Scary Shit
Wednesday, April 28, 2004
"If things proceed as they are, the dim-bulb Dem leaders are going to be very sorry they screwed Howard Dean." link from Kausfiles.
It's started.
Just like Davey Scatino said in the Sopranos a few years back when the first collection letter came. I think he might be done. He's got to do something amazing, and soon. This can only get worse for Kerry if editorials like this keep coming out.
Drugs
I'm not intentionally turning this website into the Legalize Drugs Blog, I'm just noticing a lot more chatter on the subject, and am trying to do my own small part to amplify it. Here is a good article on the gadflyer.
This could be a very good year if the potheads are willing to organize a little. Nevada will have a ballot initiative that will effectively legalize one ounce of marijuana. Gainesville, FL will have a ballot initiative in November that will "deprioritize" marijuana for the police to the lowest level possible. Not exactly sure how that will work, but it could feasibly pass. Most importantly, I would like to see John Kerry take some position, any position on the drug war. That could really change my opinion of him. Even if he comes out as a hard-core drug warrior, it will be a lot easier for me to make up my mind on this guy.
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
The Terrible Consequences of Breaking Immigration Laws.
It's already very hard to cross, but it's going to be even harder," he said in Nogales. "I need to try again, at least one more time, and if I fail, I'll go back home."-(em. added.) courtesy of Drudge.
This is just ridiculous. Not much else to say about it. I know it is not fun to talk about, but seriously. 553,000 people in the past six months. Who knows who some of these people are? How can you feel safe in this country when that many people are pouring across the border. We are at war, and it might be a good idea if we kinda checked who was coming into our country, considering I keep seeing news articles like this.
I'm honestly scared. I don't think that there is anyway we make it through this year without another major terrorist attack. Fucking scary what isn't truly being discussed in this year's election coverage. We need to be talking about immigration and terrorism. Kerry really needs to keep pushing for a debate with the president. I need this guy to do something for me, and obviously a lot of other people. Show us something, you douche.
Monday, April 26, 2004
Office of National Drug Control Policy, Pussies.
Well, the Office of National Drug Control Policy really pussied out. They gave me a form-letter response, didn't address my questions, and just gave me a bunch of links to propaganda websites that have the same type of garbage of which I was directly questioning the truthfulness.
Thankfully there are people raising this issue. Check out this editorial in the NYTimes here. Eric Schlosser writes a great article. I highly suggest his book Fast Food Nation. I haven't read Reefer Madness yet, I assume that I already know most of the score from that one. Here's an important statistic:
"Over the past two decades billions of dollars have been spent fighting the war on marijuana, millions of Americans have been arrested and tens of thousands have been imprisoned. Has it been worth it? According to the government's National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, in 1982 about 54 percent of Americans between the ages of 18 and 25 had smoked marijuana. In 2002 the proportion was . . . about 54 percent."
The biggest thing that people who want to see legalization, or at least decriminalizaton can do is to continue to ask WHY? Until you get some sort of a truthful answer, keep asking why. Why is marijuana illegal? I wrote the ONDCP a long-ass letter, a pretty nice and polite one too. This is the main thrust of their three sentence response:
"The reason marijuana is controlled is because there are dangers
associated with its use and whatever the possible benefits of using
marijuana may be, they do not outweigh the harms."
Wow, that's great. So marijuana is "controlled" for my own safety. Thanks. I'm glad that this "control" puts young people in prison for a non-violent, victimless crime. I'm glad that they are looking out for my generations safety. We wouldn't want anyone to potentially get cancer thirty years from now from smoking weed today (although we're not even 100% sure it does actually cause cancer.) It's better to throw young people into prison. An ass-raping or two sure will teach that marijuana-user a thing or two.
Keep your laws off my body, ONDCP. Bitches.
Saturday, April 24, 2004
The Unbearable Lameness of Being John Kerry.
After reading this, and this, and this, and this, and especially this , the list can continue but I have a point. After reading all of this over the past two days, after seeing the lameness of John Kerry's commercials, after getting just plain fed up with this douche, I've decided I'm going to try to work with Nader. I just sent them this:
Hello, my name is Matthew Witemyre, and I also sent a long post onto your comments section. I would like to apply for work with the Nader Campaign. I voted for Mr. Nader in 2000, while at the University of Florida. I was very proud of my activities in organizing at the time, I even convinced my father to vote Green, and he had never voted third party in his life. Then, I started regretting my choice when I saw the radical way that Mr. Bush has been governing. I then went to work for the Nevada State Democratic Party as a field organizer, which I absolutely hated. I quit after 6 months. I loved the voter contact, but just felt dirty working for the Democratic Party. I could write a laundry list of complaints about the Democrats, but I will just say that I am disgusted with their hypocrisy, and lack of courage. I then went to Iowa and Wisconsin to work for Governor Howard Dean's Presidential campaign. Those three months were the most fulfilling chapter of my life. I learned so much, and was so impressed with the amount of substantive decisions that people my own age had in the campaign. It really was a campaign about people, and about the future.
Although Dr. Dean was formerly known as a centrist/conservative, he would have been unable to do anything without the support of the grassroots if he was our candidate. He would have been completely beholden to the people, as politics should be. He could have potentially remade the Democratic party, and he could have completely changed partisan electoral politics. This terrified the establishment. They did everything that they could to tear him down, it was downright scary seeing the personal destruction of a good man.
I saw the way that Rep. Gephart, Senators Kerry and Lieberman, even Congressman Kucinicn and Reverand Sharpton all decide to pile on Dr. Dean. They essentially signed a non-aggression pact among themselves, and did everything they could to tear down everything good that Dr. Dean and Joe Trippi had built up. I've been taking time off since leaving the Wisconsin primary, relaxing and trying to get my head together. I have been trying to talk myself into supporting John Kerry's campaign over the past few weeks, but I honestly cannot do it. I cannot support the vapid, soulless nature of his campaign. His consultant driven, focus group tested drivel.
I thought that Dr. Dean had succeeded in his attempted background transplant to the Democratic Party. It looks like Senator Kerry has rejected the transplant. It looks like it is time for me to mount up, and ride with Mean Mr. Nader and the Nader Raiders again. I want to hold the Democrats to the fire, and make them stand for something, rather than being elected on promises of nothing and their "electability". I am enclosing a link to my blog www.mwitemyre.blogspot.com. I am also sending my resume and cover letter for your consideration. I would be willing to relocate, and want to help Mr. Nader keep the bastards honest. Someone has to do it. Please consider me for development of online activism, youth outreach, and blogging.
I admit, I am not a nice person. I'm very qualified, smart, and passionate about issues. However, the most important thing, in my personal opinion is that I am not one of those strange, overbearing, humourless political types. The people who make up College Republican and Democrat ranks. The future hacks of America. I am being totally honest with you guys, I am trying to be myself, and I hope it helps. I again care passionately about the issues, but I also care passionately about having fun, getting laid, smoking weed, and having as much fun out of life as possible. Somehow our country has lost site of the right to "the pursuit of happiness." There is nowhere near enough of that in American Politics. That is how we can change politics. By driving the squares and the hacks out, and by giving people something that they can care about, and be excited and entertained by.
thank you for your consideration, I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Matthew Witemyre
Lets see who responds first. Nader, the Office of Drug Policy, or Kerry. My horse is the NODP. They are a government agency, and I am honestly betting that they give me a serious and long response. I would be surprised if I hear anything of substance from either the Kerry or Nader campaign. We shall see. Kerry has a shot to respond to my email. If he doesn't take a major chance on at least one issue, if he doesn't show some form of courage, and soon, I'm gonna be causing trouble with Mr. Nader. So how about it Mr. Kerry. I dare you.
Friday, April 23, 2004
Marijuana Talking Points.
Wow, check out these talking points on marijuana. If you run across someone who actually wants to have a real discussion about the dangers of marijuana make sure that you don't actually answer any of their questions, in fact ignore them and spout some propaganda that has nothing to do with the other person's questions or points. Check it out here.
What is also interesting on the NODCP website is the repeated statements that Marinol, a THC derived drug that can be sold in pill form to combat nauseau and weight loss in AIDs and cancer patients is a useful drug, but that the marijuana plant has no useful effects, and that it is very dangerous as well. I am smelling the widespread release of this Marinol product coming down the pipeline very soon. I saw a segment on a news program two nights ago (can't remember what unfortunately) detailing the potential for THC to be used in the treatment of ADD. We'll see how fast the government changes its tune on medical marijuana, just as soon as Pfizer can sell it as a pill.
I have been doing a little bit of research on the Office of National Drug Policy's website. I also sent them a question asking why me, a 22 year old kid cannot legally smoke marijuana in the privacy of my own home. I will print their response here on the blog. I just wanted to show a quote from their marijuana page. After saying that marijuana is the most used illegal drug, 75% of drug users use marijuana, look at this statistic:
Some 55% of current illicit drug users used only marijuana stat found here.
Boy, that kinda pokes a hole in their assertion that marijuana is a gateway drug. What about the 55% (!?!) of drug users who only use marijuana? I am absolutely sickened that we can't have a serious debate about marijuana in this country, and that John Kerry does not have the balls to take a stand on this issue. If you guys come across any candidates running for office over the next few months, be sure to ask them their stands on marijuana, and if they don't support legalization, or at least decriminalization, ask them to give you an honest answer as to why. Don't accept "Just because it's bad" as an answer.
Here's some more fun stuff on the site. Good thing that the 12 BILLION FUCKING DOLLARS that we spend each year on the war on drugs are working so well. (Boy, we could use 12 billion dollars to fund our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan for almost 4 months. Hmmm... a way to help balance the budget?) Look at this: U.S. marijuana users spent approximately $10.5 billion on marijuana in 2000, compared to $15 billion in 1990- the government spent more money trying to stop people from smoking weed, than people actually spent buying weed. Amazing.
The Monitoring the Future Study also tracks trends in availability of drugs to youth. From the time the study began in 1975 to 2003, between 83% and 90% of every senior class have said that they could obtain marijuana fairly or very easily.
Do you have any idea how much easier it is for a kid under 18 to get pot than cigarettes or alcohol? If the government was serious about keeping marijuana away from youth, they'd legalize it and regulate it like other legal drugs.
One argument that drug warriors use against marijuana is it's addictive nature. They use this stat about treatment to back up this claim. About 40% of those treated for primary marijuana abuse during 2001 were between ages 15 and 19 at admission. For all admissions to treatment (all illicit drugs and alcohol), this age group accounted for 11% of admissions Now, the funny thing about that statistic is that all 15-19 year olds who enter drug abuse treatment for marijuana are compelled to do so. They are either forced to go by parents who catch their children smoking, or agree to go as part of a plea bargain. It is not like there are thousands of 15-19 year olds banging down the doors of treatment facilities because they are hooked on that demon weed.
I want to be able to smoke in peace! Let's stand up for this, people. This is important, and we need to have this discussion.
Stupid People Deserve Stupid Politicians.
To admit that the president blew it is to say the same of the public that followed him into the conflict. And like its leaders, the public not only doesn't like admitting it was wrong, but it will go to great lengths to avoid doing so.-Josh Marshall in the NYTimes.
Boom! I had been focusing on John Kerry's spectacular lame-ness in my analysis of the most recent polls, showing Bush in the lead or at least a dead heat. I forgot about the selfishness and shortsightedness of the American people. Mr. Marshall nails it here. Kerry has to actively put out a positive reason to vote for him on Iraq, rather than just sitting around, waiting for Bush to implode. I saw an article somewhere today conjecturing that Kerry is doing the old "Rope a Dope" on Bush, not hitting back and letting the Bush campaign wear itself out early. This could be a huge mistake. Gov. Dean was running a modified rope-a-doper in Iowa until the end. He waited to hit back until it was too late. All of the shit that Gephart, Kucinich, and Kerry were throwing at him just made him stink too bad.
Dick Gephardt VP? It's a Sure Thing!
The rumour going around town is that Dick Gephardt is in the lead in the veep-stakes. I've been guessing Gephardt from the beginning. I want to have this down, so I can say I told you so when this happends. Dick Gephardt will be our nominee for the vice-presidency. I've been thinking this will happen since Iowa. Somehow Kerry convinced Gephardt to assasinate Dr. Dean. I'm thinking that he was able to explain to Dick that he had no shot at the nomination beyond Iowa, so tear down Dean, and you'll get a spot on the ticket. Dick Gephardt is a scumbag. He is the Hubert Humphrey of our generation. At first I thought this election was going to be like 1972. It seemed like the grassroots and the kids and the idealists were going to coopt the party again. I was wrong. It's 1968 all over again, except Muskie's at the head of the ticket. It's official, the hacks are running this party, and they're stronger than ever. The Democratic Party has no heart and soul. If Dick Gephardt had been our nominee, I would have gone to work for Bush/Cheney '04. No joke. And, if Dick Gephardt is our vp, I won't go that far, but I very seriously doubt I can vote for Kerry/Gephardt. I thought I learned my lesson in 2000, but I might just have to vote for Ralph Nader in Florida again. Teach those fuckers a lesson. Please Kerry campaign, pick Bill Richardson, or John Edwards. Or Bob Graham. Or anyone with at least a little integrity or personality. I know you can't always have both. But seriously, Dick Gephart? He is a as soulless of a politician that there ever was. Don't do it.
I don't know how much I should brag, I don't know how great it is that Richard Cohen and I think alike. However, I have to say that Mr. Cohen's last editorial is pretty similar to my earlier post about the Kerry/Bush recent poll pictures.
Also, see if you notice any similarities here and here (dammit, I guess you'll just have to scroll down to April 3rd. Blogger does not have links to individual posts anymore. I'm starting to get very disenchanged w/ blogspot. I'm very close to switching servers. Their promised update better come soon, and it better be damn good). I think that the biggest factor affecting the difference in content of these two editorials is the relative amounts of reefer smoked prior to writing.
Thursday, April 22, 2004
I Wanna Dip My Balls In It!
A few administrative notes: Well, first of all, I changed the template on my site. I am going to miss the old "Sand Dollar" scheme, but I wanted something that would put my text all the way across the screen, instead of the small column. Hopefully, that will make it less intimidating to read my longer-looking posts. I lost my links, but it was just crap you can find anywhere else on numerous other weblogs or political sites. Also, anyone new to the site should check out my archives. Some of it isn't half bad, if I say so myself. Also, you'll get to know a little bit more about me, and where I am coming from politically.
Also, I just signed up as a beta tester for G-mail with Google. It is really good. If you can find a way, sign up as a tester right now! Although they scan your mail, I already assume that Mr. Ashcroft is all over that anyway. I don't care if some geeks at Google know how boring I am. Plus, they say it is all computerized, and only for targetted advertising. Has anyone ever seen the old show on MTV where the secret service runs into the room and grabs the person who says "I'm gonna kill the president!"? Just wondering, the Google thing reminds me of that. I just hope that Google has enough bandwidth for this when it goes large with this thing. That's my biggest problem with Hotmail. The server is always jammed during certain times in the day, and I can't check my mail. Plus having to delete half my inbox everytime I sign on is a pain in the ass. I just want to let you guys know that G-mail stands for Good Shit-mail!
OK, one last side note. I am gearing up to take the Foreign Service Exam on Saturday. I've been trying to do something useful for this country since 9/11. I tried to sign up for AmeriCorps, but surprise surprise, George Bush and the Republicans in congress are gigantic awful assholes. The people of Iowa are gigantic awful assholes (check out this post here by Mr. Aaron Leavy. Scroll down to April 4th. Unfortunately, Aaron does not have links to individual posts.) I've also emailed many governtment websites saying that I'd be willing to learn Arabic or Chinese and would work for the government if they'd pay for me to go to school to do that. I'm a National Merit scholar for Christ's sake. I started to learn 2 languages in college. I've taken linguistics classes. The one thing I'm good at is reading, writing, and language. I never received a single response. The American government does an extremely shitty job of recruiting the best of America's young people into government service. I still keep seeing how the FBI and CIA need translators. How about advertising for it, and offering free college? I'd be there in a second. Anywa, wish me luck
John Kerry, Drug User.
I just saw that anti-Kerry ad that the Bush team is running again. The one that says Kerry is voting against protecting our soldiers, and ends w/ Kerry saying that he voted for the 87 bill. before voting against it. God, that ad is just plain painful to watch. It is the most effective political ad I've ever seen. It nails home the idea that he is a flip-flopper amazingly well. That idea is set in cement now. He can't do anything on that line of attack. It also makes him look weak on defense (it also makes him look like a douchebag, but I don't think that the ad has anything to do with that.), and he could at least justify voting against the 87 billion before because he thought the war was being fought wrong, or he wanted to see an audit as to where the money is going, blah blah blah, but instead, he can't talk about funding at all, or else that awful, awful, awful, awful quote pops back up. Here is the email I just sent the Kerry campaign. I doubt they'll even read it, I'm sure they 900 long, raving, BS email rants from crazies like me each day. I hope that they do think about these things though.
To Senator Kerry's campaign,
Hi, I am a former Dean staffer from Iowa, first wanted to say congrats on getting the nomination. The best thing John Kerry has said in the campaign was way back when he said that both he and George Bush went to the best schools in the country, but that Senator Kerry is the one who wants to make sure that all people have great schools. Now, I have to say that those ads that the Bush campaign is running are kicking your ass here in central Florida. If you guys don't do something drastic, you will lose Florida. I live in Lakeland, FL, and have been talking to people all along the I-4 corridor. I've been talking to people who voted for Gore in 2000, people who aren't particularly political, but are saying that they are definitely going to vote for George Bush because he is going to keep us safe. I don't really have any easy suggestions, but I hope you guys take what I am saying to heart. You guys will lose this election if you don't start a new gameplan, and a drastically different one at that.
I understand that Senator Kerry has always been able to win elections based on straddling positions, and fuzzying his issues, and lets face it, by trying to be all things to all people. I think that Senator Kerry is a good guy, he wasn't my choice, but I know he will be a better president than President Bush. I basically think that you guys need to come out, and say that we are going to run an entirely different kind of campaign. Fire Bob Shrum. Don't make it people vs. powerful. You need to run a candidacy of inclusion. Of appealing to people's better natures. Of asking the rich to give up tax cuts because it supports our soldiers, and our kids in schools, and sick people who need help. I'm not exactly rich, and have been unemployed since the end of the campaign. However, that fake populist bullshit really turns me off. I didn't vote for Gore in 2000 partly for this (Lieberman was the main reason. I like titties and music that says fuck too much for me to ever vote for that guy.)
Also, emphasize the similarities in Bush & Sen. Kerry's lives, but the differences in choices that they've made. The fact that Sen. Kerry VOLUNTEERED for the military. That he went to the best schools, and is fighting for all schools to be that good. Also, just jump out there and attack all the sacred cows. Come out strongly against illegal immigration. Apologize for supporting the war, instead of equivocating. Senator Kerry, you made a political calculation, and you fucked up. Admit it. It will give you the moral authority to attack George Bush on the war. Right now you can't really say dick, because you voted for this debacle. Don't say that you were tricked into supporting the war. Say it was the wrong war, at the wrong time. Say that the leadup to war was too rushed. We did not plan for all contingencies. Also, attack George Bush from the right on Saudi Arabia. Ask why we aren't doing anything about genocide in Sudan.
Also, change the debate on taxes. Tell people that they pay for police, and schools, and roads, and for paying our soldiers, and all kinds of good stuff. They aren't a penalty. Also, instead of just mindlessly attacking the Patriot Act, talk about the importance of a right of privacy. I'd like to see discussion of a privacy amendment to the constitution. Mr. Kerry, liberty and privacy go hand in hand. Now, I think the biggest thing you could do is to bring up the fact that you admitted using marijuana at the Rock the Vote debate. Also, bring up the fact that Bush would not admit what drugs he has used. Then tie it to an attack about his hypocrisy. The fact that he got help, and treatment, and managed to change his whole life for the better. (Also, his niece Noel has gotten preferential treatment in Florida for her drug abuse.) Yet his administration still focuses on putting non-violent drug offenders in jail. Talk about the law that doesn't allow former drug offenders to get college loans, say you would repeal it. Say that we should be doing everything in our power as a nation to help people who want it. However, say that compulsion never works with addiction. it is a disease, and people will quit only if they truly want to. also say that you experimented with drugs and that you turned out pretty good. Also, talk about the FBI knocking down doors to arrest old people w/ cancer who are smoking weed prior to 9/11. I think that this is the one line of attack you could effectively use against the Bush administration, being asleep at the watch so to speak, w/o people thinking you are a total asshole (like the AFL-CIO focus groups that showed murderous rage at whoever suggests that the Bush administration is at fault for 9/11.) Talk to Gov. Gary Johnson from New Mexico. I think he would be able to craft a good message.
Senator Kerry, not only do I think decriminalizing marijuana would be popular, (polls show 70% of Hispanics wanting to decriminalize. boy, everyone is talking about how to entice Hispanics as voters...) it is the right thing to do. How many people from your generation, who are now holding very important positions, smoked pot when they were young? Dropped a little acid, ate some mushrooms, maybe even blew a line or two of coke? Now that your generation is in power, you have the opportunity to do what is right. Also, drug penalties are much stiffer than they were when you were a kid. Getting caught with some reefer can ruin a person's life. Seriously. Well, that is my unsolicited advice. Thank you.
Mat Witemyre
Well, let's see if he does anything with it. Doubt it. I just wish I could get someone to read this stuff. Oh well.
Well, I completely slept through yesterday. Hope I didn't miss anything important. I just checked out JKD's blog. JKD did something with the Dean campaign in Iowa, I'm not sure what. Something important, and involving technology. Sorry, I worked out of Ames, I don't know what the hell was going on in the big office. Anyway, its good stuff, recommend you check it out. Also, stumbled across Aaron Leavy's blog. Aaron talked to the Huttleston system for me. I think he also did other technology type stuff. Good people though. Check them out.
Tuesday, April 20, 2004
Screw The Gen-Xers!
"Why shouldn't we ask all of our citizens to bear some responsibility and pay some price?" - Chuck Hagel in an AFP story here.
Bullshit.
"er, um what I meant to say when I said citizens should bear some responsibility, I mean young people should get the shaft even more. I mean, how else can we afford more tax cuts unless if we push a crushing debt onto those Gen X losers? Screw those kids who don't have health care. They can have prescription drug coverage in 45 years or so when they retire. We can pay for the Iraq War in like, 20 years or so, our economy will grow itself out of this. Also, how are we going to win this war if we don't force stupid young people to join the army. I mean come on, those people in the army are suckers. They don't make any money, and they get shot at. What a bunch of dipshits. Total suckers. But, those dummys might not want to go back when their deployments are over. Gotta hook some new fish."-what Hagel really meant to say.
God, this is the best news I've seen in a while. Please, oh please, oh please bring back the draft! I am begging you guys in congress. Seriously though now, this would be a very good thing. I agreed with Charlie Rangel's reasoning last year for reinstating the draft. We need everyone to share the burden and responsibility of war. If we had a draft, people involved in government, hell the general public even, would really have to ponder the consequences of war, because the kids going over to die aren't just poor kids from Oklahoma who are trying to get a chance at a college education. It could be anyone; nephews, nieces, daughters, sons, etc.
This could be the one thing that shakes up the American consciousness. Otherwise, people are always going to get excited about wars. They are going to prefer a state of war to peace, because war is fun and exciting, it's like Playstation dude. All these armchair generals might not be so stoked about going after the "Brown people" if their own sons or daughters might win the war lottery. Young people are pretty much in favor of this Iraq war. I've seen it myself. Although this is anecdotal, I've seen many, many people my age, smart people too, people with recent college degress still saying that Saddam was behind 9/11.
However, if the war was not seen as some amorphous entity, a vague idea that something is going on Iraq but we are kicking those terrorists asses, and instead was seen as that hell that some people have the awful luck of being sent to, we might see young people actually voting. Young people paying attention, being idealists, wanting to try to change the system, instead of selling straight out. Young people taking advantage of their civil rights and responsibilities, and their duty to the country to be a good citizen. I am praying that we reinstitute the draft. It could be the best thing to happen to this country since George W. Bush was elected. Please, please, please do this guys. Not to be overly dramatic, but it could potentially save the country.
Lots of scared Democrats with these poll numbers coming out. How can George W. Bush be beating John Kerry after the absolutely putrid month that the White House has had? I've seen the analysis that if all of the 9/11 commission hearings and Iraq trouble don't sink Bush, what will? I think the more important analysis is that Bush is still beating Kerry, although his favorability rating is below 50%. This clearly shows that people do not like what is happening in the country, that we are "on the wrong track." They also do not clearly support George W. Bush, however, they do not like John Kerry either. I continually have to come back to this. We need another candidate. John Kerry, who was pretty rotten on Meet the Press this week, is not going to beat George W. Bush. He might win the election, but that will only be because the President actively goes out and loses this election. John Kerry = unlikeable, very bad candidate. Big problem here Dems. What are you gonna do?
Friday, April 16, 2004
Wait, This Guy is Fucking Retarded!
"Actually, what America learned from Vietnam were two lessons. The first is that supporting the troops is essential to winning the war, as lesson you have used for your own evil devices. The second lesson is embodied in the Powell Doctrine.
Essentially, the Doctrine expresses that military action should be used only as a last resort and only if there is a clear risk to national security by the intended target; the force, when used, should be overwhelming and disproportionate to the force used by the enemy; there must be strong support for the campaign by the general public; and there must be a clear exit strategy from the conflict in which the military is engaged.
None of these things were done in Vietnam. What the American military learned was how to correctly fight a war."-towards the end of the Michael Moore post on right-thinking.com
Hmmmm.... I guess I should have read the whole post before endorsing what this dude said. I am amazed that this guy thinks that the Iraq war was fought on the Powell Doctrine. What in the hell is this guy talking about? That was one of my biggest points against the war, that this was a Rumsfeld experiment to fight a war on the cheap, with a small force. We have no real exit strategy, we don't even know to whom we are turning power over in two months. Why does this Blogger find it necessary to inject partisan, bullshit, talking points into his otherwise fine take-down of Michael Moore. I also am a little interested in knowing why not one American life is worth fighting for Haiti, but its OK for Iraq. I'd also like to know his views on Sudan, and the past genocide of Rwanda, and all of the other awful shit happening in Africa. I don't want to put any words in his mouth, but why? Is it because of the potential for oil revenues? Or is it because black people are lower down on his heirarchy of races which deserve our help? Or did he receive a telegram from the "Almighty" also, telling him that George W. Bush has the inside scoop from God on this one? I'd sure like to know that. Or is it that George W. Bush is simply a Republican, so he must be right about defense, and Bill Clinton is a Democrat, which as everyone knows equals liberal, which again equates to "pussy, queer, or fag" depending on the way the word is used by the Right.
This Guy Can't Be Fucking Retarded, Right?
"Mike wants to see America lose, just so he can prove his point. And in order for America to lose American soldiers have to die. A lot of them."
Excellent post here on right-thinking.com as to why Michael Moore is worse than useless for the left, and in facts hurts his cause by being such a flat-out jerk. I really do not like Michael Moore. Again, like President Bush, I believe that he is trying to do good things. But he just does not seem to have any ability to dialogue without sounding like a shrill, anti-American asshole. I hate the fact that I am using the term anti-American, it is so unbelievably wrong the way that anyone who wanted to have a real discussion about the war buildup for Iraq last year was labelled as anti-American. But seriously, I believe that Michael Moore is rooting for failure in Iraq to prove a point. To prove that he knew better than George Bush and the Republicans. Hell, I am 100% positive that I knew that the war was a bad idea, but my self-esteem is strong enough that I am not hoping that we lose, to teach America a lesson, and so that I can gloat. I want to win this thing, because I realize how important it is that we don't fuck up Iraq.
I used to read Michael Moore's books, and absolutely loved Roger and Me. I was a really big fan, up until a few years ago. Bowling for Columbine has some very good points, but the way that he pulled that shit with Charlton Heston at the end of the movie, snidely making fun of some old guy with Parkinson's who was obviously senile and in poor health just disgusted me. I don't like the NRA, and Heston has been another crotchety jerk while president, but come on. He is a sad old man, who actually had the balls to let Michael Moore come to his house to talk to him. Couldn't Moore have proved his point about the NRA by talking to a functional member in a leadership role? Anyway, I am not looking forward to Farenheit 9/11. I do not care how closely the Bush and Saud families are. To insinuate that George W. Bush was somehow complicit in 9/11 is absolutely disgusting. He better have some serious proof. I will happily apologize if he manages to make his case without resorting to lies and innuendo, and hope that George W. Bush is convicted of genocide, and has to spend the rest of his life in prison in den Haag, but I'll believe it when I see it.
Again, as I've said before, I dislike George W. Bush. I think that he will be remembered as our worst president ever. I think that what he is doing to the country and the world will have unintended consequences for the rest of our lives. I think that he is surrounded by some of the worst political hacks and scoundrels ever assembled. However, as Tony Soprano once said, he is "The motherfucking, fucking boss." He is our president, the leader of our nation. I didn't vote for him, and don't like him. But for the good of the country, and for the future of humanity, I hope, and wish, and pray that he succeeds in Iraq. I'd rather see George W. Bush reelected with a free and stable Iraq, and with diminished chances for international terrorism than to see him defeated in November with us pulling out of Iraq, the country turned into a terrorist breeding ground in the midst of civil war, and al Qaeda running rampant.
Wednesday, April 14, 2004
This vision will respond to the real hunger in this country to be part of something larger—something better. I believe the country is so longing for this that I consider an appeal to idealism the sleeper issue of 2004."- Arianna Huffington.
Beautiful editorial from Arianna Huffington here. This election has to be about more than the same partisan political talking points. The real theme needs to be "can't we do better than this?" I still am doubtful that John Kerry is the man to lead this debate. We need a real JFK, someone who is willing to say "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." I hope the guys in the Kerry campaign are noticing this absolute hunger that Americans have to make this a better country and world. The rebirth of idealism.
Hooray for Ass-fucking!
Everyone absolutely has to read this article on Salon, by Dan Savage. This ties together with my earlier postings about Democrats not standing up for each other, and a need for a right to privacy. The cultural conservatives are the ones that we have to worry about. It's always talked about, here it is: the slippery slope. Just in my lifetime we've seen Public Enemy, the Getto Boys, Nirvana, Pulp Fiction, Kevin Smith, South Park the Sopranos, tons more of great art or just damn entertaining shit that people have gotten worked up over. They warned that this is the downfall of civilization. Yet there is no immanent downfall in sight, (unless the psycho fundamentalists really get it in their heads that Armageddon is coming, and get a little wacky out in the Middle East). I've enjoyed quite a bit of the stuff that people have bitched about in the last decade or two. Some of it I didn't like. But I either turned it off, said it was stupid, and went on with my life. I fucking hate the Real World and American Idol. I think MTV is garbage, and haven't watched it in about 6 years. But you don't see me writing letters to my congressman. Organizing boycotts. It's because I have a life, and when I get active in politics, I am concerned about the big picture. I'm lazy, and if I get involved, it's over something that is important. Whether someone talks about blowjobs doesn't matter. Making sure that everyone gets good health care, education, and that we don't all die from something horrible is what I am working for. If all of these people put the effort that they put into the ridiculous shit that they get worked up about, they could really change the world for the better. If you get pissed about something "offensive" on TV, instead of organizing against the show, change the channel and watch some CSPAN. Become better informed. Take a class at the community college. Start smoking pot. Read the newspaper. Start learning how to play guitar. Go get laid. Volunteer. Do something positive, you boring, lame-ass, busy-body losers.
Remember Pat Robinson and Jerry Falwell yukking it up about the gays causing 9/11? So fucking hateful. Where were the fundamentalists then? Maybe you should spend a little more time reading the bible instead of listening to miniscule quotes out of context from bigots.
Even when they made a stink, it always seemed like free speech was winning though. This is bullshit. People who care about free speech need to take a stand. Why are there still people obsessed? They have the ability to turn off their fucking TVs, don't read stuff that they don't like, don't listen to radio they don't like. Look at the way Wal Mart stopped carrying Maxim. All in the name of protecting the children. Give me a break. Does anyone remember what it is like to be a kid? Life is good, all you want to do is get laid, and get fucked up, maybe listen to some good music and watch good movies, just enjoying life.
There seem to be a certain amount of people who want to live in some pretend bubble world. Where people don't have sex, well if they do, only to whomever they are married. They wouldn't ever look at porno. They of course would never have oral, or anal sex. No masturbation goes on in this fairy tale world. There are no sex toys, and definitely no gays. It's ok for gay people to exist, in a Queer Eye/Will and Grace sort of way. They can be all funny and bouncy and charming, but definitely no assfucking. Nothing separates them from straight people other than there fun-time attitudes and abilities to cook, and dress well.
These same people support war in general, usually don't have a problem with guns, and equate unquestioned support for the president's policies (as long as he is a Republican) with the only form of true Patriotism. They don't want to have any discussions that might prove that the president could be doing some things a little better, you goddamn traitor! Also, actually wanting to save young people's lives by keeping them out of war unless absolutely necessary and actually knowing what the hell you are doing when you are in a war is giving aid to the enemy. Not supporting our soldiers. How is not wanting them to die not supporting them? They also bitch that CNN does not show all of the good stuff soldiers do, the schoolbuilding, stuff like that. Well, that's great shit. Seriously. But I am more concerned with knowing how many were killed today. How many 22 year old kids like me got shot, lost the opportunity to get laid again. To smoke some dope. To get a job, get married, maybe have some kids. To go to college, which is probably the real reason that they enrolled. I want to know how many young people were mutilated. Were chopped up with shovels, then burnt, then hung. We don't allow these things on
TV either, because they are afraid it might offend our sensibilities.
Well, maybe our sensibilities need offending. Maybe we need to see how fucking awful war is. How terrifying it must be out there in Iraq. The constant fear of dying from a sniper's bullet, or having your legs blown off by a grenade. If we have to fight in war, we have to. But it should be fought seriously, and the nation must share responsibility. We need to realize how terrible a war is, so that we don't become accustomed to fighting them. That's what happens if they are easy. We don't realize that there are real costs, in peoples lives. But that's another story.
I don't like to even play devil's advocate when it comes to censorship. I am completely for free speech in all forms. But what about those Cialis ads? I find the thought of 60 year old men with 36 hour erections extremely offensive, but I am subjected to those ads all the time on network TV. Sometimes when my mother is around. All those goddamn boner pill commercials are disgusting. Why are lame, old, white guys who can't even get their dicks hard still running the world?
Also, what about lack of an outcry over the violence in movies compared to language and sex? Look at the South Park movie. They proved the point that horrible widespread violence is ok, as long as there is no real long-term consequences. People are offended when Tony Soprano beats someone to death horribly. Or when Tim Roth doesn't have the decency to die a quick death in Reservoir Dogs. I think that seeing how repulsive violence is, and the after effects of it are much better than the mass killings that take place in movies like Braveheart, the Terminator, or most other action films. People are either shot, or hit with a sword, then die quickly and cleanly, falling off camera. They never stick around for the moaning, dying piles of people left on the battlefield. People just disappear when they die. No biggie.
We really need to get together out here. Liberals, libertarians, true conservatives, moderates. We have to stand up for freedom of speech. For privacy. And against the mean spirited bullshit that people like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Jerry Falwell, Ann Coulter and many others are constantly shovelling. I'll defend to the death their rights to say awful stuff. But I want to always be there to call them on their crap. Everyone who cares about free speech, all the complacent liberals need to realize that this is a real culture war. We got complacent because we seemed to be winning it. We sat back, while the other side seethed and plotted, and they worked fucking hard to accomplish it. Now they are starting to control the issues. Where will it end up? Who knows. But we need to stop it. Stand up for fucking, pussy, assholes, blowjobs and sex and drugs and rock and roll.
Sunday, April 11, 2004
Excellent article in the WaPost about the "singles penalty" in our tax code. Using the tax system to promote marriage is stupid, and hurts young people in my age and income bracket disproportionately. Young, single, working Americans, who do not get many government benefits, are expected to assume the tax burden of couples with children who do not have to pay any taxes whatsoever. It is ridiculous. I'll use myself as an example.
This past year, I earned $2000 per month in salary. After social security/Medicare and tax withholdings, I take home about $1600 (and that's in Nevada, which has no state income tax. If it were Iowa, I'd take home $1450 or so). If rent in a shitty studio apartment in Las Vegas is $520, my car payment on a very cheap car is $250, car insurance is $200, utilities are approximately $60 per month, and a cell phone bill is $50 per month (I haven't had a land line in 3 years. Waste of money) I am looking at approximately $520 for everything else. I haven't had health insurance because that is between 2 and 300 dollars per month. I make significantly over twice the poverty line, but it was still hard to make ends meet. Food and cable are a few hundred dollars a month. If I fill up my gas tank once a week or so, that's another hundred dollars. Student loan repayment is about $50 per month. I have credit card debt also. My expenses aren't too different from most people my age. If I want to go out, see a movie, buy some clothes, buy a CD or two, there is nothing there. Also, there is the fear that the car will break down. Or that I could get sick, or break a leg, or something even worse, which would totally ruin my life without health insurance.
Going paycheck to paycheck hoping that nothing bad happens is pretty scary. Now, I'm not complaining at all. I did manage to juggle all of those things, and was still able to go out occasionally and buy a few nice things. I was practically rich. But it was damn hard at times. I have a college degree, and was working between 60 and 80 hours per week, with no overtime. I can't imagine trying to get by on $900 per month. That is seriously poor. And to suggest that single people making under $10,000 per year should even have to consider the possibility of paying taxes, when a couple making almost $50,000 per year doesn't have to pay at all is damned ludicrous.
This could be a very pretty issue for some forward thinking politician.
Monday, April 05, 2004
Wow, I didn't read this story last week on Slate. I really liked it. I think we really need a serious third party challenge this election.
Thank God! I am watching CNN right now. Breaking news that General Abizaid is discussing the possibility of more troops. It looks like the grown ups are finally starting to take control. Here is a report that Dick Lugar wants more troops in Iraq. Certain important people are realizing how absolutely catostrophic failure in Iraq would be, and the seriousness of the situation over there. But the administration is still unwilling to admit the ugly truths of this war. President Bush is now giving a speech about tax cuts, the death tax, and job growth. CNN has already turned away from discussing the huge story of what is going on in Iraq for a long segment on the TYCO trial, Dennis Koszlowski, and Martha Stewart. God, when are these fuckers in the commercial newsmedia going to get their shit together?
So What Now?
Well, Bill Safire is at least being serious here, but is in the same boat as me. What do we do now? I don't know. I would say drop another 200,000 troops into Iraq to try to quell the potential for rebellion, but that could simply be the start of a full scale escalation, until we really are mired in a total ground war. Well, again, not to look too much to the past, but I think the biggest thing that needs to be admitted is that we fucked up big time and need help.
As I've said since the beginning, I was strongly against the Iraq War, it just seemed too easy, there were no contingencies listed, not enough public debate, and very rushed. That's why I supported Howard Dean. I think that we need some members of the Bush cabinet to step down. Specifically Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, and Condoleeza Rice. George W. Bush needs to apologize in general to the American people, the Iraqi people, and the world community. Not because we went into Iraq, with the intention of freeing people from tyranny and creating a democracy. That is a good thing. However, he needs to apologize for the sloppy way they did it, for not building a meaningful coalition, for listening to that snake Ahmed Chalabi, for not putting enough troops on the ground, for fighting a war on the cheap, for using it as an experiment for Secretary Rumsfeld's new plans for the army, for not following the Powell doctrine of overwhelming force and a clear exit strategy, for not controlling looting after the initial incursion into Baghdad, for closing down the newspaper that sparked this latest round of uprisings being urged by Moktada al-Sadr, and for having the pride to think that mistakes like this don't matter.
This is not a matter of me wanting to see the president punished, or humbled. Some form of schaudenfraude. This is not a matter of American self-loathing, wanting to see America in a position of embarrassment, which many on the left have as their goal. This is about more than that. It is about preventing atrocities that we can't even imagine, and maintaining geo-political stability.
I understand that it will hurt our position of power in the world. The popular idea in international relations theory as America as the uni-polar hegemon. But this is again more important than this. Our credibility as a nation has already been drastically damaged. It is too late to do anything about it. We need help. We have to admit it, and whatever the concessions we have to make, so be it. This operation in Iraq will be one of the most important chapters in international relations history. We must make Iraq into some sort of a functioning state, and soon. We cannot allow it to slip into the possibilities of civil war, a lawless land, and terrorist breeding ground.
I am openly asking President Bush to ask do what is best for this country, and what is best for the world. Ask for help. Say you are sorry for the way we went to war, but that we did it with the right intentions. Ask for Vice-President Cheney's resignation. Ask for Donald Rumsfeld's resignation. Ask for Condoleeza Rice's resignation. Ask for anyone in your administration to step down who had anything to do with the disinformation campaign that led up to the war. Also, unfetter Secretary of State Colin Powell. Let him do whatever is necessary to bring the rest of the world along with us in the war in Iraq, and the greater war on terrorism.
One thing I saw in the past year of political organizing at the grassroots level is the absolute hatred and disdain that many Democrats have for President Bush. That he is stupid, that he is part of a huge conspiracy, that he is evil. He is our president people. I do not believe those things. I did not vote for President Bush, I do not agree with his policies, and I believe that history will judge him to be one of the worst, if not the worst, president that our nation has ever had. I believe that he was trying to do what he believed was best for the world at the time of the Iraq War though, but got bad advice and made mistakes. He has a chance to save his legacy, and to make the world a better place, but it will take guts, and he will disable any chance he has for reelection.
This is just too serious for partisan politics. This is too serious for American pride. Americans are dying in Iraq, being torn apart by mobs. The country is slipping into chaos, and something else we also forget, thousands of Iraqi's are also dying. If President Bush is really the Christian that he professes to be, he will do everything in his power to stabilize Iraq, and end the bloodshed as soon as possible, because as every Christian should know, every person on the world has a soul and is equal in God's eyes. All life is of equal value.
There are very bad people in Iraq trying to begin a terror campaign to drive the Americans out, and force the good people of Iraq into frightened silence. We must stop them, and I honestly do not think we can do it without the total support of the world community. Mr. Bush, go before the UN, apologize to anyone we've pissed off in the past two years. Get on your knees if you have to. Go to NATO, Turkey, Germany, Russia, China, every country in the world with a significant army. Beg them to send troops if you must. But we have to do something.
So, how fucking good was the Sopranos last night? Definitely in my top five episodes. #1 has to be "Funhouse," the one where Pussy gets whacked. #2 is "Whitecaps," the season finale from last season. I think that "Irregular Around the Margins" just went to #3 with a bullet. Anyway, the thing I wanted to comment on was Christopher's response to Adrianna when she says that she is stressed about "War, the Middle East." He says (paraphrase)-"Haven't you been listening to the president? We're going to kick the shit out of everyone who doesn't go along with us, then we can make anyone in the world do whatever we want."
I guess the ads that President Bush is running in central Florida are also running in the Sopranos' New Jersey. That was just such a great scene, I love it. The Sopranos managed to sum up the foreign policy plans of the assholes who are in charge right now in about three sentences. Good stuff.
Sunday, April 04, 2004
Tossing Off at the Political Circle-Jerk.
When are our political leaders going to grow up? When are they going to stop the political circle-jerk of tossing talking points past each other? Of trying to figure out who is to blame for 9/11 (answer, radical Islamic fucking terrorists. not the Bush administration. not Bill Clinton)? Again, Andrew Sullivan's old analysis that the Red/Blue, liberal/conservative divide is not the real divide in this country is especially appropriate. The real divide is the people who realize that we are at war, and those that don't. I truly think that we are fucked. I am also resigned to the idea that before the year is over, hundreds, maybe thousands, possibly millions of Americans will be dead because of terrorist attacks here. I really don't have any facile answers for how to get us out of Iraq, defeat al Qaeda, and maintain some sort of stability in geo-politics in the near to mid-term futre. Josh Marshall has a good analysis of today's horrible news from Iraq. The only thing I can keep coming back to is the abject failure of our country's leadership. How could they have gotten us into this mess? We fucked up so bad by going into that place. I'm absolutely terrified of the consequences.
Saturday, April 03, 2004
Religiosity.
OK, I am a little nervous posting about religion. I had hoped to avoid as much of that as possible, it can just cause too many problems. First, as a preface, I have to say that I really like Kevin Smith's Dogma, what Rufus says about it is more important to have ideas rather than strict beliefs. We weren't there. How do we know what a bunch of primitives saw 2000 years ago, and that what they wrote was true? Also, even if you ignore all other religions than the Big Three; Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, only one of them can be right. They all believe in the same God, but for 2/3's of the people to be relegated to hell because they picked the wrong one just seems pretty harsh from a supposedly all-loving God.
I subscribe to the idea of Paschal's Wager: that you don't lose anything by trying to be a good person, and maybe believing in God. You could also win big, by getting to heaven, and more importantly, avoiding hell. Or, if there is no God, no harm no foul. You cease to exist when you die. However, if you don't believe in any form of God and actively live your life that way, but there IS a God, you go to hell, which as Elaine said on Seinfeld, "It's the worst place in the world! With devils and the caves, and the ragged clothing!" That is a pretty safe wager in my eyes.
Just for full disclosure, I was raised Catholic, but was never confirmed. I have always thought, why does some asshole from 1500 years ago tell me that I can't go out and get some good poontang whenever I want? That this religion is right, but all the others aren't, and that everyone else goes to hell? That I have to suppress all of my urges and desires in order to be holy? I am of the opinion that God wants us to enjoy life. That's the meaning of life. Have a good time, don't hurt anyone, don't kill anyone else's buzz. The whole "Golden Rule" thing is the real main point of the Bible, not that some pig-fucker from centuries before Jesus said that God told him homosexuality is an "abomination." Who is that guy to say that? Also, I went to Catholic school for 10 years. I went to church every Sunday from the time I can first remember. I have to say I really like Catholocism because they seem to get the Gospels more than some of the other Christian religions. It is all about being humble. About not going to a streetcorner and screaming that you are praying, and will be saved. The gospels say to hide in a closet when praying. To comb your hair, wash your face, and go about your business if something bad happens.
Also, a lot of Christianity in general ignores that the only times Jesus gets pissed is when it comes down to hypocricy. The Pharisees, the Sadducees. The ones who use their knowledge to lead people down the wrong path. One of the things that comforts me if there is a God is that He will hold a special place in hell for people like Tom deLay, Bill Bennet, Pat Robertson, and maybe even George W. Bush. The people who profess to be Christians, but are some of the most mean-spirited people out there. People who believe that they have a special line to God, and don't even try to understand other people's spirituality. Tom deLay is the speaker of the House. He says that he wants to promote a Biblical worldview, and suppports Israel because he believes that we are setting up the way to the Rapture. The Apocalypse. This dumbass actually wants that to happen. He wants the world to end, so that all of those who are saved just magicaly bounce up to heaven, and the Jews magically convert, and everyone else goes through hell on earth.
People who do not understand that God was holding open the gates of heaven for the meek, the poor in spirit, the compassionate, the humble are making a huge mistake. Too many Christians focus on the vaste wasteland of the Old Testament. The fire and brimstone, Ten Commandments, God smoting people-side of the Bible. They are so focused with finding little positions that justify judging people, they ignore the real meaning of the Bible, the words of Jesus. The Beatitudes, the Golden Rule, the "cast not the first stone, lest ye be free of sin" speech. Jesus didn't say all that much in the gospels. But the stuff he did say was fucking gold. And he also says, (somewhere, don't know chapter and verse, this is also paraphrased) that He came to earth to destroy the old laws, to break down the old shit, and form a new covenent. I don't understand why Christians don't realize that although the rest of the Bible has some good stuff here and there, the gospels are the only part that really matter. It is the place where the Messiah came to earth, and someone put his message down on paper, which is simply "Don't be a dick." Simple and to the point. Revelations, the Epistles, and the Old Testament are junk, and I believe that if you believe all of the crap that doesn't make sense in all of them, you will not only be confused, you may live a life that is completely un-Christian.
Well, all of this leads to this here. There has been a ton of play on the polling about who killed Jesus. I will go into more detail about the stupidity of polling later. Who cares what people think? Shouldn't it all be about who is right? So are these 24% of Americans right, or ridiculous? The spin I've been seeing in these poll writeups is that these people are wrong, and the "good" Americans don't believe the Jews killed Jesus. Ok, who did though? It didn't just happen. I haven't seen the Passion , and I don't much like Mel Gibson, and don't want to defend him. The South Park episode this week was awesome. But, from what I've been reading it seems that he did follow the gospels. Is the commercial media saying that the gospels are anti-semitic and full of it?
Ok this poll analysist is getting a little scared because of the rise of people believing that the Jews killed Jesus. All of the analysis I've seen imply that this is simply untrue, and a bad thing. Ok, so who did kill Jesus? The Romans obviously, but why? Judas? Caiaphas? The pharisees? The Jews who had the opportunity to let him go? Well they didn't. I just hate this political correctness. I've learned that the Jews and Romans killed Jesus. Sorry to say it, it's not popular. But who did if they didn't? Was Jesus just passively killed? "and Jesus was killed, and he decended to dead, and he rose again on the third day."
Very passive voice. Caiaphas, Judas and the Phariseess planned to kill the guy. The Romans carried it out, but supposedly the people of Jerusalem had a chance to let him go. Jesus wasn't just killed. Ok, I promise to revisit this topic, and soon. I also have to talk about Fallujah. This may be the turning point. The fulcrum. The possibility of severe escalation, to a real war, not an insurgency. To move this war to a new level (very very scary thought.) Well, Fallujah and Religion are what you have to look forward to. Also the uselessness of polls in American media. Who cares who is right or wrong, but 63% of Americans believe this or that, and that is the real story, right? Exciting, huh? Will return to this soon.
Thursday, April 01, 2004
"Zork, What is Zork?" "I didn't say Zork. The Point is, the Camera Loves Him."
OK, you see what I was talking about the importance of political ads compared to on the ground organizing? We might be screwed here guys. To all of you Democrats obsessed with electibility, great job. John Kerry is a very weak candidate. He just doesn't have that whatever it is that people want in a president. That sparkle. I think that the comparisons to Dukakis are applicable, but I think an even better example might be Walter Mondale. In the interests of full disclosure, I was three at the time he was running for president. I didn't follow the election that closely. However, I did watch with much interest the way he singlehandedly destroyed any chance to salvage the horrible tragedy of Paul Wellstone's death in 2002. I've talked to a lot of people from Minnesota in my political organizing days so far. They've all said how great a guy Mondale is, and all the good things that he has done for progressive causes and the people of Minnesota. Yeah, but he was a giant dick in the debates against Norm Coleman. It was amazing how out of touch, and just plain mean he seemed after such a tragedy. If he had simply said that he was committed to continuing Paul Wellstone's legacy, and that he didn't want to make this a partisan election, he would have cleaned house. Al Franken is right though, a lot of the problem was caused by the media portrayal of the Wellstone memorial and the spin from Republicans. But, you can't ignore the fact that Mondale was simply an unlikeable, crotchety old jerk.
Obviously the Bush administration is disintegrating. But I am afraid that if Kerry is the only other real choice voters have, we may see Bush put back into the White House. I like a lot of what Nader is saying again, but again, you can't do anything with his visible lack of charisma and ability to seem like a normal human being. I think that moderates really need to start thinking about a serious draft movement for another Independent candidate in this presidential race before it is too late. What do we do if Kerry manages to turn off so many potential voters that he is down 10 or 15 points a week or two before the election? A very scary but altogether plausible possibility. We need another choice. Again, my suggestions are Gary Johnson, former Governor of New Mexico, and Jim Jeffords, senator from Vermont. Hell, I'd like to see Trent Lott run. Do a complete slash and burn on the Republican party that sold him down the river. I don't like the guy, but I'll even admit he got a raw deal for one stupid comment (although the past history of racism doesn't help). Or here's the real Real Deal. John McCain. If he jumped into the race he could possibly win in a landslide. He'd at least shake up the landscape enough to truly make this a substantive race. Or hey, Joe. What about Joe Lieberman. I'm wondering when someone will have enough guts to take this chance. What have you got to lose?
