9/11 Hindsight

20-20 hindsight kicking in when it comes to the events of September 11, 2001, the day the Trade Towers in New York were destroyed by Saudi Arabian men taking orders from the now dead Osama Bin Laden.

Most of us had never heard Bin Laden's name prior to that time. He was apparently a major player in the world of USA haters, but we Americans didn't know it. US citizens were and to a great extent, remain cloaked in naivete when it comes to the rest of the world. The “them vs us” mentality still dominates American group think.

To be sure there are new cracks in that group think. It was very apparent last night with President Obama attempting to convince we the people that it is again necessary to deploy the military option against some other country, this time named Syria, for the purpose of....what? Still don't have an answer to that question...Why and for what?

The rationale presented by the President,...we need to strike Assad and Syria to protect “us” from “them.” It's the same rationale used by Bush, Clinton, Bush, Reagan, Carter, et al going back a couple of hundred years, leading up to the events of 9/11. When you look at our war history, we've been damn lucky. Most other nations on the face of this earth would be happy to be able to point to just one incident on their land, as its lone brush with terrorism.

We the people don't have a clue about navigating through a regular day of living, wondering where the bad guys/good guys, hid the IED.

Killing people...we the people are very good at killing people...we've got a magnificent army, the best weapons, 12 WMDs for every person the face of this earth, airplanes, boats, and now President Obama has given us drones, unmanned death from the sky, fired by guys in a bunker somewhere in America at a target thousands of miles away. No need to look them in the eye when you kill them now. Clean, bloodless killing. However, we're not so good at being killed...dying on our own soil or while asleep in our own house or walking to the grocery store around the corner.

9/11 woke us up to that fact. It ain't fun being hit back once you've started something. And make no mistake about it, we did start this fire and have been stoking it for years and years. It was only a matter of time before somebody decided to hit back. 9/11 was a sucker punch answer to our preemptive strike mindset. Now we've got to finish it, bring it to conclusion before somebody decides to use the really bad weapons in their arsenals, probably purchased from us, The United States of America or one of our many government sanctioned military corporations.

Our government calls Saudi Arabia an ally, yet the virulent form of Islam practiced by most so named terrorists comes out o Saudi Madrasas. The men who flew the planes on 9/11 were mainly Saudi nationals. Osama Bin Laden was Saudi. The Saudis have said they will take up the monetary slack if America pulls its aid from Syria. In fact the US just sold the Saudis 60 billion dollars in weaponry. Weapons that more than likely will end up being used against us sometime in the future in some unforeseen way.

We've got to stop this merry go round. If nothing else, 9/11 has proven that our attempts to play all ends against the middle and get rich while others suffer and die, are coming back to haunt us. It is only a matter of time before the world gets sophisticated enough to once again use our own weapons against us.

We the people seem to be waking up to this lesson, displaying overwhelming disapproval of using a military option to seek peace in Syria floated by the White House last week. Seeking peace at the end off a rifle, does not work. It's never worked and never will.

There are other options in the 21^st century. It's time we used them.

No more 9/11....no more war...

What I said:

5 years after 9/11: http://skeptikone.blogspot.com/2006/09/911-looking-back.html

10 years after 9/11: http://skeptikone.blogspot.com/2011/09/911-10-family-conversation.html

No Social Security Checks?! When Pigs Fly

So now we're being told that Social Security checks for August may not go out, if Congress doesn't put a deficit deal in place. It goes without saying that watching helplessly while Congress and the White House play chicken with my life is not sitting very well with me.

Rather than negotiate in good faith, the GOP lead by Miz Mitch McConnell from Kentucky wants to give the President more power than allocated by the United States Constitution to solve the problem. Only trouble is, it is a catch 22 for the White House..accept the power described by McConnell in his grand idea and the GOP/teabaggers will immediately fall back on all their third world banana republic scenarios, claiming Obama is attempting to establish himself as America's first dictator.

It's a trap whose only purpose as McConnell has repeatedly stated, is to bring down Barack Obama, limiting him to one term in office. He needs help cleaning up the GOP mess left over from the past decade, but he's not gonna get it from Congress, apparently.

According to all sides and sources, we need to increase the debt limit or face dire consequences financially, including a return, if you will, to recession or even depression. Some sources are even predicting the end of the world as we know it, if steps aren't taken soon.  Okay, so what's the holdup?

Well the GOP wants to cut entitlements. Read that Medicaid, Medicare, and gut social security.  They see no need to fix the infrastructure or create more jobs or recreate the manufacturing base that built this country in the first place.

They see no need to make health care even more affordable, after all, they already have it. Their salaries are protected under emergency funding, meaning they will get paid even if the country defaults on everything else.

 They see no need to cut defense spending, just in case we have to go to war again and despite the fact that we will never fight war like this again. The neocons still cling to the visions of batallions of men marching toward one another on an open field, while war has evolved to the push button phase from the safety of our own borders. And they have no clue or idea what to do with the vets who are returning home from the illegal actions that have been raging for the past several years.  We treat our vets worse than we treat poor people in this country, and that's pretty bad.

They also see no need to raise taxes on the wealthy, figuring, I would guess, that the middle class can  absorb about $500 in cuts per person better than the wealthy can come up with $5 per person to help out. They see no need to increase the revenue base at all.

American jobs are still being shipped overseas.... most workers haven't seen a pay increase bigger than 2% for the past several years, while corporate honchos are averaging 28% increases before the yearly bonus.

Unemployment is at 9.2% if you happen to be white. If you're black...it's right around 16%..Not much has changed since the days of Ronald Reagan.

So inquiring minds want to know...

1...Why is the GOP afraid of the Tea Party...so much so that it is allowing the inmates to run the asylum since most of these insane solutions for cutting the deficit come from the teabagger caucus?  Are there no moderate republicans willing to stand up and lead rather than to follow the crazies over the cliff dragging America into oblivion?

2...Why does the White House see the need to always capitulate to the right, when it wasn't the right that elected the president in the first place? When does "Change" become a big idea rather than a whispered wish?  There once was a dream that was change. What happened?

This White House is like a ballplayer who comes to the plate in the bottom of the ninth...two outs...bases loaded...team down by three runs...winning run at the plate..time to go big or go home...what do you do...lay down a bunt...or swing for the fence...This White House tends to bunt more often than not...

3...When does Congress stand up for the middle class and do the job it is supposed to do, which is to protect us from the whims of both the right and left crazies, the bloodsuckers of the corporate world and the wolves of Big Pharma who see people as nothing more than human lab rats with pockets full of money?

4...When are the American people going to stand up and vote in their own best interests rather than sit back and allow the power elite to drive the frenzied mob into a stampede that overwhelms the voting booth, snatching power from the people?

Me?  Voting at every opportunity for my own best interests, but still making plans to expatriat, having lost faith in the courage of the American people...

White House Calling Shots in Ohio Voter Suppression

The White House admitted on Monday that President Bush has asked the Justice Department to take a look at the registrations of more than 200,000 people, here in Ohio. Bush made the request last Friday, according to the Washington Post and UPI-news.

Ohio republicans want all new voters to reconfirm their registrations before next week’s election. The United States Supreme Court has already ruled that GOP requests for such actions are not necessary and dismissed the latest GOP lawsuit last week.

You will recall that GOP officials throughout Ohio, such as Hamilton County Prosecutor, Joe Deters, have continued attempts to suppress the vote, by calling for grand jury investigations, and quarantining ballots already cast in Ohio’s early voting, here in Cincinnati. A special prosecutor was appointed to oversee the investigation by Common Pleas Judge Norbert Nadel. The special prosecutor is a former assistant to Joe Deter's.

The sheriff of Greene County has taken similar actions and made similar requests and attempts to suppress the vote in his area. Greene County his home to historically black Wilberforce University, Central State College, Wright State College and Antioch. A record number of students have signed up to vote in this year’s election and officials speculate that they may overwhelmingly favor Barack Obama.

Other counties have taken the same kinds of actions, here in Southwest Ohio. There has been no word from the Justice Department about any actions that it plans to take.

The DOJ is currently involved in its own scandal, having to answer for the firings of 8 US Attornies who reportedly refused to follow White House orders to pursue or investigate similar voter suppression charges that surfaced back in 2006.

UPDATE: The Justice Department has announced that it is sending out 800 feds to monitor voting on Tuesday. No federal monitors will work in Ohio. However, federal staffers will watch polls in Cuyahoga County...that's Cleveland and the surrounding area. No official monitors or staffers here, in Hamilton County or anywhere in Southwest Ohio.

Dubya Wins Again

I’ve got a question........What difference does it make if we throw the dummy out of the White House, when congress continues to rubber stamp his abusive policies and validates his blatant disregard for our constitution.

I’m talking about the passage of FISA, the foreign intelligence surveillance act. This act allows the government to spy on Americans without having to show proof and get a warrant first. This act also exempts the big telecom companies from lawsuits from citizens for the illegal spying that has been going on since 9/11. Makes me want to send Verizon my cell phone and tell them which orifice to stick it up. Pay as you go cell is looking better and better everyday.

Obama voted for this garbage. Hillary voted against it. I don’t think McCain knows what it is. He’s too busy making jokes about killing Iranian civilians.

The thing that ticks me off about Obama is that I heard him say he would vote for it, then look at it later for revision, I guess after he is in the White House. Hell, why put it into effect at all? Why not vote it down in the first place. He is still a Senator, after all. And there is no guarantee he is going to make it to the White House for a second look in the first place.

That’s procrastination, bro...a terminal illness among my brothers of a similar color. Obama still has my vote, but I’m not a happy camper today.

Anyway...I've said it before, and I will say it again....

After we change the White House, we need to clear out Capital Hill, starting with Nancy Pelosi and that absolutely worthless majority leader, Harry Reid.

Term Limits, term limits, term limits....

Questions, Questions, Questions!

Where in the world is Condi Rice? Isn’t she the main United States diplomat in charge of making things better in the world politically between our enemies and us? Why isn’t she over in Iraq attempting to bring calm from chaos?

It was reported that she has been seeking an interview with the Pope and got turned down. He reportedly didn’t want to interrupt his vacation just to see her. We aren’t at war with the Vatican, so why visit him when there are plenty of other people in need of our attention? Who needs a new photo op? Just asking.

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Did anyone besides me think that the Petraeus report was just more smoke and mirrors from the White House? Did anyone think the prez’ handpicked boy was going to knock the surge and say it’s not working?

And all that happy horsesh*t about drawing down troops....please....my nephew got shipped out to Iraq last Friday. He is a marine and I’m pissed and getting madder everyday that this quagmire continues unabated.

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Alan Greenspan says the war is about oil...why the hell didn’t he say that when he was still working? Now it just looks like he is trying to sell books.

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The lynching of Orenthal James Simpson is in full swing....don’t get me wrong...the man killed his ex-wife and her friend...he is a self centered, violent sociopathic egotist of the first order...so arrogant that he continues to surround himself with walking Nicole look alikes and expects everyone to bow down in his wake.....But this whole Las Vegas thing is feeling like a set up....A tape is made in the process and ends up on the internet the next day....c’mon...

I have no sympathy for this man. Justice was not served the last time he was on trial....He literally got away with two murders...white people, it seems, are divided into two camps..there are those who want their pound of flesh...and those who continue to support this walking train wreck called Juice. Black people continue to support him because he is black...that is not enough...he is a bad man...who continues to thumb his nose at the black community until he “needs” us.

If he goes to jail...I prefer to think of this as a Karma smack down...He does deserve to be locked up...but it still won’t bring Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman back...

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Donovan McNabb says white quarterbacks are treated differently than black quarterbacks...did he lie? NO! He did not. Carson Palmer keeps hanging his receivers out to dry...what’s it gonna take for someone to notice....TJ or Ocho Cinco in the hospital or paralyzed from a mid air hit by a defender? If Donovan did that..he would be highly criticized and maybe even yanked from the game. Up until a few years ago black quarterbacks were routinely switched to wide receiver because it was commonly thought that we weren’t smart enough to direct things...hmmmmm!

Which reminds me of an old saying....”the only sport or position that we (blacks) can’t play is the one we haven’t tried, yet.”

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Got a new Attorney General and Minister of Disinformation at the White House...more rats deserting the sinking ship! Is there a question here...no...just a comment...

Movie Star Prez and Trophy Wife

Are we ready for yet another movie star in the White House? Apparently some are, if you believe the hype around the maybe presidential run of Fred Dalton Thompson, former congressman, lobbyist and sometime movie and television actor.

He looks good, is tall, speaks well, has a deep voice...all the things that Americans like in their presidents. He also likes blondes. He even married his latest trophy and she reportedly plays a big role in his maybe campaign. Is middle America ready for another bossy blonde female in the White House? Or does she know that her place is really in the great man’s shadow, quietly clutching his hand while whispering orders once the bedroom door is closed.

She has political experience. She was one of Thompson’s campaign assistants when he was in congress, when he was married to wife number two, I think. Thompson’s had several wives. It’s kind of hard to gauge his time line, he’s been in and out of marriage so often. But his penchant for marriage shouldn’t hinder his moral stance, should it? I mean at least he marries em after he beds em. Any blow jobs in the White House would be legal, unless they involved interns.

The no nonsense make believe prosecutor is having trouble raising money, but word is he will jump into the ring anyway. He hasn’t debated yet, but has taken a stance on Roe v Wade and gay and lesbian civil rights.

I don’t know what his stand is on Iraq, but I would guess that it mirrors our current president’s
view. In fact, Thompson and his wife seem pretty, pretty conservative despite their Hollywood lifestyle.

Makes me think he’s more of the same.....”do as I say....not as I do.”

I like him in his day job on Law and Order...but there is no way in hell I’d vote for him..even if he declares...even if he wins the nomination....no way...no how...

A scary thought....

Dubya is having a colonoscopy. That means that while he is unconscious (for real), Dick Cheney will be in charge of the government for a couple of hours.

Somebody please...please go hide the red button so that fool can’t fire nukes at Iran. We’ve got enough trouble now. We don’t need another war front.

We don’t need expansion of the Patriot Act or suspension of more of our civil liberties.

Hell, he’s already declared himself outside government. He refuses to talk to anyone except his assistants...Is he still even talking to Dubya, except to say, “I don’t have to...I’m the VP?”

Anyone looking at us from outer space would see Dubya in the White House and think that Cheney was emperor of the USA the way he behaves.

After looking at Cheney, I can understand why his daughter feels she can be a lesbian, have a baby and not have to face the consequences that others of us have to live with daily.

Can’t Bush appoint someone else to take over...someone with common sense, common decency and an understanding that other people live in this world beside him, his family and his business friends and associates.

President Hillary

She’s not the first woman to make a run for the White House, but she is the first woman who actually has a chance. She is considered the democratic front runner for the nomination and has a real war chest with which to make the run. She is a very real and viable candidate.

I should be happy that she announced today, but I’m conflicted. I want a woman president. This country needs a woman president. The USA needs a feminine touch to dilute the overwhelming testosterone agenda that has been pushed, well since the formation of this republic and has been seeping like a garbage spill from the White House for the past six years.

But Hillary? I have a problem with giving her my support solely based on her gender.

I don’t support candidates simply because they are black. I don’t support candidates simply because they are gay or lesbian. I don’t support one issue candidates, no matter how strongly I feel about that one issue.

Hillary Clinton is extremely intelligent. She is a United States Senator. She is a former first lady and has lived in the White House. She’s married to Bill. I like Bill. I would love to see him as first husband.

So what’s wrong? Well, she feels like a professional politician to me and I just don’t trust professional politicians. By that I mean, the ones who will say anything to get elected. The ones who pander to all racial groups or hot topic grassroots groups while standing in front of them, but then take the money, only to disappear on the important issues when the vote comes up.

That’s just crazy. I said previously that I like Bill and he is the consummate politician. Bill Clinton can sell snowballs to Eskimos, as the saying goes. Yet I trust him to ultimately do the right thing. His loyalty to the people of this country has never been in question. It just hides behind his libido sometimes.

But Hillary? She never stood up to Bush in the past six years. She voted for the war on Iraq, a vote which she has yet to repudiate. She went along like a good little professional politician, more interested in protecting her job than leading her people.

She courts the LGBT vote, but has yet to really do anything to derail the blatant discrimination against gays and lesbians coming out of Washington.

She courts blacks, but I don’t see it reflected in her stance on anything in particular.

I’m curious about where she is on immigration or legalizing illegals. Does she have an illegal maid in the closet like Bush did? Don’t know.

She is the junior Senator from New York. Yet, I haven’t heard her say anything about the Sean Bell execution by New York City cops, this past December.

I want to support her. I need to support her. But I want some answers first.

I want to get rid of this hollow feeling inside that if I support her and she does get elected, that it won’t be more of the same.

I want the fun back in the White House. I want a return to glamour and an end to cowboy chic and school marm logic. I want the fanatics to go back to church and ask God for forgiveness for what they’ve done to this country. I want the Neocons to apologize. I want my civil rights back. I want to feel protected by the Constitution, the Justice Department, the FBI and CIA. I want New Orleans rebuilt. I want the guts put back into FEMA.

I want Homeland Security to do its job and not be the dumping ground that it is for stupid, sycophantic, political hacks who must be appointed to something because they can’t get elected.

I want to fight the war on terror for real, not the vendetta called war that is now civil war in Iraq.

I want the sunset clause removed from the 1965 voting rights act. I want “don’t ask, don’t tell” repealed.

I want our schools to go back to educating the young rather than teaching them how to take tests.

There is so much to be done. There is also another saying in this country, “if you want the job done right, send in a woman to get it done.”

I just hope Hillary is up to the task.

Monday Musings.........

Dubya in town today to raise money for two disappearing Republicans. Both Chabot and DeWine say they are “independents” in their campaign ads. They’ve been running away from their records for awhile now. It’s no secret that they’ve both voted with Bush nearly one hundred percent.

But I guess they can’t wean themselves off the Bush tit for money.

McCain will be in town too, in a separate appearance. I don’t trust him either. He is sounding more and more like Bush everyday.

And he led the cave-in to the President on how to treat terror suspects. Can you spell sell out?

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The Prez will undoubtedly be talking about how safe we are since he started the fight in Iraq. Well, there is a highly classified report circulating Washington, telling the White House that Iraq has become an incubator for terrorists.

The report put together by military and defense experts, says Iraq has made us less safe, rather than more safe since 9/11. The report accuses the White House of being too optimistic in its presentations about the war.

How about calling it what it is....... a lie...

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The body count in Iraq....65 women, 2700 men, and 100 Iraqi citizens per day, The White House refuses to lets pics of the caskets coming home be seen in order to deny the truth about what is really happening to our young people there.

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Elections officials are voicing fear that the bush–o-matic electronic voting machines may not perform as billed. I have previously talked about the fact that they have no paper back up and are no where near tamper proof. One Governor said he wanted to use something other than the touch screen machines because he didn’t want his state becoming another Florida or Ohio.

Not a peep out of Sec. of State/wannabe governor Ken Blackwell, the man who bought the bush-o-matic to Ohio....while owning Diebold stock when he signed the contract...shall we add conflict of interests to his many, many negatives?

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Don’t breathe just yet, Congressional Republicans are going after social security once again. They’re still busy thinking up new ways to shaft middle America.