Notes on Political Venality, Pomposity and Associated Stupidity.

Thursday, July 27, 2006

Condi and Bolton; This is Your Government!

When I was a kid, we used to see the occassional movie at school which attempted to indoctrinate us about HOW YOUR GOVERNMENT WORKS. They were boring and pompous, but at least we got out class for twenty minutes or so, including the time it took to roll the old 16mm projector into class and rewind the film after it was shown.

Those old films never prepared us for today's reality.

The reality of a Secretary of State who believes that continued killing and violence is a good thing and will be a successful strategy for creating a "new Middle East," whatever the hell that is! Since the first time I heard Condi quoted on this, I have been wracking my brain; How can the stated policy of the United States be so vile? We all understand that a long-term solution is necessary, but letting Israel carpet-bomb Lebanon back into the Dark Ages can't possible be part of it. How 'bout this. Let's just stop the bombing now, stop the killing of innocent Lebanese, THEN sit down and get to work solving this problem? No one expects a cease fire to solve the problem, but any rational human being also knows that the problem will not be solved by extending the war. No matter how Israel tries, Hezbollah will not be defeated. In fact, as with other terrorist groups, this will probably strengthen their resolve and be a great for their recruiting efforts.

Clearly Israel (and the US) were waiting for the provocation and wanted to clear out Hezbollah...so when the soliders were kidnapped, they/we lept at the chance to start bombing.

No where during HOW YOUR GOVERNMENT WORKS, did I see anything about the US condoning warfare and killing. But then, a lot has changed since the 60's.

-30 -

Ambassador Bolton goes before Congress this week. As a smart-ass myself, I recognize that character flaw in this man as well. Like me, he can't pass up on a wiseacre comment. This is not a good thing for anyone with the honorific of Ambassador in front of their name....because, and you can quote me on this, eventually his wicked tongue will get our nation in trouble. Some time, in the not too distant future, he'll forget to curb himself and we'll all pay for it.

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Santorum Gets Dirty, Early

If you follow politics, you know about push polls. In a world where sleaziness is the norm, they are the scum way down under the bucket in the dank place where even the normal scum are afraid to go. The most infamous and well-publicized push poll was used to insinuate that Senator John McCain had fathered an illegitimite child.

For the uninitiated, they work like this. I call your house and ask questions like, "Would you feel better or worse about Bob Casey is you knew he was a serial murderer and child molester?" The idea is to plant negatives where none should exist.

And apparently this is exactly what holier-than-thou Rick Santorum has stooped to. For a full retelling of a "close encounter of the push poll kind" I suggest you go here and let 2politicjunkies regale you.

If true, and I have absolutely no reason to question 2pj's veracity, then this is a foul and despicable move by a wholly desperate man, who will, it seems, stop at nothing to maintain his tenuous hold on power in DC.

Maybe, as this vulgar campaign proceeds, we should follow Rick to confession...and see just how long it's now taking him to purge his soul these days.