Any many of them hated Reagan in the end too, especially those now called Neo-Conservatives.

CY, Expat:

Although our society was becoming complacent even before, the “climate of fear” created by the Bushies after 9/11 was cynically created in order to bring us all into line.  And the propaganda inherent in a “climate of fear” works exceptionally well to get people to be willing to sacrifice their freedoms and civil liberties in the name of (an illusory) “safety and security.”  This is one of the ways in which totalitarianism begins.  (Read everyone from Orwell to Naomi Wolf.)

Given that the vast majority of Americans support a national ID card, many support the consolidation of all medical info in a single magnetic strip, and some are HAPPILY accepting implanting of RFID chips in their arms, the propaganda is apparently working very well.

Re impingements on freedoms and civil liberties, I’ve heard alot of people say “If you’re not doing anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about.”

Are they aware that these EXACT words were spoken during the rise of National Socialism in Germany?

How tragic…

Peace.  (Ever more distant…)

Hey, now I can feel like I’m in Lao or Viet Nam; safe and secure with heavily armed “police”.  Relax, you’ll get used to it.  Welcome to Amerikka!  The home of the safe and secure.  Kafka would just love this!  Rove, Wolfowitz, Bush, Cheney, et al are just trying to make you feel warm and fuzzy.
Peace

Sadly, I could move my lips as you speak.  I cannot say how many times I’ve posted pretty much the same content, including “we”.  You’ve said it better than I, so maybe this time there will be some effect, but I fear not.  I think it’s this apparatus we are operating in; it gives us a false sense of “doing”, “accomplishing”, “action”, when in fact it’s a device designed to dissipate the power of words to the level of non-action to the masses…no, a narrow audience of like minded souls.  We’re “published” so we must matter; I mean, this is truthdig.com and I’m “published”, so, so, so……………where is the result?  I don’t honestly know.  Sorry if this is too pessimistic, but, I fail to see the change we think this will bring.  Being one who cannot give in or up; I also will never shut up in the search for some form of justice.  Thanks for your post

Have you seen Jim Powell’s book, Wilson’s War?

Then there’s J. Evetts Haley’s book, A Texan Looks at Lyndon: A Study in Illegitimate Power.

I am curious as to Nixon’s exact role in the JFK assassination. I do know that he thought the Bohemian Grovers were a collection of degenerates. As to his antisemitism, I think that is more reflective of his hidden contempt for the Israeli lobby. Remember that Pat Buchanan served with Nixon, and this would make sense.

All:

Sorry to interrupt the debate.  This is URGENT news.  I kid you not.  Please go to the link after reading this post.

For the past year or more, I have been predicting that the “police state” would begin in NYC, where there has been various “testing” going on towards that end for some time, vis-à-vis law enforcement seeing just how far they could go, and how much they could get away with: increased police drills, random bag checks on the subways, limiting of freedom of assembly and freedom of speech, etc.  (Think of the RNC…)

The police state has finally arrived.  This is not a drill.  This is the real thing.  And you can be absolutely certain that it will not stop with NYC.  Other cities will follow suit, all in the name of “safety and security.”  Note that this was NOT a response to any specific threat, or even a perceived threat.  It was done for absolutely NO reason, other than to take a giant step forward toward totalitarianism.

We can continue to debate the merits or lack thereof of Hillary, Obama, McCain et al.  Meanwhile, this will spread, and the consequences will be dramatic.  And if you think I am overreacting, simply remember when I posted this when this comes to YOUR city or town.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/02/nyregion/02machinegun.html?scp=1&sq=baker&st=nyt

Peace.  (Becoming increasingly distant…)

lawlessone,

Thanks, I’ve saved your list…though surely I’ve got all of these things collected under various headings.

I wanted to add one fundamental. We have claimed to be a nation directed by, and founded upon, the RULE OF LAW.

The question is, do we really believe that, and do we even understand what that is, and how our alleged democracy is formulated on that?

IF we understand what is meant by the “RULE OF LAW” as opposed to the RULE OF MAN, or the RULE OF GOD, then we would understand why it has been imperative to IMPEACH Dick Bush. It is CALLED FOR by - THE RULE OF LAW-. (which is why this provision is contained within the language and principles of our Constitution).

If we DO NOT do this, then we will have sealed the undermining of our Constitution, and our democracy, which is founded upon the rule of law. The rule of law dictates that NO MAN is ABOVE the Law. That’s what it says, that’s what it means, and cannot be interpreted any other way. It is what it is.

So, failure to follow or otherwise respect ‘the rule of law’ by removing those who have failed to be guided by the rule of law, pretty much means that we’re all willing to abandon this thing that we’ve called a democracy determined by the rule of law.

If we do NOT impeach George Bush and Dick Cheney, we will have basically NULLIFIED the foundation upon which we claim existence as a state, and we will cease to exist as such.

OH, I realize, that’s what you just said right here..

“... Most important of all perhaps. If those two escape without punishment of at least some sort, it pretty much invalidates all that this country once stood for…”

There is is…you’re right. I hope the rest ‘get it’, before it really is TOO LATE!

I think you’re right about it being too late to save us from the recession, (already in progress) and the
depression, definitely at the doorstep. (for those who still have doorsteps).

But, we might be able to survive it, if we could get our country back. Unless we impeach the traitorous bastards, that will never happen. Matter of fact, it’s the same as watching the house burn down to ashes, and not even trying to piss on the fire, let alone pick up a hose.

Amen to this. We are in fact the victims of State Sponsored terrorism.

The thing is, there are MULTIPLE historical examples of this very same thing.

It is NOT NEW!!

So, why haven’t we taken to the streets?

Why didn’t the Germans of the 1930’s take to the streets, before it was too late?

Hitler’s Nazi regime was a MODEL for what has been going down here in the USA, for the past 7 years. Why have we somehow failed to make those connections?

No doubt about it, the “meat industry” (keep in mind that meat used to come from farmers, not an industry) is one of the most vile things out there.  I’m no vegetarian, nor will i ever be a vegetarian.

Eat animals that eat grass.  Visit Eatwild.org (i have no affiliation) or call your county extension agent and you can pretty easily find out where there are farmers near you.  They’ll sell you the most delicious meat you’ve ever tasted.  Eggs that you can separate by picking up the yolk with your fingers.  Gather some friends, split a cow.  Support your community.  Eat well.  Help the environment…environmentalism, after all, begins at the breakfast table.

Probably many of you have read this story already.  But for those who haven’t here’s an excerpt.

“Beef Distributed for School Lunches and the Needy

Hallmark’s Chino, Calif., slaughter plant supplies the Westland Meat Co., which processes the carcasses. The facility is the second-largest supplier of beef to USDA’s Commodity Procurement Branch, which distributes the beef to needy families, the elderly and also to schools through the National School Lunch Program. Westland was named a USDA “supplier of the year” for 2004-2005 and has delivered beef to schools in 36 states. More than 100,000 schools and child care facilities nationwide receive meat through the lunch program.

Hallmark Meat Packing has no connection to Hallmark Cards, Inc.

Temple Grandin, a renowned expert on animal agriculture and professor at Colorado State University, called the images captured in the investigation “one of the worst animal abuse videos I have ever viewed.”

Another part of the Bush legacy of NO OVERSIGHT.  There is also a video and a petition with the article.  Disgusting.

http://www.hsus.org/farm/news/ournews/undercover_investigation.html

^ the victims of state sponsored terrorism.

.....................Change your train of thought; change the world…...............

Exercising the will to change one’s thoughts deliberately is powerful exercise fit for any and every moment….....
Thinking clearly regarding one’s ideals and ideas of a moral universe is not doing nothing…......To the contrary, it is the powerful first effort toward focussed, effective action of any kind….
Never doubt that you are ‘exercising’ free will by choosing upbuilding in thought, word, or deed, versus the opposite….
Why are we here?......Perhaps, to discover why we are here…....When we have thought our way through to our selves, we will then know better what good work to do for others…...Simple service of any kind earns us our keep…....
                ............As we think so we become…....
If we are to be useful stepping into the future, which is, after all, every next second, then we had better make our thoughts our own….If you think, wonder, or even suspect, that there is nothing you can do….., do something!
Addiction to negativity is the greatest danger, as it leads only to delusion followed by more suffering…..Upbuild, friends, with all your determined free will…..
                ..........................Strive On!........................

If I held a job in which I had a 30% approval rating, was suspected of lying to my employer, ruined my company’s reputation and destroyed my company’s financial position, not to mention being complicit in murder, my ass would be grass.

This is definitely state sponsored and condoned job failure. Or this kind of performance is to be expected and rewarded.

A good thing the American worker sets a higher standard for him/herself.

Strange the word endgame can up in your article. I just watched the docu/movie Endgame: The Blueprint for Global Enslavement this morning. The goals have been laid down longer than that. None of it good for the majority of people.
For anyone interested you can find this movie and other related information of what is and had been going on behind the scenes from eBay seller: greatwaldoneous

While the majority of us, the people of America, were retching our guts out watching George deliver his nonsense to Congress, Congress was giving the guy kudos, smiles and applause. 

Interesting phenomena.  Church and State no longer separate, apparently, at the same time as Congress and the People are obviously quite separate.

@expat

We don’t. Her pieces leave much to be desired in relation to substance. However, if you spend time reading the National Review like I do, it is quickly realized how many people have completely nonsensical political thoughts and opinions. Many a piece have I read of their conservative opinions and I often am left with a feeling of either disgust, insult or confusion as to how some Americans can be so callous.

It’s a good thing to approach any article relating to politics, policy, law or government (regardless of bias or non-bias) with the same level of skepticism you’d have reading the National Review Online media. You’ll find yourself calling people like Marie Cocco out on their shortcomings more frequently because you’ll have recognized the mechanics of bias and rhetoric used in the conservative spectrum.

I’m sorry but this sort of off-topic and sort of not.
Did anyone else notice in the SOTU the mention of Dubya’s meeting with his SPP buddies in New Orleans? Of all places!!!!!!!!!!!This guy is unbelievable. The North American Union trio is meeting again? He certainly can do A LOT more damage before his time is up. It can get worse!!!

Yup, me too and it’s much appreciated by me as well.  I think we are all under an abusive amount of stress at this time; so it’s even more important to maintain a civil discourse.  Thanks.
My question is:  How do we get Coco Puffs to get more substance in her articles?  I would love to be able to make paid for comments in some blogosphere, wouldn’t you?

We all know what happens when you back someone up against a wall.  Bush is now against the wall of limited time.  And you can be sure that what he does with that time will be as destructive as possible.

I enjoy civility in discussion, and do my best not to make quick judgments or get overly excited. There is a lot of angry discourse concerning American politics that doesn’t yield results, so I try to lead by example. The dialog is much appreciated. Progressives have the power of understanding.

^ I couldn’t agree more and even though I’m not there; I still don’t feel secure from their clutches.  I wish there was a blessing I could bless America with; but I fear America has expired any possible blessing that would have any meaning or effect.

Thanks, I enjoyed your comment, well done and well said.

By Aegrus, January 31 at 7:41 am #
(26 comments total)

Re: Marie Coco Puffs

Yeah, okay.  Your responses are considerate and you speak in a way I don’t immediately understand, but I’m open to dialogue.  Thanks and yes; self importance can be very powerful if not healthy.

Marie’s articles are usually devoid of substance, true. I’m only conceding the value of this particular article. Still, it does go into that whole, “too little too late” aphorism.

Kinda like me wondering where the hell was Bill Clinton’s visceral political courage when John Kerry was on the ballot in 2004, but is more than abundant this political season. Self-importance is powerful, no?

These men have been plotting this course for more than 30 years now; they aren’t done yet.  As disgusting as it is to do, step back and imagine yourself in their shoes…see how the brass ring is almost completely in your grasp?

These next ten months are the end game, because while they can hope to retain influence after the election they cannot plan on it.

Their fumbling and inability to execute the military necessities of empire have hampered them.  Iraq was supposed to be a cakewalk leading to Iran.  We would already have launched that war if the Army and Marines were not bogged down in Iraq.  (Of course, that’s what you get when you plan a war based on best case scenarios.)

As far as i’m concerned, these next ten months are the most frightening months yet.  And i’m speaking from the experience of actually having had to dispatch a cornered, rabid skunk.

^ has no clue and I wish I could be paid for writting this fluff; it’s so easy; no brainer!  Aegrus, 10 months too long?  Oh please, it’s 7 years too long!  Marie Coco Puffs has never written anything of substance:  My only question is; how does one make a living doing this shit!  I long for this kind of living!

Yesterday, President Bush made a speach at a Helicopter plant in Torrance.

Free trade creates Jobs for America’s workers, he said.

I wonder then why the economy isn’t rolling in High paying jobs?

Mabye if you get enough time on your visit you can swing by Tent City in Ontario, and give a speach about how concerned you are over the economy.

Mr. president you need a psych assessment, but I can tell you right now you’re having trouble connecting the dots.

And considering your poll numbers it looks as if the vast majority of Americans have aleady learned how to connect the dots for you.

Even if Pelosi won’t consider impeachment, where is the demand for removing signing statements.  Someone must have pictures, what else could it be.  These guys are more dangerous than ever and no one is taking charge.  What I don’t understand is are our Reps that stupid, or do they really think they will flourish under a New World Order run by the super rich!

Now that my hopes for an Edwards/Obama ticket have been stomped out, let’s hope Edwards is our next Attorney General and he sees the importance of holding this crew, both Repubs and Democrats, accountable.  It’s pretty clear “We the People” haven’t been able to roap in this administration!  And since I live just outside DC, I’ll gladly sit on an eight year grand jury looking to do just that…...

Yes Marie, it is like protecting the sheep by watching a scraggly wolf who fronts for the more malevolent and powerful wolf hiding in the shadows.

It’s relieving to know some journalists are still trying to shine light(albeit dull) on GWB administration tactics, and focus on the current state of affairs rather than the circus election campaign.

Marie Cocco can be short-sighted, and the Washington Post has lost some of its clout with my opinion. Still, hats off to Marie for bringing this up in a time when we only see race and gender politics.

@cyrena,

Quite correct. It is so utterly important to the integrity of our nation to rebuke and hold accountable the amount of fraud and corruption in which our current administration has shamelessly taken part. To allow these waters to wash away without any cleanup will poison the soil where we try to grow new and better political figures.

Additionally, I don’t care if we take down complicit or hands-on Democrats involved. To be frank, I suspect Pelosi of something shady. We need reform. We need inspection and introspection. We need justice. Without these, we are defeated by the terrorists.

America should not quietly destroy itself. We are better.

Duhhhhhbya and Co. have made this country the laughing stock of the world. We, the American Government, have turned into the Amerikkkan government, spying on our own citizens if for no other reason, than the “intelligence” services determine that “you” the Amerikkkan citizen are a threat to the government. We have a situation now where the chief executive of our government has determined that “he is above the Constitution,” for he is protecting it.  He can do whatever he wants and ignore the wishes of the people, through a process not in the Constitution, called “signing statements.” Are we to believe that this man will go down in history as the one man who saved this country from terrorism and defeat?  Shall we, the American people, not look on him with the disfavor of a leper and someone who cannot lead except by the urging of those who, around him, hem him in with idiotic and inane policies?  Our President, should be one who leads by example and not by fiat. Despotic Monarchy is why our country left the “fair nation” of England at the time and rebelled against a monarchy that was unresponsive to the needs of the people and withheld even recognition of the basic human rights of those who were his ‘subjects.’ Irony of Ironies, that monarch was King George III and he was mad with a disease. His dissolute lifestyle and unreasoning rule of the nation of England, led to the start of the downfall of the British Empire.  Should we the people of the electorate hasten to elect another in the same vein as GW, we will once again reap the whirlwind for our reward, because we will have chosen wrongly and without forethought for the consequences of our actions.  Can, the cabal of Duhhhhhbya and Darth Vader, still do damage to the reputation of America? Absolutely and negatively yes. Will this damage be long-lasting and have an impact for the next 50 year? Without doubt.  What is the remedy for this madman’s obsession with the fact that despite the intelligence service’s own National Intelligence Estimate, that Iran does not now and hasn’t in the past had a nuclear-development program worthwhile enough to make nuclear bombs? Impeachment and a finding of guilt and removal of office for both George W. Bush and Richard Cheney.

Took the words right out of my mouth (as usual), Cyrena.

Bush is scarier as a lame duck than he was as just a regular Rose Garden-variety lamebrain.

Who knows what he’ll do to “secure his legacy” over the next ten months, especially with less scrutiny to hinder him (not that overwhelming disapproval seems to slow him down much)?

This is why his ass needs to be impeached, but only in conjunction with his main strong man, Dick Cheney.

YES…they CAN still do more damage, and they ARE!!