In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Amendment into the law of the land. Before the ink was dry on that document, Johnson made the following statement, "I have just delivered the South to the Republican party for the next generation." Unfortunately for America, Johnson was wrong. The insurmountable level of bigotry and racism prevalent in 1966 has been genetically transmitted to every subsequent generation and sadly; it appears to be a dominant gene.
The Republican Party is apparently satisfied with portraying itself as being composed of two separate factions. The upper echelon contains the party leadership, which is staffed by slick (not to be confused with intelligent) opportunists who are owned by various private interests and aspire to remain on their respective payrolls indefinitely. These individuals are supported by the community of affluence, which has no interests in political policies and is void of social consciousness. Its membership simply refuses to part with its wealth and is indifferent to the concerns of anyone not included in the higher Arcana. The second group, far greater in number, is populated by the descendants of those referenced in President Johnson's quote. This is the element to whom Sarah Palin has the greatest appeal.
In the late 60's and early 70's, many sports teams signed specific players whose positions required unique skills. If an opposing player was having an exceptionally productive game the "specialist" was charged with the task of distracting the star with insults and derogatory statements designed to precipitate an altercation resulting in the ejection of both players. These "specialists" were euphemistically referred to as 'the goon squad.' This job description defines Sarah Palin's role in the Republican Party. Sarah Palin is the Jesse Ventura of Alaska, a state whose entire population is equal to 20 percent of the population of the city of Chicago; a state, which can boast of the second highest per capita alcohol consumption in the United States. It is likely that her successful election to office was facilitated by the two thirds of the state being hung over on Election Day. Palin's Vice-Presidential campaign is directed specifically to people like herself: ignorant, narrow-minded, and shortsighted. Her strategy is to spew inflammatory accusations about Obama's character and associations, lying about his political views, inciting screams of, "treason," and "kill him," from her fans. One would think that the Republican Party would be embarrassed by these graphic displays by its supporters yet no statements have been made to that effect by any representatives of the party leadership. Behind closed doors, the McCain-Palin campaign advisors drool over the possibilities of extremism and violence that might be perpetrated by one of the zealots in the audience. The speeches have already been written proclaiming phony outrage and righteous indignance. I am a vocal proponent of the First Amendment however; death threats do not qualify as elements of Free Speech.
I am unable to suppress a modicum of sympathy for sorry Palin. Her political career is over. She will surely go the way of the Swift Boat Veterans whose purpose was also exhausted. Perhaps one day we'll see her on celebrity boxing with Tonya Harding. On a more optimistic note however, Palin will likely never have to work another day in her life. She will be well taken care of by the consortium of private interests who are financing this circus. This is, after all, the Republican way, is it not?
Quinn Stilletto
President, www.unwantedchildren.com
It is a foregone conclusion that multi-national corporate interests own the federal government lock, stock, and barrel, with Big Oil as the majority shareholder. George Bush is a president with no leverage over these entities in fact; he invited them to the party. When Bush proclaims, "we must protect American interests abroad," it is these corporate interests to which he refers. The lobbyists who represent these interests have written any and all legislation passed within the last eight years. The Republican hierarchy has embedded within it, individuals in key positions who steer all government policies to favor these groups. If John McCain and the Republican Party remain in power, this situation will not change. Furthermore, if some tragedy were to befall McCain, Palin has left no doubt in anyone's mind that she is completely capable of reading the commands issued by these individuals. While the McCain/Palin Campaign portrays itself as the reform ticket, these same multi-nationals are pouring money into the effort directly and through 527 provisions to insure its success. This phenomenon can be compared to the scenario in which a drug kingpin who has already bought-off key players in law enforcement and the judiciary, finances the campaign of the 'law and order' candidate who is secretly also on his payroll.
This reality is understood throughout the world (except among the religious right which is, by the way, neither) so much so that the European Union was formed in large part to insulate governments on that continent from this same corruption. Any and all candidates running for political office in democracies throughout Europe who have ties to our corrupt administration are handily voted down. The impact of this unified agreement has resulted in a blockade of many American products to a consumer base of nearly half a billion and the subsequent loss of countless American jobs. The distrust of American enterprise has facilitated a rapid increase in the demand for Russian oil and natural gas causing the current tension between the oil friendly Bush Administration and the neo-capitalist Russian government. It is no wonder that the Republican Party will never support successful programs for public education. It is to its advantage for its core electorate to remain oblivious to its true priorities and their consequences. Anyone interested in the future of these great United States must focus on the interview in which Dick Cheney openly admitted that the Republican Party, "will say what we need to, to get elected," and then pursue, with reckless indifference, the policies agreed to prior to the campaign.
Barack Obama must reinvigorate his campaign by simply implementing the truth. In plain terminology, Obama must educate the American people in how it works, how it got this way, and how it can be fixed. He must loudly proclaim that this Republican Administration has not only undermined the Democratic process through trickery and fraud, but has nullified the legislative process by expanding the powers of the presidency which has led to the paralysis of Congress. America is not only crying for change but is also starving for truth. Somebody has to go first.
The Republican propaganda machine is not known for its appeal to intellect rather, it is known for its ability to elicit a visceral response from its electorate. One must recall that Al Gore was not defeated on policy but for his association with the morally bankrupt Bill Clinton.
The nomination of Sarah Palin has multifaceted benefits for the Republican Party. America loves a scandal. The media exposure of Palin's personal life instigated by the Republicans themselves completely silenced the discussion of Obama's successful nomination and his inspiring call to the American people for a unified implementation of common sense. The Republicans cannot run on their record or their amorphous programs so they had to bury them by diverting attention away from them. Also, this nomination will reestablish the dormant abortion issue to the forefront of the debate by allowing Palin to proclaim, we had a choice and we chose life, setting aside the fact that she gave birth to a child with special needs and returned to work three days later leaving these important maternal needs unmet (to hell with political correctness).
Democrats are notorious for complacency. This phenomenon is particularly prevalent in the Midwest. In Ohio alone, at least two governors in recent history were literally elected by voters who stayed home on Election Day. Democrats must not allow this diversion to create the assumption that Obama's election is a 'shoe-in.' The Republican proletariat might be malleable but they do turn out for the vote.
By his own admission, McCain is a man of great ambition. The lure of easy money can erase a man's integrity faster than the click of a mouse but McCain would not understand that analogy. I have often been referred to as a keen observer of human nature yet, I have a difficult time understanding supporters of the Cheney-Bush-McCain regime. Then again, I still don't understand how Jimmy Jones was able to convince more than 900 people to stand in line and voluntarily consume a lethal dose of poison.
With the addition of Joe Biden to Obama's team, I feel confident that the revitalized Democratic Party now has a capable navigator. The effectiveness of a captain is determined by the proficiency of his crew. Obama must continue to exercise similar sound judgment with Cabinet appointments to insulate himself from a corrupt political machine that was installed during the Reagan administration and has had free rein for the last eight years.
In a previous commentary, I pointed out that Georges Bush, Senior and Junior; Dick Cheney; David Addington; along with the entire Carlyle Group; are on the same payroll as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Nouri Maliki, and Muqtada al-Sadr. I omitted several other names from that list including those of Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev. When one examines recent history, one must consider the following: the former Soviet Union began implementing a free market economic system in 1983. A mere 25 years later, Moscow boasts of having the most billionaires in residence of any city in the world, among them Wally Putin. When this Muscovite consortium of oil billionaires challenged the management authority of British Petroleum in Russia, Putin, overnight, went from being the face of modern Russia to a throwback to the Brezhnev years. In response to Putin�s rejection of western influence over his new cash cow, the United States and Western Europe formed political and economic alliances with neighboring Georgia and launched an effort to enroll this �pro-democracy� state into NATO. Thus began the current conflict.
It is no coincidence that Bush and Putin were together at the Olympics when Putin boldly announced that the invasion had begun, reminiscent of two mafia dons meeting at a racetrack. This new battlefield is yet another turf war where oil is the prize rather than heroin. The only good news is that the greed and corruption among Russia�s �leadership,� is so thorough and pervasive that little or no money has been allocated for the modernization of the Russian war machine. That fact, coupled with the reality of the depletion of American military power resulting from the Iraq fiasco, when East meets West on the field of battle in Georgia, this war may have to be fought with knives and clubs.
It is becoming more apparent each day that the Democratic Party will be guiding the course of American politics for the next four to eight years depending upon its degree of success. As this reality looms closer, the Republican Party, in order to exert any influence upon the hearts and minds of the American people, will undoubtedly employ any means necessary to acquire control of the media. A good illustration of this type of influence was exhibited during the Presidential Election of 2004. It is now a matter of historical record that the Karl Rove propaganda machine, funded by T. Boone Pickens, launched a campaign of lies to disparage the military record of John Kerry. The subsequent character assassination produced a new colloquialism in the American lexicon labeled, "swift boating." The American people have since expressed disappointment, if not outrage, for the implementation of this deceitful practice.
Let's imagine the following scenario: Four prominent journalists employed by a major newspaper known for its support for liberal policies are approached by the Karl Rove propaganda locomotive which is now an independent contract apparatus funded by the same private interests which own the Republican Party. Let's say these four journalists are enticed into planting a vague, if not fictitious, story in their newspaper which, hypothetically, involved sexual improprieties on the part of a leading conservative Presidential candidate. Let's say, in return, these writers are offered a prominent place in either the Rove Truth Grinder or, perhaps, an upper echelon position with a competing enterprise such as the Rupert Murdoch Fact Assassins, Inc. To sweeten the deal, they are offered surreptitious cash incentives and an open window into the Republican underground during the next administration.
The benefits from the successful execution of this plot would be the following: First and foremost, the credibility of the hypothetical newspaper which, up until this point, has served as the gold standard in journalism would be severely compromised. Second, the subsequent loss of readership and advertising dollars would deplete the dollar value of the entire enterprise. The few journalists who still respect the First Amendment would seek out new venues for its protection and preservation, perhaps on the internet (politico.com, huffingtonpost.com, etc.). The skeletal remains of The Newspaper, Inc. would ultimately be sold and fall into the hands of the highest bidder, perhaps the Murdoch group. Thus, silencing a prominent liberal voice forever. This drama may seem far-fetched however, this is America, where everything is for sale, including the truth.
The American people are tired of and disgusted with negative campaigning. The latest attacks on John McCain have done nothing but increase support for the Republican Party, which has been noticeably weak of late. Karl Rove "won" the Presidential campaign for George Bush in 2004 by spreading a blanket of lies, deceit, and fear over the entire American heartland, one county at a time. He will employ similar techniques to discredit and disqualify key players in the Democratic Party one by one, even if it requires falsely attacking members of his own party and attributing blame to the "liberals." Rove is a master of deceit, the same deceit which coats the underbelly of all Republican politics. It has no limits. --Quinn Stilletto, President unwantedchildren.com
Rove�s principle tool of choice is fear. He is a master of shifting the focus of a legitimate issue to that of unsubstantiated phobias. He was cleverly able to convince an entire population of voters that, in return for sacrificing their children for oil profits, the President would prevent gay Americans from getting married in their churches. Rove, along with Addington and Chaney, implemented the residual fears of 9/11 to expand the powers of the presidency to a near-dictatorship. The Bush administration has done absolutely nothing to prevent nineteen individuals from hijacking four airplanes and flying them into population centers except ordering the installation of locks on cockpit doors, what genius.
It is a foregone conclusion that the domestic as well as international policies of the current administration are dictated by private interests. Lobbyists have written the majority of legislation passed in the last eight years. These same multinational corporations stand to lose billions of dollars resulting from any shift in these policies. Despite the fact that Rove has vacated the Oval Office, he remains an independent contractor, available for employment by the Republican Party as well as the corporate oligarchy, which it represents. Rove has inexhaustible resources to be used for the purchase of media time. He will continue to develop a network of investigators, tabloid journalists, and political thugs who will assassinate the character of any individual or organization opposed to the doctrines dictated by this self-proclaimed illuminati. Based upon his resume, it�s the only work for which he is qualified.
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