Letters to the Editor
Published Letters: 249 Editor's Choice: 14
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no to de-funding, lets govern first
[Read the article: The party's over]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I'm afraid I take a longer view on this. De-funding now, in the opening days of this Congress would be self-defeating. I have been saying for five years that this step will, eventually, be necessary, but not now.
It is Bush's mess. Hold his feet to the fire. Use the new sane majority and diligent oversight to get a concrete time-table, list of goals, etc out of the Pentagon. Put that in the record. Fund the conflict thru legislation that has these triggers built in, and then hold the current occupant accountable for that. In 6-9 months, when the situation has deteriorated even further, we can, with complete confidence and credibility, de-fund the war and impeach his puniness.
The problem with escalation at this point is that it leads to de-funding the military, which implies Congress essentially giving the boot to the President, which, Constitutionally, requires impeachment. That is a step, despite being so well deserved, which we, as a Nation, are not yet ready for. We need at least 4-6 months of oversight hearings and investigations to drag all the skeletons out of the closet and let things air out a bit.
De-funding the military will also cause harm to the armed forces. They will need time to plan for that, to minimize and manage affairs so they can recovery readiness quickly.
I AM in agreement with hard-ball tactics against the GOP hangers-on still left in Washington. Punish the Cheney collective but reward those with spine enough to actually govern.
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this is a joke, right?
[Read the article: My niece leased a Hummer!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]It sounds suspiciously close to some sort of independent film/video documentary...like "the house of the Hummer."
Seriously, start shooting video. Be all enlightened and sanguine--saying stuff like "our values are different, but who's to say which ones are better" and crap like that. After they get used to the camera rolling, get in there for some juicy stuff as the post-peak-oil thing hits, their marriage tanks and the house gets foreclosed. Humor can be theraputic.
James Howard Cunstler would pay $$$ for that (http://jameshowardkunstler.typepad.com/clusterfuck_nation/)
Or don't. Try to enjoy.
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keep it up Mr. Blumenthal, Salon
[Read the article: Shuttle without diplomacy]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]This is good analysis--tells a good story.
Is it true? Yes, I believe so--it draws together facts and motive to weave together the fabric of these poor people in a way that is utterly plausible. This contrasts so starkly with the hollow darkness that passes for journalism these days that one is drawn to it--it shows a human side to the selfish delusion and fear.
Do I pity them? Not until they hang flayed and naked from a rope with cell phones stuck up their backsides--like Saddam, only worse. How about what they did to Mussolini? That might be adequate.
And condi can be dressed as a bride, in black, and given dead thorny flowers to throw on the smoking corpses. And, if she manages to shed a single tear, we can let her live, and have her wander the country in bare feet, dressed in black, as a living testament to the limits and bankruptcy of deceit.
Thanks again Salon. Bravo Zulu! Digby did well in linking to this.
JCH--peal works for me. As in "the peal of swine led to slaughter..."
And the tie back to the Iran/Contra is choice. Sometimes things do come full circle. It is comforting, in a way, to know that.
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how about NeoFascist?
[Read the article: On to Iran?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Fascist--there are some appropriate uses for term--although it should never be used casually. By the strictest definition, it is the subjugation of all citizens, corporations and other institutions to the will/interest of the State. Their appropriation of terms like "unitary Executive" are illustrative. Pol Pot would be a good example--Cheney seems to have studied him quite well.
They shame and shred the Constitution everytime they open their mouths.
Let's get some oversight on Cheney please--we need to drag his crap out in the open, and let it air out a little. At that point, we may see a path forward, methinks.
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three cornered animals
[Read the article: State of indifference]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Mega-ditto's Mr. B.
I'd like to point out that we have three cornered animals we have to deal with. One, currant occupant at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, needs to be euthanized post-haste, the second, fascist Cheney, needs to be tried; but the third, the GOP, needs to start a twelve step program RFN.
Yes, Ms. Pelosi's house is in order. Yes, we will have a Democrat for president in 08. And we will continue to lack an effective party in opposition. We need this for our country to run, or should I say, not run amok.
Will the GOP please step up to the plate, like, tonight. Face the music and start down the long road to regaining credibility. Power vacuume's create instability, and breed irrational behavior (e.g. the election of Regan, etc.).
I also request that the big-red reset button on the "press" be hit. The fact that Mr. B's voice is so much alone in the media, but so resonant amoung the citizens who read him speaks volumes to the complete lack of integrity or brains in that sorded industry. Any "analyst" or pundidiot who supported the war needs to eat crow, preferably while they collect unemployment. Any "reporter" who pretends IraqNam is a "partisan" issue needs to have their face stapled shut for a while. And how the heck did Cheney/Dumbsfeld get elevated to their positions? Somebody please explain how repeated failure and arrogance could produce this?
Oh, and while I'm asking, how about a big dose of campaign finance reform to prevent turds like this from being dragged out of the sewer in the first place.
Thanks for the fresh air--it's nice not to have to connect all the dots by myself for a change.