NEON GODS

A Flawed Tribunal

Hoping that someday Bush and others in his administration will someday be tried and punished for their torture policies by the International Criminal Tribunal?  Ummm, don't get you're hopes up...

--Trakker

What Might Have Been...

When right wingers are confronted with the fact that George Bush is a lousy President, they often respond by calling our attention to an even worse President, Jimmy Carter.

Yeah, right...

Read this remarkable speech Carter gave 29 years ago and you will be sickened by the realization that a President outlined a program almost 30 years ago that would have solved most of our energy problems by now and would have made us much less dependent on Middle East oil.  But of course before it could be implemented we got a new President, Ronald Reagan, who had different ideas about what needed fixing in America, like busing black kids into white neighborhoods for instance.

It DOES make a difference who we have as President.  Carter saw our future energy problems clearly, Reagan knew Carter's program required cost and sacrifice and decided that it produced no political advantage to him or the Republican party so it got deep sixed,  Getting people pissed off at Commies and black folks was a much better way to expand the right's power.

--Trakker

Capitaism at Work: "...eliminating health-care for retirees 65 and older."

Here's another example of capitalism at work,

Struggling auto giant General Motors announced a number of sweeping measures today designed to raise cash and trim expenses through 2009, including cutting an unspecified number of white-collar jobs, eliminating health-care benefits for retirees 65 and older, the possible sale of some model lines and the immediate suspension of dividend payments for investors. [emphasis mine]

Did you see anything there about cutting the salaries or benefits of the geniuses at GM who led the company into this mess?  Mmmm, me either.

Oh yes, and did you see that Bush's approval and disapproval numbers set new records today?  69% now disapprove of how he's doing his job, with 56% saying they strongly disapprove.  What's frightening is that he still has over five more months in office!

--Trakker

The President Urges Congress to Help Those who Are Struggling.

George Bush, in an angry speech today, told Congress it is unacceptable that nearly three years after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans and the Gulf Coast is still struggling to recover.  He also berated them for taking so long to pass legislation that would help those homeowners who are facing foreclosure.  "When disaster strikes or our regulatory agencies fail the people, the government must step in and provide relief until they can back on their feet again.  This is not welfare, this is the people's government helping their fellow citizens who are in need.  We are our brother's keeper."

Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!  That never happened - and it never will.

George Bush did show concern in a speech today, but it was concern for our stock markets, our economy, and those poor mortgage giants, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.  The economy has been tanking for the little guys for ages, but no one in Washington has shown any great concern for them.  But NOW, now that the big boys are in danger and the market is getting jittery, the President has leaped into action, hastily scheduling a news conference - his first in nearly three months - to assure everyone that the economy is fundamentally sound.  Evidently, not many believe him.  The Dow Jones lost another 92 points today.

After the news conference Bush vetoed a Medicare bill...

Do the rich, the priveliged, and the Washington elites realize that their transparent actions to protect their gilded lifestyle are really infuriating the masses?   Actually, no.

--Trakker

Something We Can Learn From the Mexicans

WaPost:

On any given day, there are six or seven or eight demonstrations taking place in the Mexican capital. The city government keeps a running list of them on its Web site.[...]

The greatest [sit-in] of all was staged after the disputed 2006 presidential election, when supporters of failed candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador camped for weeks on Avenida Reforma, one of the city's main thoroughfares.

--Trakker

How do We Make Them Pay?

At 9:02 am, April 19, 1995, 5,000 pounds of ammonium nitrate mixed with nitromethane and diesel fuel exploded in front of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people - including 19 kids in the building's day care center - and wounding hundreds more.  At the time it was the largest terrorist attack in our history.

The building was the target because it housed 550 federal workers. The bomber, Timothy McVeigh, blew up the federal building because he was angry at the government.  He considered those he killed "collateral damage" and never expressed remorse for those he killed.

I remember the Murrah Building bombing because it represents what can happen when people begin to hate the government and have no constructive outlet for that anger.

I'm getting worried about this because I'm noticing a marked increase in the anger and frustration among those of us who are stunned by how the Democrats keep bowing to George Bush's demands.  It's gotten to the point where I have to stop and take a deep breath before reading Glenn Greenwald's latest posts because I know it's going to sting.  I think his post yesterday was one of his best.

It's obvious that our Democratic leaders in Congress are either unprincipled cowards or are feeling giddy about all the corporate money now pouring into their coffers.  Either way, it seems likely that the political prostitution is not going to change much with a new administration.

As if that's not bad enough, what worries me most is that after 7 years of George W. Bush, most people think the worst is almost over.  Think again.  I believe it's likely that Bush/Cheney will bomb Iran sometime before the election.  Bush and Cheney will use fear one last time to disrupt the elections and try to get McCain elected.  The bombing will not go unanswered by Iran - they've had months to figure out how to best retaliate.  Whatever their response, you can bet it will be designed to hurt the U.S. badly.

That's why I want people to think and plan ahead of time what we should do if we do bomb Iran.  Bombing the Murrah Building was a strike against the government, but it was incredibly misdirected and counter-productive.  I think we need to start devising strategies for holding our government accountable for it's actions. We can't let this administration and our cowardly Congress get away with another attack on a sovereign nation that is no threat to the U.S.  If they bomb Iran, they must pay the price.  I wish one of the major bloggers would throw this out there for discussion.

--Trakker

Another Shocking Death of a Newsman

Another shocking death in the Washington news corps.  Tony Snow was just 53 years old.  Colon cancer is another one of those scary things that kills indiscriminately.

Tony did seem to enjoy his job as White House press secretary.  He recognized that in the Bush administration the press secretary's job is to stonewall and lie effectively and Tony did it with humor and a smile.  I found it hard to not like him, and I'm saddened to read of his untimely death.

--Trakker

America Moves Left as our Politicians Move Right

The vast majority of Americans dislike Bush.  The vast majority of Americans say the country is headed in the wrong direction.  The vast majority of Americans despise Congress.  The vast majority of Americans want the government to do more, not less, even if it means higher taxes.

Let's face it, the conservative movement is severely crippled. At most only about 30% of Americans support it.

So why is John McCain scurrying to the right as he campaigns for President?  Even more startling is Obama's sudden move to the right also.  Does Obama forget how excited people got back when they thought he was a liberal?  Does he forget how enthusiastically people supported him back when they thought he was a liberal?  And even back then he was never THAT liberal.  Granted, the liberal label can still be toxic, especially for an African American candidate, but still...

Even though the people have rejected the conservative programs and neo-con philosophy, conservatives in Washington, Congress and the media are still very powerful and influential in politics.  I have a feeling there is going to ultimately be a huge clash between the people and their leaders until out politicians "get it."

We saw a perfect example of how out of touch our leaders are when Phil Gramm called Americans a nation of whiners and that this current economic downturn is mostly in our minds.  This is who John McCain relies on for economic advice?  Wow!

--Trakker

Congress: 88% of Americans Disapprove!

Tuesday, a new Rasmussen Poll was released showing the public's opinion of Congress.

The percentage of voters who give Congress good or excellent ratings has fallen to single digits for the first time in Rasmussen Reports tracking history. This month, just 9% say Congress is doing a good or excellent job. Most voters (52%) say Congress is doing a poor job, which ties the record high in that dubious category.

Here's the breakdown:

Excellent:  2%
Good:  7%
Fair:  36%
Poor:  52%
[Sadly, Rasmussen doesn't include a stronger word than "poor."  I suggest adding "terrible" in the future]

Only 9% give Congress a good or excellent rating.  Over half assigned Congress to the lowest category!

It's one thing for a President to have low approval ratings, but Congress is supposed to represent the very voters who are being polled here.  When less than 10% of the voters approve of the way Congress is representing them, loud alarm bells should be sounding in Congress and the media.  Obviously there is no panic in Congress. If anything they seem even more determined to ignore the voters.  The press, when it mentions this at all, implies that the reason for these low numbers is because the Democratic leadership are still too liberal.

Given these numbers, it's obvious that Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi should be forced out of their leadership roles.  They have failed the country miserably.  But, of course, they won't be removed because despite their failures, the money is rolling in to the Democratic Party.  The simple truth is, the best way to keep your job in Congress is to support the demands of the corporations and screw your constituents.

The voters think so too.  In the same poll we find:

Most voters (72%) think most members of Congress are more interested in furthering their own political careers. Just 14% believe members are genuinely interested in helping people.

It's our job to change this.  Term limits would be a good start.

--Trakker

I Wonder How Many Early Obama Supporters feel This Way?

Bob Herbert in today's NYT:

Back in January when Barack Obama pulled off his stunning win in the Iowa caucuses, and people were lining up in the cold and snow for hours just to get a glimpse of him, there was a wide and growing belief — encouraged to the max by the candidate — that something new in American politics had arrived.

His brilliant, nationally televised victory speech in Des Moines sent a shiver of hope through much of the electorate. “The time has come for a president who will be honest about the choices and the challenges we face,” said Senator Obama, “who will listen to you and learn from you, even when we disagree, who won’t just tell you what you want to hear, but what you need to know.”

Only an idiot would think or hope that a politician going through the crucible of a presidential campaign could hold fast to every position...But Barack Obama went out of his way to create the impression that he was a new kind of political leader — more honest, less cynical and less relentlessly calculating than most.

You would be able to listen to him without worrying about what the meaning of “is” is.

This is why so many of Senator Obama’s strongest supporters are uneasy, upset, dismayed and even angry at the candidate who is now emerging in the bright light of summer.

One issue or another might not have made much difference. Tacking toward the center in a general election is as common as kissing babies in a campaign, and lord knows the Democrats need to expand their coalition.

But Senator Obama is not just tacking gently toward the center.He’s lurching right when it suits him, and he’s zigging with the kind of reckless abandon that’s guaranteed to cause disillusion, if not whiplash.

[more]

I hope Barack is fully aware of this kind of feedback, load and clear...and heeds the warning.  Many liberals are feeling like an abused spouse.  We're sick of being used and abused.  Barack might just push many of us over the edge, into voting for a Green or some other party.

[h/t Bitburgerguy]

--Trakker