So, JUST TODAY, the administration asked the Supreme Court for the power to lock up American citizens for indefinite periods of time, without charging them with any crimes, without allowing them access to attorneys… if the administration in power wishes to accuse them of terrorism.
And JUST TODAY, the administration installed its second “recess appointment” of a new Federal judge in such a way as to avoid having the nominee confirmed by the Senate… specifically because the candidate was too controversial to be confirmed.
Somebody tell me again why we need to vote this maniac into office for a second term? I mean, he’s already acting like he’s on a mission from God, as it is. What happens when he doesn’t even need to worry about re-election?
[ul]
[li] 2005 Tax Bill: Tax brackets are inverted. Why tax the poor less then the rich? Shouldn’t they pay more because they contribute less to society?[/li][li] RFID chips embedded in the left buttock of all registered democrats.[/li][li] “Attorney General” renamed “Minister of American Liberty” and given sweeping arrest, surveilance, and imprisonment power.[/li][li] Medicare eliminated and replaced with medical savings accounts. Now the poor and disabled can simply place their earnings in tax-free investments and use those to pay for their medical costs.[/li][li] 2006: Bechtel awarded contract to install electronic voting system in Iraq.[/li][li] 2007: Dick Cheney elected president of Iraq.[/li][li] New EPA report finds that crude oil is actually beneficial to birds and marine mammals.[/li][/ul]
Sounds like Bush needs to learn to differentiate between “God” and the other voices in his head.
After 9/11, it was surely his conscience telling him to go after Al Qaeda. What president wouldn’t go after terrorists who performed such a horrendous attack? Going after Saddam, well, that was probably an act of misguided filial responsibility. Especially since he was planning to do it since he got elected.
Note that neither of these constitues “the Voice of God” in any way.
Just because I work for the guy, and will follow any order given by him, doesn’t mean I have to like him. Surely all of you folks have had a boss you really, really didn’t like.
If it makes you feel any better, I’m a Republican, and there’s no way in hell I’m helping to get Bush re-elected. It’s ironic that a party that wants government to stay out of our lives will stand behind a paranoid idiot who brings us things like the Patriot Act.
By the way, he’s probably just trying to weasel his way out of the little problem he’s made with imprisoning people against their wills, with no charges filed, for two years in Guantanamo Bay. I don’t understand why more people aren’t angry about this. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out there are U.S. citizens being held there.
Can I ask an ignorant question here? I am not defending Bush but what, if anything, have the Democratic candidates said about repealing these assinine laws aimed at reducing terrorism? Specifically the Patriot Act. Will the Democrats gleefully abuse the power of the Federal Government in much the same way as the Republicans are?
Yo, bash away at Bush all y’all want, and I’ll cheer you on, but I must once again point out the slovenly manner in which Reeder presents his haiku-like little screeds.
Yeah, Floyd reports the Ha’aretz story about the Palestinian transcript. Unfortunately, however, Ha’aretz’ English-language site doesn’t seem to have a reference to the June 26, 2003 article in which the transcript was mentioned (or at least I couldn’t find it). This site has a bit more on it, but also says:
So, seems likely that the story is at the very least exaggerated, and at the most pure bullshit. Hey, maybe Bush does believe he’s guided by the Lord to make war in the Middle East, but this story ain’t much to hang your hat on.
That’s all; please return to your regularly-scheduled foaming.
Can I just point out that, what Bush is doing as described in the OP, however uncomfortable it makes me, is still miles and miles from being the actions of a “Nazi Administration”.
I’d also like to say that such hyperbolic comparisons between Bush and the Nazis are contemptible and downright odious rubbish. Not to repeat a cliche, but they really do cheapen the horrors inflicted on the world by Hilter and his ilk (Yes, I know the OP didn’t mention Hitler specifically, but “Nazi Administration” damn well implies it.) I’m not going to vote for Bush, and I don’t really like him, and I think the Administration made a horrible mess of Iraq, not to mention the WMD issue. But, as I am going to say over and over until it sinks in, The Bush Administration is not even in the same dimension of anything quantifiable as the Nazis!!
My first post in this thread was not ment to lend credence to the title of the thread in any way. Bush isn’t a Nazi. He has many faults, but making systematic genocide a national policy just ain’t one of 'em.
Ok, if I can’t equate Hitlerwith Bush and remain PC…is tyrannical, fanatical, fascist, war monger acceptable?
Spades are trump in this case and I’m calling it
You have it right, of course. This current situation if far removed from Nazi Germany. It’s just that sometimes freedom goes away in bits and pieces. If we don’t want history to repeat itself, it is hard to know when to sound a warning and say, “Remember what happened before…”
For me, personally, the line has been the so-called Patriot Act. I don’t like behind the scenes tampering with the Constitution. That is for me a big alarm going off that we need to slow things down considerably. The word Nazi is overused and certainly a gross exaggeration, but it gets attention and I understand why frightened people use it.
As for the judge that President Bush appointed while Congress was in “recess” on Presidents’ Day:
The Constitution allows the President to appoint judges when the Senate is not in session. I suspect that this exception in the Constitution was intended as an emergency measure – not as a way of getting around the will of the Senate.
What is to keep the President from appointing judges in the middle of the night? Is the Senate considered in session then?
True, but the idiotic Nazi comparisons hurt this argument because they detract and draw attention away from those with legitimate concerns, if you understand what I’m saying. I’m not sure I’m being clear enough, but I’m too tired to try again.
I have to disagree a little. Fascism is a state of mind. It is a means of behavior which equates the power to do something with the right to do it. It is a mindset that subjugates the rights of the individual to that of the state.
This most recent move by the Administration is certainly fascist. Not as evil as the Nazi’s most evil deeds but certainly on par with their lesser restrictions of personal freedoms.
I personally wondered about the “recess appointments” or whatever when I heard about them on NPR yesterday. But the only thought that really crossed my mind (kinda absently) was, “Typical that a politician would do something like that, they’re all [from BOTH major political parties] smarmy, corrupt, power-grubbing slimes anyway. No big surprise.”
Now the Patriot Act, that kinda threw me for a loop. The American people letting a President get away with stealing big chunks of our personal freedom? No way. It’s enough to make someone paranoid. But… again, not outside the realm of possibility for modern major-party politicians to see what they can get away with.
I can see trying to protect the country from terrorists, but in the process implementing a “big-brother”-style program of encroaching on American citizens’ freedoms and privacy? No way. I’m still surprised they got away with it.
Not genocide? Then why on earth are body bags containing our children coming back across the pond at a frightening rate? Because of the voices in the head of a warmongering, terrorist oil-whore with his own private agenda?
Very well put ** Michael Ellis ** but I’m really beginning to think that ** “Monster” Wang Ka** Isn’t too far off base in the OP. Hitler didn’t start killing people right off the bat, but just a few years into his dictatorship there was blood everywhere, and it started like this! I think NOT to remember this cheapens the horrors inflicted by the Nazis. Not to repeat a clichê but, those who forget history are condemned to repeat it. This is bad. Scary even. And sadly only the beginning – unless we can figure out a way to get this bone head out of office. “Patriot Act” My ass. It should be the “Bushes Dictatorial Fist Smacking You Sheep Into Submission Act”.
How long untill an “enemy combatant” (mentioned in the OP) is defined as anyone who would have an opinion that is contrary to the president? It seems to be almost that way now. Remember all the people that are opposed to Bush now, as well as during his last campaign. You remember, they are/were relegated off to “designated protest areas”, blocks away from Bush and (more important) the TV cameras. Swept under the carpet. “See – everyone LOVES Bush!” If you don’t, then the terrorists have already won. And since you don’t love him you are a terrorist too. Interesting how it didn’t work like that when he was in England. Its soon will be just these people who get tossed into the American Gulag. No due process, no appeal, no lawyer – just get in there and shut up. And that’s just how the Nazis started.
I would not be surprised at all, that If it looks like he is going to lose the election, you can bet it will be “Red alert! The terrorists are coming! Get out the Duct Tape!” He will evoke some sort of presidential special order – being a matter of national security – suspending the elections, indefinitely. Just you watch.
I interviewed for a job some years ago. One of the questions was “What constitutes equity in taxation?” I replied that if people with the same capacity to pay are charged the same amount and the charge only rises with capacity to pay. One of the panel said “Yes that’s correct, although I have an interesting algorithm that proves that it would be more beneficial to lower taxes as capacity to pay rises.” Of course the guy was an economist.
As for your second point look what toxic sludge became - healthy stuff, so you may be right.
No way. I’m still surprised they got away with it.