Something I Read... Or Imagined... Or Something

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Thursday November 01, 2007 · 6:09 AM PDT

2007/11/01 · 06:09

I know... you don't have to say it. I am not politically astute, therefore not very swift in assessing what is going on in the great sumo pit of politics.

I am not politically sensitive; therefore, I do not understand the undercurrents nor the necessities of compromise, like accepting torture as a legitimate tool for anything, or violating the 4th Amendment and giving immunity to criminals; or even for that matter, accepting and accomodating criminals as the head of the DOJ or even of the Executive Branch, itself!

Yes, I know I am a rube.

wgard

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Saturday October 13, 2007 · 6:57 AM PDT

2007/10/13 · 06:57

Just a little light relief for the weekend. After all, you need it. A heavy week of being Kossack Deciders does take a toll. Just ask GWB about the toll life imposes on all us Deciders, political and otherwise!

Anyway, thinking about that (and being on a third bottle of wine), I DECIDED there should be some acknowledgement of the role of true Deciders in our nation’s history. And who could be more appropriate as an example than our very own Decider, especially when cast against the light of one of his most revered Heroes, none other than another GW, George Washington!

How do I know he is an official GWB Hero? Well, GWB himself has told us that he has read three books about him, all in one year! We only know of him reading two other books... one by Camus, but being a foreign author (specifically French), there could be no inspiration there, could there? Then of course, there was The Pet Goat. But all knowledgeable persons agree that GWB would never accept a goat as a Hero... an Ass maybe, but never a goat!

wgard

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Wednesday October 03, 2007 · 8:40 AM PDT

2007/10/03 · 08:40

I have to admit that I was taken aback by one of House Speaker Pelosi’s remarks. With reference to a proposal to levy a ‘war tax’, specifically an income tax surcharge to help pay for GWB’s War Of Choice, Ms. Pelosi had this to say, ""Some have suggested that shared sacrifice should take the form of a draft; others have suggested a surtax. Those who oppose a tax and the draft also should oppose the President's war. Just as I have opposed the war from the outset, I am opposed to a draft and I am opposed to a war surtax." You can find that here, in the last paragraph.

In other words, Ms. Pelosi has effectively taken a ‘war tax’ off the table, just as she did any move toward impeachment. That seems a very narrow and short-sighted view, especially in the face of a Congress willing to continue funding of this War of Choice while continuing to run up the national debt to pay for it!

wgard

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Tuesday May 01, 2007 · 5:53 AM PDT

2007/05/01 · 05:53

This is a personal view. Take it as you will. But I will tell you, it is borne of a belief in our Nation, its Constitution, the underlying principles that gave rise to its formation, and simple respect for fairness and justice.

Why would I be writing this, since (I think) these are concerns for us all? To be blunt about it, the impetus is a diary, in fact a front page article, with which I take extreme exception. It will be interesting to see how you respond, whether you take exception as well, or whether my thoughts are totally misguided.

So, to follow me, to see why I disagree with at least some of the ‘conventional wisdom’, to watch me fall off the cliff as eloquent arguments are offered to the contrary, I invite you to follow me below.

wgard

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Friday January 19, 2007 · 5:33 AM PST

2007/01/19 · 05:33

Now, due to consideration for privacy, I cannot tell you how I came by the following. But it is an offer of help to the President, who obviously could use more than just a small amount. In fact, it is a letter from an admirer, striving to remove one of his many burdens, specifically what he should include as themes in his State of the Union address.

I offer it for your consideration... and after chewing on it a bit, perhaps your regurgitation. Without further adieu,
_______________________

To My Friend, George Bush,

Now, I know, Mr. President, that you are gettin ready for your premere performince of the year, delivering the State of the Union Address. I also realize you are under great stres trying to ward off all those attempts by the naysayers and naydoers and less-than-committed tryin to tie your hands in Iraq, and to make you accountable toward Iran, too. Such non-believers, such doubting-Thomases!

wgard

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Wednesday December 06, 2006 · 3:32 AM PST

2006/12/06 · 03:32

No, I do not intend to expound as in a full civics course the make-up and operation of Australian government, but as it is a staunch ally of the US, you might find some interest in it. After all, GWB (and other presidents) rely on it; it should not, though, be taken for granted as a given that its interests are always identical with those of the US. In that light, perhaps you should know something about it, both the nation and its government, yes?

I won’t bore you with statistics of the nation beyond a few. And I will save those, even for below the fold, so to speak (for the sake of brevity and formatting). Likewise, I will save any discussion of government, though in this case, I will limit such discussion to the electoral process.

Interested in the ‘Lucky Country’? Want to know why it is lucky, how the electoral process works, some other interesting facts? Well, the price is right, for sure ... nothing. Just follow me for the facts (and some interpretation).’

wgard

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Monday December 04, 2006 · 4:44 AM PST

2006/12/04 · 04:44

There needs be some explanation of this diary’s title, I suppose. So, let’s dispense with that first.

America. Well, here I have to apologize to Canadians and Mexicans. I really mean, in place of America, the US. But you see, ‘Americans’, out of habit however ill-informed, usually those in the US, means the people within the borders of the US (sans illegal aliens, naturally). Now, as to what that, were it true, would make Canadians or Mexicans in terms of a geographic reference, I confess to having no idea! So, I apologize to both Canadians and Mexicans beforehand, for I will use the term ‘America’ or some variant thereof, when in fact, I mean the US, or some variant thereof.

The other part that may be in question, ‘From Here and There’, warrants some explanation, too. But it is too long for an introduction; so if you are curious, you will simply have to read on a bit. At this point, I will only say it relates to a viewpoint, one from standing in the middle of the stew, and one from well outside the pot, so to speak. Enough said above the fold.

wgard

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Friday September 29, 2006 · 8:32 AM PDT

2006/09/29 · 08:32

For all of you who are Democrats or who identify with the Democratic Party, you have gotten some help from an unexpected quarter. You see, whether you knew it or not, you, collectively, have been suffering an identity crises! Oh, you may have thought of yourselves as Democrats (registered or not), as progressives, as liberals, or of some other political bent. Therein lies the fallacy. Political belief is not, apparently, adequate to know who you are. You really need a banner, a label.

Well, in a moment of brilliance, George Bush, compassionate conservative that he is, uniter-not-divider that he is, has thrown you a lifeline that will end that nagging confusion about your identity. He has tagged you, given you your banner, your label.

...the Democratic Party -- the party of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Harry Truman -- has become the "party of cut-and-run."

I appreciate Mr. Bush's obvious concern that Democrats have an identity, yet somehow I cannot help but think of his words as a 'macacca moment'. Read More

Farenheit 9-11... Revisited

wgard

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Thursday August 10, 2006 · 7:54 AM PDT

2006/08/10 · 07:54

I am lucky. I live in a place that political censorship is not so prevalent, not so pervasive. I live in a place where I can view events through a long lens, absent the spin and noise that the media in the US make a permanent part of the news landscape. I live in a place where worldviews and news are not totally defined by the political party in the US, where it is not the ultimate censor, where it does not define what people may or may not see, may or may not hear... what they may or may not think.

Tonight, there is a re-run here, another showing of Farenheit 9-11. Every time I have seen it, it has made me sick to the core, and that is saying something for sure. And every time, it makes me realize the illegalities, the blasphemies of this administration, and hate it all the more, as if how I felt before was not somehow sufficient.

At the end of it, I can only ask myself... why does this administration hate the US so very much, why does it hate its children, the soldiers, the sailors, the airmen - why does it hate so many people in the world? Read More

The Competence Is... Overwhelming!

wgard

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Friday August 04, 2006 · 3:04 AM PDT

2006/08/04 · 03:04

This was reported yesterday by Reuters:

The U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday named the Philippine and Indonesian branches of the International Islamic Relief Organization as fund-raisers for al Qaeda and other terror groups.

.
Reuters goes on to explain

snip...
The action means that no American can have any dealings with the two branches of the organization ...
snip...
...and that any assets they have in the United States will be frozen.

The source for Reuters was, as might be expected, a Treasury Department news release which contains considerably more information on the IIRO and its history.

Now that you are sufficiently bored, you may rightfully ask, "What does this have to do with the price of tea in China, or the Global War on Terror (GWOT)?" To that, I can only ask your indulgence, that you read a bit further.
Read More

Where Is The Effing OUTRAGE?

wgard

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Wednesday July 12, 2006 · 11:38 PM PDT

2006/07/12 · 23:38

For a couple of hours now, I have been watching live feeds from the Middle East, specific emphasis on Lebanon, Israel, and the Palestinian areas (which are all under the control of Israel). My only reaction is... this is absolute fucking madness!

Various people have postulated that the dimensions of the current Israeli-Palestinian/Hamas-Lebanon/Hezbolla conflict might have the potential for regional war. To them I would say this, the war, a regional one, is already engaged! Right now, it is at a slow(?) burn, but believe it... it is war already. It remains only for the engagement of other parties to determine how broadly it may spread.

Why? Well, Israel shells a beach in the Gaza Strip. A family (seven, I think) are killed. Hamas launches rockets from Gaza. Then, Hamas (supposed) conducts a cross-border operation, kills two (as I recall) IDF soldiers and kidnaps a third. So, Israel conducts a large scale bombing campaign in Gaza, destroying bridges, a critical power station, and then a large scale invasion with ground forces. Hamas continues firing rockets. Read More

Has Anyone Noticed? - The K Street Pentagon

wgard

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Saturday June 17, 2006 · 6:58 AM PDT

2006/06/17 · 06:58

This past week had several `milestones' (should I dare to use that word?), all aimed at bolstering this failed administration, this failed presidency, hoping to recapture some measure of approval that may carry forward to the 2006 elections. There was Bush's secret great adventure, travelling to the heart of darkness itself, the Baghdad `Green Zone' (though to what purpose other than photos and sound bytes is anyone's guess). And there was the House `debate', if any dare call it that, on the war in Iraq.

It is the latter of those two events that is of the greatest concern. Yes, the `debate' is over, framed by the Republicans, as all knew it would be. The outcome, in terms of voting for the House Resolution should not have been surprising to anyone.

Now, is all this 'old news' worth revisiting? I think so. If you will, please follow along below, yes?
Read More

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Something I Read... Or Imagined... Or Something

George, Another George, and Books To Be

It Is Not All About You, Ms. Pelosi... Nor You, Mr. Reid!

The DOJ – Go Ahead And Flame Me

Help the Decider-In-Chief!

For Expats and the Curious... Australia, The ‘Lucky Country&Isquo

America – From Here and There, With Apologies

And You Are ...?

Farenheit 9-11... Revisited

The Competence Is... Overwhelming!

Where Is The Effing OUTRAGE?

Has Anyone Noticed? - The K Street Pentagon