Letters to the Editor
cwnidog
Published Letters: 397 Editor's Choice: 48
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MG
[Read the article: Let them eat cake (or a Yule log or cookies shaped like Barney)]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Is this too fancy and too nice, therefore unfair that everyone in the universe can't also partake, or too redneck and not classy enough, therefore should be even more upscale so as not to tarnish the reputation of the white house?
The problem is that the meal is conspicuous consumption done so poorly. The chicken fried tenderloin, for instance. I mean, they've killed the steer (no doubt Angus), why do they feel the need to insult it? I think that what people are asking for is a display of restraint and good taste; neither of which is on display in this menu, which is a prime example of wretched excess. The one saving grace is that it might be a composite menu of what will be served at several different banquets.
Nobody is asking for the Bushes to serve stale bread and foetid water to guests dressed in sackcloth and ashes. They are supposed to be doing this mostly for business purposes and represent us as a nation (yeah, I know). I'd just as soon not look like the meal was catered by Savanarola.
But the one unforgivable thing is stuffed turkey breasts. If there's no dark meat, I'm afraid that'll I'll have to decline to attend.
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The Land of Make-Believe
[Read the article: If Bush isn't "troubled," shouldn't the rest of us be?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]A pretend network sends a pretend journalist to do a pretend interview of a pretend president about a real-life war. Why are we surprised that the answers reflect some pretend reality?
Ignorant, misleading or just not capable? That headline didn't just describe Maliki. Junior, being somewhat empathy-challenged, has no real stake in his war, so of course everything is just ducky. Or maybe he believes in sympathetic magic?
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"New Eyes" - Same "Decider"
[Read the article: Gates: A "clarification" on Iraq]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I've been listening to the hearings on NPR and am constantly hearing the phrase "new eyes". How does anyone think that "new eyes" are going to help when the Decider is using the same old brain?
Gates' opinion that we are not winning, even without that "we're not losing, either" clarification is really pretty irrelevant, as long as Junior's the "Decider". It doesn't matter how good the input data is, if the algorithm used to process it is out to lunch.
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Just a Few More
[Read the article: "There is no magic formula"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]That approach got a small bipartisan boost Tuesday when Rep. Silvestre Reyes, an early war opponent and the incoming Democratic chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said he likes the idea of sending 20,000 or 30,000 more U.S. troops to Iraq in order to "take out the militias and stabilize Iraq."
An unpopular war which has stalled, a claim that just a few more troops are all that's needed to take care of the problem and get us back on track and they can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Sound familiar?
It seems that government, like gamblers who get behind the odds, always think that another roll of the dice, turn of the wheel, or hand of cards will let them get even. Those are the guys that you see trying to walk back to LA for Las Vegas having pawned everything to finance "just a few more".
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He'll Twist and Turn
[Read the article: Will Bush listen to reason?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I don't believe that Junior will listen to reason, why would he start now? I'm not being ironic, I don't believe he is temperamentally capable of changing his actions based on the advice of others. He has said that he would keep on even if only Laura and Barney were with him. He doesn't know how to let go of this tiger without appearing to be what he would consider weak and he'll only grab its tail all the more tightly. I honestly believe we have a man who is so deep into an inferiority complex (thanks, Mom!) that he only way he can look at himself in the mirror is to construct a self-myth of the strong, far-seeing leader who is beset by a cowardly public. He'll show us!
What I think he will most likely do is have the White House staff work at contorting the 79 recommendations until they find an interpretation that meets his plans, or more accurately whims - as we all know that there's nothing about post-war Iraq that's been planned. Then he'll go right on ahead and do what he damn well pleases, claiming that it's what the ISG recommended.
Sonny is not a person to bend. He will truly cut of our noses to spite his face (you don't think he'd cut off his own, do you?). To do otherwise would be to admit that he made a mistake, which is far worse than mere defeat.
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The Congress in a Nutshell
[Read the article: Shimkus: I kept Foley e-mails secret because of the Democrats]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Gee, kinda says it all, doesn't it.
I was going to say "Republicans" instead of "Congress", but you know, I'm not sure that a Dem would act any differently in the same position. Sad state of affairs, ain't it?
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I Imagine ...
[Read the article: Snow: Bush will bring us together on Iraq]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]that the "listening" will continue until 12:00 noon on 20 January, 2009. Until then, expect more of the same.
The nice things about data gathering are that it never needs to end and you don't need to change anything while "the jury's out".
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Dem Senators and Republican Governors
[Read the article: South Dakota senator suffers apparent stroke]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Until January, Massachusetts has two Democrats in the Senate, Kerry and Kennedy, and a Republican governor, Romney.
The state (well Commonwealth, actually) has had Republican governors for the last 16 years. Happily they fixed that last month by rejecting a Republican non-entity.
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It's Not Like We're Putting the Cart Before the Horse Much
[Read the article: Johnson in critical condition after brain surgery]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]With all the breathless coverage about who would get to replace Sen. Johnson in case his seat becomes vacant here at Salon and in other media, did anybody think that the guy might have the poor taste to actually recover? In fact, from what I am given to understand about his condition (I'm not an MD and don't even play one on TV), recovery is very likely to be quite quick, provided the problem was caught before major damage occurred, which appears to be the case here. All of which is a good thing.
Now, it's my turn for idle speculation; according to the SD Secretary of State, the governor would get to name a replacement to serve until the next general election. He's not obligated to choose from either party.