DANGER, WILL ROBINSON!
Sep. 17th, 2004 09:22 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
athelindI haven't been posting much, lately -- and I haven't been posting much of anything political at all.
Why? Because it's hard for me to discuss such things without screaming, and screaming doesn't accomplish much at all.
Of course, Kerry's silence doesn't accomplish much, either.
Kerry's greatest asset is that he's a complex thinker, one who's not willing to distill intricate policy matters into a few sound bites. That's also his greatest liability -- he's simply not willing to talk about anything anymore, since the Grand Old Machine's Advertising-Slogan approach to running the world is virulent meme.
The easiest way for Kerry to start talking about his policies, though, would be to contrast them with the problems and failures of the Current Administration.
Kerry could talk about how Bush turned the greatest tragedy in American history into an excuse to further his personal agenda. The war on Iraq was planned before 9/11; they were just looking for a way to make it palatable to the American public.
Or about how he connived us into attacking a country that had nothing to do with those attacks, looking for WMDs that weren't there, just to fulfill a family vendetta. How he turned the United States of America, our country, my country, into an aggressor nation.
He blew off Afghanistan and let the Taliban take control BACK after 'liberating' it.
How this administration has pushed an agenda to strip away our Constitutional rights, curtailed free speech and assembly, herded up American citizens excercizing those rights in legitimate protest, dragged off both American citizens and those of other nations -- not aggressors, but erstwhile allies -- and held them without counsul...
In short, Bush has done and continues to do EVERY DAMNED THING BIN LADEN COULD HOPE.
Yes, I'm outraged. I could go on, but I'm very close to screaming again. And screaming doesn't accomplish anything.
But neither does silence.
Why? Because it's hard for me to discuss such things without screaming, and screaming doesn't accomplish much at all.
Of course, Kerry's silence doesn't accomplish much, either.
Kerry's greatest asset is that he's a complex thinker, one who's not willing to distill intricate policy matters into a few sound bites. That's also his greatest liability -- he's simply not willing to talk about anything anymore, since the Grand Old Machine's Advertising-Slogan approach to running the world is virulent meme.
The easiest way for Kerry to start talking about his policies, though, would be to contrast them with the problems and failures of the Current Administration.
Kerry could talk about how Bush turned the greatest tragedy in American history into an excuse to further his personal agenda. The war on Iraq was planned before 9/11; they were just looking for a way to make it palatable to the American public.
Or about how he connived us into attacking a country that had nothing to do with those attacks, looking for WMDs that weren't there, just to fulfill a family vendetta. How he turned the United States of America, our country, my country, into an aggressor nation.
He blew off Afghanistan and let the Taliban take control BACK after 'liberating' it.
How this administration has pushed an agenda to strip away our Constitutional rights, curtailed free speech and assembly, herded up American citizens excercizing those rights in legitimate protest, dragged off both American citizens and those of other nations -- not aggressors, but erstwhile allies -- and held them without counsul...
In short, Bush has done and continues to do EVERY DAMNED THING BIN LADEN COULD HOPE.
Yes, I'm outraged. I could go on, but I'm very close to screaming again. And screaming doesn't accomplish anything.
But neither does silence.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2004-09-17 09:46 am (UTC)You just don't see it in the media because they're more interested in 'forged' memos and Bush speeches.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-17 01:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-17 03:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-17 10:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-17 10:32 am (UTC)Understanding how that works may be the only thing that can prevent me from utter loathing of anyone who could even consider electing George W. Bush to another term.
I mean, fuck, people.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-17 11:37 am (UTC)And further. I'm surprised at you, you seem a decent guy. Why would you go about disliking someone just because of politics? That's about as bad as disliking someone for not liking your personal favorite sport.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-17 01:06 pm (UTC)If you vote to "re-elect" Bush, despite everything he has done, then you are screwing over the rest of us.
But at least you'll get your fucking precious single issue, won't you? Civil liberties can go hang, international relations don't matter one damned bit, as long as there aren't any of those icky abortions performed.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-17 01:09 pm (UTC)Right now, any vote not for Kerry is a vote for Bush, that doesn't mean I actually have to vote for Bush to do it.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-17 01:25 pm (UTC)anyone who could even consider electing George W. Bush to another term
To which you replied:
Some of us are single-issue voters
Some of US. As in, "I and other people". Said to explain why anyone would "consider electing George W. Bush to another term".
Right there, boy, you implied pretty damned heavily that you were casting your vote -- at at least considering it -- in favor of Bush.
Note that I never actually accused you of VOTING FOR Bush, just voting to re-elect him. As you point out, any non-Kerry vote is a de facto Bush vote. Now who's putting words where?
Of course, if you genuinely want to see Bush in office for another four years, then at least have the courage to vote for him. Voting for neither of the two candidates is the coward's way of voting for the incumbent.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-17 01:28 pm (UTC)I've considered voting for either, but I'm doing NEITHER.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-17 12:03 pm (UTC)Athelind, the facts on the ground suggest that the war on Iraq was not planned at all so much as it was pulled out of someone's wazoo -- most likely after a night of too much bad mexican food. ;)
no subject
Date: 2004-09-17 02:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-17 02:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-17 03:04 pm (UTC)Mexican.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-17 03:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-17 09:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-17 03:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-17 09:22 pm (UTC)Ahh the joys of living up in Canada. ^^
no subject
Date: 2004-09-17 11:42 pm (UTC)First, yes, I am a liberal Bush-hater, though it's the Republican economic, social, and religious policies I hate, not the man himself. He's just a figurehead for the right-wing liberals running the show. That's what the neo-conservatives really are -- right wing liberals. They are *NOT* conservatives in any way, shape, or form.
But, I also have several friends who are Bush supporters or general conservatives. Most of them aren't at all cocky but one of 'em does get that way once in a while, and I have to apply a generous dose of humility. ;>
In any case, I refer you to two websites, Athe. One is a set of articles from ALL sides of the political spectrum under the title "What if Bush Wins?" Some of it is highly partisan and highly depressing, but alot more of it is issue-oriented and quite thought provoking. I show at least a few of those articles to Bush supporters -- reminding them that even if their man wins, he may get exactly what he asked for...
The other is "The Optimism of Uncertainty" all about how seemingly invincible power structures came tumbling down through history...often at the most unexpected times. It's very heartening reading.
What if Bush wins?
The optimism of uncertainty
A comment which would shock my family....
Date: 2004-09-19 09:42 pm (UTC)I think the simplest, strongest statement on what Bush has done is an editorial cartoon with Osama holding a "Bush/Cheney 2004" sign.