Bush, Cheney, and GOP war rhetoric

On the brink of a key mid-term election, we are beginning to hear louder and louder beats of war drums from the GOP.
Dick Cheney is among the loudest beaters of the war drum, despite having no credibility after his fantasy statements such as the Iraq insurgency is in its "last throes" and weapons of mass destruction could still be found in Iraq, well after the truth had come out that there were none.
Cheney now argues the insurgents are trying to influence our elections, that a vote against his administration and the GOP is a vote for the insurgency?!?
Why does the GOP enjoy senseless, deceiftul war?
Well, one answer I would offer is that war equals profits, if you're in the right business.
Halliburton has no one but the current administration to thank for its billions of no-bid, uncontested contracts to keep our war machine oiled.
For the war profiteers, unending war, whether fought on sensible grounds or fabricated lies, is good for the bottom line.
The GOP would have us believe they deserve a monopoly in executing the war on terror. My counter argument is that the GOP actions have demonstrated their incompetence in the war on terror, and that wars are not simply an avenue for profits for Halliburton and other war mongering business interests. Winning any war cannot be accomplished by military might alone. Unfortunately, the GOP offers no other solution to the war on terror than endless, senseless war. How many more American men and women will continue to die in vain over the GOP's bumbling efforts in this regard?
Are we going to stand up and truly defend our country, or create a more wretched, fearful future for ourselves and the world?
Does America have the courage to close our ears to the war drums the GOP beats senselessly in our minds?

Priorities

When one believes in something, a particular cause or principle, one can certainly have the right to advocate and vote based on this belief.
Yet should one expect an entire country, political party, or other group to adhere to the same, identical set of beliefs?
Politics, and legislative actions should be based on compromise, and a setting of priorities.
Our country faces significant difficulities ahead, yet looking at the actions of our voting public and our politicians, you would never know it.
Take for instance, the issue of gay marriage. Yes, there's lots of people in this country against the thought of two people, no matter how much they love each other, being allowed to marry if they share a common gender. Fine.
But, is this issue so critical that it should be a fundamental basis for political affiliation?
Why would anyone vote for someone simply because of his or her stance on gay marriage, while ignoring anything else that candidate stands for?
In looking at the priorities of the current administration and the Republican party, it astounds me how myopic a focus exists with these people.
We have a government and Republican party that cares more about gay marriage than nuclear proliferation.
We have a government and Republican party that cares more about the fate of a frozen embryo than the fate of a U.S. soldier.
We have a government and Republican party that cares more about about prolonging the suffering of a woman in a vegative state than defending our country from terrorist attacks.

Where are the priorities in our government and people? Why don't Christian conservatives who care so much about abortion and the sanctity of embryos work to make sure every child is a wanted and planned child, and elect leaders not based on ideologic grounds, but on competence and leadership qualities?
We as a country need to set our political priorities and regain our focus, before external factors will force us to do so.

Sexual repression and perversion in the GOP

In the wake of current and future sex scandals among GOP members, we should stop to consider, why does there appear to be so much sexual perversion within the GOP and among so-called conservative Christians?
I would argue the answer lies in the sexual repression that exists within conservative Christian ideology and the GOP. The attitude of conservative Christians towards sex is that it is a dirty, horrible thing, only to be practiced in the context of procreation within a monogamous, heterosexual marriage. Sex education - forget about it. Conservative Christians only want one thing taught in sex ed - abstinence.
What do you expect will happen to all those sexual desires among hormone driven teens? Do you think Jesus will sublimate the libido?
Perhaps for some, but this, I would argue lays the groundwork for sexual perversion.
How about teaching teens about sex, teaching them about contraception if they choose to have sex, teaching them about masturbation, digital sex, oral sex as alternatives to coitus? How about dropping the hang ups about the human body?
Why are America, the GOP, and conservative Christianity still trapped under puritanical influences that shuns sight of the human body but shrugs with indifference towards violent imagery?
This culture of repression only breeds perversion, in my view. By creating a healthy environment and attitude towards sex, the human body, and love, we may be able to avoid the products we see today - sexual preditors masquerading as priests, congressman, police officers, homeland security agents, etc, etc.
When former Surgeon General Joyceleyn Elders brought up the topic of teaching teens about masturbation, she was pilloried by the religious radicals in this country. I think history would vindicate Dr. Elders comments, and come back to haunt the religious radicals for their lack of willingness to address sex and masturbation. There is absolutely no evidence that masturbation produces any harm. It is a completely safe form of sex, and is a great way to enhance one's sex life through sexual fantasy. The largest sexual organ is the mind, and it appears that the GOP and the religious radicals in this country are not developing their minds fully by supressing sex.
I wonder how many more sex scandals it will take for the GOP to wake up to the realities of their repressive stance on sex and sexuality.

North Korea reaction

In the wake of North Korea's announcement of a nuclear test, the world is scrambling to react with punitive responses.
It is refreshing to see, however, that a modicum of skepticism exists in questioning whether North Korea really did conduct a nuclear test or not.
This may be a fallout from the run up to the Iraq war, where the press and American society in general stood by with glazed vision to the lies of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
Regardless, we need to continue to heed the words of Sun Tzu, codified in the Art of War centuries ago. Know your enemy and know yourself, then you need not fear the result of 100 battles - you will win every time.
We need to know North Korea - know what they are up to, confirm their claims of nuclear testing, and gauge their military status. From what we know so far, I would say we need not be too worried at this point. North Korea's missile tests have been mostly duds. They may have bluffed with respect to claims of a nuclear test this week. It could be entirely possible that Kim Jong Il is behaving like a toddler having a tantrum on the world's stage, clamoring for respect and attention.
On the other hand, if North Korea is not bluffing with respect to its nuclear readiness, we need to know this and approach the situation differently.
If any key lessons need to be learned from America's bungling efforts in the post 9/11 world, it is that intelligence information is one of the key weapons in our armamentarium. Without knowing our enemies, any conflicts we face will be lost.

Republican whining about conspiracies?!?

One of the most enjoyable facets in watching the Republican reaction to Mark Foley's (R- FL) reprehensible acts, is seeing the degree of whining that exists regarding a conspiracy theory.
The Republicans feel they are being hit with a bomb, weeks before elections. Mark Foley's resignation in the wake of the revelations regarding his behavior occurs late enough that his name cannot be removed from the ballot.

Well, here is what I have to say to all these whining, stupid Republicans.
You did this to yourselves. Ask yourself this question - if no one had come forward, if no one had opened to door to shed light on the cockroach of a human known as Mark Foley (R - FL), would anything have changed? Mark Foley would have gone about his reprehensible behavior, while his Republican colleagues would continue to turn a blind eye.
The Republicans did this to themselves, by not addressing this issue when they had the chance. By trying to sweep their dirty secrets under the rug, they left themselves open to someone blowing open this story anytime, anywhere.

To hear the Republicans whining that some conspiracist dropped this bomb on them weeks before the election is like a serial murderer complaining that the police finally caught him before his next score.
Listen up Republican whine bags - you deserve all the worst fallout this sordid episode could produce. Your "circle the wagons" mentality in protecting your most despicable, over doing what's best for this country, should be rewarded with political emasculation in the next Congress.

Real Questions for Condi

Condoleezza Rice has some tough questions to face. Unfortunately, no one seems to be willing to ask them. If I had a chance to interview this disgrace of an individual, here are some hard hitting questions I would ask.

1. In the run up to the war in Iraq, you were part of a machine that sought to falsely link Saddam Hussein with Al Qaeda and the Sept. 11th attacks on the U.S. Even at the end of 2005, 41% believed Saddam had strong links to Al Qaeda, and 22% believe Saddam helped plan 9/11. Do you feel at all responsible for establishing these falsehoods in the minds of many Americans? What are your plans for correcting these false opinions?

2. You believe it is too early to judge our actions in Iraq as a colossal mistake. You're willing to let history ultimately decide the wisdom or folly of such an action. Have you thought about the real possibility that history may very well damn you for your decisions?

3. You're a firm believer in democracy. Yet, don't you think democracy is more than allowing free and fair elections? Isn't the election of Hamas among the Palestinians an example of democracy in action, yet an outcome we do not welcome? Don't you agree that an educated populace, with access to information and a strong secular base are ingredients for democracy as well?

4. Who is your boss? Do you work for George W. Bush or the American people? How do you deal with situations where our President's plan is wrong for our country? Have you ever had the spine to stand up for the American people over your political party or President?

5. Do you feel you have reached your position truly on merit, or through sycophancy and stubborn loyalty?

6. Why did you break a long standing precedent in our nation's history and become a partisan campaigner while serving as National Security Advisor in the 2004 presidential election?

7. Why did you ignore the warnings of Al Qaeda attacks before 9/11? Do you really believe someone with your credentials could forget meetings with the CIA director and gloss over Presidential daily briefings warning of impending attacks? Why can't you just apologize for neglecting the warnings?

8. How can the United States ever regain credibility in the world after lying to the world in the run up to the war in Iraq? Do you have a plan to regain the trust and faith of our allies?

9. You worked in academia in the past. You're used to critically evaluating a thesis and looking at evidence in a paper. Why did you not apply any degree of critical thinking to the so-called "evidence" of WMDs in Iraq? Why could you not see the circumstantial and flimsy nature of what was being presented as "facts" of WMD in Iraq?

10. Do you honestly believe that positive spin can produce positive outcomes? Do you believe your rose-colored glasses view of Iraq makes life for the common Iraqi any better?

11. Do you honestly believe the current chaos of Iraq is better than the secular dictatorship of Saddam Hussein? Were there ever any car bombings and such daily, senseless killing under Saddam?

Hypothetical AIM session

To delve into Daily Show quality humor, here is a hypothetical AIM session between Mark Foley, James Dobson, and Pat Robertson

Mef54: Hi boys, what r u wearing?

Jcd36: Still have my preachin' clothes on.

Mgr30: Me 2, just finished scammin' another million off old ladies in the name of Jesus!

Mef54: Halleluyah! How 'bout we celebrate at my place - the jacuzzi's getting steamy, and I've got a jar of Viagra waitin'! :)

Jcd36: Not tonight fellahs, I gotta pray some more for the wrath of god agains those activist judges

Mgr30: I may have to pass too - got an early morning breakfast date with some 700 club hotties tomorrow!

Mef54: Aw, come on, guys, don't leave me so stiff and horny like this!

Jcd36: How 'bout we walk you through some nasty jerk off talk?

Mgr30: Yeah - look, I just took off my trousers, and guess who popped up to say hello?

Mef54: Now you're taking. How long is Mr. Happy? :)

Mgr30: 7 1/2

Jcd36: inches? wow!

Mgr30: actually, centimeters, but who cares as long as Jesus is behind my thrusts

Mef54: Yeow! U just made me cum! :)

Jcd36: Praise Jesus! Now, I'm gonna purify myself with some prayer. I'll look for you boys in church Sunday!

Mgr30: Mr. Happy and I will be there. L8r!

Mef54: Bye, boys! Don't forget to introduce me to those nice choir boys at church next time! ;)

Circle the wagons mentality

Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse for the Republicans, out comes Mark Foley like a cockroach scurrying out of the kitchen on a Friday night.
Here is a man, representing the people of Florida and this country in the House of Representatives, ostensibly trying to protect teens from sexual predators and the ills of the internet, yet using his position to prey on young male pages.
What does the Republican leadership have to say in response - we will protect you. At least, they tried, until the news was so overwhelming that calls for a Justice dept. Investigation had to be made.

The real question here is that why wasn't something done sooner? Why is there a "circle the wagon" mentality by Republicans to protect their own rather than do what's right? There appeared to be a smoking gun in 2005, perhaps earlier, regarding Foley's pedophile behavior.
Instead, the Republicans resort to calling attacks on Foley "smear tactics" and political partisanship against a man who merely sent "naughty emails"?!!?
What planet are these Republicans living on?
Of course the other retort from the Republican camp is that Democrats have done disgraceful things in office too. Yes they have, but do Democrats engage in this culture of circling the wagons?
When Representative William Jefferson of New Orleans was caught with $90,000 cash in his freezer, Democrats were quickly calling for his resignation and distancing themselves from his actions. Republicans, on the other hand, perhaps seeing someone more like themselves, fought the raiding of his office by the Justice department as "unconstitutional".
It seems Americans need to stop stooping to shallow generalizations that everyone in Washington is corrupt. Yes, both parties are not without sin, but the real test is how each one reacts to corruption that is a defining features of a party's integrity.
Americans should no longer be suckered by a Republican party that claims to bring "honesty" and "integrity"to our government.