Who is the Real Enemy of the Middle Class?

China's been benefiting almost exclusively from the stupidity of American trade policy. We seem to be subsidizing an entity that appears to be more of a predator than a partner. In the process, all we have created is a monster, it seems.

But a closer look reveals an even more sinister process. I would argue that American business, with the complicity and support of a terribly myopic and corrupted American government, seems to be content to cut its own throat in the long run for the benefit of short-term gains.

By allowing such trade policy to continue, the U.S. economy continues to take body blows, particularly to its middle class, the true economic engine of the American economy. It can reasonably be argued that the only people who have benefited by a free trade policy combined with an unrestricted and unparalleled corporate globalization effort are the business owners who have opted to abandon America's middle class for personal profit. Is this the "American way"?

Like the various investment bubbles that have blown up in our collective faces recently, this trade bubble will explode as well when American businesses realize that the products that they used to manufacture in the good old US of A are no longer being bought by American consumers in the numbers that they projected -- because the purchasing power of the American middle class has been dramatically reduced through corporate globalization and the resulting exportation of American manufacturing jobs.

China is not alone in hurting us economically. China is being enabled or empowered by both American business owners and our very own government who are working against the best interests of its very own citizens. By allowing corporations to freely send our jobs to China and places elsewhere, they are endorsing myopic policies that are principally motivated by personal greed. And which political party has supported these efforts? Answer: the Republican party.

When have you heard Republicans complain about globalization and outsourced manufacturing? Answer: You haven't -- because they have openly embraced these policies from day one. Since when have Republicans been on the opposite side of an argument with big business? They haven't and they won't. Remember, it's the "invisible hand of the free market" that Republicans put so much faith and trust in. History has shown that they reflexively react against any intrusion by government into the private affairs of the business community.

If the Democratic Party is smart, they will work to reverse these devastating trends and position themselves in opposition to the Republicans on the "globalization" initiative. Then Americans -- who are most concerned about JOBS and EMPLOYMENT -- will remain loyal in the upcoming elections.

I think we need to get very tough with China by becoming MUCH MORE PROTECTIONIST. And, in my opinion, it can't happen fast enough.

The Axis of Ignorance

Perry, Bachmann, Palin, Steele, Cheney, Rove, Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reilly, and many others who account for the hateful, reactionary rhetoric that seems to be filling such airways as Fox News and right-wing hate radio, have all become part of what can best be described as the "Axis of Ignorance".

The Axis of Ignorance spontaneously manifested itself in a fitful eruption of unchecked hate and venom directed specifically at Barack Obama during the presidential campaign. It continues to this day due largely to the fact that these people only seem to embrace democracy when it rigidly aligns with their notions of truth and justice or how things should be done. Loyal opposition? Forget it with these types. This is the "all or nothing", the "us and them", the "with us or against us" crowd whose philosophy seems anchored in a sort of moral absolutism -- fixed and unforgiving. Very unChristian in my view.

These people are deliberately inciting violence because the world no longer dances to their particular music. They are anything but patriotic and seem to lack a fundamental understanding of what it means to be an "American". No grace, no dignity in defeat, they are dangerous and seem to exhibit fascist tendencies. One glaring example of this is the Republican congressman who recently claimed to know of the existence of 17 "socialists" in Congress, a very McCarthy-like maneuver.

One thing is certain. The Axis of Ignorance needs to be mercilessly exposed for the toxic brew that it is.

On David Brooks' Editorial - Taking a Depression Seriously

Mr. Brooks, while on the whole, I am in agreement with your thoughts and sentiments regarding the pathetic, counter-productive, and toxic approach to this financial crisis that the Republican party has embraced, I have to say that your criticism of President Obama's pursuit of a social agenda in the midst of this financial crisis, I find fundamentally objectionable.

First of all, let's first recognize and acknowledge that this financial mess that we are now mired in is largely the direct result of misguided Republican policies and initiatives. Specifically, aggressive pursuit and endorsement of deregulation, in combination with Bush's profligate spending (and the Republican party's rubber-stamping of said spending), have all contributed mightily to our present financial crisis.

So, what you are essentially asking is that the newly elected Democratic majority, who have been patiently waiting for several decades to finally be in a position toexert its influence in the public arena, forgo its plans to address some of the obvious and glaring social inequities and political deficiencies that have resulted from years of a Republican-imposed perspective and political posture on social, economic, and environmental matters.

You are essentially asking us to sacrifice the one opportunity that we've finally earned to make a difference on the political stage in order to -- once again -- fix the problems that your party played an instrumental role in creating. Is that the gist of it, Mr. Brooks?

Well, let me be brief with my answer. "No!".

We are sick and tired of having to clean up the messes that your party leaves behind which only serves to inhibit our ability to pursue policies and social programs that benefit the greater majority. One can easily begin to think or suspect that these inherited deficits that your party seems to have a special and unique affinity for producing is actually nothing more than an effort on your party's part to make it exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, for the Democratic successors to implement a Democratic agenda.

So, you are asking us to sacrifice universal health care, and a much needed green technological revolution, so that we can exclusively focus all of our time, effort, and money on fixing an economy that you party left in tatters (after having inherited a surplus from us)?

And if we were to follow your advice, what guarantees will we have that we'll ever again be in a position to exert the considerable political power that we now enjoy (largely as a result of Republican greed and incompetence, I might add) in bringing about a much needed progressive, social agenda again?

The simple answer is that you can't guarantee it. So, in the absence of that guarantee, we've decided to walk and chew gum at the same time. It's really not that difficult if you are committed and resolute...sort of like your Republican party's single-minded commitment to obstructing anything and everything that the Democratic party pursues -- only in the case of the Democrats, it's for the public good and not for political power for political power's sake, alone.

Unusual Times Call For Unusual Measures

Why some people can't see the foolishness of emphasizing tax cuts over public investment as a means of stimulating an economy on life support is beyond me. Political ideologies can often blind us to the obvious.

Two types of tax cuts are being proposed -- one which benefits the average taxpayer, and the other which benefits the business sector. As far as the average taxpayer is concerned, more than likely, if they don't use it to pay off personal debt, they'll end up using it to buy products that are made somewhere other than the USA. In the case of the latter, the only people benefiting would be the actual store in which the items are sold and the employees who work there (by virtue of the store's profit margin). The purchases, for the most part, will not benefit American manufacturing and, therefore, American jobs. (Just read the labels on the items that you purchase at your local merchants. It is becoming a rarity to see "Made in America" anymore.) Given this reality, I assume that President-Elect Obama is supporting this measure to simply fulfill a campaign promise. (And should this tax cut be implemented via lower tax deductions on our paychecks, the extra money will largely go unnoticed for the most part.)

On the business side, history has shown that tax cuts have done very little to spur economic activity in any meaningful way. During periods of economic downturn, businesses are very reluctant to take risks or make those types of investments that would yield increased employment or economic activity. On the contrary, the bulk of business investments occur during economic upswings when there is little to no risk involved. Even with targeted tax cuts, e.g. $3,000 tax credit for each new employee hired, I doubt that such an incentive will prove fruitful given the current state of the economy.

We are far, far better off with an aggressive public investment program that will definitely create jobs while simultaneously producing those types of needed investments that will have long-term benefits for everyone concerned, including the business community. And, as Mr. Krugman suggests, if we extend that investment program over a period of years as opposed to months, we are much more likely to positively effect a favorable outcome given what will likely be a growing perception or sense of economic stability and security in the minds of businesses, workers, and consumers alike.

In this scenario, the public sector will prove to be a valuable partner to the private sector in restoring stability and faith in capitalism as a means of serving the public need. Unusual times call for unusual measures. Both parties can work together for the common good. We shouldn't allow ideological preconceptions blind us to practical solutions.

The Ravaging of Our Middle Class Augurs Chaos

Globalization and outsourcing have been singularly responsible for the decimation of our middle class. The only people benefiting from such arrangements are the business owners who are free to relocate their manufacturing operations abroad (typically China, India, or Mexico to name a few) and then are free to export their foreign produced goods back into the U.S. "duty free". This is known as "free trade". And it is also a prescription for disaster insofar as more and more businesses conclude that they also must "globalize" in order to remain competitive.

Meanwhile, the once vaunted purchasing power of the middle class (the real engine behind our economic success), is being savaged. Before long, there won't be anyone left who can afford to buy the goods produced overseas. Nor will there be anyone left to purchase our way out of a recession. The gulf between the rich and the poor has never been wider since the Great Depression.

It is imperative that our society and culture recognize that it was average Americans that helped to fight communism during the Cold War era and have always stood ready to fight enemies of a free and independent America. It was their taxes and hard work that served to preserve, protect, and defend America against its enemies abroad. And with those threats all but eliminated, this is the way they are being rewarded for their efforts -- by having their jobs shipped overseas?!

A society will only exist so long as the short- and long-term interests of its citizens -- its people -- are respected, nurtured and protected. Otherwise, what reason would there be to sustain an ongoing relationship?

If those at the top of the food chain continue to look past those who helped to put them at the top of the food chain, there will be great social upheavals and deep resentments. The writing is on the wall.

The Ghosts of GOP Campaigns Past: A Historical Perspective

I remember when Nixon invoked the "Silent Majority" as part of his campaign theme. At the time, there was a political cartoonist who worked for the Boston Globe. His name was Paul Szep and his political cartoons were wonderful, always seeming to capture the essential political message in real but comical and amusing fashion. (He later won a Pulitzer prize for his political cartoons.)

There was one political cartoon that he did that I will always remember. At the time, the Republicans were perfecting their new "silent majority" idea when the country was at war with itself over the Vietnam war. More than half of the country was opposed to our involvement and there were massive protests that generally took place around university settings, initially consisting of largely students and faculty against the war . (At the time, the military draft was still a part of American life.) Anyway, Paul Szep did this caricature of a citizen with a very exaggerated muscular physique that resembled a champion weight lifter on steroids. What was so unusual about this "perfect American" -- this new representation of the "silent majority" -- was that this figure was conspicuously missing a HEAD!

So you had this male human specimen with a complete, very athletic, muscular physique but no head, which is to say, no brain -- and that was your Republican's idea of the perfect American. (Not much has changed in the intervening years, wouldn't you say?) It conjured up images of the stereotypical "dumb jock" or the blue collar worker who wasn't inclined to read or think about matters of deep social significance, whose physicality and ego dominated his response to social challenges. And, ladies and gentlemen, this person - this perfect American -- this new cultural metaphor for the "silent majority" -- was to later morph into what has popularly become known as the new "Reagan Democrat".

So even during the Vietnam war, the Republicans were using their patented "divide and conquer" techniques to political advantage. Only back then they were pitting the young and educated - the "effete snobs" as Spiro Agnew would refer to them -- against the huge, union dominated, blue collar working class who culturally embraced an "America. Love it or Leave it" bumper sticker mentality.

Needless to say, that cartoon was hilarious and managed to capture the hypocrisy and lunacy of Republican attempts to win the "cultural wars" which always seemed to take place during political campaigns.

And so, what was the case then applies equally well 25 years later with the Republican party's continued embrace of Lee Atwater and Karl Rove-style political campaigns. In the absence of an objective record of political accomplishment, Republican politicians opt to run deeply divisive politcal campaigns aimed at dividing the electorate into warring factions. And with the help of a largely complicit media, they were very successful in creating new and disgusting ways to destroy their political opposition.

Top Down or Bottom Up? How Psychological Factors Impact Economic Results

Given the current state of our economy, we have all been subjected to several theories as to how best to proceed out of this economic storm. John McCain and the Republican Party continue to push their "top down" approach by emphasizing tax cuts to the wealthy. Barack Obama and the Democratic Party prefers an economic philosophy where a "bottom up" approach is embraced.

This posting is an attempt on my part to expose the underlying elements at play that have consistently proven that the Republicans' "top down" approach has been a consistent and dismal failure -- that there is an inherent imbalance in such an approach that will consistently produce disastrous results. And I am absolutely convinced that the Republican party, given its philosophical prejudices is incapable of governing in a fair and even-handed manner and certainly does not deserve our trust, loyalty, or our votes. Let me explain.

Having been an active and passionate observer of politics for the past forty years, beginning with the Johnson administration in '64, I have been witness to a number of Republican administrations, beginning with Nixon's in '68, followed by Ford (after Nixon's impeachment and resignation), then Reagan, Bush (#41), and lastly, the worst of them all, George W. Bush (#43). And what I take away from these decades of Republican stewardship (28 years in all), is their uncanny ability to shrink economic activity -- by virtue of a predictable and obvious favoring of the interests of a wealthy few over the interests of the vast majority. It's a selfish philosophy that seems to be fueled by a belief, conscious or not, in the "Scarcity Principle".

The Scarcity Principle holds that what is "perceived" to be scarce is generally held to be more valuable. Conversely, what is perceived to be "abundant" is inherently less valuable. This perspective translates into a mindset within certain circles that only a "chosen few" can realize the "American Dream" -- that wealth can only be achieved or realized in a limited fashion. A specific example of an economic policy, or an offspring of this philosophy, is what has become popularly known as "trickle down" economics. Such an approach is repulsively aristocratic, archaic, elitist, and only serves to suffocate or stifle economic activity.

We are now, in 2008, once again beginning to witness a historic and unprecedented contraction of economic activity due to the unmitigated corruption of a system borne largely from the tapestry of Republican greed, a greed that incapacitates those afflicted from seeing the forest above the swamp of their selfish lust for money, a greed that blinds them to the pain and suffering of those regarded to be disposable pawns on the chessboard of life.

Given such a culture, how could they possibly hope to govern in a manner that elicits trust and understanding and an expansive type of inclusion. Their selfishness and greed suffocates any spirit of growth or dynamism that might yield positive results. So, I say, vote all Republicans out of office. They don't deserve our trust and certainly don't deserve our votes.

John McCain exemplified this type of mindset by his selfish lust for power, as demonstrated by his surprise visit to Washington, D.C. to "rescue" the government's bailout process at a most sensitive and critical juncture in the process. Apparently impervious to, or unconcerned about, the potential risk of economic disaster by such a disruption, his actions reveal a stunning and blind ignorance of the "greater good" and highlight a selfish inclination to pursue personal goals or ambitions first.

Chaos in Iraq Planned

The chaos in Iraq was part of the plan. The Bush administration understood that as long as there was chaos in Iraq, America would have a reason to maintain a military presence.

We all saw the Cheney video segment recently when he was Defense Secretary under Bush #41 where he lucidly explained why it would NOT have been in our best interest to march into Baghdad as part of Desert Storm. He outlined exactly why it would be disastrous. And everything he described has in fact taken place during our current invasion and occupation of Iraq under Bush #43's nose.

It is also important to note that, in addition, our military planners had also identified likely scenarios in the event we were to fully engage and occupy Iraq. There were, in effect, no surprises. None. Zippo. Nada.

So, why didn't the Bush administration, given its prior knowledge of the likely outcome, ignore the advice? The answer is simple: They wanted to establish a permanent military presence and "chaos" was an important part of the justification for doing so.

Also, it should be clear to everyone that the reason why the Bush administration is avoiding any kind of diplomatic initiative to bring stability to Iraq in the region is because they know that Iraq's neighbors would not stand for a permanent U.S. presence in Iraq. Therefore, the Bush administration has chosen to avoid any serious attempts at resolving this crisis diplomatically with Iraq's neighbors. Hasn't Condoleezza Rice's absence through all of this been rather peculiar? I'm sure it is also why the Bush administration downplayed the significance of the Iraq Study Group's recommendations in the Fall of 2006 as well!

So, there you have it. The lying, deceptive and treasonous administration continues to ply its wares on America and the world. You would think that by now, given the significant unpopularity of this president and his administration, Congress would be more aggressive in exposing Bush as the complete fraud and traitor that he is.

Bush shouldn't be given the time of day. He is completely undeserving of any respect. He has lost all credibility. And his policies are a major liability to our security and strength at home. It's as if he is deliberately attempting to encourage and magnify the hate directed at us. It's imbecilic.

STOP THIS INSANITY!

Dems Vote To Restore Habeas Corpus

Well, it's about time! Habeas Corpus goes to the essence of who we are as a people and is fundamental to the organizing principles that our Founders established as the working blueprint for America.

It speaks to our identity as a people and sustains and renews our national soul. It is the essential light and beacon that leads us out of darkness and into the light of truth and freedom.

And, most importantly, it forms the basis for all of the other rights and privileges that too many Americans have foolishly taken for granted. For the truth is, without Habeas Corpus, we have nothing but a set of nice sounding words that lack the force to produce and sustain their promises.

All who oppose reinstating Habeas Corpus should be publicly condemned in the most public and embarrassing manner legally possible. It is unconscionable that a congressman or woman, who has taken the oath to "preserve, protect and defend" the Constitution of the United States of America, would want to suspend or nullify Habeas Corpus. They should be literally tossed out on the street and told to "Get lost. We don't need your kind here.".

Legislators: A Time for Principled Action on Iraq is Now

"Key Democrats To Vote Against Bill That Excludes Iraq Timetables"

There is a time when principle should trump or overwhelm any inclination or propensity to embrace some "calculated compromise" approach. And this is it.

I am sure that before the Dems caved to Bush, the leadership was looking ahead to the 2008 elections and what the impact would be. It's obvious that they were more concerned over how their refusal to fund Bush's war of choice would go over in the public's eye. And with the type of mainstream media that we have at the moment, I really don't blame them for thinking that way.

But this is a clear example where one has to assert one's principles and do what is fundamentally right. The people respect difficult decisions that are made on the basis of "authentic" considerations. They disrespect those made for purely "practical considerations" when those considerations trump a more principled course of action. The latter shows true leadership. The former, a type of crass political calculation.

It's time the Democratic leadership show some authentic leadership. Regrettably, our politicians have shown an alarming and increasing inability to connect with their primary constituency over the past several decades as corporate influence has outstripped fundamental principles of democracy...And it's very, very depressing.

Will Republican Attempts to Pass Blame for Iraq Succeed?

And how long will we hear that tired, pitiful, hypocritical refrain from the Bush Republicans -- that the Democrats are "cutting and running" and are defeatist?

Let's revisit the facts, shall we? First of all, this was not a "war of necessity". It was a war of "choice", the reasons of which were completely fabricated by a deceitful and devious Bush administration. Our focus should've remained on capturing or killing Osama bin Ladin and destroying his al Qaeda network in Afghanistan. Instead, our idiot president, at the urging of Darth Cheney and his neocon cohorts, pushed for an invasion of Iraq. Not only did we invade a country unnecessarily, but the effort was so badly mismanaged, that our doom was sealed -- not by the Democrats -- but by the architects and supporters of the invasion -- the Bush administration and his cadre of Republican supporters! It is they who created the condition of defeat by their arrogance and gross mismanagement.

Remember when Colin Powell told Pres. Bush, "This war will be "your baby" ...Be ready to accept the consequences"? Well, it's time that Bush accepts his responsibility and stops trying to pass the baton of his failure on to future presidents.

Here it is, now four years later, and we are suffocating in a quagmire of Bush's making. And here they are -- the Bush Republicans -- trying to attach the blame for their monumental failure on the Democrats.

It appears that Bush Republicans seem more concerned with their party's prospects in the next election than in what is best for the future of America! Once again, "image" over "substance".

So, Republicans, stop your nonsense. The truth couldn't be any clearer. You've made a historic blunder. Instead of further depleting our national treasury and ruining countless more lives on this failed "experiment", show some courage and admit the mistake and make an earnest effort at mitigating what has become a national nightmare.

Ultimately, it is not the Democrats who will be judged as "unpatriotic". No, It will be those Republicans who cynically cling to the notion that they can pass the blame to the Democrats for the failures of their president.

Bush Administration To Face True Measure of Justice

Please allow me to wax philosophic for just a bit. We all recognize that certain injustices have occurred within the Bush administration. In this context, let me share with you the philosophy behind my unshakable belief that these injustices will ultimately be dealt with in a convincing, thorough, and satisfactory manner.

Yes, justice will be served. This optimism or idealism that I am about to speak of is born of a certain metaphysical or spiritual understanding -- a sort of "Tao of Physics" as applied to principles of justice -- a cosmic merger of spirit and science. It is in this "natural law" that I firmly believe and place my trust.

Justice will prevail. Universal justice is a force, much like gravity. An autonomic, self-governing force completely free of corruptive influence. It is inescapable and inevitable. Where there is imbalance, a force ensues to restore the balance. It is as water, perfectly filling the emptiness or void. It completes what needs completing. It heals that which has been unjustly violated, in perfect measure and with perfect timing. It restores order, balance, and harmony in the universe. This is the nature of things. It is the inherent beauty of existence.

Universal Justice is a perpetual process or force that is applied without equivocation and with perfect symmetry and mathematical precision!

Bush, Cheney, Rove, Gonzales, et al -- are not immune from the justice principle. No one is. They will not escape. It is inescapable. It applies to all without prejudice. Yes, all of us. This is the true Dept. of Justice.

So, it is incumbent upon all of us to be mindful of what we think, say and do. There are consequences. And they are unavoidable. So while we clamor for justice within our normal political reality, take a certain amount of solace from the fact that ultimately, justice will be served in perfect measure.

Allegiance to GOP in Decline

Is anyone really surprised by this shift? The only statistic that continues to defy logic in my mind is the 35% of so-called Americans who continue to give their allegiance to the Bush regime.

After all of the idiocy, corruption, incompetence and betrayal to our constitutional principles that this administration has displayed, you would think that those who continue to be loyal to Bush would be just his ultra-elite base -- the wealthiest 2% of so-called Americans. Clearly, the other 33% are clueless about the real thrust and direction that Bush has taken our country or, perhaps, they simply philosophically prefer a closer approximation to fascism as their national identity.

Certainly, those outside of the 2% ultra-elite, the remaining 98% of our population are not being served by this Administration's focus, philosophy, or policies.

This administration has demonstrated itself to be anti-thetical to everything that Americans have traditionally held dear -- freedom, privacy, fairness, rule of law, civil rights, liberties, habeas corpus, checks and balances, three separate but equal branches, etc., etc., etc.

America, as a whole, has suffered greatly at the hands of president Bush and co-president Cheney. History will record these "Bush/Cheney years" as one of the darkest periods in our nation's history.

Bill Gates Shows No Allegiance to U.S. Roots

Here is a man, Bill Gates, who made his billions largely as a direct consequence of the opportunities, benefits, rights, and priveleges that are derived from American citizenship.

His citizenship enabled him to solicit and enlist the support and cooperation of his fellow citizens in helping him to create and market his products to an American market comprised of American citizens who purchased his products in huge numbers.

And now, 25 years later, after having become the wealthiest person on the planet, he wants to make it more difficult for those same American citizens to enjoy the same benefits and priveleges that helped to catapult him to unparalleled levels of financial success?!

So watching him lobby Congress for the right of American businesses to hire from an immigration pool of "unlimited SKILLED workers" created within me a growing sense of disgust and despair -- despair over the increasing plight of American workers in this new age of "corporate globalization".

More and more I am finding myself feeling less like a citizen and more like a "unit of production" hopelessly embedded in a market-based economy with no national boundaries and no sense of national sovereignty. Where is a sense of national pride? More importantly, where is our sense of national "self-preservation"? It seems to be quickly vaporizing in Corporate America's lustful quest for profit maximization on a global stage.

The sense of a "national identity" and of having a vested interest in American citizenship is quickly being supplanted by a growing and looming sense of hopelessness and despair amidst a culture dominated by corporate greed and malfeasance.

More and more I feel as though our very lives and dreams have little to no significance as they are officially subjugated to the needs and desires of a corporate elite that has no sense of community, allegiance, or gratitude to the country of its origin. There is no patriotism in this paradigm. It is vapid and soulless

The war on the middle class rages on. It's an outrage and a shame. And, to put it bluntly, it sucks!

Will Bush Be Exposed As A Total Fraud?

Of course, everyone knows about Pres. Bush's promise to fire anyone found to have been involved in the leak of Valerie Wilson's identity. And now we hear that conservatives are pressing for a presidential pardon?! What total trash! These are the very same people that would have loved to have lynched Pres. Clinton for lying about a personal relationship! The hypocrisy is unbelievable!

The bottom line is that Pres. Bush will not only not fire those who have already been exposed as co-conspirators in the leak, but he'll probably pardon Libby to protect himself and others within his administration from prosecution.

And let us once again be reminded that this is all from the president who in 2000 campaigned on the promise that he would "restore honesty and integrity to the Oval office". What a load of shit! What a sad and pitiful joke. What a sad and pitiful man. What a sad and pitiful administration. But it is we -- Americans -- who are paying the price for their treachery and incompetence! Our legislators need to hold these people to account!

Americans have been living a national nightmare ever since Bush/Cheney stole the election in 2000, and then again in 2004. This group of toxic, incompetent miscreants seem to be doing everything within their power to destroy all that Americans hold dear.

I am confident that historians will conclude that the Bush/Cheney administration is, without a doubt, the absolute worst administration to have ever served this country.

Don't let the little weasel, Pres. Bush, slither away without having to face the tragic consequences of what he has done to America. Hold him accountable! His daddy, along with a pathetic army of conservative enablers, should not be allowed to rescue the little misfit from having to face the truth about the real and tragic consequences that his poor judgements and decision making have had on the nation, Iraq, and the world at large.

And as far as Faux News is concerned, who cares? We all know that they are a joke and not to be taken seriously.

Iraq War: Mission Accomplished!

The Iraq War is over. Saddam is dead. There were no WMDs. Mission accomplished.

It is not our responsibility to militarily negotiate the outcome of a civil war. That would be outside the purview that Congress had established for our involvement in Iraq. Certainly, our politicians can understand that a conditiion for "victory" would presuppose that we have won the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people. I don't believe that can be accomplished at the end of a barrel of a gun. That conversion methodology would more accurately qualify as "duress", wouldn't you agree?

At last report, 80% of all Iraqis and close to 70% of all Americans want us to disengage from what has become a tragic quagmire. Isn't that message strong enough? Republicans, do what's right and good for America: Leave Iraq.

Bush Commitment in Iraq "Open Ended"

In Bush's press conference of today, he was asked if his commitment in Iraq was open ended. In reply, he said no, that it wasn't but clarified what constituted the conditions for victory in Iraq. In answering this question, he said that Iraq would have to be relatively free of violence, stable, and not a safe harbor for Al Qaeda or terrorists from abroad. This, of course, yields a largely "open-ended" result because none of this will be accomplished in the short term. He also volunteered while attempting to explain the extent of our involvement by saying that victory in Iraq will not be one where we formally sign a peace treaty between warring parties. In other words, this is effectively tantamount to the presently unbounded "war on terror" in which we are now engaged, ostensibly for an indefinite period of time. Given that we have already constructed thirteen military bases in Iraq, it seems rather obvious that the president envisions our military involvement in Iraq on a long-term basis -- decades and not in months or years.

If I were to extrapolate, it would appear that Pres. Bush's idea of prosecuting the war on terror involves establishing a permanent U.S. military presence in Iraq from which future military projections can be made to various trouble spots throughout the region. This is pure speculation on my part, but when I hear both the president and other Republican leaders say, "Well, would you rather fight them here in the U.S.?", it would logically lead one to believe that no, they would rather fight them over "there" by forcing them to confront us "there" and not "here". However, such reasoning assumes that they (the terrorists) can't chew gum and walk at the same time. In other words, what would stop the terrorists from launching terrorist acts in the U.S. while also attacking our forces in Iraq? The answer is "nothing".

Isn't it ironic that in his rush to invade Iraq, Pres. Bush created the conditions or the basis by which chaos ensued in Iraq, thereby enabling the terrorists to attract large numbers of new recruits while simultaneously establishing a foothold of their own where none had existed before. If that doesn't constitute a catastrophic failure, what does? President Bush has effectively become the most successful recruitment poster figure for Al Qaeda and other haters of America.

Congratulations, Mr. President. Helluva job.

GOP Blames Dems For "Status Quo" On Iraq

The Republicans are desperately trying to get the Iraqi monkey off their back and onto the Democrats. However, none of their ploys will work because everyone knows that it was the Republicans who pushed hard for this war, rubber-stamping everything that Bush wanted to do and did, and without any of the oversight that is customary for such significant sacrifices of life and treasure. And, of course, we all also know that it was a Republican administration that doctored and fabricated the evidence to support the invasion of Iraq.

So, Republicans, there is nothing you can do to detract from the central fact that YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MESS WE ARE IN. It's high time that you and your administration be held clearly accountable for your misleadership, mismanagement and gross dereliction of duty. So, stop this silly nonsense of trying to "cut and run" from your responsibility. It just won't work.

Bush Quote: "I Made A Name By Being Compassionate."

In a recent interview on CSPAN, I heard President Bush say: "I made a name by being compassionate." I immediately thought to myself, "What?! Are you kidding me?! He really is delusional.."

This whole Republican idea of "compassionate conservatism" has turned out to be nothing but an empty campaign slogan. Remember, it was George HW Bush (#41) that coined that phrase when he ran against Clinton in '92. To me, it has proven to be just a cynical, calculated attempt on the part of Republicans to "soften their image" in hopes of garnering more votes. It's just another shallow example of the Bush administration's use of positive sounding words and phrases to sway public opinion, as though it's somehow sufficient for the public to simply hear the words spoken without the need for an equivalent or corresponding action that would yield the results that the words imply. The Bush /Cheney regime seems to have embraced an Orwellian approach to politics.

In this vein, another example of their Orwellian approach to government is their tendency to name their legislative proposals with positive sounding phrases that reasonable people would readily embrace or accept on the surface. For example, Bush's "Blue Skies Initiative" has a very appealing title, wouldn't you agree? I mean, how many of us would be against "blue skies". It readily evokes images of pure, clean, fresh air and a pristine environment. But the truth about this legislation is that it was a calculated and cynical attempt by the Bush administration to reverse years of environmental progress made during the Clinton-Gore years. And, of course, let's not forget to mention the most obvious example of them all: "The Patriot Act". Need I say more?

So in the final analysis, the positive phrases that they use have no actual correspondence whatsoever to the final results or the intended impact. In fact, the actual results often are the complete reverse of what one would naturally think to be the desired result. Again, they're just cynically designed to give people the surface impression that good works are being done on their behalf when in actuality just the opposite is the case. (Tony Snow, with a straight face, said in a recent press conference that Bush has a good record on environmental issues. I almost puked when I heard that one.)

So, to me, the Bush administration has been anything but "compassionate". They've been a deceitful, hateful, fear-mongering, heartless bunch of subhumanoids whose primary efforts have been designed to concentrate wealth and power at the very top while savaging the middle class through outsourcing, globalization and ridiculous trade policies.

At this point, I wouldn't be all that surprised to learn that a majority of compassionate conservative Republicans would endorse decaptitation as a remedy for those headache sufferers who can't afford health insurance. Hopefully, I'll never hear the words "compassionate conservative" again. The two just don't seem to mix.

Global Warming: The Time For Immediate Action Is Now

Earth In The Balance
Richard Nixon was praised in the early 70s for having the vision to start the Environmental Protection Agency. It was viewed optimistically as an acknowledgement that industrial societies must be sensitive to the environmental imbalances and damage that is wrought from modern industrial processes.

Unfortunately, the early efforts to draw attention to environmental pollution remained largely symbolic as American industry reneged on its social responsibility to rectify and reverse the damage done by virtue of its normal industrial operations.

Given this reluctance and irresponsibility on the part of American industry, the world now stands at the brink of an irreversible trend towards global suicide. How can Americans, or for that matter, the world, embrace industrialization if we know that to embrace it is to accept suicide -- on a global scale. It is utterly insane for industrial societies to continue in this course that leads to a dead-end. To be sure, the future of humanity, and the earth, lies in the balance.

It is high time for political forces to muster the vision and the courage to confront industry and demand, through legislation, that urgent and corrective measures be taken immediately to reverse that which will ultimately kill us all. There is simply no more time for delays or postponements. Clearly the time is now.

Unless industry reforms itself in environmentally friendly ways, there is no future for the industrial revolution. The world should, in the absence of reform, reject industrialization out of hand. It should realistically be seen as a metaphor for the individual hooked on cigarettes -- it will kill him.

How can we possibly raise our children in good faith to believe that industry and science are beneficial to society when we are confronted by our ultimate demise through its embrace?

We need a radical and unparalleled world effort to uncover, discover and implement solutions for our industrial ills. In this effort, hopefully science will play an essential role. For absent an environmental healing, we will continue to look into an increasingly darkening mirror that portends no real hope for the future of humanity and the earth.