I am a New Yorker, and an American. I care about 9/11. I was on the first plane out of Amsterdam to New York, six days after the attack. I had to be with the people I care about during that horrible moment.
I understand the pain and suffering the attack caused. I share the horror of witnessing thousands of innocent people die brutally and for no reason, leaving struggling families behind. I honor the brave firemen and police who struggled to rescue as many people as possible. I feel the shock of my country who, until 9/11, viewed its borders as secure. I have deep respect for those who rebuilt their lives after the attack.
But… we also have to acknowledge just how the Bush administration misused 9/11 for its own ends.
- The “Patriots” Act,
- the lies told to justify the invasion of Iraq,
- the infringements on Americans’ civil liberties,
- the introduction of torture as a legitimate government function,
- the institution of government by fear – codes blue, green and yellow in public places, side-by-side with the exhortation “go on with your lives”.
The forces surrounding the Bush Administration misused the fear following 9/11 to re-order our society, politics and values. Fear and unwarranted trust in the government made people accept things they would never have accepted if they had their wits about them.
9/11 matters profoundly. It matters most in HOW you remember it, and the lessons that we will take from it.
Thus far, it seems we have not done too well.
Bob
Friday, September 12, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Conservative Intelligence
See how appalled The Economist Magazine is about John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin.
The September 4 article starts with the headline:
"John McCain’s choice of running-mate raises serious questions about his judgment"
and goes on to:
"The moose in the room, of course, is her lack of experience. When Geraldine Ferraro was picked as Walter Mondale’s running-mate, she had served in the House for three terms. Even the hapless Dan Quayle, George Bush senior’s sidekick, had served in the House and Senate for 12 years. Mrs Palin, who has been the governor of a state with a population of 670,000 for less than two years, is the most inexperienced candidate for a mainstream party in modern history.
"Inexperienced and Bush-level incurious. She has no record of interest in foreign policy, let alone expertise. She once told an Alaskan magazine: “I’ve been so focused on state government; I haven’t really focused much on the war in Iraq.” She obtained an American passport only last summer to visit Alaskan troops in Germany and Kuwait. This not only blunts Mr McCain’s most powerful criticism of Mr Obama. It also raises serious questions about the way he makes decisions."
and ends with
"One of the biggest problems with the Bush administration is that it appointed so many incompetents because they were sound on Roe v Wade. Mrs Palin’s elevation suggests that, far from breaking with Mr Bush, Mr McCain is repeating his mistakes."
Let's hope the American public does not buy this irresponsible maneuver.
The September 4 article starts with the headline:
"John McCain’s choice of running-mate raises serious questions about his judgment"
and goes on to:
"The moose in the room, of course, is her lack of experience. When Geraldine Ferraro was picked as Walter Mondale’s running-mate, she had served in the House for three terms. Even the hapless Dan Quayle, George Bush senior’s sidekick, had served in the House and Senate for 12 years. Mrs Palin, who has been the governor of a state with a population of 670,000 for less than two years, is the most inexperienced candidate for a mainstream party in modern history.
"Inexperienced and Bush-level incurious. She has no record of interest in foreign policy, let alone expertise. She once told an Alaskan magazine: “I’ve been so focused on state government; I haven’t really focused much on the war in Iraq.” She obtained an American passport only last summer to visit Alaskan troops in Germany and Kuwait. This not only blunts Mr McCain’s most powerful criticism of Mr Obama. It also raises serious questions about the way he makes decisions."
and ends with
"One of the biggest problems with the Bush administration is that it appointed so many incompetents because they were sound on Roe v Wade. Mrs Palin’s elevation suggests that, far from breaking with Mr Bush, Mr McCain is repeating his mistakes."
Let's hope the American public does not buy this irresponsible maneuver.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
"Uppity"
It is starting. The forces of hate and fear are amassing to try to turn this election into another Republican distortion of reality.
US Congressman Lynn Westmoreland of the Third Congressional District of Georgia has publicly called Barack and Michelle Obama “uppity”.
Westmoreland, age 58, born and raised in central Georgia, is now incredibly denying that this word has any racial connotations.
Nonsense! People from this generation (I am one) know that the word “uppity” is routinely followed by the word “nigger” (please excuse me), and means a darkie who is reaching out of his proper, low station. A guy like Congressman Westmoreland who was raised in a mill town in Georgia during the 50’s and 60’s certainly knows it.
Congressman Westmoreland is announcing that it’s open season for racism.
Make no mistake, if they come against the blacks, they will come against the gays, the Latinos, and anybody else they view as offending the eye.
Bob
WHERE ON EARTH WILL YOU VOTE? FOR HELP:
http://www.votefromabroad.org/
US Congressman Lynn Westmoreland of the Third Congressional District of Georgia has publicly called Barack and Michelle Obama “uppity”.
Westmoreland, age 58, born and raised in central Georgia, is now incredibly denying that this word has any racial connotations.
Nonsense! People from this generation (I am one) know that the word “uppity” is routinely followed by the word “nigger” (please excuse me), and means a darkie who is reaching out of his proper, low station. A guy like Congressman Westmoreland who was raised in a mill town in Georgia during the 50’s and 60’s certainly knows it.
Congressman Westmoreland is announcing that it’s open season for racism.
Make no mistake, if they come against the blacks, they will come against the gays, the Latinos, and anybody else they view as offending the eye.
Bob
WHERE ON EARTH WILL YOU VOTE? FOR HELP:
http://www.votefromabroad.org/
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Hillary to the rescue?
It weighs on me. Sarah Palin, with little substance but high TV ratings, is distracting the national debate.
Selecting her was a political stroke, but also an act of singular irresponsibility by John McCain. She is clearly not qualified to be a heartbeat from the Presidency of the United States, especially when in John McCain’s case that heartbeat would be that of the oldest president we ever elected.
But there it is. The cameras like her. The public seems to be attracted.
This election will not be decided by the votes of people who, like me, are passionate and follow every day’s news. We decided whom to vote for years ago.
The election will be decided by the 5-8% of Americans, many in swing states, who will make up their minds in the final weeks. And they seem to like looking at Sarah.
The Democratic Party needs a specific strategy to attract these relatively uninformed, relatively uninterested voters. They are important.
In my view, we have to fight fire with fire.
Only one person can take on Sarah: that’s Hillary.
In order for the Democrats to win, Hillary should go to blows (figuratively) with Sarah Palin, day-by-day, state by state, from now until the election. Hillary has to show clearly that Sarah is no Hillary, and use her appeal to working class voters to compete with Sarah’s.
Joe Biden cannot do it. With Sarah, he will have to walk a tightrope. A man cannot be tough on a nice lady and win, no matter how abhorrent her thoughtless politics might be. He cannot appear to bully her. It won’t help that Joe is hugely more qualified and knowledgeable on the issues than Sarah. That will just make it an unfair fight, and attract sympathy to her.
This is important.
Bob
Selecting her was a political stroke, but also an act of singular irresponsibility by John McCain. She is clearly not qualified to be a heartbeat from the Presidency of the United States, especially when in John McCain’s case that heartbeat would be that of the oldest president we ever elected.
But there it is. The cameras like her. The public seems to be attracted.
This election will not be decided by the votes of people who, like me, are passionate and follow every day’s news. We decided whom to vote for years ago.
The election will be decided by the 5-8% of Americans, many in swing states, who will make up their minds in the final weeks. And they seem to like looking at Sarah.
The Democratic Party needs a specific strategy to attract these relatively uninformed, relatively uninterested voters. They are important.
In my view, we have to fight fire with fire.
Only one person can take on Sarah: that’s Hillary.
In order for the Democrats to win, Hillary should go to blows (figuratively) with Sarah Palin, day-by-day, state by state, from now until the election. Hillary has to show clearly that Sarah is no Hillary, and use her appeal to working class voters to compete with Sarah’s.
Joe Biden cannot do it. With Sarah, he will have to walk a tightrope. A man cannot be tough on a nice lady and win, no matter how abhorrent her thoughtless politics might be. He cannot appear to bully her. It won’t help that Joe is hugely more qualified and knowledgeable on the issues than Sarah. That will just make it an unfair fight, and attract sympathy to her.
This is important.
Bob
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
More Palin Revelations
I think it's important to get a very clear picture of the woman who, if elected, will be a heartbeat away from the Presidency. Given her lack of national experience, we really don't know much about her.
Sarah Palin's politics in Alaska, running for mayor of a town of 7,000 people, were marked by divisiveness, threats of book censorship, religious overtones, and a lot of other stuff we should NOT see on the national stage.
The difficulty is that she will present herself as a nice lady, which she probably is. Her politics are abhorent, but the lady has charm. This will make an opponent difficult for Joe Biden to be tough with.
Please read this New York Times article for more information.
Bob
Sarah Palin's politics in Alaska, running for mayor of a town of 7,000 people, were marked by divisiveness, threats of book censorship, religious overtones, and a lot of other stuff we should NOT see on the national stage.
The difficulty is that she will present herself as a nice lady, which she probably is. Her politics are abhorent, but the lady has charm. This will make an opponent difficult for Joe Biden to be tough with.
Please read this New York Times article for more information.
Bob
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