|
Dissolve into Evergreens
|
||||
|
In lieu of... Okiedoke :: The same but different Paroxysm of Optimism citizenkeith On the Wings of Charlie's Angels Opposition Research Bad Moon Rising The Practiced Look of Disinterest Wet Nose Breaking News: John Edwards = Satan Justin Oldham - Politics and Patriotism
Wilco The Flaming Lips The New Radicals John Mayer Zero 7 Dream Theater Radiohead Death Cab for Cutie The Notwist O.S.I. Ani Difranco The Shins Elliott Smith Badly Drawn Boy Chroma Key Coheed and Cambria The Streets Andrew Bird Sufjan Stevens Atom Site Feed 
|
7.13.2004
Conservative and Right has posted some reasons why Bush is looking good in the next election. In doing so she posed some questions that I have attempted to answer. Because I am not a writer by trade I know that I did not always articulate my thoughts as thoroughly as possible and to do so would require a book of some length. But I hope you get the general idea and can fill in teh obvious holes for yourself. I've felt like I've dont this, but for the sake of having something to say I'll go over it again and provide some specific answers to some specific questions. There are many policies that I disagree with, but the bigger issue for me the is the deceptive methods of this administration. Behind many of the policy decisions have been shifting rationales. From the tax cuts that would reward the good economy to the tax cuts that would spur a sagging economy. From the invasion of Iraq that was about WMD and fighting terrorism to the invasion of Iraq that was about freeing the Iraqi people. I disagree with a constitutional amendment to ban gay marraige and regard it as divisive politics at its worst. I disagree with the re-institution of the global gag rule that makes it difficult to promote a RIGHT that we enjoy in this country. I disagree with an energy policy that pays too little attention to moving our economy away from dependency. Its like the terrorist attacks never happened. I disagree with the eduction policies that put way to much emphasis on testing and not enough on providing schools with the resources they need. I disagree with vouchers. I disagree with the detention of American citizens without giving them access to their constitutional rights to due process. I disagree with pushing laws that would weaken the right of women to have abortions as they deem necesary. I disagree with trade policies that I feel will enshrine corporate rights over national sovereignty. I disagree with his opposition to stem cell research. I disagree with his administrations attempts to restrict scientific research to protect their political donors. No, of course not, but it is fair to dismiss his presidency based on a pattern of behavior. I find that the GOP gives the religious right too much power over their policies to the detriminent of well... everyone else. I feel that Bush has no overiding vision for this nation other than pandering to the various factions that will fuel his political future AND that those interests do not have the interests of the country as their first priority. Not at all, most of what he aired in his film is common knowledge to people that follow politics. I've spent the last year following the president and his foibles. He could have included more damamging information but a documentary outlining the deception of this administration would look like Lord of the Rings, a three part epic. Yes, his version is in his presentation of the facts and the inclusion or exclusion of certain information. However, I don't think that people expressing their dislike for the preseident and his policies, as shown by the mother of a fallen solider, the soldier back from Iraq, or the soldiers serving in Iraq are false in any way. I'm sure there are people that hold similar strong opinions for the president as well. The truth is more elusive than any of us realize. I generally discount people that claim to know the truth without admitting that its all relative to their experience and access to good information. I disagree with the strategy and I disagree that we should be fighting a "war" on terror. Its a long thought that I've written about previously, but in general I do not believe that we will ever win against terrorism by methods of violence. The important lesson of 9-11 was that being the most militaristic and wealthy nation on the planet did not make us safe. We will only be safe by engaging the world and working to create societies that put extremists in their proper place, in the minority, shunned by civilization. Bush's method has only proven to the terrorists that if they strike us we will smite our own noses to get back at them. We have fallen into their trap of going tit-for-tat. The obvious answer would be to reform the intelligence gathering agencies and try to address the political climate that prevented good intelligence from getting into the right hands. I would make real efforts to address security holes and provide funding to people to provide that security. I would work to secure as much nuclear material as possible from around the world, especially from the former Soviet States. I would work on engaging countries like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia where many of the next generation of terrorists are now being trained in the religious schools there. I would not pass new laws limiting our own rights in this country. I would not call dissenters unpatriotic and anti-American. I would not throw out decades of good diplomatic relations over pettty squabbles...Sadly I feel that our current methods of dealing with terrorism has come down to needless displays of military muscle to try to protray an image of strength in a world where strength has little to do with sophisticated weaponry. Yes, I do. That was never the issue. Years ago people argued that exact same point when these same people that bleed for the Iraqi people today were saying "screw them". Now you care? Where we you for the past decade? I would also like all people to have food and clothes and a place to sleep. The issue is that the rationale for the war changed as each reason was exposed to be false. Nobody argues that the world is not better off without Saddam in a position of power. However, it is a distraction from the real battle to reduce terrorism. I do not agree that replacing Saddam with a American-led reconstruction project with minimal international support was the best way to help the Iraqi people. It should have been done better and if not for the irrational hatred of all things UN and an unwillingness to compromise we would have had a real chance to do it right. Bush showed a real lack of leadership in dismissing the concerns of the world when it was obvious that they were voicing legitimate questions. I would redeirect your trick question to Iraqis, who can speak for themselves. Kerry and Edwards are not my first choices. But I do feel that a Kerry presidency will go a long way towards repairing our image in the world, rebuilding the good faith of our word, and freeing us from the short sighted ideolically driven policies that have painted us into a corner. It would also get the religious nuts out of a position to dictate policy. That alone is good enough for me. I would also like to, once again, have a president that can articulate our national goals without resorting to vague language and Orwellian Doublespeak. |
Comments:
Post a Comment
|
About Me
Any Box 
|
||
|
Dissolve into Evergreens
|
||||
