Monday, November 15, 2004
Departures, Departures - Who's Left to Take the Blame (or Rely On)?
So the Cabinet continues to empty - today's announcements are said to include Colin Powell, Ann Veneman, Spencer Abraham and the previously leaked Rod Paige. So when they're added to the already announced Ashcroft and Evans departures, we're left with 9 of the current 15 slots filled with last month's members. More will jump ship soon. What does it all mean? People with tons more access than myself will speculate all across the board. But I'm willing to say unflinchingly that these are the smart rats we're seeing flee before the downfall (oh, and Ashcroft - sick as a dog, ready to meet his alleged maker very soon). Remember, you heard it here first.
It's been announced that William Safire is retiring from the NYTimes. Can't say that I'm sorry to see him go. I've always hated his style of smugness, and his "On Language" column in the NYTimes Mag is the only piece I always skip no matter what he's trying to write all cute about. The fawning pronouncements of his brilliance are soon to come from all across the conservative spectrum. Screw him. Like so many others, I think he's worried to death about the future and can't stomach having to defend just what his Party is planning to do to the country.
Much, MUCH, more disturbing, however, is the wave of departures roiling the CIA. Two more announced this morning. Porter Goss brought with him a bunch of jackasses from his House committee staff who are running roughshod over the career professionals already in place, hoping to find a way to give Bush short-term credit for shaking up the agency. In the meantime, who's minding the store? The interview on "60 Minutes" last night with Michael Sheurer (who wrote "Imperial Hubris" as Anonymous) was pretty frightening in its specificity about Bin Laden and his worthiness as an adversary. Oh, and of course, Sheurer also resigned from the CIA on Friday. If ever there was a time when the U.S. was most vulnerable, I think that would definitely have to be...now.
So the Cabinet continues to empty - today's announcements are said to include Colin Powell, Ann Veneman, Spencer Abraham and the previously leaked Rod Paige. So when they're added to the already announced Ashcroft and Evans departures, we're left with 9 of the current 15 slots filled with last month's members. More will jump ship soon. What does it all mean? People with tons more access than myself will speculate all across the board. But I'm willing to say unflinchingly that these are the smart rats we're seeing flee before the downfall (oh, and Ashcroft - sick as a dog, ready to meet his alleged maker very soon). Remember, you heard it here first.
It's been announced that William Safire is retiring from the NYTimes. Can't say that I'm sorry to see him go. I've always hated his style of smugness, and his "On Language" column in the NYTimes Mag is the only piece I always skip no matter what he's trying to write all cute about. The fawning pronouncements of his brilliance are soon to come from all across the conservative spectrum. Screw him. Like so many others, I think he's worried to death about the future and can't stomach having to defend just what his Party is planning to do to the country.
Much, MUCH, more disturbing, however, is the wave of departures roiling the CIA. Two more announced this morning. Porter Goss brought with him a bunch of jackasses from his House committee staff who are running roughshod over the career professionals already in place, hoping to find a way to give Bush short-term credit for shaking up the agency. In the meantime, who's minding the store? The interview on "60 Minutes" last night with Michael Sheurer (who wrote "Imperial Hubris" as Anonymous) was pretty frightening in its specificity about Bin Laden and his worthiness as an adversary. Oh, and of course, Sheurer also resigned from the CIA on Friday. If ever there was a time when the U.S. was most vulnerable, I think that would definitely have to be...now.
Friday, November 05, 2004
Reflections in a Pool of Our Own Blood and Bile
If ever Bush showed his true arrogance, it was yesterday during his "political capital/I intend to spend it" answer during a shamefully rare news conference. The Bushies have wasted absolutely no time at all after Election Day - they're prepping an assault on Falluja, they're trashing Arlen Specter for having the audacity to be a pro-choice Republican, they're looking to dismantle Social Security and the tax code even though no one in their right mind thinks they will do so with anything but short-term gains in mind. But while most of the bloggers worth watching are running for the hills and others are talking about immigrating to Canada, I'm left to reflect in agreement upon Bill Maher's comment from a few weeks ago about how re-electing Bush would leave him with the responsibility of cleaning up his mess for the first time in his life. I worry about so much in the years ahead, specifically how my wife's valiantly-chosen career in healthcare will be adversely affected. But I still can't say that I'm depressed about the whole mess we're in. Bush has only prolonged his assured de-pantsing. So to speak.
A few things that I must state, with very little to support my opinions thus far. The youth vote was a mirage. P. Diddy did as much good for this country in his "Vote Or Die" campaign as he did for long-distance running in his efforts on his own behalf in last year's NYC Marathon. The evangelicals are frightening, but if you need zombies to show for an event they're the most reliable braineaters you could possibly find (by the way, just saw the new "Dawn of the Dead" on video and LOVED the fact that it took place in a Milwaukee mall - On Wisconsin!). This election cost over $4Billion - a complete waste of money that could have much more easily just gone straight to bribes. The analysis is just beginning, but one thing seems sure - 51% of the country to Bush is whopping majority. The rest of us can just suck on it, in his unmeasured opinion.
If ever Bush showed his true arrogance, it was yesterday during his "political capital/I intend to spend it" answer during a shamefully rare news conference. The Bushies have wasted absolutely no time at all after Election Day - they're prepping an assault on Falluja, they're trashing Arlen Specter for having the audacity to be a pro-choice Republican, they're looking to dismantle Social Security and the tax code even though no one in their right mind thinks they will do so with anything but short-term gains in mind. But while most of the bloggers worth watching are running for the hills and others are talking about immigrating to Canada, I'm left to reflect in agreement upon Bill Maher's comment from a few weeks ago about how re-electing Bush would leave him with the responsibility of cleaning up his mess for the first time in his life. I worry about so much in the years ahead, specifically how my wife's valiantly-chosen career in healthcare will be adversely affected. But I still can't say that I'm depressed about the whole mess we're in. Bush has only prolonged his assured de-pantsing. So to speak.
A few things that I must state, with very little to support my opinions thus far. The youth vote was a mirage. P. Diddy did as much good for this country in his "Vote Or Die" campaign as he did for long-distance running in his efforts on his own behalf in last year's NYC Marathon. The evangelicals are frightening, but if you need zombies to show for an event they're the most reliable braineaters you could possibly find (by the way, just saw the new "Dawn of the Dead" on video and LOVED the fact that it took place in a Milwaukee mall - On Wisconsin!). This election cost over $4Billion - a complete waste of money that could have much more easily just gone straight to bribes. The analysis is just beginning, but one thing seems sure - 51% of the country to Bush is whopping majority. The rest of us can just suck on it, in his unmeasured opinion.
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
Our Long National Nightmare Continues...
Kerry has conceded. Bush has I'm quite sure smugly accepted. All the rhetoric we'll hear through the evening will be about "trying to heal the Nation" and "extending a hand to the Democrats." Bullshit. The Bushies will use this mandate to run roughshod over all of us for another 4 years. Iraq will get worse as the Bushies act on their plans to get more aggressive. The World will shake its collective head at the American people and wonder just how dumb we all are. We'll get hit with a large terrorist attack. Soon. And liberals will be told to shut up and take it gladly. Not me. I'm sick of getting screwed by this bunch of pricks.
The Democratic Party needs wholescale reorganization. Dismantle the apparatus currently in place - it hasn't worked for years and we're now hopelessly underrepresented by what had as recently as a decade ago been the dominant national party. Daschle's gone and soon to be forgotten. Kerry's done as a major Party voice. Terry McCaullife has to be jettisoned ASAP. And what we'll be left with needs to get angrier and hungrier than ever before in our nation's history of opposition parties.
Like so much of the country, I'm confused and astonished by what happened. What became of the youth vote? Just how did the Democrats lose Ohio? Where did the 3.5million votes that Bush won by come from - how did the margin switch over 4million from the 2000 popular vote outcome? What about the "Redskins rule" - the Packers, after all, did beat them on Sunday? These questions will be difficult to answer and even more difficult to accept after hearing those answers. Never before have I been more fearful for the future of this Nation. After 9/11, I said repeatedly that I feared the Bush response to that attack more than what might be awaiting us in future attacks. The same must be said again of what I expect from the Bushies - their response to this Election scares me more than the actual outcome. Be afraid people. Be very afraid.
Kerry has conceded. Bush has I'm quite sure smugly accepted. All the rhetoric we'll hear through the evening will be about "trying to heal the Nation" and "extending a hand to the Democrats." Bullshit. The Bushies will use this mandate to run roughshod over all of us for another 4 years. Iraq will get worse as the Bushies act on their plans to get more aggressive. The World will shake its collective head at the American people and wonder just how dumb we all are. We'll get hit with a large terrorist attack. Soon. And liberals will be told to shut up and take it gladly. Not me. I'm sick of getting screwed by this bunch of pricks.
The Democratic Party needs wholescale reorganization. Dismantle the apparatus currently in place - it hasn't worked for years and we're now hopelessly underrepresented by what had as recently as a decade ago been the dominant national party. Daschle's gone and soon to be forgotten. Kerry's done as a major Party voice. Terry McCaullife has to be jettisoned ASAP. And what we'll be left with needs to get angrier and hungrier than ever before in our nation's history of opposition parties.
Like so much of the country, I'm confused and astonished by what happened. What became of the youth vote? Just how did the Democrats lose Ohio? Where did the 3.5million votes that Bush won by come from - how did the margin switch over 4million from the 2000 popular vote outcome? What about the "Redskins rule" - the Packers, after all, did beat them on Sunday? These questions will be difficult to answer and even more difficult to accept after hearing those answers. Never before have I been more fearful for the future of this Nation. After 9/11, I said repeatedly that I feared the Bush response to that attack more than what might be awaiting us in future attacks. The same must be said again of what I expect from the Bushies - their response to this Election scares me more than the actual outcome. Be afraid people. Be very afraid.
