Inauguration Day is drawing near. I remember When George W. Bush obtained the presidency in 2000. I placed the malfunction in Florida and how Bush obtained power on the back burner once it was time for the swearing-in. Hope is what electing a new president should be about even for the loyal opposition. For me it was hoping that the president was actually the compassionate individual he claimed to be and that his opposition to nation building was genuine. When Senator Kennedy left the White house, one day, with an agreement on education, he was pleased with Bush and signaled that the Democrats would be able to work with this man. I remember thinking this is all going to work out and maybe it won't be so bad.
Kennedy to meet Bush
After 9-11, before more facts were learned, I was pleased with him for the way he brought the country together. Even though Muslim hatred was strong in the nation he included Muslim clerics in the memorial services.
Then it all changed. For many disapproval of the election was the breaking point or the Cheney secret energy meetings or the dubious appointments. For me it was the debate over the Patriot Act. When those who wanted to have time to review what was in the act were called un-American, traitors and terrorist sympathizers I began at that very moment to get involved online in the Democratic party, Pax Christi and once again with Amnesty International USA. Other progressive groups then followed, especially when the tough talk bravado began with regards to running away from Afgahanistan and into an illegal war with Iraq.
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I tried to be supporting from the very beginning of the new administration. It was Bush/Cheney Neoconservative shenanigans that drove my love of country to abandon my hope I once struggled to have with the new administration. Eventually I found myself arguing with myself over whether to use the word fascist. I agonized over it because I didn't want it to be just some flippant remark like those words excessively embraced by the right. I used fascist-like, playing with fascism and recently fascist-wanna-bes. I decided that future historians and political scientist would produce another word, but, for us, for now, fascist is close enough.
I don't see any effort at that hope from the current loyal opposition. All I see is the same old fear and lies embraced so easily by the conservative right.
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Oh! I know that most of you Republicans are good. I realize that we have a difference of opinion on a wide range of issues, most of which you are sadly misguided on, but the troubling thing for your party and the nation is that you have allowed yourselves to be taken over by right wing religious zealots and most recently fascist-leaning to outright fascist-embracing neoconservatives. You need to develop the courage to see the truth because these monsters are destroying you from within and along with you they've drug the whole nation into disgrace and economic disaster. These are not your fathers Republicans they’re essentially fascists who has devastation as their mistress and ruin in their wake.
The rest of us must realize they're trying to hold on to the GOP. They're talking heads have not gone away and they will be using every low handed trick in their arsenal to convince the country of the errors of our way.
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The right-wing still love to cling to there policy of 'it's Clinton's fault' especially concerning the recession.
Discriminating against a white or minority business owner or homeowner because of their zip code was wrong. It kept growth from occurring in these communities. This was the problem Clinton sought to fix. It had nothing to do with easy irresponsible loans for those on the bottom or those living beyond their means. Bush and his Republican controlled Congress did that. If you doubt me here are the words from the horse's mouth...
Conservatives try to dodge responsibility for financial crisis by blaming poor people, minorities.
The Irresponsible and Crooked of the GOP--updates
McCain/Bush & the GOP caused economic crisis
After 9-11 our nation promised the people of Afghanistan a great deal before the invasion. There was detailed information about the copius atrocities carryed out by the Taliban. Remember the soccer field that wasn't used for that porpuse any longer because it was being used for gruesome public punishment and executions. There was broad support here and across the world, even from the religious community for military involvement.
Bush/Cheney screwed the Afghanistan people and our troops who were fighting the terrorists who really did attack our country on 9/11 by running away from the ‘war on terror’ hijacking it for neoconservative desires. The Taliban is regaining strength in Afghanistan. Osama Bin Laden is still free and in charge of Al Qaeda which is gaining strength and free reign in western Pakistan and throughout western Africa. We can’t do anything to curtail their growth because we are bogged down in Iraq while seriously running down the morale and readiness of our military.
Taliban Expanding Foothold in Afghanistan, Report Finds
If we know where Bin Laden is we should get him, but, to launch any military attack against Pakistan after the mess which was made in Iraq would be fool hardy at best especially with this current group we have occupying the White House. Barack Obama is left with diplomacy, with human rights as its cornerstone.
In all international dealings most feel that our national interests should be first and foremost. But when we side with a dictator against the best interests of the countries own citizens, as we did in Iraq and Pakistan and many others throughout the globe, it always does them and us a great disservice.
Conservatives like to claim that the liberals are to blame for the problems in Iraq. Complete nonsense.
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“When history is written, Iraq will look just like a comma.”
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The Republicans were in charge...
when warnings about terrorism were ignored before 9/11,
Randi Rhodes: 9/11 Another Pearl Harbor 1 &2
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when Afghanistan and the battle against the Taliban and Al Qaeda was abandoned,
when a war of choice against a country that was not an imminent threat was begun,
when a war in Iraq was begun based on lies,
when this ill-advised war was begun without a cultural understanding of the people,
when far too few troops were used for that illegal action in Iraq,
when lawlessness and looting were tolerated,
when the Iraq army was disbanded,
when troop armor and gear were kept sup-par for the mission,
when a forced vote was held too early before Sunni concerns were addressed,
when torture was allowed to become administration policy,
when illegal detentions became administration policy,
when spying on Americans became administration policy,
when support for war profiteers became administration policy,
when habeas corpus became something not available to all,
when posse comitatus became abandoned,
when spying on American citizens became an okay thing to do,
when a culture of corruption was allowed to flourish at home,
when congressional oversight was abandoned,
when doing the same failed thing over and over without success became the plan,
when our war dead became something to hide in shame,
when the injured military and their families were treated without proper care or respect,
when terrorism was allowed to grow world wide while claiming success,
when fear became a weapon of propaganda against the American people,
when failure became always someone else’s fault,
and when lies and propaganda became an acceptable substitute for truth when dealing with the public.
For these reasons and many more Iraq has become the mess it now is.
Is it any wonder that the Iraqis want us out?
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