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Down The Middle - Oct 25, 2004 - Printable Version
- When Left is Right and Right is Wrong
by Down the Middle
Well, here it comes! Election day is on the horizon and to justify all that bitchin’, we have to get off our collective asses and get down to the polls to cast that all important ballot which will, at the very least, affect the next four years and more probably, well beyond. By this time, I’m sure over 99% of the voters in this country have long since made up their minds, (except, of course, those who's brains have turned into black cherry Jello from the constant bombardment of political adds and patronizing media reports), but just in case there are still one or two confused voters, out there, I’m gonna’ make it real easy for them.
There are three candidates running for the Presidency. George W. Bush, John F. Kerry and Ralph (?) Nader. (How can this guy possibly think he has a chance of winning, when he doesn’t even show up with a middle initial.)
Ralph Nader is, no doubt, the very best candidate, if we’re looking for someone who’s up to the monumental task of cleaning up this country’s den of corporate thieves and whores (I hope he’s bringing his lunch). He has spent most of his adult life successfully exposing corruption and malfeasance throughout business and government and has empowered consumers to organize, in their own defense. (This is the guy who actually told us, what was in those hot dogs!) He is practicing what he’s preaching about “being a good citizen” and the true “democratic self-government” we so desperately need, right now, by exposing the sordid relationships that both major political parties have with the corporate world. If this man could possibly get on the ballot in my home state (which he can’t), I would certainly “fear no evil” in voting for him.
If you want to really change America for the better, Ralph is not only “the man” for the job but most probably “the ONLY man” for the job. There’s just one thing wrong with this scenario...HE AIN’T GOT A FAULKIN’ CHANCE! Therefore, the reality becomes, “If there ain’t no way you’re gonna’ get that Mercedes, you still have to pick between the Ford and the Chevy”. (In this case a Bush or a Kerry).
As our system turns, (a different chip, every day, off the same old cake of soap), John F. Kerry will be the lesser of two evils. The Democrats are knee deep in “corporate friends”, just like their counterparts, but the one thing that has always made them more attractive is their defense of the “little guy”. When I see, time and time again, the Kennedys (and these
folks are rumored to have a lot of money) creating and endorsing legislation to benefit the common man, I have to tip my hat. I think the greatest moment for the party, in recent history was when Congressman Patrick Kennedy (Teddy’s boy) told his audience “I don’t need Bush’s “Faulking” tax break!”. (That’s what he said). These are RICH people that REALLY have compassion for the common man.
John Kerry would try to balance the budget (if there’s anything left to balance) and he would create a more effective Homeland Security by better securing our borders (there goes the cheap labor and the colitas), inspecting airline cargo holds and defending chemical and nuclear plants (I would think, this would be a gigantic priority but Bush doesn’t seem too worried about it), not to mention all those shipping containers (I’ll bet a nickel, this is how the “big one” will get into New York City...and someday, IT WILL!).
Kerry would also finish the unwanted business of Iraq (as they say, “You broke it - you buy it) and he will chase down bin Laden and kill his ass dead as Sunday’s fried chicken, just like he did that Cong during the Viet Nam War. If it’s the “real” terrorists you’d like to see go to their reward, Kerry’s your man.
Will John F. Kerry be another J.F.K.? (Let’s not get crazy!). I’m sure John Kerry will champion “the cause” but I’m not sure he’s willing to be martyred, for “the cause”. Anyway, I’d hope he’d be better than what we’ve got, now.
What we’ve got now, is a “way out west” sheriff who walked into a saloon, gunned down the wrong cowboys (Dem’ outlaws is hard to find.) and justified it by saying “I’m sure these boys were up to no good” (all the while, his deputies were confiscating the dead cowboys' horses and saddles).
Or maybe, what we’ve got is a Crusader King, accepting his holy mission as God gave him the light to see it. It’s a clear cut case of good and evil and as good Christians, aren't we supposed to kill all those infidel bastards? My question is, if the President thinks he’s on a “mission” from God, (and many folks from the religious right truly believe this), is he trying to “preempt” the Apocalypse or bring it about?
The FaulkingTruth of the matter is, Bush has the highest deficit in history because he gave huge tax cuts to his “base” (Rich guys and corporations) at the same time he’s fighting a war he can’t justify, while the criminal, bin Laden has yet to be found. Who was it that said, “You can run but you can’t hide.”? (Well, apparently, you can.) He’s allowing all of our ‘Walmart” money to go to China while we’re getting back little, in return (The trade imbalance is “off the charts” and getting worse by the minute. We cannot continue to consume but not sell or we will soon be out of business!) He ripped the guts out of thirty years of environmental legislation (This one’s for you, Robin). He continues to allow American corporations to “home office” offshore, thus avoiding their fair share of taxes and he apparently hasn’t noticed that “large sucking sound” of our jobs leaving the country (You haven’t forgotten Ross Perot, have you?). He gave Saudi Arabia a pass, after 9/11 and then resisted the formation and procedure of the 9/11 commission (Twenty-eight pages about the Saudi Royal family’s “financial” support and “who knows what else” were “blacked out” of the report). He used the fear and confusion, after 9/11 to pass the Patriot Act which gives the government the right to come into your house without a warrant, while you’re out working to pay their salary. They’ve been eavesdropping on our private communications for years with Echelon and Carnivore but now, I guess, they want to go through your underwear drawer, too.
It seems, many of our countrymen are willing to overlook these failures of “liberty” but I don’t believe these actions would be very pleasing to our founding fathers. (Yes, even James Madison, the right wing leader of the “originals” realized the Constitution wasn’t enough to protect the people from a centralized government, so he joined Jefferson in attaching our Bill of Rights.) I’ll quote Benjamin Franklin, one more time. “If you give up your freedoms for security, you will have neither.” (America without freedom, ain’t America, no mo’!)
I truly care about my country and I hope you feel the same way...because you’ll care when you lose your medical insurance or that pension, you were promised for those years of hard work and loyalty. You’ll care when your job has gone to India or your child has gone to Iraq. You’ll care when China decides not to loan us any more money and our economy collapses (Yes, China and Saudi Arabia are our two largest bankers) and you’ll care when New York City gets up to about 2500 degrees in a millisecond of light. You’ll care then...but “then” may be too late.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt told us, “The only way Americans could lose their right to vote, was by not voting”. It’s your country so get off your lazy...Boy, and do the right thing! Go vote...and vote for FREEDOM.
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