So it has all come down to this, eh? — Foley. Even if he results in the straw that broke the camel’s back, it will be a sad day for American politics. It would clearly be more important if voters concluded that the most recent soldier to die was sufficient grounds to turn a vote around. In face of the prevailing issues — not self styled media issues — like a second look at the Patriot Act, the incompetence of Iraqi generals and the department of defense, the huge national debt, foreign tra...
For those who pulled the lever for, or clicked on, Bush, I am not in the position to lord over them and say they were wrong, yet it does appear that they were misled. For those who hang on and announce the DOW is up and oil is down, I ask for how long after the elections? Regardless, the DOW is infamous for its manipulation — no dividends, no capital gains — and the DOW is only a small percentage of the broader market. Moreover, gasoline down does help the consumer to face the inevitable ri...
From The Right Joe Scarborough asked his viewers if Bush isan Idiot. So what if he is? I drink beer with idiots on Saturday night, and everyone knows that Bush is the kind of guy I want to have a beer with. Rumsfeld is a great secretary of defense. After all, the troop body count is minuscule contrasted to Vietnam. Bush deserves praise for urging a “swift” trial of some of the most dangerous Al Qaeda leaders. Most Republicans want illegal Mexican immigrants out of here...
According to Bush, bin Laden is equivalent to Hitler. Why, then, was the attack on Tora Bora taken lightly? By insisting on Rumsfeld’s resignation, the Democrats are cowardly using him as the fall guy for the chief culprits — Cheney and Bush. Conservatives cry out that the Democrats have no alternative strategy for Iraq. Why should a neighbor be expected to scoop the poop of the dog next door? Where was Lou Dobbs when Cuban exiles invaded Miami? What’s the other option for amnesty —...
The Bush administration repeatedly uses the refrain “cut and run.” This is only natural as it had cowardly cut and run in Afghanistan, and repeatedly used the same in Iraq — the cue was the banner “Mission Accomplished.” After May of ‘03, the outcome was “slam dunk” and the course of the war meandered in the simplistic confidence that the war was indeed over. When the harsh reality of insurgency ran rampant, it was too late to conjure up anything but pretentious bravado — “bring it on.” For Ro...
There was a time in the last century when parties grew in their thinking toward problem solving; voters were confident that politicians came to Washington to improve a nation, not to undermine it. Few politicians wanted to turn back the clock. Now the populace is led by vicious infighting and dishonest media to believe that the past seventy years of limited progressive heritage was a nightmare that must be effaced. In fact, we cannot really bring to question the decision to go to war a...
Bush’s strategy, despite folly in Iraq, stays course of “screw it.” Iran thinks it can run with the nuclear ball without wise coaching. Connecticut’s Shays fears Lieberman’s pro-war and shifts to Lamont. Rumsfeld’s irony equates war critics to the ‘30's right wing wimps. Home security is now the jurisdiction of Scotland Yard grit. Copyright © 2006 Richard R. Kennedy All rights reserved. Revised: Septemb...
Representative S. King of Iowa.“My wife lives here with me, and I can tell you … she’s at far greater risk being in Washington, D.C., than the average civilian in Iraq.” Bill O’Reilly said that if he were president of Iraq, he would run it “just like Saddam did.” And as President of Iraq, violation of curfew, he said, “You’re on the street” [after curfew] “you’re dead. … shot between the eyes.” Neal Cavuto on NSA surveillance: “Yes, it is not great to necessarily hear they’re collect...
The greater the punishment, the greater resistance and resentment. The amoral streak entrenched in all terrorists and thugs want collateral damage in order to rile civilians against the “aggressors,” particularly when an “invader” is opposed to victims’ beliefs and ways of life. It is wishful thinking that a “once and for all” form of punishment and then “leave us in peace” will soothe the savage beast when the degree stops short of total oppression and empire consummation on the part of Isr...
Aside from the obvious that there is no solution to the Wild Mideast and never will be, Israel continues to botch its national defense by always appearing as the aggressor by its continual destructive overreaction without any real results. Its three or four year span of parading its overwhelming military superiority, thanks to supplies from the US, in reaction to PLO suicide bombers was to no avail until they constructed a wall, along with the help of Arafat’s convenient death. Though Israel ga...
Modifying the First Amendment to save the flag from a handful of thugs is not worth the hassle; in fact modification would show weakness. One who burns or maliciously defaces the flag — and it better be his own personal property — in public does it at his own peril. As I said a while ago if one thinks he’s funny or damnably heretical, he is free to barbecue the flag that he himself has paid for as long as its on his own property, but not in someone else’s backyard. There are ordinances about ...
As long as abortion was illegal and secretive it was not an issue. When Roe took it out of the closet it was no longer a private issue because religion made it public and the decision made it politics. Abortion, not unlike homosexuality, was rarely thought of except for the subculture of midwives, hungry doctors and criminal entrepreneurs involved. In the light of day abortion prompted the self anointed religious and moral doomsayers out of the woodwork to pass judgment, rightly or wrongly...
Senator Santorum uncovers Iraqi “WMD.” Kerry’s timetable runs out of time. If there is premature withdrawal Cheney claims terrorists will follow to take the war to us. Global warming will no longer be a threat — when gasoline reaches ten dollars a gallon. Beware! Twenty year old mustard gas can still give you a hot foot. Connie Chung is the next American Idol. Except for the Iraqis right to kick us out, only General Casey can draw down troops; Congress can’t. http://st...
Perhaps the most divisive issue among Democrats is Iraq and its withdrawal. This is understandable for two essential reasons. Out of deference to our troops there and most particularly those who died and the seriously wounded from the conflict. As Kerry said many years ago, “How do you ask the next man to die for a mistake?” No one wants to be in this position of confessing to a catastrophic foreign policy — the haunting echoes of Vietnam. The other agony is that what other catastrophe might eve...
The symbolic gesture of thumbs down on a timetable for Iraqi withdrawal is logically consistent with Congress’ vote only the other day to appropriate almost another $100 billion for the war effort. If this rejection didn’t mean further sacrifice of our troops it would be comical that such things persist as staying the course, taking the war on terrorism off shore — which I suspect means substituting Iraqi civilian casualties for our own — or paving the way for democracy in the Middle East. The d...