, and trans-sexuals—she told them to call her “Mama” because when John is elected, she would take care of them just like a “Mama” would her child!
Regards,
RightToLifer
Posted by RightToLifer on Aug 12, 2004 at 8:17 AM So it’s OK to kill children (as in bombing) as long as they’re not in the womb?
It’s OK to impose the death penalty? If killing is killing, why are you opposed to only one king of killing?
You can’t legislate sin.
Posted by ABBer on Aug 12, 2004 at 9:48 AM Right, ABBer! And I see that RightToLifer is also a homophobe. A homophobe, a fetus-worshiper and, no doubt, a member of the American Taliban who would like to see us all live under Biblical law.
We’ll die before we let the likes of you dictate our behavior to us, you moronic, myopic, repressed jerk! Why don’t you and your fundamentalist friends go to an island, blow yourselves up, and leave the rest of us alone.
Posted by Eileen on Aug 12, 2004 at 11:48 AM I am proud to say that I am a pro-life Catholic voting for John Kerry in the next election. While I disapprove of abortion, I agree with ABBer that their are other types of killing that have taken place under the current administration. If you are pro-life, how can you sit back and watch this man strip lives from innocents in an unnecessary war and degrade the lives of the poor and misfortunate who do not happen to fall into his wealthy base? If you really examine your Christian values and pro-life stance, you will come to the understanding that the standard Republican platform goes against a great deal of (what we Catholics consider) Social Justice.
Posted by AB on Aug 12, 2004 at 12:00 PM A tiresome, histrionic and fully boring article. If you’re going to write an “article” devoid of fact, relying purely on the force of your prose, then you’d better make sure you have the talent to write good prose.
I mean… Just follow the link to Vonnegut’s article to see an example of what good writing is like.
Posted by jmc on Aug 12, 2004 at 12:14 PM Well jmc, you are living proof that the article is fact, not fiction. Better get your Bush knee-pads. You’ll need them for the amount of time you spend kissing his royal behind.
Posted by Eileen on Aug 12, 2004 at 12:18 PM Some thoughts…
a) Yes, one can be “independent” in this day and age. I myself consider my ‘bend’ to be independent, because the pussy-ass Democratic party is nearly as horrid as the Republicans. They both cater to and are beholden to business interests FIRST, and once in a while react to the “whims” of their consitutents. This, of course, usually occurs in the 12-15 months preceeding “re-election” time…
b) Rhetoric aside, Dubya has to go. For the simple reason: who the hell can believe a word that comes out of this guy’s mouth? I don’t even think he’s intentional in his bumblings, but it has gotten to the point where he has no credibility, no trust here or abroad. Time to go.
Posted by G-love on Aug 12, 2004 at 1:35 PM He, G-Love:
I don’t know why you refer to the Democrats as “pussy-ass”, as though this differentiates them from the Republicans. The Republicans are the chickenhawk party, talk tough and send someone else to fight. And remember, you can’t spell “WUSSY” without “W”.
Posted by KJ on Aug 12, 2004 at 1:41 PM KJ: right you are. In no way do I let the GOP off the hook. I say the Dems are pussies for many reasons. A great example? Here’s a few:
1) “Here Dubya… have a blank check to go do whatever the hell you want - including but not limited to invading Iraq and turning attention from the true murderers of 9/11”
2) “Patriot Act? Hey, sounds good to me!! Do I need a copy? Naw, fuck it… I’ll sign it anyway!!”
3) Constitutional Ammendment banning gay marriage? Uh, don’t want to tackle THAT one, it is an election year, you know!
Posted by G-love on Aug 12, 2004 at 2:58 PM G-Love:
1. The Dems didn’t give Dubya a “blank check”, what they did was authorize the use of military force IF all other options of dealing with Saddam were exhausted, and those options were clearly specified. They included weapons inspections and going to the UN to create a real coalition if military intervention became inevitable. And the necessity of all this was based upon the “president’s” promise that irrefutable evidence existed that Saddam had “weapons of mass destruction” and an active nuclear arms program. Both of which turned out to be complete lies, as did his promise to exhaust all options. His “evidence” was largely manufactured out of whole cloth by administration lackies or based upon questionable data. Bush’s contention that everyone thought Saddam had weapons is a blatant lie as is his inference that the intelligence community in some way misled him (Bush). The neo-cons he has surrounded himself with had the invasion of Iraq on their agenda years ago and they used 9-11 and the “war on terror” as justification. At the expense of the real war that was going on in Afghanistan. Dubya and his crowd were asleep at the wheel on 9-11, two buildings fell, thousands died and they have shamelessly exploited that tragedy to justify the invasion of a country that posed no threat to us. It’s sickening.
2. The “Patriot Act”. I agree, they caved on that one. Well, everyone but my senator here in Wisconsin, Russ Feingold, who was the only senator to say no. Perhaps they were once again guilty of believing a liar, but there is a certain amount of implicit trust that’s important to the interaction of the executive and the legislative branches.
3. Yeah, well why give your political enemies any opportunity to make hay? Personally, I don’t think there can be such a thing as gay “marriage”. Marriage is a church institution which has been granted certain status by the state. Gay couples ought to be allowed the same rights afforded to heterosexual couples, but the title of “marriage” ought to be reserved for use by the church, which originated and defined it. If they decide that gays can use the term, fine, but until then “civil union” or some other term would be more appropriate.
Posted by KJ on Aug 12, 2004 at 4:09 PM I wonder what Americans will do when they discover that they have been had. A week or so before 9/11, US government officials were negotiating with the Taliban on behalf of Amoco and Unocol over a proposed pipeline that was supposed to carry natural gas from Turkistan to a port in Pakistan via Afghanistan. The Taliban, who were holding for a better deal, were told by the US official,"Accept our carpet of gold, or we’ll bury you under a carpet of bombs.”
Next thing you know, 9/11 happens, and Bush, the oil patch president, has carte blanche to go to war and lay a carpet of bombs on Afghanistan.
I guess it might just be coincidence.
Jack from Canada
Posted by Jack Shultz on Aug 12, 2004 at 5:38 PM “NOT A LOT OF FACTS” says Dave on August 10. Maybe a case of selective-reading. I read plenty of facts in Mr. Hightower’s piece. And they all scare me. Democrats say they are a Big Tent Party, but the Bushite$ seem to be under a Big Tent all their own. And you don’t even have to be a millionaire to join. Do you hate gays? The Right is the Party for you. How about folks who love God but don’t talk about Him all day? Those heathens threaten your relationship with God! Doubya wants to talk to you. And what about minorities? Do you want to keep them out of your neighborhood? Cheney has a rally ticket waiting for you! Have your forgotten about your neighbor, the lady who has five kids and got an abortion? You know the one, her husband’s job was outsourced. That lady dared hold her head up high while failing to beg your forgiveness. Imagine the gall! So you see the other party has a large platform - just bring your hate.
Posted by TC on Aug 13, 2004 at 3:13 AM I just happened onto this board and have been reading the messages. Just so you people know, I work everyday with members of the US Navy and Air Force.
To give you some incite into just how much this war is costing us, every vehicle that enters this facility must have the proper stickers displayed on the vehicles windshield authorizing entry. Well, it used to be that way. We currently do not have enough money to buy the stickers so this security precaution is being waived.I am sure most of you are aware that from time to time leaks detrimental to the Whitehouse have emerged. Let me tell you that these leaks are not coming from low-level civil servants or low ranking military personnel. The traditional close relationship between the Pentagon and Republican lawmakers is frayed if not altogether broken. For this to have happened means that the folks at the Pentagon think that these guys in the Whitehouse have no idea of how to conduct foreign policy and have placed our troops in dangerous situations without foresight and thought. Things are very wrong in D.C.
One other thing, if you are on the “liberal media” bandwagon, get off. There is no such thing. I know of many things that were known or suspected before the invasion of Iraq. The mainstream media reported virtually nothing. Much of what this administration said went unchallenged even though large news outlets such as the Washington Post was aware of problems with what the administration was saying publicly. The Post this week acknowledges this error in judgment just this week on the front page of their paper. A little late I think.
Just for snicks...I do consider myself an independent and if Clinton was a liar, then honestly, Bush is a pathological liar. Just ask the military.
Posted by TL on Aug 13, 2004 at 10:46 AM I’ve enjoyed Hightower’s article, and particularly, the many comments it generated. I spend several hours a week searching through foreign press and media sites, but rarely listen in on Americans (for the simple fact that the rest of the world is in a far better place to judge US power - having been on the receiving end). I am heartened to see many of the comments here are in agreement with Hightower. Just a reminder to all dyed-in-the-wool republicans/bushites: the entire world is terrified and shocked and angered and DISGUSTED with the neo-cons. So, for all you True Believers, remember that whether or not the Bushites are right, the FACT remains that their actions and policies are generating wide-spread human outrage. It would be pertinent and wise of you True Believers to at least begin a serious and honest investigation into exactly WHY a growing percentage of humanity is outraged. Just give it a try. The world might be wrong. You might be right. But for the sake of caution, humility, and grace, don’t you think you should make an attempt at testing whether your ideological theories are productive in the long-run? Aren’t you True Believers just a little bit concerned, a tad curious? Oops. Forgot. The Religious zealot vehemently opposes curiosity or concern for anyone outside their circle. Ironically, this is exactly the type of person that the Bible describes as “sluggarts” - people who refuse to look and listen, to think and hear.
A very good point made above (I forget who) about the importance of abandoning party faith altogether. Only willing subjects of fascism are fit for such childish behaviour. A true democrat is an independent with far-reaching, non-partisan ethical and human concerns. A true democrat understands that power must ALWAYS relentlessly come under scrutiny and direct questioning from the populace. That IS what democracy MEANS. Further, anyone who retains a shred of humanity will ALWAYS look to war as the very, very, (.... again, VERY)… for added emphasis… VERY last resort. For a number of reasons: 1) what your leader tells you concerning matters of war and peace is probably a lie. 2) PEACE is in all humanity’s interest; war is the path to eventual oblivion. 3) It takes two (or more) to Tango. Question your country’s role in a dispute FIRST, for the simple reason that the actions done in your name are your FIRST responsibility. The coward can be identified as the one who spends all his time demonizing the designated enemy. The Brave can be identified as the one who pauses, as a matter of habit, to question or even criticize his own actions. 4) Two World Wars have rendered a world incredibly imbalanced, with corporate monopolies running the global market, massive environmental degradation, poverty, and nuclear weaponry capable of destroying the planet many times over. War is easy for the empire. It’s all pen-moving and button pushing. It’s all profit (when you are the emperor, or one of his small-time proxy cronies in a far-off land). War begets war, and it is rarely (if ever) out of concerns for democracy or humanitarianism. It is almost always about power and control, about wealth domination. The current “war on terrorism” is a direct result of 1) Peak Oil crisis and Big Oil’s hasty attempt to control all remaining reserves; 2) Washington’s past support for Saddam Hussein, terrorists in Afghanistan (which morphed into Al-Qaida); 3) Washington’s past support and empowering of the Taliban (the Taliban were cooperative with pipeline plans); 4) Washington’s prolific history of installing puppet regimes and death squads throughout the 3rd world, in order to protect market monopoly of its favoured corporations.In light of these facts, which amount to a messy and brutal, NAKED attempt to DOMINATE the world, it really is truly amazing to listen in on the True Believers’ world view. The True Believer is truly insane - worse than a sluggart, even. A blindness that is terrible to behold!
To all you more sane and humane folks, KEEP UP THE GOOD FIGHT. Our weapon is the Truth, and the Truth will set us free (or rather, to prison in all likelihood - such is fascism).
Your government has been sick for a very long time. This is not an anti-American statement. ALL bloated power centers behave he same way. It is not genetic, it is not cultural, it has nothing to do with AMERICA (Americans, people) and everything to do with power. For God’s sake! Question power. True Believers take note: the Bible explicitly warns against worshipping or trusting worldly power. Given the fact that Washington is the most powerful military and political entity the world has ever known, you’d do well, True Believers, to take this warning seriously. Many True Believers will buy the convenient myth that power and success is God’s gift to the righteous. They see America’s power as proof of her goodness. The Children of God, in reality, are those that 1) do not seek power or dominion over others; 2) live a very simple and humble material life, and a very rich spiritual life; 3) do not gloat. The rich and powerful, just like the mafia or any drug cartel or bank robber, attain their position through criminal means, hidden and not-so-hidden. They nakedly SEEK power, they nakedly SEEK wealth, and to hell with the costs this renders on others. Who cares! Certainly not he satanist, which the behaviour of Power is a clear illustration of.
So maybe terms and titles and party names ARE important, if only to clarify and correct perceptions. For example, the new Republicans should be relabeled as Divide and Conquerers. The Cruise-Missile Leftists (Dems) should be relabeled The Better Liars. The Christianity that Bushites subscribe to should be properly renamed Satanism. Christ, I’m sure, would agree, and would be very glad to have his name disassociated from the neo-cons and Bible-belt rednecks.
Good luck to this sorry and mad world!
turtleman
Posted by turtleman on Aug 13, 2004 at 11:02 AM Turtleman: Well-stated, nicely done.
KJ: Looks like we agree more than disagree, although on point one you pretty much summed up the “blank check” theory I espoused. Yes, we all know that the Dems like Kerry who voted for Dubya’s power meant for it to be a last resort.
However, at the end of the day, they really did authorize him to pretty much do what he wanted, and look at the result. Also, the lot of ‘em should be shot for not even reading the Patriot Act before they signed it. The fact that some glibly admitted this fact is just stupefying.
Posted by G-love on Aug 13, 2004 at 11:53 AM It’s about time people started telling it like it really is. This Lying Murdering Terrorist Bush Regime is the enemy of Humanity. These greedy bloodthirsty Terrorists have taken over this country and are running it into the ground as fast as they can. This is the enemy, the most dangerous threat America and the World has ever faced. This SHAM War on Terrorism is the biggest LIE ever concocted against America. This traitorous Congress that GAVE Bush these powers to wage WARS all over the globe are just as GUILTY of Crimes Against Humanity as Bush. Yes, this government, from top to bottom IS OUR ENEMY. THE ENEMY OF HUMANITY. By GEORGE, you BETTER believe it.
WE THE PEOPLE must FIGHT this enemy with every legal tool available. FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION, even after they nuke our cities and release biologicals. THAT is when we must fight for our country EVEN HARDER....
Johnny Bartee
http://www.mastersofterror.net
Posted by Johnny Bartee on Aug 13, 2004 at 5:53 PM Mr. Hightower,
Crazy, nuts, extreme? Your words are possibly misconstrued. Criminal sociopaths. Lock em up.
Posted by Dsul on Aug 13, 2004 at 11:38 PM Great board.
Mr. Hightower has bought charm, respect and admiration back to the southern accent for those of us who only hear the affected version from Mr. Bush. Thank you sir.I have had a few conversations with intended Nader voters and always win them over with these points: 1) the hording of wealth by the top 1% is the root of many of our problems in the world’s richest country. If you want that changed vote for Kerry. 2) the Bush administration is hell-bent on destroying the environment. “most liberal” Kerry will rectify that-no question. 3) there are no “safe” states. Between the fraud-friendly machines and RNC machinations every single vote is critical.
I agree the Dems have been too weak and we will see if they’ve learned any lessons from letting John Ashcroft in when they discuss Porter Goss. In 2006 we may very well have to dump some Dems for people who don’t believe the center is somewhere off to the right and between now and 2008 an Independent Presidential candidate (I’m sorry but not Mr. Nader) could build up a very strong movement that I would not dismiss.
But right now, let’s put out the fire. Mr. Hightower is right. The gentlemen in the Bush administration are clearly fanatics and they control the most dangerous military arsenal on the planet.
Posted by Eellis on Aug 14, 2004 at 8:57 AM Democrats and Republicans, two sides of the same corrupt coin. How long is it going to take people to figure this sad fact out? Viet Nam was the big wake up call, too bad not many people woke up. Both the Ds and Rs represent the interests of the wealthy elites to shape and control both the domestic and foreign policies of our government.
It’s true, Bush has been just about the worst thing to happen to America in our nation’s history. He’s brought lying, deceit, and self-serving policies to a much higher level than they ever existed before in American government. Clinton’s little white lies about sex pale in comparison. But, Bush has done so with just paltry opposition from the Dems, and often the support of the Dems.
Most Americans just don’t see the big picture. Bush and his neocon goons have planned for the emergence of America as an imperialist power for decades. All the way back in the Nixon Adminstration, the Republicans were planning for the evenutal takeover of the oil fields in the Middle East. Even the Carter Adminstration identified the real possibility that we might one day face Saddam Huessein in a war over oil. These are long term plans, that were conviently able to be pursued because 9/11 gave them carte blanche to take military action in the oil rich regions of the world.
The only real solution we have as ordinary Americans is to support an alternative non-petroleum economy. Petroleum politics is what drives these neocons and maintains their power. If we switch to alternative vehicles, and alternative fuels for our homes, along with opposing their blatantly imperialistic wars for oil abroad, we can make a real difference in the current petroleum-based power structure.
Posted by Rock_nj on Aug 17, 2004 at 5:40 AM All fair points, particularly the energy independence.
If you’ll pardon the plug, The Progressive Observer has an article (www.probs.US) featuring Renewable Environmental Solutions, a company that is using oil industry infrastructure but producing oil from TIRES and ANIMAL WASTE!
At the very least, if this technology (TCP) meets expectations and is maximized it could alleviate the need for more oil exploration and bridge the gap between oil and whatever comes next WITH MINIMAL JOB LOSS of those involved in the oil industry.
Posted by Eellis on Aug 17, 2004 at 2:33 PM For less than a hundred dollars you can buy a color surveillance camera smaller than a golf ball. In a few years they will probably be the size of peas and cost $5. It will be feasible to put them everywhere. How will anyone resist a tyranny with such tools? The Fascists must be removed now. Later may be impossible.
Posted by Evolver on Aug 18, 2004 at 9:26 PM You talk about and accuse the right wing of censoring, how about just once show an abortion on prime time television or pictures in print of an abortion.They show all other types of medical procedures, why have we never once seen an abortion performed,what is the big secret. Being a physician I can tell you it is murder in every sense of the word.Who really practices censorship on a daily basis.
Posted by Bill Nelson on Jan 29, 2005 at 11:02 PM I’m sure if you communicate your desire to see an abortion on television to FOX (News Corporation), NBC (General Electric) or CBS (Viacom) which are apparently owned, run, and have majority shareholders who are REPUBLICAN suppporters, they will do whatever they can to grant your wish.
If there is a TV network controlled by liberals I’m sure many people here would love to know how to pick it up.
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