Opinion Archives

Opinion

These are political and cultural critiques, published both
in a number of Online and Print mediums.
If they appear to be colored by anger and pessimism it's because
our political system is poisoned by our culture of corruption
and our culture has been stunted by our politics of celebrity.
The world at large has come to worship mediocrity and shun creativity.

"His subtle style, much like a skilled surgeon with a chainsaw,
has a tendency, at times, to noodle around a subject before
cutting it to the quick with his razor sharp wit."

Arlen's Spector

Arlen Specter has haunted Capital Hill since 1980. Having been elected to five terms in the U.S. Senate he has been the longest serving Senator in the history of my home State of Pennsylvania. Considered to be a moderate Republican, his term in office, like his political career, has been one of contradictions.

A good illustration of this is that, he was once a Democrat who became a Republican who has now become a Democrat. Even though this is considered to be a somewhat rare occurrence. He is actually the 13th Senator to become a switch hitter since 1913.

Originally he was a Democratic lawyer practicing in Philadelphia when he decided to run for District Attorney on the Republican ticket there in 1965. Following his victory he renounced the Democratic Party and became a Republican. As District Attorney he declared himself a death penalty supporter, However, as a prosecutor he spoke of his reservations about the evenhandedness of the Pennsylvania death penalty statute in 1972.

Some say he caught the public’s eye when he ran for Mayor of Philadelphia in 1967. However there are many more who believe that he caught the eye of the powers that be when he pulled the Warren Commission’s chestnuts out of the fire, following the John F Kennedy assassination back in 1963.

Then, a lowly attorney in Philadelphia, his services were recommended by Representative Gerald R. Ford and he became the Assistant Council for the hastily created Commission. His duties included investigating and prosecuting the case against Lee Harvey Oswald who was accused of being the ‘lone gunman’ at the time.

Arlen took to his duties with the relish of true opportunist. Always the aggressive prosecutor, he was like a bulldog in a meat market. Threatening, harassing, intimidating and bullying almost all of the eye witnesses who were allowed to testify before the Commission. Selectively channeling all of the forced testimony and questionable evidence to the already forgone conclusion of Oswald’s guilt.

He also co-created the controversial "single bullet theory," along with David Berlin. This “theory” (which has since been determined to be not even plausible) pontificated that a “single bullet” fired downward from an elevated position to the right, struck President Kennedy in the rear of his neck, exited from the front of his neck, changed direction in mid air as it traversed the space between Kennedy and Governor Connally, struck Connally in the right upper back, exited his chest then passed through the Governor’s right wrist, finally ending it’s convoluted journey by causing a superficial wound in his right thigh. This SUPER bullet was finally discovered (in pristine condition) laying on a gurney at Parkland Hospital in Dallas Texas. Pretty big, tall tale, huh? Ah, well, it was Texas.

Just the fact that Arlen was able to use this “tall tale” to convince a committee consisting of two prominent US Senators, one Republican one Democratic; two prominent House Members one Republican one Democratic; two prominent spy masters (one that JFK just recently fired) and the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court seems to commend his oratory skills. However, when you consider that these appointees of the (accidental) President Lyndon B Johnson were in fact all conservatives and, to a man, were not quite enamored with our slain President nor the direction that JFK was charting for Americas’ future. Arlen’s skills may have been slightly overstated.

Railroading the ‘lone gunman’ was necessary. So selling this “tall tale” was critical to all concerned. Without it, one would be forced to assume that there was more than one assassin that day in Dallas. Which, by logical conclusion, would mean that there was (my gosh!) a conspiracy. Considering that 1) both LBJ and J Edgar Hoover had already stated that Oswald was the LONE assassin and, 2) that Lee Oswald had also been conveniently eliminated (so there would be no trial). It was generally accepted that Arlen’s efforts encouraged everyone to jump onboard the train.

In 1976, Specter ran in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate and was defeated. He was also defeated when he ran in the Republican primary for the Governor of Pennsylvania in 1978. However, when he ran again for the U.S. Senate in 1980, he was finally victorious. As he became the junior Senator from Pennsylvania his contradictive tendencies continued. To the consternation of supporters and detractors alike.

Even though his opposition to Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork did not endear him to his fellow Republicans His antagonistic interrogation of Anita Hill during the Clarence Thomas hearings was considered by some Democrats as being vaguely reminiscent of the Spanish Inquisition. Although, at one point he actually accused her of “flat out perjury”. In the end he didn’t put a ‘contempt of Congress’ charge where his mouth was.

While primarily continuing to tow the party line he was also vocally critical of fellow Republicans for their impeachment of President Bill Clinton. Even though he is recorded in Senate records as giving a “not guilty” vote. In actuality, he cited Scots law to render a verdict of "not proven".

Throughout the years you could always be sure that Arlen would be loyal to Arlen. While he outwardly appeared to be an opponent of President Bush's warrentless wiretapping of US citizens. He ended up voting for the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, Amendments in 2008. Effectively placing the executive branch, almost exclusively in charge of federal electronic searches.

It seemed that you could never take Arlen for granted. He announced on Feb, 15th 2005 that he was being treated for an advanced form of Hodgkin's lymphoma. Following a course of chemotherapy, he went into apparent remission and ended treatment on July 22nd. However, his illness appeared to be as contrary as his principals. It returned on April 15th 2008 in a "significantly less advanced form than when it was originally diagnosed in 2005." Following a continued chemotherapy regimen, he went into remission again on July 14, 2008 which continues to this day.

Arlen’s defection to the Democratic Party is in reality due in part to ongoing polls taken by Quinnipiac University, which have illustrated that Specter has a higher approval rating among Democrats in Pennsylvania than Republicans, 62-55 respectively. That plus the sobering fact that he is being targeted by rightwing conservative PACs. These influential money sources are bankrolling far less moderate opponents for the upcoming Republican primaries. Being, as always the, ‘fair weather friend’ Arlen decided to change horses in midterm.

His ex-fellow Republicans have certainly not bade him well. Even though they were all standing (like Brutus and his chums) with sharpened knives, hidden behind their backs. If I may geo-historically mix a metaphor, Arlen Specter is kind of like the Trojan Horse. You can see what he is on the outside but you never know which Arlen awaits you on the inside. He’s a man (it seems) whose principals flow any way the wind blows.

The Democratic majority in the Senate obviously doesn’t know how it feels. Arlen remains as always an “even though”. Even though he does bring them closer to the filibuster proof(?!) number of 60. There is no telling where he’ll put his voting power. And, with the rise of the new “centrist” caucus, (the infamous ConservaDems) Vegas is currently taking odds on, if Arlen is a blessing or a curse.

The most troubling outcome, as I see it, is the increased frustrations that this is going to cause the American public. We are already sick and tired of our elected officials being so childishly bipartisan. Now it seems like we’ve got to worry that they’re all going to be bipolar too.

Open letter to the American Middleclass!

    Just who are they calling Joe anyway? Do they really think they can take the vast and diverse collection of individuals that make up the mighty middle class of America and dilute us down to a beer drinking, can crushing, bulls**t spouting jingoist? Ready to sit up and beg for their guidance?

    YEAH, THEY DO!

    Do they think they can turn the once greatest power in the world into a third world country teetering on the brink of financial and physical ruin by giving major corporations huge tax breaks for outsourcing American jobs and industries all the while not paying to maintain and repair our country’s crumbling infrastructure? Leaving us with few industries, rising unemployment and falling bridges, broken roads and tunnels? Expecting us worker bees to watch the upper 1% get richer while we work our asses off to pay the difference?

    YEAH, THEY DO!

    Do they think they can get rid of the watch guards of our economy, our environment and our safety and appoint wolves to watch over the sheep while they rape our resources, deregulate our safety and turn our once mighty dollar into funny money? Do they think they can deny the pure logic of science and embrace the emotional confusion of religions that reject reality and deny the benefits of research that could put an end to medical problems that have plagued mankind for centuries and help to prevent this planet’s inevitable demise at their hands?

    YEAH, THEY DO!

    Do they think we’ll keep watching our young Americans die in their OIL WAR! All the while knowing that Saddam Hussein was never a threat to America or American interests? He just controlled 11% of the worlds oil resources’. SO THEY LIED TO US, lied to the world and preemptively invaded a sovereign country. Killing hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqi women and children and costing the lives of 4,124 young U.S. soldiers and another officially reported 30,182 seriously wounded young American casualties. Do they think that we can keep spending billions every month for the honor(?) of being stuck in this desert standoff and all the while instead of admitting their mistakes and bringing our young men and women home to safety they stand looking at Iran just licking their lips in anticipation?

    WHAT CAN WE DO?

    We need to show them that we resent their condescending attempts to homogeneous us. We are not half cooked scrambled eggs all runny and weak. We are a very hearty stew of mixed beliefs, competing philosophies and diverse tastes! We are not joe six pack, joe the plumber or even average Joe the middleclass schmoe. We are the many we are strong and oh so very tired of their contemptuous, patronizing attempts to diminish all the differences that make us tough American citizens.

    WHAT CAN WE DO?

    We need to show them they should stop stabbing us all in the back and just lean over and kiss our collective ass! When you look at the damage of the last eight years it’s easy to see that our supposed leaders have been America’s greatest enemies. They have used the subterfuge of terrorism and safety to do as much damage to our democracy and our freedoms as they possibly could. Even though it meant destroying our economy and the entire planet in the process.

    WHAT CAN WE DO?

    We must remind them that ever since it’s inception, our country has taken in all of the races, cultures, religious dogma, political agendas et al that color our planet and struggled to blend them into the consummate example of the best and the worst that mankind has to offer. We, middleclass Americans, are the heart of this multiracial, multicultural and multinational cross section. We are the fuel that drives the engines of our economy. We are the workforce they expect to stay productive while they increase our hours, shrink our wages and take away our benefits. More importantly, we are the voting force that can keep them from screwing things up anymore than they have already.

    IS IT TOO LATE?
    YOU BE THE JUDGE!

    They’ve had laws passed which state that they can control any and all dissent with unrestrained violence if need be! They have financed and increased the research and manufacture of non-fatal but highly effective weaponry used to control large crowds of disgruntled people. They have secured vast parcels of land in remote areas and built sturdy containment camps to incarcerate millions of dissident individuals! Since late September 2008, just a few weeks before this Presidential election, U.S. Northern Command’s 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team has been deployed to active duty on American soil for what is expected to be a permanent mission to respond to possible domestic or foreign terrorist attacks on American soil and to control crowds of American citizens in the case of mass civil unrest including public health emergencies.

    WHAT CAN WE DO?
    VOTE!
    VOTE AS IF YOUR LIFE DEPENDED ON IT!
    BECAUSE IT DOES!

Modern Mediocrity

    Why is it that TV shows like American Idol, and Dancing with the Stars for that matter, all this reality based programming, is so popular? Is it because they showcase great talents and interesting individuals? Actually, it‘s just the opposite they showcase mediocrity. Just plain Joes and Janes singing and dancing their little hearts out, with varying levels of talent, even the celebrities on these shows are has-beens and one hit wonders. There is no greatness here just a big stew of mediocrity. All hail mediocrity, the great equalizer! It is something we can all aspire to. It lowers the bar so we don’t have to work hard to attain it. Strive for excellence? We are all quite happy being mediocre, thank you.

    From the sad reality on our TVs, to the redundant movie remakes on our theater screens, it is abundantly clear that the great American creativity machine is broke, and I’m afraid a reboot just isn’t going to cut it. It will take a complete overhaul from the ground up. We seem to have lost the ability to be original. I say ‘seem’ because it is almost unbelievable that the original thinking nation that brought man democracy, flight, and the atomic bomb just can’t get her unique, innovative culture of creativity to sizzle anymore. It barely simmers.

    We use to set the standards globally in industry, science, the arts and medicine. The whole world looked to us for inspiration. We created the trends in music, theater and fashion. Now we don’t even try to compete in the marketplace, we don’t have any industry, and our farmers get paid to not grow things.

    This culture of mediocrity that we are cultivating is turning us into a disposable society. There is no real competition when everything is second-rate, so we don’t make anything to last any more. There is no need to have a sense of pride when everything is run of the mill, so we’ve stopped even trying. Once we stopped trying to be innovative and original we lost the drive to be creative.

    When you lose your sense of pride, you lose respect for yourself and everything around you. So, in the end, you have no respect for anything; laws, your environment, your fellow humans. As this disposable society spreads globally, so will its effects, creating an ever expanding world population that has no respect for anything, not even life. Pretty dangerous stuff, when you consider all the weapons that everyone has.

    The truly ironic thing is that there are a lot of people with real talents who may never get a chance to share them with the rest of the world. That also means that we’ll never get a chance to experience those talents as part of our civilization’s unique culture. After all, culture was meant to enrich us all, not just the ‘Simon Cowells’, and the delicacies of global culture, were meant to feed our souls not to give us heartburn.

Send in the plumber!

    A lot of people scrambling around out there trying to determine just who the hell, Joe the plumber really is. Isn’t it obvious? He’s a red herring. As Alfred Hitchcock would say he’s a McGuffin. What is a McGuffin? It is a plot device that motivates the characters or advances the story, but the details of which are of little or no importance otherwise.

    Joe the plumber is a ringer brought in by and for the McCain campaign. He's right out of central casting! A McCain product placement at a Obama event just in time for McCain to spin it at the debate. Ah, hackneyed political melodrama at it's most banal. "Joe the plumber" talking points were being unleashed like noxious gases before the debate was even over. Talk about telegraphing your next punch, how many times did McCain chant his name, 23...24?

    The ’plumber’ symbol is very much like Palin’s, ‘joe six pack’, weak attempts to fool working class average joe Americans into thinking that the Republicans aren’t Republicans at all but are actually populists. That’s why they brought in Sarah Palin. Basic, simple Sarah fresh out of the Alaskan wilderness toting her gun and evangelical credentials. Guns, god, and wink, wink, nudge, nudge!! Then they turned her loose to be an attack dog, which is normal for a VP candidate. However she wasn’t trained at all. No time! She had to hit the road running and snapping, the lipstick-ed pit bull!

    All teeth and no nuance can turn real nasty really quick! Innuendo was trumped by desperation and her spirited rallies turned into vicious mobs which she and McCain couldn’t even control. Her technique was so raw that even the major conservatives gave her the thumbs down.

    You got to figure the Republican elite never expected to win this go round any how. Not after 7 years of ‘W’! They also knew the economy was going to tank. It allowed their Hail Mary play for their standard destroy government at all costs mania. I think they figured that any Republican candidate was going to be a sacrifice play this go round. They had to pick the one with the least to lose.

    Let’s see, who should it be?! The maverick(?). The war hero, the one who was too old to make the next go round. Think back in early primary season, McCain actually lost way back then. Then amazingly the old warrior rises from the battleground and now trudges on to his very own Alamo. Then pick a power mad newbie of no real consequence to be his toady and send them both out looking for windmills!

    Now, just days away from Election Day, they stand. The old warrior and the ruined novice, their backs in a corner and nothing to lose. It is a very frightening scenario! This whole campaign has been a powder keg from the very beginning. This whole campaign season, starting way back before the primaries, has been straight up crazy and not a good crazy either. Not a “god, this is so crazy it’s almost funny” kind of crazy but a “fearful, anything can happen kind of crazy“! The kind of crazy that makes you turn your head away in embarrassment and sometimes in disgust.

    This race for the white house has laid waste to my already dim opinion of our two party cistern. I haven’t voted since the ’68 election. That’s neither an apology nor bravado. It’s just a fact. However, if there was ever a time we needed our democracy to work it is now! The United States of America is coming apart at the seams. Our standing in the world is dangerously low and we are right on the cusp of losing the rest of our freedoms. I fear our time is running out.

    Of course Joe the plumber was a plant. Just one of a number of very desperate actions taken by a dangerous faction of political people who are so beyond desperation they are bordering on anxious restless despondency. Some were talking, SCORCHED EARTH! (Praise be Armageddon!). Some said let’s plant a ringer at a Obama Rally. Luckily, they went for the ringer (a lot less to clean up).

    However, we don’t have time for anymore melodrama. In these fragile economic times millions of dollars are being spent to throw lies and worse against the wall to see which will stick. I know that we’re primates, but this is beyond ridiculous.

    Our once powerful nation is surely becoming a third world country. Our infrastructure is in shambles and our culture has devolved. We need to decide as a nation, just what is America’s direction in this new millennium. In order to do that we first need to settle this 50/50 split that seems to render any hope for decisiveness moot. It has become a vicious circle. I do know that even though we seem to be in the toilet. We certainly don’t need any more plumbers.

The Attack of the Celebrats

As a way of introduction to my poetic perusal of certain primates’ pandering, let me first say I chose this form of literary subterfuge because this subject makes me angry and whenever I’m annoyed I think of poetry. Maybe it’s a defense mechanism to curb my anger, but it is probably because a lot of poetry is just annoying. That being said, if I seem a little harsh, and not my normal whimsical self, you now know why.

There has always been a fascination with gossip and the tabloids. The reason we create celebrities and put them on pedestals is because it’s so much more fun to see them fall from high places. However, it seems that the Insider, TMZ.com, the tabloid press and all the rest have raised rumor and innuendo to global proportions all the while lowering the quality of public discourse to sewer level. This Tabloid culture has tainted even the ‘serious’ news outlets. It’s hard to check out the weather, when you have to first wade through the muck and mire of today’s tabloid ‘news’. So, please forgive my irritation and my poetic thrust. I’ll see you on the other side for closing remarks.

The Attack of the Celebrats

See them in dark hours of night, drinking, crashing, in a cat fight
Brains scrambled, and eyes so wild
Creeping club to club through dark alleys, in New York canyons and LA valleys.
Crawling out of cars, commando style.

Two young fillies from Mickey’s stable, jaded early at the kiddies table.
Soiled by-products, of the house of Mouse.
Two from the park like trailer fodder, over exposed and hot and bothered.
The other one from, Society’s house.

One a singer and a dancer, mouse club fame can be like a cancer.
Ooops, she did it again, my friend.
Red neck sexy, unlucky at love, motherhood fits her like a glove.
Spay her quick before she does it again.

The other hooked on films embrace always ready to fall on her face.
It seems like years, since she hit her peak.
Little girl roles in light weight comedy,a burnt out husk just barely twenty.
The spark of talent fizzles, as we speak.

Rich brat pink what’s up with you a celebrat, a jailbird and a sex tape too?
All tiny dogs and designer undies,
Blue blood thinned by not having to try, I can see it in your parent’s eyes.
The dullness of years of Sundays.

Dancing damsels in undress, served up daily, far from fresh.
Like doggy treats for a starving world.
Bone on bone and sunken eyes, Drugs, alcohol and DUI’s!
These are America’s golden girls.

At supermarket checkouts and our TV’s, they are becoming our Greek tragedies
As every day our culture continues to shrink.
Paparazzi and tabloids sing their crazes, like a mad Greek chorus of the golden ages.
Our mighty civilization teeters on the brink

    Sadly, these women are role models for our daughters and granddaughters. That fact is beyond disgusting, it is just plain criminal. Their handlers say it is up to the parents to shape their children’s morals but that’s a cop out. It is a proven fact that our children’s peers and their peer environment have far more influence on them then we do.

    Not only do these ‘celebrats’ have no morals whatsoever to share, their handlers have them screaming from the TVs in our homes and plastered all over magazine headlines at every supermarket checkout. It’s impossible to shield our children from these women’s unwholesome, harmful and thoroughly obnoxious escapades. See, here I go again, my blood pressure’s rising.

    Let me just close by saying. Gee, “Ladies”, I’m sorry that fame and fortune was forced upon you at such an early age, and I cry for you because your parents did not help you adapt to success and celebrity, but hey girls, can’t you just GROW UP!!! Accept the responsibilities that go along with celebrity. Others have. What are you going to do when it comes time for you to explain yourselves to your children?

Mad Dogs and Snake Oil Salesmen

    There he is, just like clockwork, festooned in robes and turban, a taunting reminder of hijacked justice. It is the anniversary of 9/11, the tragic assault on the U.S. that drew us all together, in anger and in grief. Temporarily bonded by a common goal that rose above our petty differences, we all stood side by side, fists in the air and spoke as one, “We will not take this, and we will not stop the hunt until this debt is paid!”

    Now, six years later, we watch the architect of 9/11, sitting in a sound studio somewhere, reading from his cue cards, soiling our sad remembrance just by the very fact of his continued existence. Why does this fragile fugitive still breathe our air? Why haven’t the combined forces of our intelligence and military communities been able to put this mad dog down?

    Could it be they’ve been led down the wrong path by an administration that took advantage of our fear and confusion to add some dark designs of their own? Could it be that their energy was diverted to subvert the facts that led us into Iraq? Could it be that their resources and manpower were so drained by the illegal preemptive invasion that it forced them to leave the back door wide open in Afghanistan, allowing the real criminals to escape into the Mujahedeen’s own briar patch? Could it be they’ve been completely distracted by a senseless war that has nothing at all to do with this great American tragedy?

    How could we allow a few neo con snake oil salesmen take this great American tragedy and use it to promote their supposedly grand scheme of American “superiority” in a new world order? How can we allow a President who muttered something about “dead or alive” continue to lead the posse in the wrong direction? When will we say enough!? We will lose no more American lives in pursuit of this twisted ideological catastrophe!

    Where is that American courage that drove those firemen back into those buildings to certain death? Where is that American humility that allowed us to embrace the whole world’s heartfelt condolences and draw them into the real global fight against terrorism? Where is that American anger that filled us all with a righteous desire for payback? Why have we squandered all that we gained, through the hard taught lessons of 9/11, by following the perverted folly of questionable men who sidetracked us on our quest for true justice? When will the debt be finally paid?

The Palin Principles

    I watched the VP debate and it was…frightening. All the civility! So much civility it scared me to death. I expected them to come out in wrestling togs and go 3 falls in a cage match! What did we get? We got a smiling; polite Biden and a cute as a NASCAR button Palin. I told you it was…terrifying!

    Palin set the stage, right off the top saying, “I’m not gonna answer like you or the moderator want me to. I’m gonna talk straight to america!” Like a impertinent teenager. (Sorry about the small ‘a’ in America but that’s the way she said it, I swear!) She even winked at America! I can’t think of a time when a candidate has ever winked at America. I guess she was winking at small ‘a’ America. She even did a ‘shout out’ to her brother‘s class, another first!

    She is definitely a new breed of politician. She calls herself Joe 6 pack and she comes across like a roller derby queen in a Man-wich commercial nodding, winking and smirking to herself. It was almost like she was trying to be, Sarah Palin playing Tina Fey playing Sarah Palin. She came this close to being a caricature. The only thing missing was gum snappin’ and beer chuggin‘.

    Some call her folksy but, to me, she was playing straight ahead “redneck”! Dropping her ‘G’s like hot potatoes and smiling at the camera like she was about to unveil some great liberal conspiracy. She was constantly peppering her comments with Regan-isms like “There ya go again, Joe” and homespun-isms like “dogonit”. Do people really identify with such a extreme parody of middleclass American women? She’s not even middleclass! Sarah and the first dude Todd are millionaires. I guess they pay you real good in Alaska!

    I was sad to hear that some independent women thought she was great! Question, you do notice she never really talks about women’s issues. Oh, she talks about hockey moms and the PTA but nothing about equal wages with men and the big C - Choice.

    She actually called for greater VP powers, shades of Dick “Darth Vader” Cheney. We certainly do not need expanded VP powers. , especially with Sarah selecting the color patterns. I can just see her texting threats to Putin.

    Pat Buchanan, not even stopping to wipe the kool-aid off his chin, was singing her praises. Wasn’t it just a couple of days ago he was calling her a handicap for McCain and saying she was a bad candidate. Just when I thought he was actually showing some sense, he sucks down a quart of Sarah’ s Sweet Cheery Cherry Kool-Aid and starts acting like a “Jim Jones” zombie!

    The Republican pundits all came back to the roost. Denying all the insta-polls, they jumped (almost rabidly) on the talking points train! “Sarah….Sarah!” The Republican drums were beating and the party faithful were all right on point! They are sooo goood at chanting (by rote) all their petty talking points especially “drill, baby, drill”!

    Even with all her spunkiness, it was the general agreement that Biden won the debate. He had substance. She had lip gloss. Oh, he took some abusive Palin attacks (heavily coated with moose berry juice). but he stood up well against her assaults. Because, quite frankly, she was primarily assaulting the truth. She was very adept at evading substantive honest answers with full frontal deceitful attacks and misinformation about her and McCain‘s records. I didn’t hear on word about 159,000 jobs lost last month alone!

    She talked about Healthcare. McCain’s plan gives us all $5000 to pay for our healthcare! $5000, hell that barely covers one emergency room visit! What’s more, he sends it directly to our insurance companies and taxes She slogged on about how the surge was, well, surging and how it would work in Afghanistan too! She played to the base with baseless anti liberal rants and said she didn’t want to have her ideas “filtered by the mainstream media” so I guess she won’t be seen again in another interview (except on Faux News).

    The main thing we all need to remember is that McCain is 74 years old, has had cancer 4 times and is given a 1 in 4 chance of seeing a second term. Even if he found the fountain of youth, I can still imagine Sarah Barracuda, in a coordinated snow suit, Elmer Fudd hunters cap and nasty Dick Cheney smile on her glossed lips winking and cajoling McCain to go wolf huntin’ with her.

    Now, that’s scary!!!

Hijacking History

    Say it isn’t so. Please tell me that that no one has sullied the honor of my sweet Wiki. She is truly a writer’s muse and if someone has her telling lies and spreading misinformation, I just won’t know who to trust anymore.

    It has just recently come out that content on Wikipedia, the ‘multilingual, web-based, free content encyclopedia’, has been covertly tampered with. According to Reuters, “CIA and FBI computers have edited entries in the online encyclopedia Wikipedia on topics including the Iraq war and the Guantanamo prison, according to a new tracing program.”

    The program was developed by Virgil Griffith of New Mexico’s Santa Fe Institute. It’s called, WikiScanner, and allows users to determine the specific computers used to make edits on the Wikipedia website. WikiScanner exposed; a number of CIA clandestine rewrites which included an entry on the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, and that an FBI computer removed aerial and satellite images of the U.S. prison for terrorism suspects at GITMO.

    Wiki, I’m afraid is just the tip of the iceberg. It’s just another in a long line of concerted efforts by the powers that be, to distort our common reality and to rewrite history to cover their tracks. Independent filmmaker, Ben Tripp relates that an unnamed White House staffer, once told journalist Ron Suskind, “You see, we're an empire now. And when we act, we kind of create a reality. Events flow from our actions."

    We’ve all seen it happening over the past several years with the current administration; they get everyone on the team to keep telling the big lies. When caught, they deny they ever said them then rewrite official websites to create the effect that it never happened at all. This game is not new. It has been played on unsuspecting citizens throughout history. Stalin was big on rewriting things as they happened, and this habit led to the collapse of the Soviet reality and ultimately the Soviet Union itself. Nazi propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels said, “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.” “…the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.” Does that sound familiar? It seems the present administration has a continuous habit of borrowing plays from these historically totalitarian play books, all in the name of security.

    From Iraq to the elections, from Katrina to Global warming, the avalanche of Republican talking points overwhelmed the media. Puppets would start marching; Condi, Rummy, Cheney et al making the rounds of the cable news talk shows squawking like trained parrots running the same lines over and over again strictly following the advice of Herr Goebbels. They were telling the big lies like they were God’s truths. Ever wonder why the administration never lets any of their advisors testify to Congress in public and under oath?

    The incidents with Wiki show that it is much more difficult today to fabricate reality as you go. “Reality,” according to Tripp, “is like death: it's an irresistible condition that can only be denied, not avoided.” This is not the Dark Ages when monks copied (and sometimes edited?) books by hand. We hold reality to a higher standard today. The digitized word leaves a deeper track in the snow. Even when you try to cover it with yellow snow the track is still there beneath the lies and subterfuge. History must be an accurate record, if we are to advance as a civilization. We need the big picture, complete and unedited, to determine the correct course for the entire human race.

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