Democrats? Who are the Democrats? I've forgotten.

Getting into the minds, and hearts, of people associated with the Bush-Cheney administration sometimes seems like a journey into darkness.

Deception, secrecy, manipulation, torture, war and destruction, suspension of Americans' Constitutional protections, evaporation of human decency all are part of this unpleasant picture.

Hopefully, the ethical and honorable patriots among us, inside our government and outside, will uncover what needs to be revealed and bring guilty parties to justice.

These factors are explored in:

"Iraq War Psychology: Exploring hearts and minds of U.S. officials, press, profiteers"

February 15, 2007

http://www.populistamerica.com/iraq_war_psychology

- - -

"Unconventional Human Intelligence Support: Navy SEAL's report"

January 7, 2007

http://www.populistamerica.com/unconventional_human_intelligence_support

You better believe the Dems turn will come. Steny Hoyer's first act as majority leader was to call K st and tell them the new kids are in town. Couldn't wait to rush to the trough. Then they passed a pseudo ethics reform bill that simply redefines how the lobbyists can give money/gifts. I saw a chart showing the wealth pf people coming into office, and their worth upon leaving. Obscene. They're not there to run the government. Although it's true, the Repubs took this to new heights, "working" 1.5 days a week. However, the public doesn't appear to be fooled. They still have a very low opinion of Congress.

As Gore Vidal says, "There is one political party in America, the Property Party, and it has two right wings."

But apart from the Blue Dogs from the DLC (originated in the 1970s as Democrats for Nixon), there are those who, like Conyers and Waxman, take their oaths, leagl responsibilities & civic duties seriously.

I think John Dean's "Conservatives without Conscience" is nearing paperback release if it hasn't already come out yet . . .

Dichterfreund, what better reason for campaigns to be funded by taxpayers?

Mariane Means has it exactly right--

Let all the adminstration officials do their Sesame Street muppet "Forgetful" act in congress, call 'em all in and make them go through the entire silly charade. They end up looking like the lying sneaky conflictd souls they are and any credibility they have left crumbles.

With very few exceptions, there is only one party in Washington DC. It is the haves and have mores and to hell with the middle class (if it is still areound) and who needs the poor?

Both these fing parties are the same. The sooner we get 3 party recg, the sooner we'll be able to fix this country.

Kyle was amazingly forgetful!I wonder if he found his way home after he "testified."

Poet: weren't sure if you'd return to the Alvarez thread, so thought I'd say thanks here. Actually about 6 mos ago, truly intrigued about the sincerity of Chavez I too found my way to the webpage you referenced. Serious social restructuring going on there.

Sorry folks for the intrusion. Carry on.

Mike Malloy on NovaM radio (6-9 on the 960AM) in the bay area, has been on fire lately. Listen to him, he puts it all into 3 angry - entertaining - don't touch that dial, hours.

The Republicans don't have a lot of choices:
1. They can lie, like Scooter Libby.
2. They can avoid talking altogether, like Monica Goodling.
3. They can pretend to have forgotten, like Kyle Sampson.
4. They can play verbal gymnastics and pretend to answer questions without actually answering them, like Kyle Sampson.
5. They can tell the truth and have their lives, perhaps their family's lives, and their careers affected by incurring the wrath of their fellow Republicans, like has happened to John Dean.

I think that letting the public know what is really going on in this administration should be looking very good to the people there right now.

Living outside of the country, in Europe for the last five years (having moved to Athens and Madrid since exactly 19 days before 9/11) I've been reading Common Dreams among other like-minded websites and sense the gradual and inevitable demise of the USA.

I can't seem to quite fathom the depths of, and the multitude of ways, that the organization (American Enterprise Institute??) that has gripped the entire mechanizations of the American government is in the process of dis-assembling the legal, environmental, ethical, and economic structures of the United States and its Constitution. The implications of all these moves is beyond sinister, evil, illegal, whatever you want to call it - something else is at hand.

The American public is being whipsawed from one side to another - here big scandal in the Attorney General's office, there gross corruption in govenment overseas contracts, behind your back illegal wiretapping, last week a request for more funding for the failing occupation of Iraq, and meanwhile three dozen other investigations that never arrive to completion... Are the symptoms of something far greater?

The apparent and (I believe) deliberately planned shifting matrix of scandal is now far beyond what any individual or society can fully recover from, and they (whatever they can be called) WILL NOT STOP. My readings indicate preparations beginning since Carter's presidency, definitely Reagan. That's 25+years in preparation with some implementation during Bush1 and Clinton, as well.

The legal system and social system is overwhelmed, too slow, too bulky, too lethargic because of a combination of confused moral clarity (unresolvable schisms in society) and contradictory economic commitments that forces us into a lethal paralysis in which collapse of some type will affect not just the United States, but the world's economy at the short term, and the global environment in the long term.

This is a starter... Comments? Write me if you would like to - plenum222@yahoo.com

Dichterfreund, what better reason for campaigns to be funded by taxpayers?

This my friends is the sine non quo of this situation and if Americans are too sleepy or lazy to support it then they deserve all the dem/rep cronyism that , like night follows day, will inexoribly continue . Would we mind the occasional full-blown tyranny ? Of course we would but not suffiently to miss a superbowl game or an episode of americanidol ( small case intended ).

plenum, do you know of the writings of Leo Strauss? His followers have taken control of this administration and are wreaking havoc with our government. Constitution be damned. How this willl turn out, I do not know. The public wants a change (slow to notice things going awry and try do do something about it). There was a general movement in that direction in 2004, but the Repubs were ready for it and stole the election in a number of key states. I believe this time (2006), the Repubs had the apparatus in place, but so much broke in the 2 weeks before the election, they were unprepared for the avalance of opposing votes. Greg Palast estimates they managed 3 million uncounted votes. The Dems should have won a lot biggger than they did.

The Dems are contributing to the problem, since the DLC took control of the party and ditched the traditional base. So there is an internal war going on as well, distracting from the common goal of stopping the Repub agenda. The centrist (DLC) arm of the party is anti-union in it's policies, but of course, can't say so.

The corporations have intruded so deeply into our government, we are in danger of becoming a fascist state. All the prerequisites for one are present. I believe if we don't fight back fast. we're lost. And the Dems don't look like they will be much help in this battle.

As for BushCo, absolute power corrupts absolutely, most particularly the thinking of the powerful. He and Cheney have come to be corrupted in their thinking. Nixon had the same problem. "I'm the President, laws don't apply to me". Nixon found out yes they do, but Nancy Pelosi for her own reasons, is resisting teaching Bush that lesson. I suspect she isn't allowing impeachment because the votes aren't there. But they might be at a later date. I don't really know her motives here. Meanwhile, time is running out.

That's my take on all this. I do know the Democratic Party needs a wake-up. I haven't voted for a Democrat for president since 1968, although I would vote for Kucinich who can bring the party back where it belongs, and the country as well. But that's not where the money is, and money wins elections. I've long believed only publicly financed campaigns can save our country.

I know, looking at the entire picture, it appears like some sinister plan, but I do think it's just greed run amok.

I heard one "street" quip "Let's waterboard the bastards until their memory improves!"

But, ahhh....then they'd "remember" anything--anything to stop the tortu...oops, I mean the "pressure." We wouldn't torture anybody, would we Alberto baby?

I've been hearing it all my life, "... a government for the people, by the people ...", it's right there in the Constitution.

I haven't seen much yet. But I've heard it.

A vast majority of Americans have voiced their opinions. We know we've been lied to. We don't like it. We especially don't like it when it costs us fortune, honor and our children.

We also don't like it when the so-called higher-ups of the leadership that we have just given that leadership to tells us they're not concerned with holding those accountable for squandering said fortune, honor and the lives of are most precious commodity, our children. Just forget about all that. We have to go on with the business of governing.

Believe me, we REALLY don't like this. Matter of fact we'll put you right in with the squanders.

So, what is that "business of governing"? Going back to the Constitution, it's holding to the true principle of the law. What a beautiful thing "law". Not fully absolute, but firm. Much like a parent governing a child, allowing the child to grow, within certain guidelines.

The law has been broken BIG time. I need not go down the list.

Either we bring to justice those that have broken some of the most horrendous crimes against humanity accountable or we don't have an America. There is no United States. There is no law. No shame. No nothing.

Impeach? Not only that, the perpetrators should be dragged before the World Court and judged if we are to even begin to regain any measure of honor.