Rove Unraveling

As this administration's political strategist, Karl Rove has sounded the mantra over the past 6+ years that they don't poll or pay attention to polls. This posture was key to an image that W was his own man. Of course this was always ridiculous, but hey, as long as you are on top, who's going to argue? Certainly not the lap dog White House press corps, who seem to be auditioning for a position as a tough, probing host of Entertainment Tonight (Did Brittany buckle up her baby?).

Well, look who's talking now... “Rove said he based his confidence on a private poll done for the Republican National Committee”. "The polls I believe are the polls that get run through the RNC," Rove said. "I look at the polls all the time." [quotes].

But who cares anymore? Bush lies and people die. Rove lies and this country goes a little deeper into delusion. Comfortably numb, that's the ticket (for 2008).

Good News, Uncoded

What is the universally-accepted message of Jesus? This in not a trick question! You don't have to be a biblical scholar or a priest to know the answer. Jesus thought that children “got it”! He taught us to love one another (as He loved us). We are poor students, to be sure, but why make the lesson harder than it is?

Gnostics and their “modern” followers (da Vinci Code fanatics) claim that secret messages are coded in the Bible. This opinion was judged heretical by the earliest Christian church nearly 2,000 years ago for a simple reason – it doesn't fit the message or the Messenger. I liked the story in the Last Temptation of Christ because it dramatized His love of life and truly human fear of pain and death. The message of the “Code”, that the holy grail is not a cup but rather Jesus' pregnant wife Mary Magdeleine, is certainly provocative. Problem is, it is entirely inconsistent with the New Testament text and Jesus' message. Keep it simple, no conspiracy here.

The da Vinci Code - the movie - opens this weekend. Maybe it's good entertainment. Pass the popcorn and keep the Faith.

Staging Iran in '07

Cheney recently criticized Russia for not using its oil and gas reserves to support democracy. Cheney is a Big Oil lapdog who never thought of sacrifice when his money was on the table. Though common in politics, this administration seems to revel in such hypocrisy. Russia would be well advised to buy his silence by signing a few more contracts with Halliburton oilfield services. Dick will overlook any number of ethical issues for a cool million or so. But as craven as Dick is, I doubt that is the whole story.

Remember that Russia is key to any peaceful resolution of the Iran nuclear "crisis". Russia could help mediate a diplomatic solution by pressuring Iran for concessions and by not vetoing a resolution in the UN Security Council. Unfortunately, this administration sees no political gain in a diplomatic solution. Instead, they want to preclude any possibility of a unified front against the Iranians.

In related stories, Iran is being accused of bombing and sending guerrilla fighters into the Kurdish region of the former Iraq Although cross-border conflict is common in this area, watch for such actions to be emphasized as constituting another reason to attack Iran. This approach will focus on the rights of the Kurds. Meanwhile, credible reports place American special forces in Iran.

The administration chicken hawks assure themselves of their manliness by being the leaders of a nation at war. They desperately hope to resurrect -- or at least obscure the abject failure of -- their Bush League policy of peace-through-war. We have probably not yet seen the depths to which this failed administration will lead us.

Nixon: Looking Good by Comparison

Nixon opened Russia and China to US diplomacy. He extracted us from the Vietnam morass (never mind the details). He also strengthened environmental protection, improved human services, and prosecuted a more humane and successful fight against drugs. In fact, if you are able to overlook certain, well, let's call them indiscretions like criminally abusing the Constitution and committing war crimes, Nixon is one of our best presidents.

Although close associates (Kissinger, for one) report that Nixon was delusional before he resigned, at least he was willing and able to grapple with reality during most of his term. Contrast that with the current administration, which has never met a fact it didn't think it could spin. For these sub-urban cowboys, “realpolitik” is a funny word, probably French, that labels you (horrors) as a policy wonk.

Some members of this administration and their toadies were until recently absurdly talking about W as a candidate for one of the best presidents ever. You know the argument, “brought democracy to more people than anyone since...” then they were usually stumped because they don't know nothin' 'bout his-tor-y. Now, mired in Iraq and Afghanistan, with deficits mounting and the social fabric only a memory, most would agree that W will be sounding the bottom of the barrel of the worst presidents.

My Car, my Carapace

Cars outnumber people almost everywhere. Look out your window - car or house - and you will almost certainly see many more cars than pedestrians, bicyclists, etc. When we go for fast food, the line for drive-through is usually longer than the walk up counter. We spend more time behind the wheel than doing anything else besides sleeping, watching TV, and working. The average American spends a couple hours per day in a car. We are evolving physically and socially to be drivers.

Already, many drivers are more skilled in maneuvering their cars than they are in maneuvering themselves. Their body sense extends from bumper to bumper and fender to fender. They can park with inches to spare but they underestimate their own "spare tire". They might struggle to tie their shoes but they can change lanes effortlessly in heavy traffic at 70 mph with a deft maneuver while sipping a drink and talking on the phone. All in the comfort of a climate-controlled cabin with a comfy chair and on-demand music-video-phone-drink.

The car has become our carapace, a hard body covering - like an insect's shell. We use our shell to project (or compensate for) our personalities. Stereotypically, little guys drive big trucks, older guys buy quick sports cars, mothers drive powerful SUVs, dowdy girls buy frivolous cars. And for everyone, the car magnifies their strength, size, and speed enormously - you become a superhero on wheels!

After our home, our car is usually our highest cost possession. Our car may have a more comfortable seat and better entertainment center than our home. The seats are so comfortable - you could sleep. Heck, if a designer could figure out how to incorporate an acceptable toilet, and optionally, a shower, we would not have to leave our shell for days. There is already an average of about 1 car per American. Why not sell the house! Rent parking places for the family.

Soon, we will grow into our shells, exchanging them only in an occasional, cathartic metamorphosis. A crunchy covering over a soft filling (yum). Think Darth Vader when his armor was removed. Not a pretty sight.

Red, White, and... Green?

The sight of demonstrators waving the Mexican flag may actually galvanize the majority of Americans against some “liberal” immigration reform measures being debated in Congress. Hallelujah.

Rarely do the House Republicans make much sense. All the more reason to acknowledge the unusual event. The bill they passed would apply meaningful sanctions on employers who hire illegal immigrants. Maybe the representatives are listening (gasp!) to small business owners who do the right thing and hire Americans or legal immigrants. These employers have been undercut for years by employers who are willing to cut corners, flout the law, and exploit illegal immigrants. The Senate, on the other hand, is hosting an unholy alliance of politicians (redundant) in thrall of exploitative employers or a misguided subset of civil rights leaders.

Reform should be based on protecting American citizens, legal immigrants, and illegal immigrants. I think that can be accomplished by (1) punishing employers who hire illegal immigrants, (2) protecting the border, and (3) deporting illegals. Jobs bring the illegals into the country and displace legal job seekers, so employer sanctions are essential. Any meaningful reform must be based on real control of the border else it's just more hot air. Rewarding the illegal immigrants by legalizing their status would only encourage more illegal entry and frustrate those who try to immigrate legally.

Most developed countries in the world do not depend on dirt-poor immigrants for labor. Instead, they have living wages for cleaning, landscaping and other unskilled labor. Sure, their cost of living is high but their standard of living is higher still. Labor exploitation is a race to the bottom that almost all of us will lose. For example, look at construction, which was until recently a reasonably well paid job. Now the labor pool is dominated by illegals and the pay has plunged.

The debate should focus on real concerns instead of specious claims or scary stories. Some Catholic clergy (bless 'em) claim that provisions in the House bill against providing aid and comfort to the illegals will make it illegal to offer them soup or even say mass with them. It is obviously unlikely that any “good Samaritan” would be arrested. Also senseless is the claim that since we are a nation of immigrants, the illegals should be welcomed. The poor immigrants of 100+ years ago had practically no social services. Today, illegal immigrants cost local communities large amounts in services that are not recompensed through taxes.

It's great that Mexicans are proud and want to wave their flag. But why don't they want to contribute their efforts to improving their own country?

Buushism: George W. Bush is a Baathist

Saddam Hussein used the Baathist party to control the Iraqi economy and society. Baathism was styled after the European fascism of the mid-20th century, supporting nationalism and industrial cooperation (monopoly). Fascist politicians do the bidding of industrialists and money managers, usually to the detriment of small business owners and average citizens. Fascist politicians transfer state assets to cronies through favorable contracts. They love arms manufacturers. Meanwhile, they pander to the workers with populist rhetoric and a veneer of a "regular guy" image. They make frequent appeals to patriotism to distract and cover up incompetence and nepotism.

Hey, this sounds a lot like what's going on in Washington, D.C.! Defense contractors, most notably Halliburton, are given huge, no-bid contracts. Opponents are labeled unpatriotic or even treasonous. Nepotism? Dad and brothers Bush have a made politics a successful family enterprise (their only business success). Who knows, maybe with good campaign managers, Saddam's sons might have won election as governors of large states. It doesn't stop with the Bush clan. Colin Powell's son chaired the FCC and the brothers McClellan are White House communications director and (former) head of the FDA. It doesn't even stop with legally recognized relationships. Dr. Rice has referred to W as her husband!

This may seem, ahem, heretical? Perhaps this is because fascism deifies the state as a hand of god, with the president as god's representative, spokesman, and highest priest. This is also aspect of Bushism. People say that they have abiding faith in Bush, a faith that withstands all earthly fact. Bush thinks it is enough for him to anoint his appointees with his assurance that they are a "good man" or woman. Even Reagan said that one should trust but verify. (Though that was in reference to the USSR. Reagan's own administration had freelance, extra-constitutional operatives whom he praised even as he fired them, like Colonel Ollie North and Admiral Poindexter.) Bush reduces this to just "trust", which is an appeal to faith, not reason.

Obviously, the scale and consequences of disobedience and disagreement are different. Fascists often kill opponents and their families and even destroy their villages. These are executive powers that even Cheney would probably find overreactions (but worth keeping among the other executive privileges, like torture). But it is revealing that when Paul O'Neil resigned as Secretary of the Treasury, after seeing the behavior of this administration, up close, he said that he was freer to criticize because he was "rich and an old man". Ditto Richard Clarke. Both were characterized as nuts and dismissed. Would-be critics who are less established, younger, and less rich, be warned: it's just you against us and we will crush you. This approach is responsible for miring our armed forces in Iraq and burdening our children with historic debts. Meanwhile, the chosen few are doing very well, thank you.

It’s an odd truth that we tend become what we hate - and hate others for what we dislike most about ourselves. Spielberg's current movie 'Munich' shows how the secret agents who hunted down the murderers of the Israeli athletes developed some of their opponents' calloused inhumanity. Here is the real cycle of hate: project, personify, objectify, vilify, ... and emulate. All the more reason to avoid hating. So let's not hate Buushism, let's just reject it.

Is G. W. Bush a Baathist? Given the family's obsession with Hussein, it's either take a Baathist label or risk being labeled closet Saddamites.