August 13, 2006
"The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed."....Steve Biko
Such is the case with the current powers that be in this country. Make no mistake about it America, the GOP is desperate. They see the president's approval rating at 33% on good days and know that the American people disapprove of the republican rubber stamp congress even more. More importantly, and this is what we all have to keep in mind this November, they fear losing total control. If the Democratic Party was to take control of even one house of Congress, then the party is over for the GOP. What comes with losing complete control, are real checks and balances. For the first time in five years, Congress will actually do the job the Constitution laid out for it and oversight will return. No longer will Bush be allowed to run roughshod over the civil liberties of the people and decide which laws he will enforce and which ones he will ignore. Subpoena power will return to America and real investigations into allegations of illegal governmental activity will come back to the people. For the first time in five years, it will be America's interests that will be served, not the elite in power, protecting themselves as they rape the environment, reap the lion's share of the economy, and ruin the fabric of our democracy.
Keep in mind though; those in power will not go without a serious fight. The problem this time around, is the GOP is running out of ammunition. They cannot run on the economy, no matter how happy a face they put on it, it only amounts to lipstick on a pig. The average person today KNOWS the truth about this economy. They know they have to work harder and longer, for less money and less benefits. They see the games republicans play with their lives. They saw last week when the GOP proudly attached the elimination of the estate tax to the minimum wage increase, forcing democrats to vote to hand back billions of dollars to the richest people in this country if they wanted to see an increase in the minimum wage. They know having 13.9 trillion in debt and an 800 billion dollar trade deficit are not causes for celebration. They feel the middle class being squeezed into poverty while the rich get richer. They understand that this Congress has not created enough jobs to cover the new job seekers, let alone deal with the unemployed. They KNOW these things, because they are LIVING them. Without the economy, the GOP cannot run on the state of education as so many children were left behind in this country over the past five years. They realize that when the republicans talk about education, it is only talk. They cannot run on the environment, as real scientists have been dismissed and ignored for five years as we have seen global warming become a reality for nearly everyone. No, the GOP is staring at real problems with their record and when that happens, it is time for the ole Karl Rove two-step.
We saw the battle plan this past week as the talking points released to the media machine operated by the Bush regime included words such as Islamo-fascism, rise of Nazism, and cut and runners. The Lamont victory on Tuesday spoke volumes for how fed up America is with the fear-mongering tactics used by the GOP for the past five years. It portends good things for this November, if the oppressed can remember the game plan of the oppressor. One day after the Lieberman defeat, we saw people like Dick Cheney and Karl Rove rush to his defense. Cheney went as far as to disgustingly say that Lamont is the type of candidate "preferred by al Qaeda types." Then another day later, we conveniently have a dastardly terror plot foiled. Every member of the GOP media machine was out in full force, claiming this was a vindication of the illegal spying, the war on Iraq and basically anything the Republican Party has allowed to happen for the past five years, including the abhorrent Patriot Act. Of course the part they left out is how the foiled plot was actually timed to occur right when it did, as the administration had foreknowledge for months. I will be keeping a close eye on what happens to these arrests as usually when this much noise is made; it turns out to be much ado about nothing. Four of the people arrested have already been released.
The plan is pretty clear for the Rovian machine. Paint anyone who does not support the war efforts as cowards, who are weak on security, and cut and runners. I understand why Rove would play such a card, no matter how ridiculous it may be. First of all, it has already worked for so many years, why abandon it and secondly, it is the only card the GOP has left to play. America this time will be smarter however. Making them empty their liquids on line for flights will not be enough this time around. Here is the dirty little truth the GOP hopes you forget this November...
Iraq had nothing to do with 911, terrorism, or al Qaeda. No matter how many plots are foiled, it does not justify the Iraq War and America knows it. Don't think for a second that this foiled plot will be the end of it for the GOP. There may be another Osama tape released just in time to help GOP candidates, like he did in 2004 to help Bush. There may be more chatter and elevated terror alerts, timed to bump positive democratic stories from the front pages. Unfortunately, there may be another "event" designed to catalyze the American people into such a fearful state that they run to the polls to vote republican. What Karl Rove has not figured out yet is that America is on to them. If there is another foiled plot, they will be able to see through the façade and understand how the political whores are using it for their gain. If they see chatter and elevated terror alerts, they will also look to see what stories the media machine are trying to bury. God forbid, if there is another event, the American people will realize that it only validates that the Republican Party cannot protect them anyway.
We have heard the buzz words and the focus group tested phrases. We understand that there is no rise of Nazism and that the only fascist developments are in this country where corporations have taken over the governing of the people. We know that democrats do not want to "cut and run", but rather we want to end a debacle, save as many lives as possible and allow the entire world to help in the rebuilding of Iraq, a country we have destroyed. We understand that it makes more sense to listen to a man like John Murtha, who has more experience defending this country then this entire chickenhawk administration combined. We will not allow the swift-boating of anyone, anymore. The media can shove Mel Gibson-gate down our throats for weeks, as they did Natalie Holloway and Michael Jackson before him, and it will not matter. Call me a foolish optimist but I am starting to believe that the mind of the oppressed has awoken to the truth and a new day is dawning over our democracy.
Unless they try and steal the elections again.
"The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed."....Steve Biko
Such is the case with the current powers that be in this country. Make no mistake about it America, the GOP is desperate. They see the president's approval rating at 33% on good days and know that the American people disapprove of the republican rubber stamp congress even more. More importantly, and this is what we all have to keep in mind this November, they fear losing total control. If the Democratic Party was to take control of even one house of Congress, then the party is over for the GOP. What comes with losing complete control, are real checks and balances. For the first time in five years, Congress will actually do the job the Constitution laid out for it and oversight will return. No longer will Bush be allowed to run roughshod over the civil liberties of the people and decide which laws he will enforce and which ones he will ignore. Subpoena power will return to America and real investigations into allegations of illegal governmental activity will come back to the people. For the first time in five years, it will be America's interests that will be served, not the elite in power, protecting themselves as they rape the environment, reap the lion's share of the economy, and ruin the fabric of our democracy.
Keep in mind though; those in power will not go without a serious fight. The problem this time around, is the GOP is running out of ammunition. They cannot run on the economy, no matter how happy a face they put on it, it only amounts to lipstick on a pig. The average person today KNOWS the truth about this economy. They know they have to work harder and longer, for less money and less benefits. They see the games republicans play with their lives. They saw last week when the GOP proudly attached the elimination of the estate tax to the minimum wage increase, forcing democrats to vote to hand back billions of dollars to the richest people in this country if they wanted to see an increase in the minimum wage. They know having 13.9 trillion in debt and an 800 billion dollar trade deficit are not causes for celebration. They feel the middle class being squeezed into poverty while the rich get richer. They understand that this Congress has not created enough jobs to cover the new job seekers, let alone deal with the unemployed. They KNOW these things, because they are LIVING them. Without the economy, the GOP cannot run on the state of education as so many children were left behind in this country over the past five years. They realize that when the republicans talk about education, it is only talk. They cannot run on the environment, as real scientists have been dismissed and ignored for five years as we have seen global warming become a reality for nearly everyone. No, the GOP is staring at real problems with their record and when that happens, it is time for the ole Karl Rove two-step.
The plan is pretty clear for the Rovian machine. Paint anyone who does not support the war efforts as cowards, who are weak on security, and cut and runners. I understand why Rove would play such a card, no matter how ridiculous it may be. First of all, it has already worked for so many years, why abandon it and secondly, it is the only card the GOP has left to play. America this time will be smarter however. Making them empty their liquids on line for flights will not be enough this time around. Here is the dirty little truth the GOP hopes you forget this November...
Iraq had nothing to do with 911, terrorism, or al Qaeda. No matter how many plots are foiled, it does not justify the Iraq War and America knows it. Don't think for a second that this foiled plot will be the end of it for the GOP. There may be another Osama tape released just in time to help GOP candidates, like he did in 2004 to help Bush. There may be more chatter and elevated terror alerts, timed to bump positive democratic stories from the front pages. Unfortunately, there may be another "event" designed to catalyze the American people into such a fearful state that they run to the polls to vote republican. What Karl Rove has not figured out yet is that America is on to them. If there is another foiled plot, they will be able to see through the façade and understand how the political whores are using it for their gain. If they see chatter and elevated terror alerts, they will also look to see what stories the media machine are trying to bury. God forbid, if there is another event, the American people will realize that it only validates that the Republican Party cannot protect them anyway.
We have heard the buzz words and the focus group tested phrases. We understand that there is no rise of Nazism and that the only fascist developments are in this country where corporations have taken over the governing of the people. We know that democrats do not want to "cut and run", but rather we want to end a debacle, save as many lives as possible and allow the entire world to help in the rebuilding of Iraq, a country we have destroyed. We understand that it makes more sense to listen to a man like John Murtha, who has more experience defending this country then this entire chickenhawk administration combined. We will not allow the swift-boating of anyone, anymore. The media can shove Mel Gibson-gate down our throats for weeks, as they did Natalie Holloway and Michael Jackson before him, and it will not matter. Call me a foolish optimist but I am starting to believe that the mind of the oppressed has awoken to the truth and a new day is dawning over our democracy.
Unless they try and steal the elections again.
