February 9, 2005 – Information Overload

I have not Ranted in a while – not because there is not much to Rant about, but because I do not even know where to begin.  The absolutism of both the Republicans and Democrats render me close to speechless, as did the spectacle of George Bush’s 2^nd inauguration and his State of the Union Address.  But a month has passed since I last vented digitally, so it is time to flush the fury from my skull and Rant once more. So here we go . . .

¨       The Elections in Iraq – They went far better than many of us expected.  Not perfect, but, a hell of a lot better than they did in Ohio.  So, whether or not you agree with the war in Iraq, you have to at least say that there were elections, and people, some at great risk to themselves, went out to take part in the building of their government.  It is just too bad that the whole infrastructure has been destroyed in the process of trying to liberate those who did not ask for the help in the first place.  Does this mean the President’s policies were correct? No.  Does this mean the war was just? No.  Does this mean that Iraq can avoid a civil war? No.  Does this mean that there is some hope that the people in Iraq, despite our best efforts, can still find a way to lead themselves out of the morass we have created to govern themselves – maybe.  In short, it was a good day in Iraq.  And, seeing that there are few good that in itself is something to celebrate and acknowledge for what it was:  one step in a long process.  There is still a long, long fight ahead for those in Iraq who want a better life, and for those fools who created this mess (which means us) in the first place.  We did break Iraq, now we have to fix it. 

¨       Teddy Kennedy, Get A Grip - Ever heard of a power vacuum?  How could you advocate getting out of Iraq immediately when the country is still at a tipping point?  We have some responsibility to the people there to fix the mess we created.  I have a feeling that Ted Kennedy worked secretly with the LAPD during the Rodney King riots.  You know, get everyone really pissed off, riled up, hating each other, and then retreat.  Big surprise – you have riots and burned out neighborhoods, or, in Iraq – civil war.  Just because I do not like the war and the way some of us were mislead into supporting it, does not mean that I think we can now get a “do-over” and just leave.  We must find a way to clean up the mess we made and restore some semblance of order.  We cannot turn and run like we did in Vietnam – the people in Iraq deserve better:  we owe it to them.   If we leave now, I believe that Iraq will become a larger version of Afghanistan during the Taliban:   with the added bonus of a whole lot of oil and resources.  Face it:  thanks to the failed policies of the Bush Administration, we are stuck in Iraq for the near term: we have no choice.

¨        Donald Rumsfeld – Our dear or Secretary of Defense was on a talk show last Sunday and asked how he would feel if a theocracy, like the one currently in place in Iran, took control democratically in Iraq.  He would not answer the question – just saying that “it is not going to happen.”  Good answer, right up there with convincing me that Saddam had Weapons of Mass Destruction.  Here is a reality check:  just because you say it ain’t so, does not mean that it will not come to pass.  Moreover, I cannot believe that he offered to resign twice, and the President refused his offer.  Just shows me that loyalty is a blinding as greed.   Go ahead, be loyal to Rumsfeld.  I cannot wait for our own “regime change” and then the fur will really fly:  this Administration will have some explaining to do once all of the information it has for so long suppressed comes to light.  There will not be enough journalists on the GOP’s payroll to protect them from the consequences of their own actions.  The truth will come out... 

¨        Howard Dean, DNC Chair - I think I am getting a bit queasy.  I still think he looks like an angry oompa loompa, and that while he will energize the base, that unless he finds a way to move towards the middle he will do nothing to wrest control of the country and government from Carl Rove and his mad minions.  Even Hillary Clinton is more palatable to me than Dean – and I am not too fond of her.  Please, someone, find a way to get the Democrats to lead themselves out of the paper bag they find themselves lost in.  Leadership and charisma, aisle 5, right next to political courage, and nowhere near political correctness or compromise.

¨        Arnold, the Governator – well, my feelings on him are starting to mellow, and I am a bit concerned about all of the money he is taking from special interests.  I think he is doing many things that are right for the state, but at the same time, something is starting to get the hairs on the back of my neck tingling.  I am still glad he is shaking things up, but now I am not so certain of motives or his character.   He keeps saying special interests are going to hate all of his programs – well then stop taking money from so many special interests who apparently love what you are doing. 

¨        A 40Million Dollar Party? – Can someone explain how we spent 40 million dollars on a party for the President when there are so many more urgent financial needs?  How is this not one big bribe for corporate donors to get access to our political leaders?  All of this money needs to come out of the political process and stop distorting the system.  40 million dollars on parties for someone already in office, and then, they tag DC, an area already struggling with financial problems, with part of the security bill.  And they call us out here in LA extravagant and out of touch.  I am sorry we have nothing on the fools in DC.

¨        Air America - It is back on the air in the Los Angeles area, AM 1150 – yeah.  .  I will start to listen, but fear that I am not liberal enough for the progressives and too liberal for the Republicans.  I have the sneaking suspicion that all either party wants from me is my money and for me to keep my opinions to myself, because what I believe does not comport with either party general platform.  I have a sneaking suspicion that this is true for many others, but no one is will to go out on a limb and say so.  Where does a person go who does not support illegal immigration, but understands that once folks are here, you cannot turn your back on their needs?  There has to be some middle ground that finds a way to deal with this problem.  All I know is that while I want the borders better protected, I also want people, once they are here, treated humanely, and paid a decent wage.

¨        Israel and the Palestinians – For the first time in about 4 years, there seems to be an actual window to peace; let us hope that both sides recognize that it is time to look for alternatives to the current path.  I saw the play Golda’s Balcony, about the 1973 war (side note:  I did not know that Israel had threatened to launch nuclear weapons when they were initially losing that war.  To make such a threat/bluff in order to get the supplies they needed from the US, leaves a very bad taste in my mouth . . .) and firmly believe as she said that there will only be Peace when all parties, Palestinian, Israeli, Arab, Jew and Muslim finally decide to love their children more than they hate each other.   Maybe there has finally been enough bloodshed among children that the adults can look at the damage they have inflicted and reconsider the paths they are on.  I hope so, because all roads lead back to the conflict between Israel, her Arab neighbors, and the Palestinians.  We can fight all the wars we want and kill terrorists until we are out of ammo and exhausted beyond the ability to fight – and it will never be enough, until this problem is solved. 

¨        Social Security – Talk about ignoring the obvious.  It is almost funny that Bush is focusing on this program, when the real issue that is going to bankrupt our country is Medicare, and the explosion in spending as the baby boomers age.  Some figures have the Medicare problem being four to five times as severe as the Social Security “crisis” yet we hear nothing but silence on the issue.  No, instead the Bush Administration expands the program by providing no-bid drug benefits.  This is so ass-backwards.   They are ignoring the elephant in the room while trying to pop a zit.  Leadership – bah.  If there was any leadership, they would tell us all the truth – we are a lazy, fat nation that is hooked on quick fixes and miracle cures.  No one dares to do the hard work or tell us the truth about the state of our medical system because it would rock too many boats, piss off campaign donors, and not be “politically correct.”

¨        Barbara Boxer – While she is not my favorite person in the Senate, I have to give her props for actually confronting Condelezza Rice on Iraq.  No one else had the balls (figuratively speaking of course) to actually discuss the failings of Dr. Rice and the Administration Iraq policy during her confirmation as Secretary of State.  We must not let this Administration rewrite history about why we went into Iraq:  it was not about their freedom, it was about our security and the threat of WMDs.  To this day, no one has been held accountable for the failings and failures that led us into an unnecessary war.  Instead, those most responsible have been rewarded, promoted, given medals of freedom.   The only Senator who seemed to remember this was Barbara Boxer.  For all of the other problems I have with Senator Boxer, she gets my respect for at least doing her job.  The Senate is not a rubber stamp.  It is supposed to be one of the checks and balances on the President.         

¨        Sexual Double Standards - Viagra is now covered by Medicare, but women’s birth control is not covered by many insurance plans or federal programs.  Can someone explain how an expensive drug that gives men the choice to have erections is covered under federal programs, when woman’s birth control pills, which would basically protect women from the consequences of all of those otherwise unavailable erections is not?  I guess anything to promote the culture of life is a good thing, even if it comes in a little blue pill.  Unless of course, it involves research or development on things like stem cells.  No, that kind of funding might actually help the living.

WHHHEEEWW.  I am glad to get that off my chest.  Hopefully the next few weeks will not paralyze me with information, and I will be able to process things a little more quickly.  Until then, Rant on, and remember, this is your government.  If you do not like something, do something, write someone, send money to an organization you support.  If not, you are just one more spectator watching as our world passes you by.