Politics 1A, part 1

     I am not an expert in politics, specifically American politics; no degree in it, no experience in elected office, not even any relatives who are in it. But I have been paying attention for the last 4-5 years, at least more than most Americans can afford, to political events in this country; way more attention than I did in the previous 50 years of my prior life. And this summary is what I have come to believe:

     Republican party– As currently configured it is a patchwork of groups run by the NeoConservatives. The main groups are large corporations and their board members, fundamentalist Christians, and well meaning, but mostly ignorant, people who know little of the people who run their party or why they are Republicans. They are like cheerleaders at a local high-school football game- they know little of the actual game itself, but are way gung-ho for the outcome…which is their team winning…at any cost.

     Republicans are only good at one thing, winning elections, by whatever methods necessary. Once they are in office they want to show Americans that government is bad for you, so they go about making sure that the political positions are staffed by nothing but unqualified ass-kissers, so that they will do a bad job, thereby proving their point (think “you’re doing a heck of a job Brownie” during the Katrina mess).

     Republicans currently have only two goals: 1) stay in power and 2) transfer as many billions of dollars to their millionaire and billionaire friends from American middle class taxpayers as they can before being kicked out of office.

     The goal of the Republicans and the Bush Administration for the last 7.5 years has been to establish a “unitary executive” (see below). This is code-speak for an unlimited and unchecked ability of the President to do whatever he wants. This is also known as a dictatorship.

     For the last 7.5 years Republicans and the Bush Administration had control of the Senate, House of Representatives, Presidency, and (most of the time) the Supreme Court. They have acted like alcoholics running a liquor store; not allowing any oversight to their violations of the Constitution and plundering of deregulation and privatization of nearly everything they could get their hands on- an unnecessary war in Iraq, massive illegal eavesdropping on communications, outing senior covert CIA officer Valerie Plame (this should be called what it is- treason), torturing prisoners, doing away with habeas corpus for Gitmo detainees, unfairly prosecuted Democratic officials (Don Siegelman) and appointees while ignoring Republican crimes, fired 9 U.S. Attorneys who wouldn’t prosecute Democrats unfairly, tried to get rid of all opposition in the press and lobbying companies, stated in writing George Bush’s intension to ignore laws passed by the Congress (see Signing Statements below), and removed safeguards and regulations on sub-prime mortgages and oil futures trading (the “Enron Loophole“) thereby causing the sub prime mortgage crisis (why your home value is now dropping) and a gallon of gas costing nearly $4 (after being over $4 a gallon recently). BTW, these last two items are both thanks to Phil Gramm, John McCain’s lead economic advisor.

     What all this leads to is a Fascist State. That’s what they really want to set up.

     And keep in mind that “Maverick” Sen. John McCain voted with the Bush Administration over 90% of the time.

 

     Topics for further reading:

     Unitary Executive Theory #1  #2 

     George W. Bush’s signing statements #1  #2

     Stolen presidential elections in 2000 and 2004  #1  #2  #3