Actually, it was a letter to the editor. The paper I subscribe to would never print an editorial like that. Even their most conservative columnists aren't that bad. This was just some local yahoo who likes to spout off and get his name in the paper, probably so he can brag that he's been published. I usually don't read those missives, but this one caught my eye for some reason. Afterward, I wished I hadn't read it.

Jackie, my mistake. I was thinking "letter to the editor" when I wrote editorial. Yes, this is distressing.

Today there's a short article about the Pentagon spying on protesters.

Pentagon grilled over database on war critics
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10834915/


After each war, after each major catastrophy I always hope we've all learned that we are in this together. "Some may call me a dreamer, but I'm not the only one."

Peace,
Vi

I try to remain optimist about everyone starting to realize we're all in this together. These days, it's hard to keep that perspective.

Yes, Jackie, it is hard to remain optimistic. It's something I work in regularly. If we give up - where does that take us?

If someone tells you something and then does not follow through, again and again, but keeps repeating what they initially said, what do you believe, their actions or their words?

Repeatedly over the months since Bush initiated this war, he has stated his support for the troops. Today an ariticle from Newsweek printed online on MSNBC points to the discrepency between what he does and what he says. First, I refer you back to an article I posted on this subject on January 2, 2006. I've listed it again for your convenience.

Bush visits wounded troops in Texas
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/01/01/bush.troops.ap/index.html

quote:

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"The president, as commander in chief, feels it's one his most important duties to visit with those who are serving in the armed forces and providing great sacrifice for this important mission," White House spokesman Trent Duffy said.

"He thanks them for their service. He asks how they're doing. He is always interested in seeing if they are getting the kinds of care they need," Duffy said, adding that not all the troops' injuries were sustained in combat.

---

The following addresses the fact that it's a lot of civilian contributions through a civilian organization, rather than the government, that seems to be doing most of the gungho legwork for getting treatment for soldiers with catastrophic wounds.
In todays' news there's something interesting that's happening with our wounded troops and the care they are receiving.

A new rehab center for injured U.S. soldiers sparks a controversy over healthcare for veterans
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10842565/site/newsweek/

quote:

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But should such an institution really be funded by private sources? Inevitably, organizations like Intrepid have raised questions about whether the Bush administration--committed to two wars--is too stretched to properly take care of returning veterans. "It’s surprising to us that there needs to be a facility that’s privately funded, and we hope that the Congress and the Bush administration will recognize that we need to meet these goals of the severely injured," says Peter Gayton, director of veterans affai rs and rehabilitation at the American Legion. “The fact that the Intrepid Center needs to exist shows that the VA is not receiving enough funding."

The debate is being fueled by syndicated radio host Don Imus, who has donated $250,000 and has made raising money for the fund a regular feature on his morning show. On Friday he told listeners he doesn't know why "the government wouldn't just simply pay for [the center], considering the extraordinary amount of money they spend on ... this idiotic war." And later said "We have a tradition in this country, well, going back to the Civil War, in which we send off young people to fight these wars. Stuff happens to them. They lose their arms and legs. And we just discard them. You know, like they are iPods of old telephones or something."

---

Since we are sending troops to war, we'd better take care of them. Remember how Bush cut funds to the veterans last year? He can say all he wants about supporting the troops - but it's his actions that count. Maybe we need to send him to a new group to be founded, Liar's Anonymous, were people learn to tell the truth in a 12 Step Program.

[ January 14, 2006, 08:50 PM: Message edited by: Vi ]

Seriously, though, would any politician willingly join that program? Not to say that I agree with Bush, but sometimes I don't trust any of them.

Jackie,

Probably not. A study on lying was done 10 -15 years ago. This study revealed that all of us lie between 2 - 5 times a day. These results were reported on the national news. Oh, most of us, I believe, don't acknowledge that some of the things we say are lies. But if we objectively examine what we say to others I do believe we can corroborate the results of the study. It can be as simple as the answer to, "Do you like my dress?"

Today's news was basically depressing, it can be summed up in the following article from MSNBC, Newsweek - It really could be the end of checks and balances . . . and Alito may prove it:

A Power Outage on Capitol Hill
We are in danger of scrapping our checks and balances—not just for a few years (as was done during the Civil War), but for good.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10854374/site/newsweek/

quote:

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Jan. 23, 2006 issue - What if we faced a constitutional crisis and hardly anyone noticed? As he quietly mastered the tiresome cat-and-mouse game inside the Senate Judiciary Committee last week, Judge Samuel Alito gave few hints of where he stood on a matter that goes to the heart of what it means to live in a republic. With a few exceptions, the media coverage didn't help. It's so much easier to talk about Joe Biden's big mouth or a right-wing Princeton alumni group or Mrs. Alito's tears than to figure out how the country should prevent a president of the United States from castrating the United States Congress.

---

Am I the only one that thought Mrs. Alito's tears looked staged?

And

quote:

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Remember, this is not about whether it's right or wrong to wiretap bad guys, though the White House hopes to frame it that way for political purposes. Any rational person wants the president to be able to hunt for Qaeda suspects wherever they lurk. The "momentous" issue (Alito's words) is whether this president, or any other, has the right to tell Congress to shove it. And even if one concedes that wartime offers the president extra powers to limit liberty, what happens if the terrorist threat looks permanent? We may be scrapping our checks and balances not just for a few years (as during the Civil War), but for good.

---

quote:

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Alito embodies the inherent contradiction of the conservative movement. The nominee is an "originalist," which means, as he said last week, that "we should look to the meaning that someone would have taken from the text of the Constitution at the time of its adoption." But at that time, the 18th century, the Founders could not have been clearer about the role of Congress in wartime. As James Madison put it, "In no part of the Constitution is more wisdom to be found than in the clause which confides the question of war and peace to the legislative and not to the executive branch."

---

quote:

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Fortunately, Sen. Arlen Specter will hold hearings in early February on presidential power. Watch them, please, even if you're tired of this cast of Judiciary Committee characters. Our whole system is on the line.

---

Please, everyone, look beyond your party lines. Look openly and fairly at what is going on. Please don't just fall back on the party beliefs you were born into or even those you developed over the years. Please look beyond the spiritual beliefs someone professes. The Bible says, "By their works, you shall know them." By their works, not their words, not the glow on their faces, not the mantle they wear.

Thank you Vi for that last paragraph. It's an applicable message for all of us.

How with it is Bush considering the following:

"President Bush toured the Gulf Coast Thursday, noting improvements since the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. In New Orleans, the president did not tour any of the city's still-deserted neighborhoods, and protesters called for a stronger federal commitment to fortify the city's levees."

He then stated in an interview, "New Orleans is looking like the city I used to visit." He only visited the French Quarters which escaped most of the devastation. Does he care about the people who are suffering? Was he afraid to see the real picture?

The people of New Orleans were outraged. Was this written by a very poor speech writer or just another Bushism?

meredithbead,

You're welcome. This kind of examination is crucial to our survival as a democracy. I appreciate your acknowledgement and for continuing to follow the thread.

suzieq,

I thought the same thing when I heard Bush's comments on the progress in New Orleans. With all the money that has been given, it seems a lot more of those poor people should be a lot better off by now. What happened to that money and why aren't the ones who need it the most receiving it? Why is it taking so long? Is it in other peoples' pockets? Every time Bush flies into the area and takes a look, I wonder how much it costs us for his visit, and couldn't that money be put to better use by helping the folks who live there? Bad speech writer? What about his thought processes - Bushisms as you say? He really is an aging rich kid, who doesn't know what doing without is like.


>From MSNBC - a good article with a live voter's poll:

Poll: Iraq, politicians top Americans' concerns
Political scandal and war cited far ahead of economy
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10875391/

quote:

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Below are the most frequent responses cited by Americans asked this open-ended question by the AP-Ipsos poll: "What is the most important problem facing the country today?" Based on the responses, which do you feel is the top problem? * 13396 responses

Political leaders - 45%
Morality-5%
Energy crisis -3%
Crime/drugs -1%
Education -1%
Environment -2%
Iraq war -27%
Wars, worldwide unrest -5%
Terrorism - 6%
Economy - 4%
Unemployment -1%

---

The following is an article to consider. While it may not seem to be on the same topic, in a way I think it is, for the root of this question also seems to be the dividing line relative to where people stand on this issue. Read it for yourself and decide.

Let's accept the fault line between faith and science
http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20060116/cm_usatoday/letsacceptthefaultlinebetweenfaithandscience


Did any one hear the Al Gore speech today? Gore says Bush broke the law in using wire taps without warrants, repeatedly and consistently in a power grab. Gore calls for a special prosecutor to be appointed to investigate it. Gore says our constitution is at risk. Check it out, if you can find a way to check it out. Sometimes when Gore speaks on something really important, he gets passed over by the media.

[ January 16, 2006, 09:31 PM: Message edited by: Vi ]

Is Gore going to run for office again?