Why I Blog

When I started this blog during the summer of 2004 it was mostly to promote my upcoming election party. It was a great success! Then it evolved into making a case against George W. Bush and for John F. Kerry. It did not succeed. Then I used it to make the case that the Bush administration is incompetent, dishonest and operates contrary to the American way. Most people have FINALLY come around to this point of view. Now, I need to illustrate how the failures of the past 6 years are only one part of the overall problem. That’s to say that George W. Bush, while singularly the worst President ever, is only the latest tool of a political party who have destroyed (intentionally in my opinion) all that was once great in this country.

Why do they do that? The reasons are many. First and probably foremost there is “Greed”. We see that in the privatization wave called for by Republicans. Look at Iraq - funny how Republican companies and individual right wing ideologue have actually become millionaires from this fiasco. If you look at just about any policy of the Republicans - follow the money and you will see their supporters (often ONLY their supporters) benefiting. Next, there is “Cronyism”. Rewarding loyalty is essential to the party because to be fair or objective would be destructive to the secret meetings and deals; institutionalize lies and propaganda schemes that have characterized the rise of the modern GOP. “Hiding behind the flag, the troops and the Bible”. The right wing has been very effective in fanning the hatred of people who oppose abortion, gay rights by creating a fictional attack on Christianity. They have used the techniques of religious leaders to frame arguments as a good vs. evil, with them being good. Likewise they label anyone who does not tow the line as unpatriotic. Tapping into these basic human instincts and insisting on an overly simplistic world view protects them from a critical review of their policies.

I feel that most of America now see and reject this behavior from the Bush administration. However, I am not convinced that people realize that he is only the latest figurehead for this movement. If in 2008, we elect a Republican President or Congress you have to know that will do things the same way as always. We have to remember how the GOP establishment, religious leaders and right wing media turned a mean spirited, underachieving son of a former President into a straight talking, all American Christian coming to clean up Washington. We must not forget the way the Republican Congress let Bush do exactly what he wanted with no oversight or accountability even as evidence of his destructive actions were plain for all to see. My worry is that if people forget and elect Republicans in 2008, it may take another 6 years for people to again realize their errors. By then it will be far too late to save our country.

This news story is the latest example of what I am saying. The USA Today reports that Pentagon knew that troops were ill equipped yet did not act to correct it. Yes, it was the Bush Defense Department filled with loyal Republicans - many of which will be around for decades - running for office, lobbying or becoming right wing media stars. Also keep in mind that the Republican Congress did nothing to correct this and the right wing media did nothing to report this to the American people. If you think that somehow by 2008 these all these folks will change their stripes - then good for you. I don’t think so and I am not willing to risk it. Therefore, I blog on - in the hopes that I can do just a little bit to warn those who care about our future but do not yet know of the domestic dangers we face.

On Monday, USA TODAY reported that the Pentagon has known for years that vehicles called MRAPs could keep U.S. troops safer from most roadside bombs, but until recently it did little to deploy the vehicles to Iraq, even as hundreds of Americans died. ---snip--- The Defense Department could have launched a crash program as early as 2004 to build MRAPs and ship them to Iraq. It did not. Infuriatingly, officials approved construction of some MRAPs for Iraqi forces, while insisting that U.S. troops stick with armored Humvees. When Marines made an urgent request for 1,169 MRAPs in February 2005, the answer was to wait for development of a new combat vehicle — in 2012.