No Confidence in Cowardice

The U.S. Senate is making noise once again. Under new management, the current leadership is doing what Washington politicians do best; covering their asses. The current move of self-preservation is a lack of support for troops in war time. While it is true that there are grave concerns about the situation of Iraq and U.S. troops stationed there, the problems in that country are much overblown. War is a hellatious business and losing 3,000 troops in four years is regrettable. Then again, losing nearly 3,000 citizens in two hours in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania is much worse when it comes to figuring the mathematics of evil men.

After witnessing four years of a constant dripping of bad news through media outlets in this country the perception has become the reality. Freeing 25 million souls from bondage and lives from fear under a brutal dictatorship is not front and center in the news in the same manner as the theatrical recounting of the U.S. troop death count. Because the media has conspired to show only negative images from the war zone this country’s population has made conclusions filtered through a warped view of reality. Distortion is just about all the Fourth Estate is useful for. They have become a handy tool in our enemy’s propaganda efforts. Terrorists are succeeding with a misinformation campaign thanks largely to journalism’s abdication of its responsibilities. When media begins to shape the story instead of defining it, then their function becomes comparable to Congressional politicians; corrupt and untrustworthy.

America deserves better. What’s more American soldiers in harms way deserve much better. They are the folks that have kept your butt out of the grave at every turn in American history. An all-volunteer military since 1973, U.S. forces do more than just answer the noble call to defend a nation. These armed forces are willing to make the sacrifices necessary so that you and I might have a chance at freedom. Their sacrifices are not a guarantee mind you, but offer the best hope to continue what generations have fought and died for in the past; keeping mankind free.

The current legislation being bandied about in the Senate is in essence a no-confidence vote regarding an increase of troops that is being mobilized by President Bush in Iraq. While Congress may have legitimate concerns, the height of hypocrisy to their duty is to offer such high profile advice because it is motivated by politics. Their effort to discredit the President knows no bounds. However, in doing so they not only display their duplicity in the manipulated mantra “support the troops but not the war”, but they illuminate their true color. The Senate motivation is an alignment with what is politically expedient. The paramount concern is really for their own corrupt political careers. Watch who joins in support calling a troop increase a grave mistake. You will surely see that they are up for reelection in 2008. They are betting that later the troop increase will be viewed as a failure in Iraq. In voting with the anti-war supporters they will be safe with their constituents when election time comes. Their impetus is not for the safety of our troops abroad, the war on terror, or with the desire to win the struggle taking place in Iraq. Their concern is for themselves and the desire to hold onto their seat in Congress.

This attempted slap at the face of the President is all the more transparent given that Congress does have the power to disapprove actual funding for such a troop increase. If Congress truly believes it is the wrong thing to do then they should exercise their duty and refuse to fund such a move. They should “put their money where their mouth is”, like so many troops have done over the last four years in Iraq. However, much like the cowardice pacifists show in confronting evil around the world they too show the same yellow streak by abdicating their scruples and beliefs when it comes to action. Instead of voting not to approve funds for the President’s extra deployment they offer the coward’s solution; a non-binding resolution and all the rhetoric that goes with it. All that hot air will make good sound bites for the coming 2008 election cycle.

These are the people you keep electing to positions of authority! When you send corrupt leaders to represent you in Congress and do nothing to change that fact, then sadly, you too are corrupt. Much like your representative you also carry a yellow streak within and display it at the ballot box. You undercut the military in war time who offer their lives in exchange for the very freedom that you enjoy. The real no confidence vote should be from the electorate to the cowardice being hoisted on the public in the guise of leadership at the risk of our soldiers in the field.

The New Captains


“Meet the new Boss
Same as the Old Boss”
-The Who-

If you have followed politics for any length of time then the realization that nothing ever really changes should be smacking your forehead sometime this summer. For all of the recent hoopla of “having the first woman speaker etc” and “a historical change blah blah blah” you, the most seasoned of observers, already knows that power not only corrupts, but that it merely changes who leads the corruption.

When Republicans gained control of the House and Senate in the mid 1990’s they sounded remarkably like the Democrats of this current Congress. This should send up the first red flag. When Conservatives had the ship of state they sailed it creaking leeward and back over the course of a dozen years until they crashed it on the rocks surrounded by a swirling riptide of media bias. Forget the media. Had they kept themselves clean then the stigma of dishonesty would have taken much longer to grab hold to sink them. However, like the drunken sailors that they had become with all of their arrogant glory, they ignored the minority party in a dearth of foul play. They now should castigate themselves. The American people have tossed that captain overboard. Who wants to sail on a ship piloted by Captain Hook? American’s don’t like piracy on the high seas or in their government for that matter.

While all of the fresh squeaky clean faces now occupying chairs on the legislative ship are full of vigor and potential, they should already know, (many of them are old hat at this), that the new sparkle lasts about as long as does “that new car smell” We’re already being fed the line that we’ve heard after every recent election, namely that “we are going to have the most honest majority ever”. Excuse me if I don’t join in the latest chorus of “Happy Days Are Here Again”. We’ve heard this way too many times before from both parties.

When will the American people wake up and realize that third parties and term limits are the best chance to break the stranglehold that corruption has upon the political elite? Probably never! Alas, it’s not just Congress or the government that has veered off course. The entire culture has sold its soul to turn the holy city into Sodom and Gomorrah. The reason is that we’ve taken our eyes off the prize. We have tossed faith out on its ear and replaced it by drowning in our own salivation in hot pursuit of owning things. Don’t believe it? Just check out the lines at Christmas when the next Playstation game system hits the market or chain stores offering $200 stereos for $3 during the first hours of a Black Friday sale. You might save $197 but your true character is displayed when you participate in a riot to grab something before it's sold out and simply for material possesions. What is it costing your soul?

Worse than all of that is the fact that the corruption is not limited, but is everywhere. One movie that sums it up perfectly is All the President’s Men. In the true story Robert Redford’s Character (Bob Woodward) is asked by Jason Robards (Ben Bradlee) how high up in the government the Watergate corruption and cover up goes. Redford’s answer; everyone’s involved. Like that movie’s assessment, we are all participants in the slight of hand and shenanigans threatening to sink this culture. If you partake, have conditions or an agenda then you are to blame. Denying it only suggests that you are a liar too.

New Congress, fresh start and real hope lasts about the first 100 hours! Within a year it will all look the same again. Sadly we are all corrupted.