My Guru... George W. Bush!

If you can cultivate the right attitude,
your enemies
are your best spiritual teachers

...because their presence provides you
with the opportunity to enhance and develop
tolerance, patience and understanding.

- 14th Dalai Lama

Last night, I sat through the long-awaited farewell address by The Worst President Ever.

Before 2008, it seemed like this nightmare's end was nowhere in sight.

Dubya is generally agreed upon to have been a tremendous disaster for America. (Of course, 'History' may prove otherwise... HAHAHA! yeah, right!)

In his last press conference earlier in the week, he went out like the lying/delusional a-hole he's always been.

I've personally felt mostly contempt for Bush/Cheney over their 2 terms. The need to vent some of my disgust at their governance is one reason I started writing on this blog in 2005, during the height of The Madness.

Yet... I still consider George W. Bush to be my Guru!

Huh?!?!

Although I have thankfully never had to directly interact with Dubya, he indirectly has made me realize countless truths about myself and the world. People who know me would think I'm being sarcastic, but it's true.

Christianity suggests loving your enemy. There's also the saying "Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer" & the Rage Against the Machine song "Know Your Enemy."

Buddhism also suggests seeing even our worst perceived enemies as providers of lessons to be learned, instead.

"If the love within your mind is lost
and you see other beings as enemies,

then no matter how much knowledge
or education or material comfort you have,

only suffering and confusion will ensue."

-14th Dalai Lama

I realized at some point that The Bush Presidency (through its atrocious mis-management) had actually succeeded - in awakening a social consciousness and political insight in myself and the rest of the country.

"Be Grateful to Everyone"

"If we learn to open our hearts, anyone,
including the people who drive us crazy,
can be our teacher."

When Bush came to office, I was a senior in college & politics just wasn't on my radar. Although I've always been a sponge for all other information, I actively avoided learning anything about politics. Republican? Democrat? I didn't know or care what the difference was.

On 9/11, I was driving to work listening to Howard Stern when he was still on FM radio . They were talking about attacks going on in NY. I got to my studio & we turned on the TV to watch the day unfold as it did. Being in Jersey, we were right in the middle of NYC & D.C. No one knew what was going to happen...

My super-human insight told me on that day (and in the following years, as we mobilized our resource-wasting War Machine) that there was more to the situation than we were being told. That is when I sat up & started to really pay attention to the political and social events happening in the world.

Although my natural instinct is to despise the Smirking Chimp, I have also come to realize that George Bush may have actually been necessary for the changes we need to make!

By running the Treasury, our civic institutions, and the overall state of the nation into the sewer - Bush gave us no choice but to stare our many horrible problems right in the face.

We can no longer avoid them, and the strength that progressive minds have gained from uniting against the immorality of his reign now stand a better chance of creating solutions with a new President, whose brain is fully-functioning & coherent.

Observing Bush & his cabal throughout my adult life, I have seen exactly how NOT to approach mankind's biggest dilemma.

The continual outrage I've felt at the sheer criminality of his Administration has helped me better understand myself & what I stand for - morally & philosophically.

Some of the lessons I've learned from my guru, George W. Bush:

• You can "create your own reality".

• Even if it is an insane, depraved reality... people can still be fooled into going along with it!

(However- Reality w/ a capital 'R' will still come around & bite you in the ass if you deserve it.)

• Ignorance & arrogance are not qualities we should look for in a leader.

• Don't EVER believe anything the government, TV, 'experts', or anybody says to be absolute truth.

• 'Security' & 'Victory' are not worth the price of soulless human degradation on a global scale.

• The American economy is now a made-up numbers game.

• Despite the enormity of problems we humans face, it could always get worse.

• When things seem hopeless, even big problems can be solved with intelligence, courage, & compassion.

• There is nothing constant - except for Change.

I could easily write a book on my feelings about the Bush Presidency & its effects.

Ironically- Dubya's idiotic approach to governing has ultimately had a truly profound impact on me & the entire world.


Good Riddance, My Guru!!!

Since I just posted about comedy... & since Bush's attempts at "Goodbye" completely suck just like he does, I'll end this send-off with THE greatest comedy routine ever:

Colbert Bush Roast
Uploaded by MarkDilley

The Case for Impeachment

Well I happened to flip to CSPAN to see one of America's greatest progressive patriots, Dennis Kucinich.

He has a huge set of balls, despite his diminutive physical presence. Right now he is on Article 28 of 35 Articles of Impeachment against The War Monkey himself, George W. Bush.

Crooks & Liars:

Rep. Dennis Kucinich Introduces
35 Articles of Impeachment

I turned it on around Article 15. He's basically going through the laundry list of crimes & offenses committed by Bush, Inc. against the people of our country and around the world. The only reason I need is that 'Dubya' is an incompetent, dangerous fool.

Kucinich has already introduced impeachment against the Beastmaster Dick Cheney. Bush & Cheney are universally agreed to be a blight on American history. Kucinich is strong enough to stand up to these two gangsters and make sure history remembers them for what they are.

This action, even if nothing comes of it, at leasts shows the extent of the Bush Administration's arrogant disregard for the law on the official record. I'm interested to see what the newly-appointed nominee Barack Obama has to say about the idea of impeachment, which has been said by other Democratic leaders to be "off the table".

Wikipedia:
Movement to Impeach George W. Bush

All I know is that listening to the reading of all these Articles have burned the following words into my mind:

"Wherefore,
President George W. Bush,
by such conduct
is guilty
of an impeachable offense
warranting removal from office."

To me, it's like a haiku,
containing deep meaning,
but in a simple form that even an idiot can appreciate.




Afterthought:
The idea of impeachment also brings up a nightmare scenario.
Like cornered animals, it's always possible that Bush & Cheney
will use extreme measures, overt or subtle
to remain in office and exercise the unconstitutional powers
that Rep. Kucinich is petitioning against.

That would suck.

Bush Hatin' Hip-Hop

Rebel music in today's beat-driven musical landscape is much different than the protest rock of the late 60's.

Like all forms of art, both genres of music are mediums of unique expression for all of life's emotions: joy, anger, frustration, angst, outrage, etc.

The past 8 years of Bush, Inc.'s brazen lawlessness, fiscal irresponsibility, and moral subversion awakened in me a political concern and general disgust that is shared by most people who don't have their head up their ass. The disaster of a Presidency has brought out endless opposition and commentary through books, music, video, and other media.

So, partly in retrospect & partly in anticipation that the BIG-TIME gangstas and hustlers, Dick Cheney & George Bush, will soon be gone (hopefully)....

Top 3
Bush Hatin' Hip-Hop Videos

1. Eminem - "Mosh"
I'm starting with the oldest video- from the 2004 election, when Eminem tried to warn the country of the consequences of electing The War Monkey again. He hits everything from the profiteering behind America's wars of conquest to the true nature of Osama bin Ladin & Al-Qaeda

Of course, the fatal flaw in his video's conclusion is that cozy assumption that all of us citizens going out and voting is an honest, & therefore effective, process. Regardless, I think this is one of the greatest protest songs ever... against the Worst President Ever.



2. Juvenile - "Get Ya Hustle On"
I've been a Cash Money fan since Guerilla Warfare & 400 Degreez, and they're pulling up the #2 & #3 slots.

I already liked this song, & the "What's Happenin'" cut at the end of the video even more, but the video showing footage of New Orleans after Katrina w/ kids wearing masks of the Republican administration definitely makes it another favorite of mine.



3. Lil' Wayne - "Georgia Bush"
He may not be the Greatest Rapper Alive, but Lil' Wayne is obviously one of the most prolific hip-hop artists out there. He's on every other rap song out recently. Weezy basically calls The President a bitch in this song.

Cash Money has produced a couple good protest songs when they take a break from rapping about ho's, cars, & ice - although I enjoy those, too. I heard this song recently on Sirius Radio & pulled up the video. This made me think about the other good hip-hop songs blasting The Bush Presidency to make a Top 3 list.





I got to looking up other protest songs & wanted to add these on...


***Old-School Honorable Mention***

• Public Enemy - "Fight the Power"
Public Enemy was one of the first rap groups that I listened to as a kid. I bought Fear of a Black Planet & Apocalypse '91 cassette tapes (ah yes, cassette tapes), waaaay back in middle school.

Although it reflected my eclectic taste even then, that is when rap started becoming fairly mainstream. However, Public Enemy was much too controversial to be considered mainstream, which is why my adolescent mind found them to be so excellent.





***Classic Honorable Mention***


• Edwin Starr - "War"
The justifications & patriotic facades may change, but the greed and lust for power that always motivates War will remain the same.

"War cannot give Life - it can only take it away." This song really does say it all.

George W. Bush = Destruction

Most people watching tonight's debate between McSame & The Long Legged Mack-Daddy will be focusing on the vision for the future each man brings.

The reason people are so eager for a message of hope & change is that we've been stuck in a seemingly bottomless pit of collective despair for the last 8 years. There is one main source, a single point, around which the dreams of an entire nation have been sucked down and drained.

After 8 years, the vast majority of the country has finally recognized this singular source of so much failure, misery, and ignorance.

Surprise!!!! The author of this Boston Globe article has figured out that it is George W. Bush, the dry-drunk imbecile who was awarded his position of Leadership of the Free World by the geniuses on the Supreme Court:

"The Destructive Policies of President Bush"

Really?!?!? *GASP!!*
Dubya has been a force of destruction ALL this time???
Who would have guessed?
Answer: Everyone with at least the insight of a turtle.

I knew the failure of a businessman & a human being was going to be a disaster for this country before he even entered office in 2001. In the same way, it's obvious now that the GOP's broken old pawn & his belligerent, winking harpy of a running mate would continue the descent into ruin at a breakneck pace.

Tina Fey's punching bag (Sarah Palin) criticized Obama for stating the truth, that our airstrikes have killed civilians. Are there Americans out there stupid enough to believe that we have weapons that only target 'terrorists' & that we are too honorable to cause innocent death?

That's what America has been doing in every single war of aggression - having indescriminately murdering millions of babies, children, women, the elderly aka "collateral damage"... all because they live somewhere else with resources that we covet.

Do I personally think that America is deplorable or 'The Great Satan' because of it? No, but I'm sure as hell am not proud of it either. It's a matter of pulling the bloody flag from off your face & looking at things like human being.

To be fair, though, the knuckle-draggers attending right-wing Republican rallies have an evolutionary status that is questionable.

It is obvious by the way they are running their campaign at this point that McCain/Palin have zero ideas & are resorting to the infantile accusations of Obama being a closet terrorist. Unfortunately, McCain has not gained any more intelligence or sense of honor since he graduated at the bottom of his class, back in ancient times.

John McCain was old before I was born & that was three decades ago! His wisdom is non-existant, his views are outdated, and his running mate is a female clone of George W. Bush- with even less class!

It is absurd that the neo-cons & their failed ideology have any legitamacy left at all. I can only hope that Obama wipes the floor with "The Make-Believe Maverick" and shows America a clear difference of vision for the country. As usual, things never turn out to be quite that cool, so I'm not holding my breath. After all, if you hold your breath for too long, you die.

Also, there is that little issue of getting to the point where the Bush & Cheney cabal actually volunteer to leave their positions of power... the day of reckoning is creeping closer.

The Iraq Invasion: Ten Years After

by Lewis Peake

"Of course it's about oil, 

it's very much about oil, and we can't really deny that."

-Gen. John Abizaid

It's was 10 years ago when the last President, George W. Bush, and his neocon cabal launched the invasion of Iraq.

I remember the insanity of those years all too well, & this blog was a regular outlet for my disgust over the disastrous policies of that administration.

Bush, Cheney, & Rumsfeld were truly the unholy trinity...

"Unholy Terror"

There have already been countless volumes written about the Iraq invasion & occupation. As people in the future look back & research it, there will continue to be endless analysis of the conflict.

However, I want to assert the fact that I personally thought the war was immoral from the start. To be crystal clear, I have nothing against the military or soldiers. Several good friends of mine have served. The problem was simply an Executive Branch that was run by sociopaths, who were being advised by suit-&-tie warmongers- like Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Perle, & Doug Feith.

Far from being a minority opinion, there were hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of conscientious people around the world actively protesting & marching in opposition of War. In the 'bizarro world' we were living in at the time, speaking out about the wars or The President in any way was seen as unpatriotic. Conservatives who now feel free to disparage the current President should remember that their motto during Bush's term was: "America, Love It Or Leave It!"

Unfortunately, the forces of Death & War prevailed over the voices of Reason. To keep the people in line, a climate of perpetual fear was fostered by the Bush Administration (& the HUGE 'security' bureaucracy they spawned) while fighting the conveniently abstract, never-ending "War on Terror".

seen on Bartcop

We've wasted absurd amounts of money, resources, & human life on 2 wars that may not even produce lasting progress for those countries.

Why was the war waged?...
• To make certain wealthy people & companies even more money,
• To gain control of oil resources & strategic geographic positions,
• To assert American military power, for the indulgence of sick bastards who thought they were playing with toy army men,
• To help give cover to our allies in the region,
• Mostly, it was a combination of desire for money and power- the nexus of all conflicts.

As time went on, it became clear that Dubya & Co. had no idea what they were doing. Even people who had foolishly believed we were there fighting for some noble purpose began to wake up.

The conflict went on for so long that the average person can barely comprehend the damage that was done. Luckily, there's plenty of documentation to preserve the horrors for later generations. Hopefully they can learn something from the tragedy to help prevent similar abuses of power.

There are many great photo essays revealing the many facets of the Iraq War, many of them horrifying:

Reuters:

Photographer’s Notebook: Iraq War

Denver Post: 

Photos: Tenth Anniversary of the Iraq War

Although I've seen many grotesque war images of destruction & corpses, the picture below really illustrates the worst aspects of the occupation- the senselessness, the effect on innocents like children, the utter despair of being trapped in a terrifying situation, and the complete degradation of the human being.

 (AP Photo/Jean-Marc Bouju)

An Iraqi prisoner of war comforts his 4-year-old son 

at a regroupment center for POWs of the 101st Airborne Division near An Najaf, March 31, 2003.  

Finally... we should "never forget" one of the most iconic images of the Bush Presidency, capturing the sheer lunacy & short-sightedness of the whole situation:

George W. Bush giving a thumbs up, in front of the infamous "Mission Accomplished" sign... only a couple months into a long, 8-year war.

Unfortunately, one of the lasting legacies of the war is the toxic effects of depleted uranium weapons. Like the once-dismissed "Gulf War Syndrome," our soldiers will also suffer from the consequences of using these horrible weapons.
 

Iraq War Anniversary: 

Birth Defects And Cancer Rates 

At Devastating High In Basra And Fallujah

 

Now, the Iraq War is officially over... but the Death Merchants are always looking for an opportunity to roll out new products:

Voice of America:

"Iran, Syria: Major Topics 

on Obama's First Day in Israel "

Why is President Bush So Awesome?

I randomly came across this cool video that asks random people the absurd question:

"Why is President Bush So Awesome?"

This is kind of like asking "What part of prison camps are the most fun?"... There's a sort of general understanding among most people that the basis of the question is ridiculous.

Bush is understood by the majority of humans on planet Earth to be part of an immoral criminal enterprise and responsible for inconceivable human suffering. Therefore, after 2 terms, only the most ignorant and sociopathic members of our society still find any redeeming qualities in this scandalous administration & its degenerate figurehead.

What is so great about this video is it shows the spectrum of human experience through their varied reactions to a generally (but not universally) accepted value judgement - in this case, the consensus that George Bush is a horrible President.

George Galloway-A Role Model for U.S. Politicians

George Galloway is a British politician known for his outspoken, no-holds-barred rhetoric.
He justs kicks the crap out of Bush and Blair's idiotic lackeys.

He is also a major catalyst that allowed the Democrats & the Press to find their collective spine against the fascist Republicans in DC.
Galloway reamed out Senator Norm Coleman ("pro-war, neo-con hawk and the lickspittle of George W. Bush") at a Senate committee hearing concerning his supposed involvement in the UN Oil-for-Food "scandal".
Excerpts from the "hearing"

Galloway has more balls than almost all of the US Senate.

Here, he takes it to the Bush/Blair criminal cartel:
http://www.livejournal.com/users/mparent7777/686378.html
Goddamn... Simple, clear, and completely true.
Thank you, Mr. Galloway for showing America how to put up a political fight against the fear-mongering war profiteers that the GOP leadership has become.

Oops, My Mistake...

At first, I attributed the problems of our so-called leaders in dealing with the crisis caused by Hurricane Katrina mostly to sheer incompetence and diverted resources in Iraq.

I had a huge paradigm shift, though, when my friend Phil was discussing with me the plan to renovate the area as a resort/casino haven like Las Vegas. Suddenly the lack of action to minimize the flooding and destruction of property, and the desire to remove all the poor residents out of the area made perfect sense. Pay these displaced souls some rock-bottom compensation, bulldoze the city, and build up a profit-generating developer's paradise. It may be considered cynical to think that the people in power would not prevent a major US port city from being destroyed so private developers, companies, and the government can make a killing from a new resort/port area, but I think it is simply naíve not to consider it, especially considering the dismal track record of this White House regarding public vs. corporate interests.

Developers Had Wanted New Orleans to be a Las Vegas

I also had a debate with my Mom about how much blame to put on Bush individually. I don't believe that President Bush himself mis-managed all the federal responses, the rebuilding contracts, and the gas price-gouging. That's Dick Cheney's job... duh!!! (Where do you think he was the first week of the crisis? I guess it takes time to plan the systematic exploitation of the American people for the benefit of Halliburton and KBR.) Her argument was... why didn't Clinton build up the levees, etc? I'm glad she eggs me on and makes me really consider my position on these matters (which is usually summed up as; George W. Bush and his Administration are a malignant cancer devouring this country).

Regardless of how much people would like to blame Clinton, the local governments, or the "sinners" at Mardi Gras, the facts are the facts.

**The report quoted below has plenty of concrete examples of the Bush Administration and Congress's mismanagement of our national resources. I'm an Independent, so I don't automatically think Bill Clinton or the Democrats are some kind of saints. However, compared to the corrupt, incompetent Oil-garchy sucking the life out of this nation, even Mr. Burns from The Simpsons looks like a responsible, caring leader!

The Bush administration's policy of turning over wetlands to developers almost certainly also contributed to the heightened level of the storm surge. In 1990, a federal task force began restoring lost wetlands surrounding New Orleans. Every two miles of wetland between the Crescent City and the Gulf reduces a surge by half a foot. Bush had promised "no net loss" of wetlands, a policy launched by his father's administration and bolstered by President Clinton. But he reversed his approach in 2003, unleashing the developers. The Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency then announced they could no longer protect wetlands unless they were somehow related to interstate commerce.

Excellent...
I'm finally winning them over!

Bernie Sanders 2016

BernieSanders.com

Growing up, I never had a interest in politics or current events. I always had a pretty good idea what was going on in the country and the world, but never really cared about who was President or what Congress was doing.

That changed completely after George W. Bush was selected by the Supreme Court in 2000, and we subsequently entered an 8-year neoconservative nightmare. After the tragic events of September 11, 2001, my 23-year old self sat up and started to pay attention, like so many other people. This blog served as an outlet for my frustrations and disbelief at the insanity being perpetrated at the time.

Along with the rest of the world, I watched with horror as Dubya and his puppet-master Dick Cheney launched (unfunded) trillion-dollar wars of invasion & occupation in the Middle East. It was perfectly clear to anyone with even a bit of insight that these wars were meant to exploit the region's resources, gain imperial footholds, and enrich defense contractors & investors. Waging war & fighting terrorism are often a means of making more money for wealthy, unscrupulous people.

The occupations of Iraq & Afghanistan were giant historical blemishes on America's foreign policy, but there were countless other problems created in those years- resulting from the incompetence of the Bush administration and short-sightedness of conservative policy, in general.

When Barack Obama was elected in 2008, a giant sigh of relief swept over much of the world. Although Obama's terms have been, in many ways, a vast improvement over Bush's, it has become clear that he is not the progressive savior people thought he would be. In fact, the U.S. government under the leadership of President Obama has continued or expanded some of the worst abuses of the Bush administration. Unfortunately, it seems like there is only so much a President can do to change the mind-numbing bureaucracy of the government, the power of the military industrial complex, or the intransigence of an opposition Congress.

So, what should the citizens of the United States do?...

Should we throw our hands up and refuse to vote or participate in our democracy, claiming the system is hopelessly rigged for the benefit of monied interests? The answer is, "No!"

Politics, as vile as it can be, affects everyone in our society. It is much too important to leave to the devices of those who would seek to control or disenfranchise us. There is strength in numbers. Only by overwhelming consensus and cooperation can we, the people, overcome the imbalance in political power wielded by the top 1% in control of the wealth of this country.

As this election season started to add potential Presidential candidates for 2016, it looked like we might be doomed to an un-inspired choice of Hillary Clinton or Jeb Bush- either way, a continuation of a political dynasty backed by Wall Street and big money.

Then, out of the blue, came Bernie Sanders from Vermont- the only Independent U.S. Senator. I've viewed a lot of cable news & have followed politics closely throughout my adult life. Having watched him over the past decade, Sen. Sanders has been a consistent voice of common sense policies and responsible government that functions for the benefit of the majority of working-class citizens. After hearing the incessant bullshit spewing from the other national politicians and TV talking heads, it was always refreshing to hear Bernie Sanders speak to the issues in a way that any reasonable person would understand and agree with.

Today, Bernie Sanders announced his candidacy for President of the United States, much to the delight of myself and many other people looking for fundamental reform in the way this country operates.

If you want to know what he is about, watch the many videos of his interviews online, or find out about his policy positions & what legislation he has backed.

Bernie Sanders On The Issues

Senator Bernie Sanders: Legislation

One thing is certain, he is a more authentic champion for the average American than Hillary Clinton, or any of the corporate puppets that the Republican party can shove into the spotlight.

The media will try to marginalize him at first- by depicting him as a "fringe" candidate, the political equivalent of a crazy uncle, or *GASP!* a Socialist.

As support for his campaign continues to grow, he will become a force to be reckoned with. If enough people hear his message he will have a real shot at becoming the President and bringing some much-needed real progressive policy to the White House.

So, on the day of his campaign announcement, I'm enthusiastically supporting Bernie Sanders and what he stands for. I'll be spreading the word about this man- who has the proven integrity, honesty, and solutions we need to address the complex and seemingly insurmountable problems this country faces.

Here is the full video of Sen. Sanders' speech announcing his candidacy, in which he details his ideas for changing the American political landscape for the better:

Falling Sarah Palin

Back during the Dark Ages of the Bush/Cheney presidency, I first turned to progressive political blogs & humor as way to assure myself that I was sane in a mad world.

One funny little time waster I somehow came across was on a site called planetdan.net called "Falling George Bush". It's nothing more than a physics-based image of Dubya that you can toss around like a ragdoll. It's simple yet awesome. Genius, actually.

I had the site bookmarked & recently saw the addition of 3 "Falling Sarah Palin" variations. MY favorite is definitely the one where you can bounce The Queen of the Teabaggers happily around an endless supply of gigantic fetuses.

To be fair & balanced, there are also versions with Democrats that you can toss about.

planetdan.net
Falling Sarah Palin

The "Party of God" & Torture

Yes, the "Party of God" has once again taken a stand.
I'm not talking about Hizbollah, but the other bunch of extremists - George Bush's Republican Party.

Senate Passes Detainee Bill Sought by President Bush - NY Times

Americans are blessed to have these beacons of morality upholding Traditional Christian Values, such as torture and imprisonment without trial.

"A lack of proper screening also meant that many innocent Iraqis were wrongly being detained—indefinitely, it seemed, in some cases. The Taguba study noted that more than sixty per cent of the civilian inmates at Abu Ghraib were deemed not to be a threat to society, which should have enabled them to be released." - New Yorker Magazine

Who needs Habeus Corpus, the U.S. Constitution, or human rights when you have an insane leader who claims to have direct authority from God and sadists and idiots willing to follow him?

15th Century Christian Values

21st Century Christian Values

Historians Rate the Bush Presidency

Mind you, this survey was taken in May 2004.
Things were quite nice for Dubya then compared to the heat he's feeling over the numerous scandals his administration is facing now. This is a survey of over 400 historians who (unlike people who still believe anything George W. Bush says) deal with objective analysis.

Historians vs. George W. Bush

State of the Union 2012

Last night, I watched the premier piece of political pageantry in American politics, The State of the Union address.

This version posted by the White House has additional infographics accompanying the speech:



 Some people will inevitably complain about it being just another speech by Obama & his teleprompter that, according to his critics, no President has ever used before. Personally, I think The Long-Legged Mack Daddy has done as well as anyone can be expected to in his position.

The one credit I've always given our previous President, George W. Bush, is that he's the reason I got interested in politics & government affairs as a young adult.

His administration was like a car wreck that I had to watch, in horror. The GOP's policies were horrible overall, and Bush was himself was a continual disaster & embarrassment in the eyes of the world. The real President at the time, Dick Cheney, was widely regarded with the same affection as The Emperor in Star Wars.

NEVER FORGET!!!...

Therefore, it's nice to be able to sit through these State of the Union speeches & not feel like the leader of the country is an inarticulate ignoramus.

Obama's clearly not perfect, but he's a helluva alot better than Bush or any of the current Republican candidates. If anything, he hasn't been forcefully progressive enough. Actually, the points where Obama & his administration are at their worst is where they try to continue the policies of the Bush White House. However, he campaigned as a moderate Democrat (not a liberal) and realistically has to deal with the conservatives in Congress & "The System" in general.

Haters gonna hate, though, so there are people who get sucked into the Fox News & right-wing talk radio (((brain-warp))) who think Obama's a muslim socialist who was born in Kenya & deeply hates America. I read the comments for articles on Fox Nation & Red State with the same sense of morbid curiosity as someone visiting an insane asylum. ...but, hey, all views should be taken into equal consideration, right?
Fair & Balanced™!!!

Obama, like all Presidents, is faced with a tremendous job & there are plenty of decisions to criticize or praise. I generally agree with his articulated vision for the country. If he had a greater degree of cooperation from Congress, the country would be improving at a much faster rate. The alternative is the traditional, disastrous Republican ideology, which is basically the privatization of everything & welfare only for multi-national corporations & the top 1%, sucking up America's wealth.

I'm pretty cynical, but I still think voting is an important civil act. I'll almost certainly be voting for President Obama, regardless of what obscenely rich knucklehead the GOP finally nominates.

The Election Multiverse

The idea of a multiverse - multiple, or even infinite, parallel universes existing simultaneously - has been pondered & discussed alot in physics, philosophy, and science-fiction.

Just the problem of free-will vs. destiny could fill volumes by itself. However, for all practical purposes, we can say almost anything the mind can imagine is possible. I started thinking about all the possibilities that could exist for even a single situation, like the outcome of the US Presidential election. Most people think "Oh, well it's easy, you fool, either a Democrat or a Republican will win!"

I'd say there are way crazier things that could happen that are neither choice A nor B. Sure, they might not seem possible, but alot of things don't seem possible... until they happen.

I'm channeling the multiverse and listing some of the myriad possibilities that currently exist for January 20th 2009. It has the potential to be one of the most significant days in history, regardless of the situation.

In order of the situation that I'd personally most like to see first:

1. The true progressive, Dennis Kucinich unbelievably wins through write-in votes, shocking the nation and the entire human race. However, he leads America into a Golden Age of reason, compassion, innovation, and prosperity. His smart & lovely wife, Elizabeth, is his Vice-President.
2. Barack Obama wins the election, & turns the established bureaucracy upside down like a modern-day Akhenaten. His VP is Dennis Kucinich. America is saved from oblivion.
   
3. Obama wins with John Edwards as his running mate & they lead the way in cleaning up The War Monkey's enormous mess.
4. Obama wins, with any other Democrat as his VP- including Hillary. America is returned to a course of sanity & fiscal responsibility.
5. Hillary is nominated and wins the election. She chooses any of the qualified Dems for VP & takes the country in a positive direction.
6. By the end of the summer, the technology exists to jack everyone into a virtual hive mind. As a result, there is no need for a governing body of any sort - all decisions are made through the Borg-like collective consciousness.
   
7. Either Obama or Hillary wins & chooses a Republican running mate. It might be strategically smart to pick someone competent from the other side of the aisle, like Chuck Hagel or another conservative who isn't a ideologue or a pandering hypocrite. I would personally not be thrilled about this possibility, though.
8. Ron Paul leads his 'Ron Paul Revolution' into the GOP convention & takes it over! He wins the election, and his first act in office is to immediately abolish the Federal Reserve.
9. Ralph Wiggum wins as a write-in candidate after a media campaign by Fox.
10. Kids who are too young to remember the 2000 election see the "new guy" Ralph Nader enter the race & forget all about Obama. John McCain wins, thanks to another Nader run. America continues it's descent into oblivion.
11. Obama is the nominee, but large numbers of white Americans would rather see their way of life crumble under a regressive Republican plutocracy than vote for an intelligent Harvard Law graduate with a multicultural background. John McCain wins. America continues it's descent into oblivion.
12. A dimensional portal opens and predatory alien entities flood our world, rendering governments useless. The election never takes place & mankind is scattered about the globe like cockroaches.
13. There is a violent shift of Earth's magnetic poles due to uncontrollable cosmic forces. Civilization is wiped out from the catastrophic effects & only a small number of people survive. Al Gore is one of them, and finally becomes President of New Earth.
14. "Skynet" comes online & the nations and military forces of humans are subjugated by autonomous Robot Armies. "Asimo" is declared the first robot President.
15. Bush & Cheney simply can't leave office without risking exposure to massive war crimes & fraud on the American people. So, they refuse to leave office, citing "Executive Privilege". The Democrats complain a little bit, while the citizens grumble & shake their fists before going back to their deteriorating lives. The United States is changed into The United Empire of America.
16. The Bush Inc. War Profiteering industry finds any loss of business unacceptable. A "terrorist attack" by "Iranian agents" causes George W. Bush to immediately declare nuclear war on Iran, wiping out bases and innocent civilians in cities. Before the election, a state of martial law is put in effect & Bush declares himself President-for-Life. Democrats, anti-war, and other liberal vermin are labeled "terrorist sympathizers" and placed into contracted Halliburton work camps. Dick Cheney's sick fantasy has come true & the rest of the world's nightmare begins.
17. I wake up to (what I think is) Inauguration Day. I'm filthy, tired, & feel absolutely miserable... To my horror, it was all a dream. The year is really 1840 & I realize I'm actually a child who works in coal mines. I don't know or care whose President at the time because my life sucks so bad.
18. Because of the massive amount of debt we can't pay, China announces that the US is now part of the People's Republic. World War III commences & our elections are suspended due to the crisis.
    
19. Anne Coulter becomes the first "female" President by some strange electoral anomaly that turns out to be the direct influence of Satan. He appears, in a horrifying physical form, to act as her Vice-President.
20. Bill Gates completely buys out the Electoral College, Congress, & Supreme Court with a billion dollars. He crowns himself "Supreme Technocrat" and mandates Windows Vista operating system on every single computer in the nation. Apple Computers are outlawed & I kill myself out of sheer desperation.

Wow, that was oddly cathartic.

Of course, I've only listed 20 of the infinite possibilites for this particular situation. I'm sure the universe will serve up a scenario that is probably different than all of these somehow. Since I am not really in the mood to challenge the entire universe right now, I'll stick with this list for now & see what "Reality" has to offer.

Hopefully, it's something that resembles one of my top choices,

...but I'm not holding my breath.

click to enlarge

(If you look close,
I'm in the green universe.)

aka "The Monkeybuddhasphere™"

Trump & Orwell: Reject the Evidence

I created this blog back during the years of the George W. Bush administration, and I used to post frequently about politics and current events. Back then, it seemed impossible that a group of politicians could be more corrupt & incompetent than the Bush/Cheney cabal, when every day revealed some new piece of outrageous news about how bad they were screwing things up.

Despite actually predicting it, I had no idea we would actually elect an absolute dumpster fire of a human being like Donald J. Trump. My evaluation of Dubya as "The Worst President Ever" was, unfortunately, premature.

In recent years, I cut back on my news media consumption, and cut out cable news completely. Although I still stay up on politics & current events every day, I don't let it consume my life as much as it used to. Therefore, I haven't really posted too much about politics here, other than some critical graphics of Trump early in his term.

Watching how he has behaved in office & seeing the ridiculous policies he's been pushing has been exasperating. Even more exasperating is seeing how people still trust this blatant con-man & habitual liar! I mean, the guy made his career out of screwing both gullible people and honest contractors out of their money. No one should respect this guy, but he somehow has a following of people who think he is God's gift to this country. I guess if you have your head up your ass or buried in conservative news all day, you can remain ignorant of the almost comical level of corruption and stupidity that Trump & his administration exhibits on a daily basis. He gets away with it (for now) because he is fully enabled by his unquestioning supporters & a complicit GOP Congress- to lie, gaslight, and break the law & cultural norms in any way he wants.

Recently, Trump made the statement that basically told his cult members to believe him over their own eyes:

"Just remember, what you're seeing and what you're reading is not what's happening"

I saw people astutely comparing this to a line from George Orwell's book "1984" (which has become almost like an instruction manual for the Trump Presidency):

"The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. 

It was their final, most essential command."

I decided to create the graphic above, with this Trump vs. Big Brother comparison, to illustrate the nefarious effect that Trump is having on his followers. He wants you to reject the evidence & the facts of any matter, & defer to him, even though he has shown absolutely no reason to be trusted on anything!

Yes there is definitely "fake news", propoganda, and misinformation being circulated. However, Trump regularly rejects facts that can easily be verified and publicly contradicts himself constantly. I believe everything is relative, and there is a high degree of subjectivity in our experience. However, we need some level of consensus reality to function together as people. Trump is trying to destroy that idea of external facts, so that only his opinion & things that jive with his reality matter. It is the workings of a completely narcissistic moron.

Anyone who is following multiple news sources that aren't strictly pro-Trump can see that there's a net of investigation into the criminality of Trump & his associates that is going to eventually ensnare them all. If you believe in the concept of law & order, then you should encourage investigation into the facts of the matter on whether the law was broken. If you listen to Trump & believe it is all a "deep state" conspiracy, then you have accepted his final order to reject the evidence, and you can continue to bow down before this fake gold-plated idol that represents all the worst this country has to offer.

He can kick & scream and tweet stupid falsehoods all day long, but fortunately we do not live in a fictional dystopia like "1984," and eventually the truth will prevail. Not everyone will accept it, but how we as a society treat this narcissistic menace and the forces that prop him up will determine the quality & longevity of the experiment known as American democracy.

Dodging Shoes: Bush's Only Skill

After a week of not posting anything due to procrastination & a weekend of crappiness due to a cold/fever, leave it to Dubya to give me something worth commenting on.

"In Final Iraq Visit,
Bush Ducks a Pair of Shoes"

A reporter threw his shoes at George W. during a press conference in Iraq & called him a "dog".

Unable to admit how bad both he & everything that he represents completely sucks, Dubya afterward exclaimed that such actions were proof of the freedom of Democracy™!

In my opinion this was an understated gesture, if anything. It's really surprising this sort of thing doesn't happen constantly! I also can't believe Bush's brain reacted quick enough to dodge the incoming footwear. The guy is a horrible speaker & leader, but he'd make a champion dodgeball player.

Jobs & the Economy: Simplified

I like my information 2 ways: simple & visual.

Despite being a massive, complex system, The Economy & it's problems can still be explained in terms that anyone can understand.

I saw this graphic on Bartcop.com & thought it summed up the effect of "Free Trade" on American jobs quite nicely:

What Now! Cartoons

As far as the financial sector aka. 'Wall Street' goes, this video I saw on WRH also succinctly outlines the reality of America's indentured servitude:

I also came across this chart on DailyKos that illustrates the sources of the budget deficit. The 'deficit hawks' who demand cuts to 'entitlement' programs & government services as top priority are wrong.

"Critics Still Wrong
on What’s Driving Deficits
in Coming Years"

Our first steps to restoring fiscal sanity should actually be to:

1) Slash the hell out of military spending & end our foreign occupations. Democracy over Empire. (Crazy, I know.)

2) Eliminate corporate tax loopholes gamed by mega-industries like Big Oil.

NYT: "Oil Companies Fight a Tax, Reap Billions in Subsidies"

3) Let the Bush Administration's plutocratic tax cuts expire on those making over $250,000. Of course, some of America's financial elite will bitch & moan about any kind of tax increase, no matter how wealthy they become. As someone who is content to make a modest living, I have absolutely no sympathy for the extra thousands of dollars they may have to sacrifice. They can go hide on their yachts and cry about it into a golden handkerchief for all I care.

This final chart shows the disproportional benefit of Bush's tax cuts for the super-rich:

This was just one of the countless ways George W. Bush deceived & sabotaged the average plebeians in this country during his regressive 8 years in office. Obama's only had over a year to dig out of the cesspool, but there is still a mountain of crap to clear & he's not digging nearly fast enough.

Election Thoughts

click for Tsevis's Obama Flickr Set

"OBAMA!!!!"
"OBAMA IS A MACK-DADDY!"

• Wow - I've always liked the long-legged freak, but I really, truly thought that there was no way in hell that enough Americans would actually vote for someone named Barack Hussein Obama.

• 'Obama/Biden' is so close to 'Osama Bin Ladin' that it has to be a cosmic joke.

• Yeah, the guy's half-black. This is historic only because America is still full of haters & morons.

• What's more important, as a practical matter - the new President is actually going to be SMART, ELOQUENT, & COMPETENT. Imagine that!

• I always try to prepare myself for the worst scenarios in any given situation. When things actually work out nicely, it ends up seeming like a miracle.

• This result of this election is like an 'anti-9/11', in the sense that our entire county of millions joined together. Except, instead of horror, sadness, and anger... the outcome was full of joy and celebration.

• We are obviously oscillating towards the singularity.

• God clearly doesn't like the Republican party anymore.

• Besides his pandering to the design industry, the Obama campaign's use of art & media was very impressive. Also impressive has been the positive influence Barack's campaign has has on the art community.

• Tina Fey & Katie Couric helped save our Republic from further zombification.

• Barack Obama is powerless against magnetic pole reversals, solar flares, and every other natural phenomenon.

• CNN is the NASA of infographics & Sith technology.

• I kind of felt bad for McCain when he called himself a failure in his final speech. The guy should be proud of himself. Even if I personally thought he wasn't the better candidate, he should be respected as a hero.

• It was McCain's clueless She-Bush sidekick who was unbearable to me & the rest of America. If Sarah Palin wins in 2012, then I will assume that the Mayan doomsday is at hand.

• Obama is crazy for even wanting this responsibility. The dude seems unbelievably motivated, though. Compared to the rogue's gallery that Bush put together, Obama's executive leadership might actually start being effective.

• Fortunately (as the supreme jerk, Donald Trump, said in this interview), "He cannot do worse than Bush... he's been a catastrophe." What he says about Condoleeza is hysterical too.

• 'The Donald' is basically clarifying what cannot ever be emphasized enough: George W. Bush has been a complete failure in every respect & has been an unholy curse on this nation. Good &*%&^&! riddance.

Republicans = Bankrupt America

I am no financial whiz, but it's pretty obvious that the disasters happening in the economic sector are just more examples to add to the long line of scandalous and truly epic disasters of the past 8 years.

Of course, our current state of affairs is the the direct consequence of the blatant scam against the American people known as "The Presidency of George W. Bush".

Under the Republican leadership of Bush/Cheney and the GOP who had the Majority in Congress for most of those years, our country has been deteriorating at an amazing rate. Anyone who denies the overwhelmingly negative results of the supposedly "conservative" right-wing leadership is a fool. You'd be a damned fool, at that, because it is an enabling of an agenda that viciously ruins the lives of millions, if not billions, in the US and throughout the world. American taxpayers have been swindled and violated in the worst ways by the GOP's vast arsenal of idiotic outlooks and policies.

Are the Democrats a party of perfect ideas?... NO!
But... are the Democrats a more ignorant, corrupt, and hypocritical group of closeted creepy pervs than the Republicans?... NO!!!

Of course, if you have the thought capacity of somone like this,or maybe like this, you can be forgiven for believing the GOP to be a organization that does not represent the cesspit of humanity.

It just astonishes me that there is any enthusiasm for a Republican ticket after what the "Conservative" label has been shown to represent.

• "Conservative" now means reckless deficit spending on Imperial Wars that only fatten the bank accounts of military contractors & oil companies.

• "Conservative" now means intruding the homes and personal lives of innocent citizens through electronic surveillance & draconian 'security' measures.

• "Conservative" now means breaking the law with contempt for the American people in plain sight & moving right on to the next scandal before anyone can pay attention.

I could go on- but it's a waste of breath. The old, white guy (who can't even use email) will probably be sworn in. He and his gun totin' church lady sidekick will continue to guide our country into economic, social, and structural ruin.

Of course, Obama might get elected.
Then... all this will end up being his fault- according to the imbeciles that thought Bush was great for the country.

Bleeding the Country

...and I'm not talking about Iraq - that's more like dismemberment.

Unfortunately, the country that is getting slowly bled is the United States.
When half of our taxes are already used for the goal of state-sanctioned death and destruction, it's pretty horrifying for any rational person to see the War Monkey & his gang making proposals like this:

"US President George Bush has proposed deep cuts
to federal health care, education, and transportation programs,
searching for new money to pay for increasingly costly
defence programs and the war in Iraq."

So Dick N' Dubya have their sights on Tehran, Congress is waiting for more Republicans to wake the hell up and help stop the madmen in the White House, and we taxpayers are throwing money to the wind everyday we are occupying Iraq.

Maybe this guy has the right idea...

"Ed and Elaine Brown were convicted last month of plotting to conceal their income and avoid paying federal income tax for years. They argued the tax is illegitimate and no one is required to pay it. They said they would pay their taxes if the government shows them a law that allows labor to be taxed."

Of course, if anyone were to stage a tax revolt or a protest action like the Boston Tea Party they would be considered a terrorist, as the British overlords considered Thomas Paine and Samuel Adams to be. (Here's an idea: The Houston Oil Party, dump barrels of oil into the Gulf! Just Kidding!(?))