Letters to the Editor
Ijon Tichy
Published Letters: 452 Editor's Choice: 69
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Oh, the irony of it all.
[Read the article: South Dakota senator suffers apparent stroke]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]First I wish Senator Johnson a speedy and full recovery for himself and his family. If only for that, I hope every fellow liberal is currently sacrificing goats and praying before false idols, or whatever we liberals worship, for his health.
That being said, consider for a moment that, assuming S.D. law is like many state laws including South Carolina, where a senator can be a walking corpse or comatose and still serve in the senate. Now assume for the sake of argument that Sen. Johnson falls into a "persistent vegetative state." Yeah, like THAT persistent vegetative state; too incapacitated to recover or resign, and his guardian won't resign for him. Now imagine the GOP suing to remove his feeding tube, while the Dems fighting to keep it in; even hiring Dr. Frist to give a diagnosis from his home in Tennessee.
I hope Sen. Johnson is up and about next week, but that scenario would be even more crazy than Kenny needing to die to save heaven from Satan's army.
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I think S.D. requires a special election
[Read the article: Johnson in critical condition after brain surgery]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]If I recall, the last time S.D. lost a Senator due to death (Burdick) in the 80's the Governor called a special election to fill the seat. The Gov could appoint a GOP Senator, who could end up losing to a Dem challenger in the special election.
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Never mind prior post
[Read the article: Johnson in critical condition after brain surgery]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]S.D. law does require a special election, but to be held during the general election; 2008.
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Why We Wait
[Read the article: The waiting game]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]To paraphrase a title of propaganda films made during World War II.
The answer may be obvious. This is an administration built on style over substance, on creating an illusory reality to hide from or dismiss a reality that doesn't serve their interests. In the almost six years these reprobates have been in charge I cannot think of a single action taken that wasn't little more than a thin veneer of happy talk tacked over the hard wood of self serving reality. Tax cuts to help the economy and average American? Healthy forests? Clear Skies? Stem cell research on baby stem cells already cast into limbo, but not on potentially baptized in the blood of Jesus future stem cell babies? All hat no cattle. If there is anything in the history of Bush or this administration that would argue for a speech that would be a realistic approach to a clear and present problem, I would love to hear it.
That being said. Any empty platitidinous speech given less than two weeks before Christmas might has well be taped during a Barney Christmas cam sequel for all the impact it would have. At worst, the media would dismiss it as more ambiguous rhetoric, at best it would be forgotten with the next holiday commercial.
Besides, Dubya doesn't make speeches to further policy, but to stifle dissent. This is Rovian speak, bourne of rightwingnutradio rant. Limbaugh doesn't carry water for the right; he passes water on the heads of the left, particulary Democrats.
Dubya announced his intention to give a "great leader speech" on Iraq solely to blunt the ISG report and to undercut the Dem's November momentum. It wasn't the substance of the speech that mattered, but the fact there was some "great speech" about a "New Way Forward" to come that mattered. The next goal isn't what the speech will contain, but how to make it in a way to most effectively kill dissent and delay the inevitable.
Everyone knows what already needs to be known. Our military force is too small or irrelevant to effect change and no one is sending the half a million troops necessary to even make a dent. That leaves withdrawel out of the country or to bases and let the Iraqis, with interference or support from neighboring countries to either devolve into more violent civil war, break apart, or form a group hug and invite in the Swedish UN peacekeepers.
Bush/Rove know that once the new Congress is done swearing itself in, it's going to hold hearings, make pronouncements and generally decide how or how not to prosecute and finance this fiasco we call a war. The goal now is to make a speech just as people are turning on their TVs to see what the Dems are going to do, only to hear Dubya say "I have a plan." It doesn't matter that the plan is so vague as to be incomprehensible. What matters is the propaganda push by the rightwingmedia afterwards.
It will go like this: Title: "All We are Saying, Is Give the Plan a Chance" Talking points: "This is so typical of the Defeatocrats. They want to cut and run without giving the president's plan a chance. We've been fighting there Islamofascists/terro/pinko/Quaida baddies for three years and victory is just around the corner. But not if we listen to the Defeatocrats, BECAUSE THEY WON'T GIVE THE PRESIDENT'S "NEW WAY FORWARD" PLAN A CHANCE.
The rest is predictable. Too many have died to quit now, the fight against terror is not a quick or easy victory, it takes time. If we don't finish the battle there, we'll be fighting it hear, blah, blah, blah. What will be different is that Bush will sell us old empty rhetoric dressed up as a "New Way Forward" complete with highgloss lipstick on its snout and any Congressional initiative will be blunted by the demand we "give him a chance." (all we are saaaaayyyyinnnggg...).
Then, in the length of a Friedman. Rove will think of something else. That is if he hasn't resigned to spend more time with his family or to defend himself from those pesky indictments.