7/7/08 One Under The Belt

I hope that some of you RBN listeners get to this site and reads this post. This morning was a definite Baptism, for me. To Jim in Missouri and Tammy in Tennessee, much thanks to you both. It is quite evident by both your phone calls that RBN listeners are committed and will vocalize displeasure where it exists. All in all, I think the morning went fairly well, but I take nothing for granted. I will do my best to gain your respect as a host and promise you that whether or not we agree, you will always be getting my unadulterated heartfelt feelings on whatever subject is being discussed. My views are strongly held, and I have no qualms about strongly defending them, but I do understand that a mind is like a parachute; it's no good unless it's open. I've spent the last year and a half trying to make a place for myself in talk radio. I care to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. The problems that face our country are communal and can thereby only be addressed communally. No one person has all the answers, least of all me, so lets join voices and discuss what needs discussing. I trust you'll be fair in your judgement of our efforts, and join us regularly so as to help us hone our skills. Let's do our jobs as citizens, together.

4/29 More Painful Than A Root Canal

I just had to turn the volume off on the Presidents news conference. It is just so damned painful. His verbal tap dancing, always blaming Congress, taking no responsibility upon himself, and continually rehashing tired agenda items like
(ex. Anwar oil exploration). He is so bereft of ideas, truly workable programs, or , for that matter any intelligent response to any problem facing us. I am just so tired of it all.

4/27 ALL CANDIDATES ARE THE SAME? NOT!

We've all heard it said. "All politicians are the same". This is how our disdain for our political leaders is generally expressed. While I agree that the influence of lobbying money infects both major parties, in this country, the basic philosophies of these parties couldn't be more diverse. I know it may be hard to see through the scrim of Corporate influence, but don't be fooled into thinking that McCain is an equitable choice just because you my not get the Democrat of your choice. This would amount to an even more dangerous mistake, than the mistakes made in 2000, and 2004. While neither Obama or Clinton may seem to be the most perfect of choices, their policy decisions will be vastly different from, and more conducive to, a corrective path for this country.
The level of damage to our country and the world, at the time of the past elections, of both, ('00 & '04), was not yet to the degree it is now. Our way of governance is truly at a crossroads, as we speak. The key, as it always is, is money. We just simply cannot afford to go on the way we have been. The expense of this ill-advised war is, in and of itself, reason enough to extricate ourselves from it. To think that even if we successfully do remove this yoke from our necks, there will be no need to re-instate the taxes on the upper 2-3% of tax payers (a tax increase, as the Republicans would couch it), would be just terribly faulty thinking. You cannot run your house-hold budget in perpetual deficit, and expect to keep your home intact. How can we expect our country to do it?
McCain is more dangerous to our future, than even Bush has been to our past, and here is why. To many people in this country (myself excluded), the intentions, and deceits, of the past Bush administrations, seemed clouded and indeterminable, primarily due to the unprecedented level of secrecy. But now, with the curtain, having been pulled back and the truth of what they have done in full view, it would be tantamount to democratic suicide, to elect a man like John McCain who would continue the failed policies of the past Bush administration criminals.
Some people believe that it may already be too late to keep us from falling over the precipice, to which Bush has driven us. I truly hope not. It may, however be the case. As damaged as we are, both domestically and internationally, there might not be any guarantee that the Democrats can save us. But in my mind, a third administration of the Bush policies, as would be coming with a McCain Presidency, is surely not the answer. McCain would be a very dangerous choice, indeed.
Vote wisely.

4/25 CARRIERS ON THE MOVE

I've made no bones about it. I feel that an attack on Iran is imminent. Patraeus's placement as commander of CENTCOM, with Gen. Odierno taking his spot in theater, pretty much says it all to me. With the Movement of the aircraft carrier USS Lincoln, on April 4th, and now the USS Nimitz, makes me believe that the prospect is there for an expanded battle plan (i.e. Syria). Their original battle plans called for three carriers. The addition of a fourth would look to widen the conflict. Presently the USS Enterprise is in the Persian Gulf while the USS Kitty Hawk plows the waters of the Bay of Bengal. Alarmist thinking? I think not. Would I want to be wrong? You're damned straight, I would. But the fact remains that with the bellicose nature of this administration, and Cheney leading the charge, the possibilities are real.
Can you spell "Martial Law?

The following is excerpted from the text about the WNET Ch13 Production

http://www.thirteen.org/carrier/#text

It's a bright May morning, and 5,000 sailors and Marines are saying
farewell to loved ones before departing aboard the nuclear aircraft
carrier USS Nimitz, deploying to the Persian Gulf for the next six
months as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Tune in beginning Sunday, April 27 at 9pm, and join these brave men
and women on an intimate, unprecedented journey as Carrier takes you
on an edge-of-your-seat, exhilarating look at the life on a nuclear
aircraft carrier at war, and the toll it takes on the daily lives of
those aboard.

Throughout the series, the "floating city" reveals emotional,
real-life drama as sailors deal with family crises, love, patriotism,
rites of passage and more while performing their dangerous jobs.
Sleeping below a runway and above a nuclear reactor does not lessen
the pressure.

Airing over five nights next week, mark your calendars now with this
episode guide:

The following was derived from this link;

http://www.navsource.org/archives/02/72.htm


USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) underway at high speed in the Western Pacific Ocean, April 4, 2008. Abraham Lincoln and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) Two were underway on a scheduled deployment to the 5th Fleet area of responsibility. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class James R. Evans (# 080404-N-7981E-692).

4/23 TEHRAN,..tick..tick..tick..tick..

It is my belief, that the announcement of the take over of CENTCOM by Gen. David Patraeus, represents the beginning of the countdown clock to the attack, and invasion of Iran. Since an April '06 article by Seymour Hersh, in the New Yorker, I have followed the movements of this bellicose administration, and its stance on Iran, very closely. My conclusion? The fix is in. The recent traveling to the Mid-East , by such luminaries as Condi Rice, John(boy) McCain, and most especially Darth Vader himself, (transported in his own hermetically sealed Airstream trailer) Dicky-"war-do", Cheney, the groundwork has being laid. The latest turn is the afore mentioned takeover of CENTCOM by Gen. David (ass-kissing chicken shit*) Patraeus.
I'm hinging the clock start to Patraeus replacing Fallon, because I believe him to be the last piece to the puzzle. Since his placement as CENTCOM chief, last Spring, Adm William Fallon had been a voice in the wilderness, regarding there not being any incursion into Iran. Now, with him leaving and Patraeus taking his spot, all systems are now go. Seeing the writing on the wall, given what he was witnessing in the Administration and Pentagon, I believe, Fallon decided to opt-out. He knew that since his beliefs regarding an attack on Iran, as witnessed by his statement that it "will not happen on my watch", seemed to be an unwinnable point, the whole idea then became moot.
We have been in a situation like this, once before, Deja vu, all over again. I was sorely disappointed by the outcome the last time a General Officer left a high ranking post, and said nothing out the door, thereby leaving the administration unopposed in its prosecution of war.
I speak of Powell, and the resultant war in Iraq. I hope that this time may be different. I pray that Adm. Fallon takes this golden moment, to truly stand up and defend the country he swore to protect, and talk truth to power in regards to what he knows this administration has in mind.
Admiral Fallon, I implore you.

* Statement of estimation by Fallon, regarding Patraeus

4/22 Right Wing Spinmeisters

I am continually amazed by the snarkiness of pundits, such as Tucker Carlson, David Brooks, George Will, and others of their ilk, who fail to heed a basic bit of reality, regarding the candidacy of John McCain. Backing a man, the likes of him, is nothing more than an attempt to be able to say "We won again", and will not only fail to feather their nests further, but will in fact cut down the tree in which their nest resides. McCain is truly a multi flawed candidate, not the least of reasons being, his stance on the military. While claiming to love the military, and all who serve in it, he shows not the slightest clue of understanding, how to perpetuate it's viability. Instead he flips on torture, will not back a New GI Bill that would aid their well being, shows little understanding as to the route causes of this bogus "War on Terror", and would in perpetuity, put our asses in hock to China prosecuting this hegemonic crusade. He backs the Administration's false belief system, as to how the politics of terrorism is to be faced. The handling of international threats of terror, as has been said many times, should be handled as an international police effort, not a military endeavor which includes occupation of sovereign nations.
Why don't these afore mentioned pundits see this. Their time would be better spent making us aware of these points of fact, rather than recycling the same old pap. These syndicated sycophants of the administration, present the war to us,( if I may use this analogy), as if in an attempt to rid ourselves of the "Bloods" and the "Crypts" we are requiring everyone in this country to prove they are not a member of these groups, without every tending to the actual problem in any meaningful way. Catching an occasional gang member, and attacking them where they ain't, is not the way to do it, yet they back this proven failed method. This is forcing us into a "Red vs. Blue" dynamic, that will only further destroy this "Noble Experiment"called Democracy. If you add to this their acquiescence to McCain's mind numbingly myopic failure to comprehend the true nature of our financial morass, the "Right Wing View" proffered by these high priests, stands only to worsen the prospects of the American people. This is systemic selfishness at its worst.
Why don't these high priests of the "Right Wing Punditocracy" truly work at harvesting the fruits of their Ivy League educations? Instead of just exercising their synapses, looking to make money for themselves and others, which they will never live long enough to spend. Why don't they look outside themselves and help lead the less fortunate among us to that "Pathway Towards Success". A pathway all Americans can avail themselves of. Not a hand out, just a hand. In the words of an Alabama octogenarian, I once met years ago, "there ain't no U-Haul on a hearse. So take a break, pour that martini, light up that Cubano Magnifico, turn off "Bloomberg" or "CNBC", and think about "Our Futures", not just yours.
Remember; McCain, McC.A.N.T. (Can't Appreciate Normal Thinking).