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Saturday, Nov 7, 2009
behindthecurtain
Published Letters: 371
Glen, commendable, spot on analysis of the real issues. "If you were running a large financial services corporation whose failure would jeopardize many other companies,..." Herein, it seems you're pointing to my thesis that it's the allowing ever-enlarging Citicorps, AIG's, snowballs. They simply become too large and powerful to fail and would surely take the world's economy down with them as their enablers (lobyists and Congress) meant it to be.
Glenn, As much as we all acknowledge the great deficit of knowledge and experience that Palin enjoys as evidenced by too-few recent interviews and well-demonstrated as mayor and governor- she did "string together a complete sentence or opine on the simplest of matters...", much to every one's surprise. That's not to say that successfully cramming for a debate performance and pulling it off without major gaffe is any indicator of future, prerequisite skill for leading the world nor portrays a model of integrity. Notwithstanding the invocation of America's hockey moms, 6-pack Joes and "say it ain't so's", she ain't ready for primetime for to any demographic.
"I’m disappointed I guess that perhaps the default response for some is to assume the worst. I’m trying to communicate to you that the people who are doing this, okay, go shopping in Glen Burnie and their kids play soccer in Laurel, and they know the law. They know American privacy better than the average American, and they’re dedicated to it. So I guess the message I’d ask you to take back to your communities is the same one I take back to mine. This is focused. It’s targeted. It’s very carefully done. You shouldn’t worry."
"That was the attitude of the political and media establishment for years — our Government Leaders are Good and want only what is Good for us, and need not have their powers questioned, checked, or limited. These are just the revelations of two low-level independent whistle-blowers. Just contemplate what we learn — years or decades from now — the Bush administration was doing as we collectively decided that they could seize and exercise powers, even illegally, and exercise it without limits."
These excerpts sum up the mind-think behind these surveillance initiatives. Gather enormous files on anyone so the world knows that we can and do- always buttressed because our security is the end all. We are assured that the surveillance state is always benign. It has no political motivation, would never use this massive power to undermine campaigns/elections nor threaten our very democracy.
Glen has demonstrated for years manifold evidence- why Congress must be held accountable. However, the old and new guard have already been compromised. We can only hope next year's new members find a soul and realize they are owned by the new corporate government of the Paulsen's and Folds of Wall Street. I wish our government was not owned by these $14.5 million home, money-venturing schemers.
Anyone notice the repugs continually appeal to their audience for more and more allegiance to the military culture of war = patriotism? Whether one is inclined to regard with hushed reverence anything like "we honor your service", we for whom recent wars are seen as imperialistic, profitable agendas in the extreme will not be moved by such rhetoric. There are some Americans who would rather think with their higher brains and not baser, violent instincts to accomplish a more justice- oriented society.
To fully appreciate the values of McCain and Palin, don't you see? We love God, guns, maybe gays and our children. However we must battle the unspoiled wilderness with snowmobiles, autoweapons and helicopters to tame the mother wolves and puppies. Our morals are Protestant originated and allow massive disconnect on subjects of WWJD. Lying in campaigns is always justified if God has chosen you to run.
Think of the many examples since 9-11, when corporate media rejected or altered, material, in a deliberate affront to other voices who dared object to war for profit, torture, pleas for accountability and on and on. Each time one feels sickeningly deprived of their earnest plea to be heard above the avalanche of propaganda.
Call me economically, proficiently uneducated, but why couldn't we have as some experts suggested (like Roubini-sp?)invest this expenditure into infrastructure/green collar development/job creation. What greater benefit to our economy- energy independence with job creation and education/skills as a side effect. I fear too-large a portion will pilfer away never to be recovered or traced. After all, look how banks operate. They scrape off the topsoil and leave the customer with only clay and pebble.
-- casual_observer- Thanks for the site. If indeed, it was ground zero in the economic crisis, the foresight of May, 08 is meaningful.
Is the country incontrovertibly conservative where conservatives think it matters? Fiscally, they are reevaluating their staid arguments on free markets as we speak.
Of course, the religious right will continue to exert their moral values/social agenda on all of us whenever they get in prime control.
The innate appeal that far-right authoritarian psychosis has for half the population scares the heck out of me.
I can imagine what it must feel like to a winger. Here's a biracial, young, highly educated, culturaly diverse, thoughtful/reflective choice of up to 52% or more people to assume the most powerful position in the world and they're scared. Ghast, he's a "liberal communist, socialistic, Marxist terrorist sympathizers. We are doomed. This is is the age of Drudge- facts and reality are what they post.
The followers of Dobson's god are thinking civilization as we know it will be lost when he's elected (not selected as previously)
...and the free thinkers of our culture will win the battle over the god-ordained moralists.
It's their worst nightmare. A wounded, cornered beast is about to be unleashed.
Much of the initial coverage about Fort Hood turned out to be wrong. Is there anything wrong with that?
The accountability imposed by another country for the CIA's kidnapping and torture reveals much about our own.
Fox News' morning show plays to type, talking about whether Muslims in the Army should face "special debriefings"
The Maine fight was supposed to be the dress rehearsal for repealing California's Prop. 8 -- but gay marriage lost
Once one obtains Seriousness credentials in the Washington media, they are irrevocable no matter one's conduct.
Salon headlines in your mailbox
