Congrats, Mr. Gore & what could have been

The Gadfly sends out a congratulations to our former Vice President, Al Gore, for winning the Nobel Peace Prize today.
I can just see the Republican Hate Machine seething over this victory.
In light of Gore's award, the Gadfly can only pause to wonder what our country would have been like had Al Gore been inaugurated into the White House in 2001, as the popular vote and even electoral vote would have dictated.
First of all, we would never have suffered the 9/11 attacks. Al Gore would never have ignored a memo titled "Bin Laden determined to attack within the United States". Al Gore would never have spent his days clearing shrub on a ranch as Al Qaeda operatives planned the 9/11 attacks.
The truth about 9/11 is that our system worked at nearly all levels, except the most important level - at the top. Our chief executive could have stopped 9/11, had he not been asleep at the wheel. Instead, 9/11 was allowed to occur, and worst of all, the wolves in the Republican run executive branch preyed on the sheepish voters to spin 9/11 into political capital.
Second, the US would be taking the lead in the world in reducing greenhouse gases and global warming. The Republican Hate Machine has mastered ad hominem attacks and other subterfuges to belittle the seriousness of things they disagree with. Hence we are subjected to bogus claims against global warming, personal attacks on Gore, and entreaties to drive more Hummers.
Third, the Supreme Court would have a much more thoughtful and less ideological bent. The nefrarious ideology that has infected the court, starting with the self-serving bow to Republican partisanship with Gore vs Bush, has fed on itself with additional appointees in Sam Alito and John Roberts.
Last, the health of our country and our future would be on sound footing with a thoughtful leader like Al Gore in place. He is not a perfect man, yet his list of awards gives legitimacy to his missions and his role in leading greater awareness of humanity's role and impact on this planet.

Speak Truth to Power? How about Speaking Lies to Stay in Power?

The phrase "speak truth to power" is bantered about in the media often these days.
Yet it seems that there are just not enough people out there to speak the truth. To look for someone speaking lies, just turn on the TV set. There's GW Bush and his cronies like Alberto Gonzales and Condi Rice, of course, but also Larry Craig. Religious figures like Ted Haggard join the list. Even outside the realm of politics and religion, we have sports figures such as Marion Jones, and Floyd Landis.
All are liars, portraying a facade that says one thing while behaving in opposite, often unlawful ways.
What kind of message does this send? Are we as a nation turning into a country of pathologic liars? Are our so-called leaders telling us that it's okay to lie, and even if you're caught, lie some more and hire a good lawyer?
We are a country filled with those who will speak lies to stay in power.
What the Gadfly would propose is to institute harsher punishments for lying. Anyone caught making willfully deceitful claims in order to maintain power, privilege, or trophies, will be punished with the force of the law.
In effect, we need a war on lies.
Once, in a bygone era of this country, Republicans made a huge deal about Bill Clinton's lie about having oral sex with Monica Lewinsky. They hounded Clinton like rabid dogs. We should distill the essence of the Republican fervor against Clinton's lie and unleash it throughout this country, including against the current administration, even those who have already left in disgrace over the weight of lies.
The day we disgrace the liars is the day we can begin speaking truth to power, without the lies drowning out a meager word of truth.