Yesterday Republican Representative Duke Cunningham (San Diego) admitted that he's a war profiteer who engaged in bribery, fraud, and tax evasion -- profiting from the war in Iraq. Classy, eh?
Republican Scooter Libby, the vice president's chief of staff, has been indicted by a grand jury for treason.
Republican Tom DeLay, former majority leader of the House of Representatives has been arrested after a Texas grand jury indicted him.
Republican Senator Bill Frist, still the majority leader in the Senate, is under investigation on civil and criminal charges.
White House chief of staff Karl Rove is still under investigtaion for treason.
Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff is probably going to be charged with several ethics violations now that Michael Scanlon, a former aide to Tom DeLay (see above) has admitted to crimimal acts.
"Ethical Repubican"? What a fucking oxymoron!
29 November 2005
21 November 2005
Absurdities & Atrocities
On The Writer's Almanac today, Garrison Keillor quoted François-Marie Arouet (aka "Voltaire") who said, "People who believe in absurdities will eventually commit atrocities."
"George Bush!" was my first thought. And I found myself wishing that John Kerry had quoted Voltaire during the election. Oh, sure, that would be good. Quote a heathen Frog! That'd go over well, wouldn't it! But several of Voltaire's statements are so appropriate to today's United States:
Voltaire also said, "An ideal form of government is democracy tempered with assassination," but I would abhor that if for no reason other than it would leave the country in the hands of the vice president.
FBI, CIA, & Secret Service please note: I hereby expressly state that I do not support assassination of government leaders -- ours or anybody else's despite what that great man of God, Pat Robertson, says.
"George Bush!" was my first thought. And I found myself wishing that John Kerry had quoted Voltaire during the election. Oh, sure, that would be good. Quote a heathen Frog! That'd go over well, wouldn't it! But several of Voltaire's statements are so appropriate to today's United States:
- "All murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets."
- "As long as people believe in absurdities they will continue to commit atrocities." (A variant of what Keillor quoted.)
- "Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd."
- "It is lamentable, that to be a good patriot one must become the enemy of the rest of mankind."
- "Tyrants have always some slight shade of virtue; they support the laws before destroying them."
Voltaire also said, "An ideal form of government is democracy tempered with assassination," but I would abhor that if for no reason other than it would leave the country in the hands of the vice president.
FBI, CIA, & Secret Service please note: I hereby expressly state that I do not support assassination of government leaders -- ours or anybody else's despite what that great man of God, Pat Robertson, says.
20 November 2005
Am I asking for too much?
Dwight David Eisenhower issued a strong warning about the military-industrial complex. He was speaking from the perspective of seeing what government by big business did to Europe -- specifically Germany -- in the 1940s. With the Bush II administration, we have finally achieved government of, by, and for Halliburton.
Many Americans were terribly shocked when Eisenhower was caught in a big lie: He had flatly denied that the US was operating planes over the USSR only to have the Soviets produce not only the plane, but also the pilot in 1959.
The government can't always tell the truth. In time of war, deception is an important ally. The War Magician, a book I read many years ago, recounted some of the tricks a magician designed to help the Allies misdirect the Germans. Even during peacetime, the government can't tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
But the government can't always lie, either.
Bill Clinton lied about sex in the Oval Office, but was generally straight with the American people when it came to his political agenda. George Bush, on the other hand, has probably never told the American people a lie about his sex life, but has lied about, twisted, or spun nearly every point of public policy put forward by his administration.
I would be delighted for my country to once again be respected for its principles, but even a cursory examination of the world press and the current administration suggest that this will not happen in my lifetime.
Many Americans were terribly shocked when Eisenhower was caught in a big lie: He had flatly denied that the US was operating planes over the USSR only to have the Soviets produce not only the plane, but also the pilot in 1959.
The government can't always tell the truth. In time of war, deception is an important ally. The War Magician, a book I read many years ago, recounted some of the tricks a magician designed to help the Allies misdirect the Germans. Even during peacetime, the government can't tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
But the government can't always lie, either.
Bill Clinton lied about sex in the Oval Office, but was generally straight with the American people when it came to his political agenda. George Bush, on the other hand, has probably never told the American people a lie about his sex life, but has lied about, twisted, or spun nearly every point of public policy put forward by his administration.
I would be delighted for my country to once again be respected for its principles, but even a cursory examination of the world press and the current administration suggest that this will not happen in my lifetime.
15 November 2005
A disturbing thought
Yesterday I ran across a quotation from Herman Goering following the end of World War II. During the time he was at Nuremburg for his war crimes trial, Goering commented on the ease with which the Nazis were able to convince Germans that the war was just.
“Of course the people don’t want war,” Goering said. “But after all, it’s the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it’s always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it’s a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger.”
You won't find these words in the transcript of the trial at which Goering was found guilty of war crimes and sentenced to death. He did not speak them when he was on the witness stand. But he did speak them. Goering’s comments were made privately to Gustave Gilbert, a German-speaking intelligence officer and psychologist who was granted free access by the Allies to all the prisoners held in the Nuremberg jail. Gilbert kept a journal of his observations of the proceedings and his conversations with the prisoners, which he later published in the book Nuremberg Diary. The quote offered above was part of a conversation Gilbert held with a dejected Hermann Goering in his cell on the evening of 18 April 1946, as the trials were halted for a three-day Easter recess.
(Source: http://www.snopes.com/quotes/goering.htm)
Is it possible that the United States will be considerd to be guilty of war crimes because of the war in Iraq? If so, will George Bush, Richard Cheney, et al., be tried for their behavior?
For many decades we’ve said “It can’t happen here!” How sure are we?
The graphic shown above is available as a mouse pad or a wall poster at: http://www.cafepress.com/bushremover/417451
“Of course the people don’t want war,” Goering said. “But after all, it’s the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it’s always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it’s a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger.”
You won't find these words in the transcript of the trial at which Goering was found guilty of war crimes and sentenced to death. He did not speak them when he was on the witness stand. But he did speak them. Goering’s comments were made privately to Gustave Gilbert, a German-speaking intelligence officer and psychologist who was granted free access by the Allies to all the prisoners held in the Nuremberg jail. Gilbert kept a journal of his observations of the proceedings and his conversations with the prisoners, which he later published in the book Nuremberg Diary. The quote offered above was part of a conversation Gilbert held with a dejected Hermann Goering in his cell on the evening of 18 April 1946, as the trials were halted for a three-day Easter recess.
(Source: http://www.snopes.com/quotes/goering.htm)
Is it possible that the United States will be considerd to be guilty of war crimes because of the war in Iraq? If so, will George Bush, Richard Cheney, et al., be tried for their behavior?
For many decades we’ve said “It can’t happen here!” How sure are we?
The graphic shown above is available as a mouse pad or a wall poster at: http://www.cafepress.com/bushremover/417451
11 November 2005
05 November 2005
Remember Teapot Dome?
An open letter to George W. Bush:
Mister President, I know you're not much of a student of history. That much is clear from your foreign policy. But I wanted to call to your attention an event that came to light early in the 20th Century. That's the 1900s, Mister Bush. The century number is always one higher than the first two digits of the year (excepting the years ending in 00, of course.) I point that out because you clearly weren't much of a math student, either. Just look at the budget!
But I'm writing today about history. Because of what came to be known as the Teapot Dome Scandal, the Warren Harding administration earned the reputation as the most corrupt administration in the history of the country. That record has held up pretty well over the years. Lyndon Johnson challenged Harding with the bogus Tonkin Gulf Incident, Richard Nixon nearly claimed the prize with Watergate and the follow-up stonewalling, and Ronald Reagan's Iran-Contra deals certainly made him a contender.
Compared to you, sir, they're all pikers.
It's really clever of you to be elected on a platform of compassion and ethics and then to stand both compassion and ethics on their heads.
Teapot Dome was largely about oil and ethics. Your administration is all about oil and ethics. Some of the members of Warren Harding's administration learned that being federal officials didn't mean that they were above the law. They paid large fines and a few of Harding's Ohio Gang went to prison. It's beginning to appear that some of your little Texas gang of thugs and thieves could end up there, too.
You really should have paid attention in school, Mister Bush. You would have learned that people in high places can get away with crimes for a long time, but eventually they bring themselves down.
Do you think that you and Mister Cheney will have adjoining cells?
Mister President, I know you're not much of a student of history. That much is clear from your foreign policy. But I wanted to call to your attention an event that came to light early in the 20th Century. That's the 1900s, Mister Bush. The century number is always one higher than the first two digits of the year (excepting the years ending in 00, of course.) I point that out because you clearly weren't much of a math student, either. Just look at the budget!
But I'm writing today about history. Because of what came to be known as the Teapot Dome Scandal, the Warren Harding administration earned the reputation as the most corrupt administration in the history of the country. That record has held up pretty well over the years. Lyndon Johnson challenged Harding with the bogus Tonkin Gulf Incident, Richard Nixon nearly claimed the prize with Watergate and the follow-up stonewalling, and Ronald Reagan's Iran-Contra deals certainly made him a contender.
Compared to you, sir, they're all pikers.
It's really clever of you to be elected on a platform of compassion and ethics and then to stand both compassion and ethics on their heads.
Teapot Dome was largely about oil and ethics. Your administration is all about oil and ethics. Some of the members of Warren Harding's administration learned that being federal officials didn't mean that they were above the law. They paid large fines and a few of Harding's Ohio Gang went to prison. It's beginning to appear that some of your little Texas gang of thugs and thieves could end up there, too.
You really should have paid attention in school, Mister Bush. You would have learned that people in high places can get away with crimes for a long time, but eventually they bring themselves down.
Do you think that you and Mister Cheney will have adjoining cells?
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