Saturday, July 12, 2008

Weekend



It was an interesting week for news. The fisa vote was a the big story to me. A shame on this country and a true danger going forward. Barack Obama did not move to the center with this vote, he took a giant swing to the authoritarian right. That is part of what pisses me off about the “liberal media”. Move to the center!? What the hell!? Warrantless wiretaps, basket wiretaps, corporate immunity. When did any of that become the “center”? Bullshit. I am so tired of being told up is down and down is up that I could scream. And often do. I'm figuring he will be more willing to listen to our complaints than McCain ever would so I will still vote for him. This has nothing to do with party, this is right and wrong and I hope Obama is ready to feel the heat on this.

More on torture and Gitmo coming out. Not a lot many didn't already know but I am sure it will be shocking to some. Like, over half of them had no connection to terrorism. Those that wonder what happened to our position of respect and leadership need look no further than this war and our decisions on how to prosecute the challenges of terrorism. Nobody is ready to follow us or our example. I can't say I blame them. I wouldn't want to either.

Glenn Greenwald has been one of my recommended daily reads for sometime now and he still is able to put it succinctly:

There are two choices and only two choices for every country -- live under the rule of law or live under the rule of men. We've collectively decided that our most powerful political leaders are not bound by our laws -- that when they break the law, there will be no consequences. We've thus become a country which lives under the proverbial "rule of men" -- that is literally true, with no hyperbole needed ......

.....Our political and media elite have acquiesced to all of this when they weren't cheering it all on. Those who object to it, who argue that these abuses of political power are dangerous in the extreme and that we cannot tolerate deliberate government lawbreaking, are dismissed as shrill Leftist hysterics. ...

.....Yes, I'm well aware that the U.S, like all countries, was deeply imperfect prior to 9/11, and that many of the systematic excesses of the Bush era have their genesis prior to 2001. The difference (a critical one) is that what had been acts of lawbreaking and violations of our national values have become the norm -- consistent with, rather than violative of, our express values and policies.

...Those who have spent the last seven years scoffing at Unserious, Hysterical objections to Bush lawlessness are the very people who have created this climate that they will now pretend to find so upsetting. The "rule of law" isn't some left-wing dogma that is the province of Leftist radicals and hysterics. It's the cornerstone of every civilized and free society.

That there would even be debate on most of this saddens me greatly. We are way past the canary in the coal mine.

The banks and even Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are at danger of default. Past the canary in the coal mine. Many people said they weren't sure if we could last another 4 years with Bush. If those darned liberals won't have come up with the fdic a whole bunch of people mighta just got robbed. I haven't figured out who it was yet but I'm sure somebody did. Glad it wasn't people with under 100 thousand.
I think(hope) more people are seeing what we are talking about. To vote McSame would be a suicide mission in my book.

At the G8 Summit Bush, as he prepared to fly out from Japan, told his fellow leaders: "Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter."
I agree with the Dixie Chicks who didn't want to be known as THAT kind of Texan, I am ashamed this guy comes from the United States.

The Oil Barons told us how much they have us over a barrel so let them do whatever they want.
Here are some people willing to say no and actually lead toward a better future instead of a tormented one. Apollo Alliance.

OK, Good news....Iraq is asking for a time table for our withdrawal.
Iraqi politicians are being vocal about the readiness of the Iraqi forces, telling the Americans that they can resolve their internal disputes on their own, without a U.S. presence in their midst.
You know what that means? We win! Time to come home. We Win!

Why they are even handing out money! Really! Those damned Socialists! What have we created!?