Letters to the Editor
TokyoTom
Published Letters: 11
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Don`t forget Rathergate, CNN-Operation Tailwind and the CIA/Contra/crack stories
[Read the article: Response from ABC News re: the Saddam-anthrax reports]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Glenn, a useful contrast to the cases where the press should apologize but does not when it acts as a mouthpiece for liars in the administration and military are the cases where it actually does real reporting, but backs down under pressure from the establishment and cans the reporters involved.
The administration and military have both carrots and sticks available to entrap the media and don`t hesitate to use them, at the expense of truth and public understanding of what the government wants to keep in the dark. And the media has proven spineless and easily coopted.
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So what's your take on the "Freedom Pledge"?
[Read the article: Weekly Standard: Bush has "near dictatorial power"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Glenn, it's intriguing to me that you would run this criticism without mentioning the new group formed by conservatives Bruce Fein, Bob Barr, David Keene and Richard Viguerie for the express purpose of restoring limits to Presidential power and forcing Congress to reassert and exercise its own responsibilities - isn't this exactly your agenda? If so, why the radio silence?
More on the group and the play it's getting here:
http://www.americanfreedomagenda.org/about/freedompledge.htm
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/040407J.shtml
http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat?bid=1&pid=182529
http://liberalvaluesblog.com/?p=1376
Could it be you're only concerned about checking an "Imperial President" when it's Bush, but not if it's "President Hillary", "President Obama" or "President Edwards"?
Inquiring minds would like to know.
Sincerely,
TT
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Lucre - not merely an unwillingness to admit mistakes - underlies the Iraq war
[Read the article: Iraq: American public opinion vs. a "small but powerful group"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Glenn, you are absolutely right that there is a powerful core that wants to keep the Iraq war going.
But you fail to address why, other than to imply a pigheaded refusal to admit mistakes in judgment. Clearly that explanation alone is insufficient.
I suppose that there are any number of additional factors, ranging from legitimate policy differences to self-deception, but surely you can't ignore the elephant in the room: lucre for special interests and their handlers.
Wherever there is a government that controls tax dollars or can dole out provide other favors, there are special interests that are trying to manipulate government for their own advantage - and politicians and influence-peddlers trying to get a piece of whatever can be made available. In the case of the Iraq war, it is very easy to see the pervasive affects of these corrupting influences.
While there may be a "small but powerful group" trying to control Administration policy, they are just the tip of the iceberg of the special interests involved - and a trillion dollars or so certainly draws them out. A couple of recent commentary pieces are indicative, I think, of the overall problem:
http://www.portfolio.com/news-markets/international-news/portfolio/2007/03/29/Weapons-of-Mass-Production
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/column.aspx?UrlTitle=wolfies_bank&ns=PatrickJBuchanan&dt=04/17/2007&page=2
Special interests always wish to manipulate government for their own purposes. Their efforts become easier the farther removed those making decisions about the use of government are from public scrutiny (secrecy, press etc), the bigger government is, and the more control is concentrated in one party. Our tribal human nature makes us always susceptible to claims that we need ever MORE defense to deal with ever more threats, so the defense establishment is one area that has continued to grow and which the Republicans have done a good job of capturing, for both political and financial gain. But the problem, which has reached seriously levels (as Chalmers Johnson chronicles so well) is not solely a Republican one.
Even as we pay attention to the manipulation and abuse of government by small groups for their special interests and lucre, we should not ignore the powerful corporations that also benefit - and that we will face the same problems even under a Democratic administration. Each Congressman wants pork to take home, and wants others to feel the pain of hard decisions to limit spending, and the defense establishment has really tapped into that. Even if we can stanche the flow on disastrous foreign wars, we will see constant pressures to direct the pork spigots elsewhere.
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Happy Birthday, America
[Read the article: Lewis Libby owes his freedom to our corrupt political elite]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Mr. President, thank you so, SO much for making us all PROUD to be AMERICANS!
Your commuting of Libby's sentence really helps us to hold our heads up high, in the face of corrput and vicous despots around the world.
No doubt they are all learning lessons about democracy, the rule of law and the greatness of America.
What a wonderful gift you have given us Americans - and the rest of the world - right in time for our "independence day" celebration!
Thanks again, Mr. President.
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Glenn, why you are letting the Dems in Congress off the hook?
[Read the article: Various items]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Instead of reining in Bush and the warmongers, they are enabling them.