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Friday, July 29, 2005
"What I Believe"
This Friday we have Brad from Brad's brain writing for Bring it on!. This post was inspired by his recent vacation through the red states of the United States....
I believe in America.
I believe in democracy. And I believe that a rogues' gallery of thieves and hooligans is undermining the values inherent in American democracy to further their own agenda.
I believe that our government represents not the people at all but corporations. And not in a way that is simply meant to encourage business.
I believe they have sold control of Washington to the highest bidder. And I believe the only planet we call home is paying the price.
I believe that anyone who drives an SUV is helping the terrorists.
I believe that violence begets violence. I also believe that fighting a war on terror with guns is doomed to fail. I believe that September 11, 2001 has shattered what we call America, and I believe that the damage may be irreparable.
I believe that the Bush administration has criminally exploited September 11 for the purpose of furthering the concept of a one-party America and and for the benefit of their associates' corporations. I believe that the "wise men" that Bush has chosen to support his presidency have planned the concept of "perpetual war for perpetual peace" years in advance, and they cunningly chose to implement this plan when America was on its knees.
I do not believe that this is George W. Bush's fault. I believe at his heart he really wants to be a "uniter" and that he would be much happier working together with Democrats to come to wise decisions that benefit all of America. But as president your administration is best defined by who you surround yourself with. And it is for this reason that I consider President Bush to be an evil man.
I believe that the president's support staff is the most corrupt, manipulative, and downright authoritarian that this nation has ever seen. They shield the unwitting president from news they do not wish him to see and provide only the information needed to steer the president into supporting legislation which benefits themselves and their friends. And while Bush honestly feels that he is bettering society, this band of traitorous snakes reaps the fruits of his labor.
I believe that men like Rumsfeld and Ashcroft, Cheney and Libby, Rove and all the rest are interested in only one thing: furthering the Republican Party as the only party in the nation. They stifle dissent by labelling whomever they disagree with as "traitors" or "terrorist sympathizers" or "unpatriotic." They wish to install a permanent majority so that whoever replaces Bush (or themselves) is simply academic. The policies they have introduced which fly in the face of all of our civil liberties have become a partisan business, not a product of rational thought.
I believe this is how fascism starts. And I do not believe that it is only Republicans paving the way to this terrible, new form of government. But I do believe that they are the best at it.
I believe that the press is complicit in this virtual coup d'etat through their silence.
I believe that the Bill of Rights is the reason that America has survived so many threats to its freedom for so many years. And I believe that the USA Patriot Act is the first step in a systematic, controlled demolition of the Bill of Rights.
I believe that the most important of these, the First, Fourth, and Fifth Amendments have already been declared essentially void by this repressive regime's actions due to their broad definition of "domestic terrorism" to include such constitutionally protected actions as protest movements and civil disobedience.
I believe that if we do not speak now, we will be forced to forever hold our peace. And that is no longer democracy. I believe that is called fascism.
I believe that nothing that we as Americans use to communicate is off-limits to the new breed of "thought police." Tracking dissent through wiretaps, internet usage surveillance, and even private traditional mail snooping has been greatly enhanced through the administration's policies to improve the way that we find the terrorists among us. The same ones who hate our freedoms. From this I can only believe that the administration is fighting terrorism by taking away all of these freedoms that the terrorists supposedly hate.
I believe these repressive tactics, sold to us as a necessary evil to catch the terrorists, are doing nothing to stop terrorists. It has only served to hand the government over to a new breed of terrorists. One person has been charged for involvement with the September 11 attacks. And he was caught before it happened.
I believe that this assault on our civil liberties will actually make us less safe. With so much of what each American says or does on a daily basis being scrutinized, how many false leads will the homeland security departments follow? How many man-hours will be wasted by hunting law-abiding citizens?
I also believe that someone involved in these anti-"terrorist" measures is reading this and wasting even more government time.
And to them, and to all of you, I can say right now that I will not be scared into silence. If I believe that President Bush is evil, I will say it. If I believe that the government is turning into a fascist dictatorship, I will say it. And if I believe that the only recourse we have left as Americans is revolution, I will say that as well.
I believe in the constitution. It has lasted through presidential assassinations, through invasions, through numerous wars, even through civil war. And I believe that even these traitors among us will not be able to tear it all down quite as easily as they think. Not if I have anything to say about it.
In short I believe in America.
Posted by Sally at 12:01 AM in Politics | Permalink
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Tracked on Jul 29, 2005 1:11:19 PM
Comments
Yeah! Great post. September 11th was the best thing that ever happened to George W. Bush, regardless of whether he had anything to do with it (OK, I won't go there).
Whether the culprit is Bush or the people pulling his strings, our country got hijacked in 2001, and we're gonna take it back.
Posted by: Tom Harper | Jul 29, 2005 3:38:10 AM
Sally,
That was a great post, well said. We are becoming a police state and it is turning into 1984 (George Orwels book). I think that using terrorism to take our rights and freedoms the terrorist supposedly hate (I think they hate our troops in their countries) is just plain stupid.
I am not a democrat but find myself visiting here often because I like what you guys are doing. The only problem I had with your post is you called America a democracy when democracy is something our founders hated. Article 4, Section 4 of the constitution tells us we are a republic. In a republic the majority cannot vote property or social rights away as they were granted to you by God when you were born.
Tom,
I agree but I won't go there either.
Posted by: Jake | Jul 29, 2005 7:46:45 AM
Great post. I've been watching our freedoms be eroded for twenty years. That erosion has turned into strip mining.
My only question is, how can Bush be portrayed as the greatest criminal genius on the planet and the world's stupidest man?
Posted by: hiikeeba | Jul 29, 2005 8:03:44 AM
hiikeeba,
I don't think Bush is stupid at all. He is a poor speaker and many times says stupid thing like we have never stopped finding ways to hurt Ameirca but he knew who to appoint for the administration and in a way they are controling the country.
Posted by: Jake | Jul 29, 2005 8:15:44 AM
Good post! It nearly brought a tear to the eye.
Posted by: The Cranky Liberal | Jul 29, 2005 10:43:21 AM
I believe that anyone who drives an SUV is helping the terrorists.
Wouldn't anybody involved in legislation which encourages the big auto manufactures to go on making the gas guzzling carbs that go into these things be "helping terrorists?" I hear this accusation on "Connected Coast to Coast" yesterday, and until then never really thought about it. A guest, speaking to Ron Reagan said the recently passed energy legislation actually gives money to the terrorists we are spending money to fight. So we fund them and fight then at the same time. This is a very, very loose paraphrase. But it does seems true.
Posted by: Shawn | Jul 29, 2005 11:04:44 AM
True, true.
The inspiration for that line came from those wretched TV ads equating marijuana usage with "helping the terrorists," a completely ridiculous statement when the real issue is gas usage.
Thanks for the kind words about my work.
Bush is not stupid. He's simple, and he has some questionable mastery of English, but he's not stupid. And he's not evil. Rove, Cheney, and Rumsfeld are evil. And Bush is, in many ways, their puppet.
Posted by: Brad | Jul 29, 2005 11:46:39 AM
Jake, it's not my geat post it's Brad's.
I could sort of understand that heroin which is from from poppy and is also grown in Afghanistan was tied to terrorism. But, not all heroin is from that region...
Posted by: sally | Jul 29, 2005 12:17:12 PM
I think saying the founding fathers HATED democracy is just a tad sensationalist. What they feared was a problem which is inherent in democracies, especially young ones not settled into the way the system should work. They feared mob rule, which is why they set a buffer against that in the form of the electoral college.
Republic - from Wordnet at Princeton (the first site listed when I googled "republic definition") - "democracy: a political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them."
Posted by: Brad | Jul 29, 2005 1:33:51 PM
I do not believe that Bush is stupid. Nor do I believe that he is simple. I've seen video of him from before he became govenor of Texas. Either he had much better handlers then that were able to get him to appear intelligent and well spoken even during a debate or he was intelligent and well spoken at that time. I think his image of being a simple man now makes him much more cunning than most people think.
I agree that the new energy bill is supporting terrorism. It gives tax cuts to the largest energy produces in this country who get their oil from governments that support terrorists. The energy bill does nothing to reduce consumption or encourage alternate fuels. Both of these actions would help take money away from those people who support terrorists.
Posted by: mulligan | Jul 29, 2005 1:47:28 PM
"I believe that if we do not speak now, we will be forced to forever hold our peace. And that is no longer democracy. I believe that is called fascism."
Millions of people just like you are speaking every day throughout the nation. In the city where I live, people loudly protesting the Iraq war can be found on various street corners almost every day of the week. No one is making any attempt to stop them.
Has it ever occured to you that nobody is buying what you are selling because you all sound like bitter, paranoid lunatics?
Posted by: Jack Jones | Jul 29, 2005 2:27:05 PM
Well, gosh, Jack, since YOU are disagreeing, you think it correct to say "nobody is buying what [I am] selling"? It seems you are in quite the vocal little minority from my experience.
I believe that you need to read what the USA Patriot Act entails. You could try actually reading the text of it. Or if you can't take that legalese, you can try reading "Silencing Political Dissent" by Nancy Chang. You can also read my further thoughts on the issue of fascism on my site, linked above.
But I'm sure you will not, and thus you will continue to argue with no ammunition.
And correct me if I'm wrong, but did I say that the nation is currently fascist? I'll answer for you. No, I did not. I said that the way we are headed is clearly one of authoritarian rule which stifles dissent, controlled by corporations, i.e. fascism.
Posted by: Brad | Jul 29, 2005 2:44:36 PM
On his third comedy album, Steve Martin did a routine called "What I Believe." It's quite funny, and the title of your essay brought that to mind.
But really, it is always good to know that many people are coming to sense that all is not well in the land of the free and the home of the brave. Because the more people who espouse the idea that something is going terribly astray, the better the odds are of fixing the problem.
Keep on writing, talking, and fighting for true freedom and democracy!
Posted by: ken grandlund | Jul 29, 2005 4:06:15 PM
Sally,
I apologize, Brad that is a good post and I do agree with most all of it, we are giving up our liberties for a false sense of security that will only lead to tyranny.
I was pointing out that we are a republic because most people in America don't know the difference I even had one man tell me the consitution lied about us being a republic. I think we agree on this issue.
Jack,
Do you not remember the republican and democratic national conventions where they created free speech zones that consisted of barb wire and one man said that is nothing short of a concentration camp and anywhere he happens to be standing if a free speech zone, I couldn't agree more. At the republican convention the government said they had a new terrorist threat but it was at least two years old to justify and increase in security. In New York they also threw protesters in an old building with asbestos in it. But no one is denying anyone free speech? I have read the patriot act and there is nothing paranoid about stopping the violations of our rights guranteed in the constitution.
Posted by: Jake | Jul 29, 2005 4:31:44 PM
While I don't feel dissent is stifled, it is trending that way. The Patriot Act is a huge mistake, and as a bill that passed with virtually no Congressperson reading it in its entirety, it's impositions on the citizenry can't possibly be well thought through.
Nice post, Brad, and good food for thought. Thanks for putting it up.
Posted by: Jet | Jul 29, 2005 4:37:25 PM
Brad, that is a great post you wrote. I agree with you that this country is slowly eroding the civil liberties of everyone, making a mockery of human rights and that currently we are not a totalitarian state we are indeed headed towards that state!
I do find it interesting that many of the provisions within the Patriot Act need to ratified again are not garnering the same support when it passed the first time.
Jake, I just wanted Brad to get proper credit for his post...
Jack Jones, according to your logic only paranoid lunatics question the state of our nation...here I thought that was what you did in a democracy! My bad!
Posted by: sally | Jul 29, 2005 5:51:41 PM
Brad, you made Cranky cry...
Posted by: sally | Jul 29, 2005 5:52:57 PM
It only NEARLY made Cranky cry. Or, from a more pro-alliteration stance, it could conceivably have caused Cranky to cry.
Posted by: Brad | Jul 29, 2005 5:59:53 PM
I believe that anyone who believes that Bush or Surrounding staff are Evil, are like lemmings that periodically run ovfer a cliff occaisionally.
They are willing to follow a Corporate owned media.
The Media Owned by a group of the Largest Conglomerate of Corporations, in the World.
Yes politics is Controlled by Corporations.
Corporations that have ganged up against the Citizens of the U.S.
They control yoiu via Propaganda against Bush, and you like Lemmings believe what ever they say.
You and the ones attacking Bush are helping the Corporate Oppressors.
They have Bought Congressional Delegates in the North East and in California.
Why do you think that the Kennedys never really are taken to task, for evil deeds they are alleged to have done.
Edward Kennedy, never convicted for death of Mary Jo Kopekne?
Skakel, was he convicted for Murder at all or in a timely fashion?
Was William Kennedy smith Guilty of Rape and Convicted?
Yet, they are coddled as if they are suffering under a Kennedy Curse.
They are called Camelot.
Note: Kennedy is Senator in Massachussetts, the state of Home Office of General Electric, Owner of NBC Broadcasting Company, is the Largest Corporation in the WOrld, and has hundreds of affiliates or subsidiaries, Corporations that sell Every type of Electrical Appliance, Electrical Equipment, Motors and Generators, Jet Engines, NUCLEAR Equipment, and many more, also owns NBC Broadcasting Company.
Posted by: trescee | Jul 29, 2005 8:50:49 PM
Trescee,
Bush and Kerry were both members of a secret society called skull and bones only about 18 members added each year what are the chances two would run for president against each other. At least seven of the 9/11 hijackers are still alive and the media refuses to question the fbi and cia other than a few reports from the BBC, and La Times. John Aschcroft lied to the American people when he told us that Jose Padila was going to use a dirty bomb. Both sides have lied or not been honest with us it is not just one side. Supporters of George Bush are also involved in the corporate media by your own definition. How about those liberals at fox news and the swift boat veterans allowed to speak on every major news station?
Posted by: Jake | Jul 29, 2005 9:03:01 PM
Oh, my God, trescee! It's so clear! The Kennedys are from Massachusetts, they probably run GE!
Just like Bush ran Enron! Enron's based in Texas! You remember Enron, right?
Listen, if the liberals have such a stranglehold on everything and are such a huge all-powerful secret organization bent on world domination, I think they would be doing just a LITTLE bit better, don't you?
Just because I live in Philadelphia doesn't mean I play for the Eagles, champ. That's the worst conspiracy theory I've ever heard. Congratulations.
Posted by: Brad | Jul 29, 2005 9:56:49 PM
So does that mean that since I live in Philadelphia then I play for the Eagles?
Does it mean that since Bush was raised in Texas, he actually ran Enron?
I think if there really were some sort of secret organization of liberals spearheaded by the Kennedys bent on world domination that they might be doing just a LITTLE bit better in government, don't you?
And why would they be issuing propaganda against the president? Makes a lot more sense that they would have just made sure that their friend from Massachusetts got elected, doesn't it?
That's the dumbest conspiracy theory I've ever heard. Congratulations.
Posted by: Brad | Jul 29, 2005 10:02:03 PM
Sorry about duplicate posts, guys. Something's a little wonky when I connect to the server. It posts it but acts like it doesn't. Weird.
Posted by: Brad | Jul 29, 2005 10:04:21 PM
I believe that anyone who drives an SUV is helping the terrorists.
Damn straight. You remember that shit the administration and the anti-drug people were trying to pull right after 9/11? That doing drugs helps fund terrorism? I said at the time, bullshit. Driving your CAR funds terrorism.
Posted by: Martian Anthropologist | Jul 29, 2005 10:12:59 PM
First, America is more than the U.S. Secondly, the U.S. is not synonymous with democracy. You have just been taken in with the greatest demagoguguery and indoctrination in the world that even Americans are starting to refer to as fascism.
Posted by: Arne Bjermeland | Jul 30, 2005 4:46:54 AM
SOOOO.. that explains why I have a Bush stand-up with fascism written all over his face... :P
www.windsofrome.blogspot.com
Danielle
BLOGROLL!
Posted by: Danielle | Jul 30, 2005 10:25:25 AM
SOOOOO.. that's why I have a Bush stand-up with fascism written all over his face...:P
www.windsofrome.blogspot.com
Danielle
Posted by: Danielle | Jul 30, 2005 10:27:02 AM
I'm a life-long Republican and I agree with most of what you said about the current administration. The scary thing is that it transcends political parties. What is happening is being motivated by political/social/economic powers that have more power than any elected official. The corporations of the world are pullig the strings; making us all into nice, docile consumers.
Posted by: Ray | Jul 30, 2005 2:03:36 PM
You could drive a Toyota Prius 1,000 miles a week and use as much gas as the average SUV uses in a month. Considering that the US buys most of its oil from Mexico and Canada this statement that "I believe that anyone who drives an SUV is helping the terrorists" smells a bit like a bunch of BS. The United States does not have enough refineries and this is driving prices up. Check the out profits Exxon Mobil and Chevron are making. In fact, Exxon/Mobil had over 7 billion dollars in profits last quarter. Not earnings, PROFITS!!! (http://www.fool.com/news/mft/2005/mft05072907.htm?source=eptyholnk303100&logvisit=y&npu=y&bounce=y&bounce2=y)
A blanker statement like believing anyone driving an SUV is supporting terrorists is foolish.
I wonder what else Brad has said here is off base...
Posted by: steve | Jul 30, 2005 3:16:06 PM
Imports in 2004: Persian Gulf - 2.4 million barrels per day. Canada and Mexico were tied at 1.6.
A more telling statistic would be the amount of oil in relation to the size of the country. Saudi Arabia is 3rd with 1.5 million. It's almost half the size of Canada and the nation is almost entirely useless desert. Remind me, where did those 9/11 hijackers come from?
Iraq's the size of Texas, and it's sixth.
Canada (along with the non-protected areas of Alaska) are drying up. Gulf Coast oil exporting was devastated in last year's Hurricane Ivan.
In addition I did not mean only Arabic terrorists. If you look at the internationally accepted definition of "terrorism," George W. Bush is also a terrorist.
Anything else you need me to explain for you?
Posted by: Brad | Jul 30, 2005 5:40:11 PM
Wow Brad, completely, "in the pocket," as they say in Jazz. America is a democratic republic. A republic is simply a federation of states, and yes our founders wanted us to be a democracy as they scoffed off the whole Monarchy/Nobility thing (well as much as they could any way Hamilton was kind of a prancy elitist)
I think rational people understand that the SUV is simply the symbol for oil energy dependancy, and the price at the pump. if we really want to control the worlds energy supply and economy we should develop new energy sources, and hell lets make em cleaner just because we can.
Lastley niether capitalism or communism ever existed the only thing that has ever existed is corporatism in which the government and industry are inheirently linked and run by the same group of people the only deliniation is how willing the elite are to accomodate the masses.
INGSOC Biotches
Posted by: Billion Year old Carbon | Jul 30, 2005 5:57:18 PM
Brad
Great post; loved your answer to Steve
BYOC the word "rational" and some of the commenters here don't coexist.
About almost making Cranky cry...for once I'm speechless
Posted by: pia | Jul 31, 2005 1:16:19 AM
Great post. Nice and concise but above all, Spot-fucking-on!
Why, oh why, can't all those Bush hangers-on finally come to realise that to disagree with Bush is not to disagree with America!
Gary Williams
Mycos
Posted by: Gary Williams | Jul 31, 2005 4:07:19 AM
Good post!
Not only has America been hijacked by hooligans but it has allowed itself to indoctrinated in large part by the ideology of said hooligans. This ideology is a hypocritical ideology that contradicts itself at every turn, the most infamous example being the "pro-life" stand that so many conservatives take. They say that God created life and it should be protected but they only extend this protection to those who fit their ideological credo and even exclude animals, plants and other life forms. If they truly believe that which they preach, than they should value ALL LIFE, not only the politically beneficial portions.
In effect, conservatives in this nation are on fire. They burn with the heat of the flames of hatred, which rage just below the surface of the seeming benevolent face of conservatism. Conservatism itself is not to blame for this however. The culprit is the NeoCon movement.
Posted by: Joseph (OKLiberal) | Jul 31, 2005 4:42:47 AM
Those are some decent beliefs. I agree with 99% of them. Great post. Now if only those of us that do agree with you could rally together to do something other than just shit ourselves.
Posted by: Rory | Jul 31, 2005 8:15:44 AM
Hey Brad, get your facts straight before you start siting numbers on oil in 2004. A simple Yahoo! search would have found you this at number one:
http://www.eia.doe.gov/neic/rankings/crudebycountry.htm
Top Suppliers of U.S. Crude Oil Imports, 2004
Rank
Country of Origin
Thousand Barrels/day
1
Canada 1,616
2
Mexico 1,598
3
Saudi Arabia 1,495
4
Venezuela 1,297
5
Nigeria 1,078
6
Iraq 655
7
Angola 306
8
Kuwait 241
9
United Kingdom 238
10
Ecuador 232
11
Algeria 215
12
Russia 158
13
Norway 143
14
Colombia 142
15
Gabon 142
An awful lot of oil comes from the Middle East huh? Hmmm after Saudi Arabia, then what?
It isn't the size of the country that matters its the oil reserves it has and the willingness of its government and its people to go look for it. There would be thousands of oil rigs off the coast of California if the people wanted them. But we don't, not in our backyard. And that's the whole problem when it comes to oil. It's kinda like eating chicken. It taste good and there are many ways to eat it. You just don't want see or know about what goes on in the slaughterhouse. Oil and its distribution is part of the Saudi culture. That is their number one industry. What's the US, Canada, and Mexico's number one industry, service? Tourism? Do you think that simply because people that have SUV's are buying "more" Middle Eastern oil and are more "guilty" in causing the global terrorism problem?
These "I believe" statements are just a warm blanket for you all to tuck each other into bed at night knowing that a few people agree fully with it.
I'd ask again, how has your personal freedom been violated negatively by the Patriot Act? Don't give hypotheticals or what if's, give me a concrete evidence. And don't give me the being searched thing on airplanes, you were subject to being searched before 9/11.
The Bush hating or hanger's on thing is just a sad statement as well. You disagreed with the government before Bush was in office and you'll continue to disagree afterwards. Nothing will ever be as peachy as you ever could want it to be.
Steve
PS. Is that rational enough for you pia?
Posted by: steve | Jul 31, 2005 11:57:04 AM
You'd be suprised to learn as well, I do not drive an SUV!
Posted by: steve | Jul 31, 2005 11:58:41 AM
Steve, come on. Are you really trying to disagree that this war was based not on stopping terror but on control of the region for oil? Don't be daft. Look into the Project for a New American Century. These plans were in the works for years, and they started implementing their plans as soon as the World Trade Center was hit, and they realized the American people would be scared into accepting whatever they put out.
Did you actually read your list there, champ? Number 6 is Iraq and number 8 is Kuwait. Those are in the middle east, remember?
Saying that you haven't been affected by the assault on your freedom or that I haven't is a patently ridiculous and amazingly stupid thing to say. So, by that rationale, if you lived in Germany in 1941, knew what the government was doing but said, "hey, I'm not a Jew, it doesn't affect me," then that's acceptable? Apparently it is, by your stilted, morally bankrupt, Republican logic.
And, no, that's not rational to me, to Pia, or to anyone else with the ability for complex thought. Your response is scatter-shot, unfocused, contradicts itself, and comes to absolutely no point. Why are you even arguing if you don't have the ammunition to back it up? I can answer that for you. Because your long-held beliefs are crubmling in the face of the truth. This is why so many Republicans rant and rave at liberal sites. When you've been proved wrong and have absolutely nothing to back up your false beliefs, you resort to anger and lies. Pretty sad.
Posted by: Brad | Jul 31, 2005 12:21:25 PM
Actually Steve, coming from Oil-Floating Oklahoma, it's NOT about people not wanting oilrigs everywhere. The reason that the oil companies started buying foreign oil in the first place was because it was cheaper, so they say. This was all crap of course because buying "cheaper" oil didn't lead to lower fuel prices, just the contrary. While I am not the most up to date person on oil production myself, it's every Okie's duty to know something about the business. We suffered really bad back in the 1980's oil crunch and you know why? It's because American companies started going to other countries, which include Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and buying oil. Also, by your set of government statistics it is important to mention that 27% of our oil DOES come from the Middle East region. There is no honest way to deny that all of this oil money is being used to fund terrorism, albeit through underhanded means. The problem is that many of these Middle East oil nations are nations that breed and support extremist Islam. Wouldn't you know it that Saudi Arabia is the worst and they are one of the world's biggest oil nations? This is significant, thus arguing in fact against much of your argument.
Posted by: Joseph (OKLiberal) | Jul 31, 2005 12:23:17 PM
Simply going to say...Yep I agree with Brad...
Posted by: spiritdancerq | Jul 31, 2005 12:31:58 PM
The way you put it Joseph makes sense, you live and breath it down in Oklahoma. And you did it without making blanket statements or durogatory statements. True I may sound a bit defensive, but that's what I get reading a site I don't necessarily agree with. True Extremists are getting some oil money to cause terror. Not every dollar is going terrorism though and blaming SUV drivers kind of defeats the whole "I believe" thing in my book because it's not true... It makes me skeptical of what the exact message of what the "I Belive" thing is.
Brad, your thoughts are the EXACT problem with the Democratic Party. You cast vague shadows of blame all over the place yet have no real way of solving anything. Then you turn to ridicule as a defense. It's played out, we've all seen it before. Where did I contradict myself? Joseph made a good, strong argument while he put forth that 27% of our imported oil comes from the Mid East. So are the other 73% terrorist nations as well or does all that gas go through SUV's? Which is it Brad? Are you forgetting that oil is used for heating, mass transit, medicine, manufactoring and is supplying a significant portion of the electricity and materials used to make that computer you're using right now? To simply say, "they" had a plan, or "they" went to Iraq for the sole purpose of "securing" oil falls well short. How about securing the US economy and world power for the future? That is the real plan but you can't go to the press with that. Oil is so much a part of every American's lives regardless if they drive a car. And until there is an alternative fuel that is viable, eco-friendly and in abundance, we have no choice then to deal with the problem. We have no choice then to go secure oil because it secures our economic freedom, our livelihood and our country. Blaming Bush and the Republicans as sole proprietors of the world problems with terrorism is just plain lame.
Oh and go ahead and try and compare the Patriot Act to Nazi Germany. I'll remember that when I am at the poll not voting for YOUR candidates in 2006 and 2008. A far cry there buddy... a far cry.
Posted by: steve | Jul 31, 2005 4:31:52 PM
The Democratic plan is simple: A return to American values. And you would do well to remember the comparison when you go to the polls, regardless of whether or not you choose to vote in favor of this social experiment in right wing politics which has so far only screwed a once great nation. Get over your self man.
Posted by: Billion Year Old Carbon | Jul 31, 2005 6:43:15 PM
So the "exact problem" with the Democratic Party is that they don't agree with Republicans? Is that what you're trying to say?
Martin Himmeler: “When Nazis took communists, I was quiet because I wasn’t a communist. When Nazis were arresting social democrats, I was quiet because I wasn’t a social democrat. When they put to jail leaders of unions, I was quiet because I wasn’t a member of a union. When they came after me, no one was left to protest.”
What the Republicans are doing is a systematic campaign to surveil EVERYONE with views different from their own, under the guise of "catching terrorists." I thought I was quite clear about this in what I wrote, but I'll state it again here because apparently you can't remember. The USA Patriot Act is a full-bore assault on the Bill of Rights. If you disagree with this (which I'm sure you will) it is because either a) you haven't read it or b) you're blinded by your devotion to the current Republican Party.
27 percent is low. They want more. Middle East oil is cheap. Ergo, war. That's as simply as I can put it for you.
There are alternative fuels, plenty that don't involve funding terrorists. However, in this administration and previous administrations, it has been easier to simply fund the terrorists rather than devote money to develop these alternate sources of energy. Plus, Bush and Cheney are OIL MEN. They've been involved with oil their entire professional lives. Conflict of interest, anyone?
Am I not clear on to whom I assign blame? I thought it was readily apparent.
The way out of this neocon nightmare enforced on this country by a new breed of fascists: Remove said fascists from the admninistration. We may still be able to do that by voting, but since the last two elections were well-rigged, it's going to be tough. Militarily isolate the country. Establish the dominance of the UN. Pull the US away from the role of "world's police". Do you think the terrorists hate our "freedoms" or the fact that we have troops in every country in the Muslim world? Which do they hate more, Christianity or the US and England setting up the Middle East with no regard for native citizenry but in a method to best increase their bottom line?
Leave it to a Republican to cry about how "durogatory" [sic] those awful liberals are. Pot calling the fucking kettle black. When you get called to task on your own tactics, you bitch and moan about it. Get over yourself. I'll give you two names: Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh. Fuck off.
I could go on and on, but really it's getting a bit tiresome. I'll leave you with one more tasty morsel you can scream and cry about because it's true: September 11 happened because of America's foreign policy, and they are using the murder of almost 3,000 people to make the same mistakes on a much larger scale. How 'bout you try to moonbat that one, Stevey? Truth hurts, doesn't it?
Ta.
Posted by: Brad | Jul 31, 2005 7:23:23 PM
I don't agree with ALL of what you said, but I DAMNED sure do agree with this:
"I believe that our government represents not the people at all but corporations. And not in a way that is simply meant to encourage business.
I believe they have sold control of Washington to the highest bidder. And I believe the only planet we call home is paying the price."
Freaking embroidered smoking jacket wearing bastards. Let's take this country B-A-C-K N-O-W!!!
Posted by: Gun-Toting Liberal | Jul 31, 2005 8:26:05 PM
You moon batted it yourself just fine... Especially the part where you said the election was rigged.
I think this is the part where I say. "Get bent, Brad"
See ya!!!!
Posted by: steve | Jul 31, 2005 10:10:59 PM
Well, let me tell you a story about a little place called Ohio ...
Loved chatting with you!
Posted by: Brad | Jul 31, 2005 10:18:30 PM
"Get bent," yes I think I heard that somewhere before...Ah yes the 2000 inaugural speech right before they jammed it up the republic for which they stand.
Posted by: burnt weenie sandwich | Jul 31, 2005 11:10:21 PM
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