Another Day Older...

I've not posted for a few days because I had a birthday and felt it was a great excuse for a short vacation. A few days of thinking, as little as possible about politics and the state of the world, is not a bad thing.

Nothing has actually changed in the last week. America is still at war in its quest to control the worlds oil supply while making a mockery of the democracy it pretends to be spreading.

Prisoners in American control are still being abused and tortured. American forces and intelligence services are still using "cruel and inhumane" methods which the new attorney general says are not unconstitutional.

One thing I did learn this week is that many of the detainees being systematically abused were arrested for looting, theft, and other minor crimes or merely scooped up out of a crowd of protesters. These people have little or no information of use to anyone. But, we torture the hell out of everyone in the chance that maybe one of them knows something of interest. Ah, the smell of democracy and the scream of liberation.

The coming war against Iran moves ahead. Special ops troops have been operating inside Iran for some time and more operations are planned. The administration pushes ahead in its war plans as though Iraq were already a great victory rather than the grinding defeat it is becoming.

The Christian Right is still preaching its message of hate, ignorance, and discrimination. Bush no longer seems inclined to push the anti-gay marriage amendment, now that he is safely back in office. Some of his most virulent Christian supporters are right upset about that. Finally, it begins to dawn on them that George is just another lying quadra-faced politician, interested only in himself. Welcome to the reality based world.

Americans still live in a non-stop wash of print, broadcast, and cable propaganda . A huge percentage are still in the dream time created by the murmur of wealth, power, safety, and cheap commodity goods that is ever present. They continue to dream that their interests are represented by corporate interests.

Many Americans still believe that George Bush, our Fearless Leader, is a regular guy, just like them. And he would be if they had been born into a family of billionaires. Had they been coddled, protected, and endlessly promoted on a pillow of money and privilege, then he would be just like them, perhaps. If they had golfed their way thru Yale and Harvard on daddy's money and had grown up knowing only other rich people, then he would have something in common with them.

I notice Iraqis and US soldiers are still dieing in ever increasing numbers. US troops in armoured vehicles are touring the country urging people without armour to come out and vote. The ballots have no names because there is no semblance of order and public safety under the 'protection' of the American liberators.

Great numbers of recently wounded Iraq vets are being booted out of army hospitals and told the VA will take care of them and their new medical needs. Meanwhile, the VA is overwhelmed with sick and wounded vets that the VA can not care for. Vets in some VA hospitals are being charged extra for their meals. Bush wants to pull more money away from the VA at the same time that the military is unloading responsibility for wounded soldiers.

Yes, and the Pentagon is warning us that Veterans benefits are now a "burden on national security". The "use them and throw them away" attitude, is unforgivable for a government that asks, no demands, so much of it's men and women in service. From a government that has blatantly lied to it's soldiers and citizens from day one.

Young fellows giving thought to or being pressed to join the military, heads up, if you get all fucked up like so many thousands have, so far, you are on your own when you come back with half your face missing, both hands, most of your intestines, or your legs, etc. You are on your own. The graphic language is necessary because the afore mentioned wounds are coming home by the plane load.

Explosives and high energy bullets make very nasty and massive injuries. Greatly improved trauma techniques mean a large number of seriously wounded soldiers will survive their initial wounds , to need months, years, or a life time of treatment and assistance.

If we as a nation, can rationalize using the very troops we laud so loudly on the way to war, in such a cheap, disrespectful, and inhumane fashion, then we must ask, what kind of people we have become? What kind of nation are we? The answers are not pleasant.

Social Security is still on the chopping block. Today's and tomorrows seniors shoved aside and no longer a burden to national security, one presumes.

So, that is the big set up for Bush's Raw Deal domestic agenda. Persons no longer able to support the corporate good are merely shoved aside into an ever growing underclass of those that no longer count. With the new powers of the so-called Patriot Act, anyone who doesn't like it can be dealt with, in secret if need be.

Little has changed over the preceding week. The debt climbs higher, bankrupting the future for generations to come.

And much of befuddled America supported the war, dismantling Social Security, massive debt, and on going animosity to wards the world. Voted for it because they were so busy besmirching the name of their God with their blind consuming hatred of gays and anyone who isn't one of them.

Your Jesus did not hate sinners nor did he separate one kind of sinner from another. The contemporary Christian Right does all these things, proudly, in the name of the same Jesus.
So, there you have it. A week goes by an nothing changes except to get worse.

Ten more tons of explosives and what to you get?
Another day older and your deeper in debt..