In the Humble Opinion of LittleBill, Socialist, Atheist, and Humanist
More Questions and Commments

More Questions, Comments, and Hoping for Answers, 1/13/08

I’M VOTING FOR KUCINICH, AND I FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT!


1. When I watch debates or candidate appearances on the presidential election circuit to various states, I am very interested in watching the audience reactions. I notice the response, especially the Republican response, to mention of our various current wars and the praise for the courageous soldiers who are fighting in them and “keeping us safe.” Additionally, the audience reassures them that “we” will never give up until “we” have achieved total victory.

It is not unusual for many of the older veterans to feel pride through association. On the other hand, there are many civilians in the audience of military age. Odd, isn’t it, that so many of them, hands on hearts, share the pride without ever having thought of enlistment?

Same subject: I had a note to myself ready to ask what the future holds for our returning veterans. By coincidence, I heard on the radio this morning that a very large and growing percentage of them, because of length of time in combat, and horrendous psychological damage, have not been trained for any other profession than killing, which is culminating in turning to murder here at home.

2. Remember when a child named a teddy bear Muhammad and Muslims the world over were offended? This was way last year, but people are still writing about it. I have meant, ever since that incident, when people of the Christian countries thought that Muslims were insane to make a scene, to write how I feel about it. How do you think Christians, especially in this country which prides itself on its liberal acceptance of various faiths, would react if a Muslim child named his gun Jesus Christ?

3. The main trouble with capitalism is that it encourages citizens to want to acquire more of everything. Not being mentally, educationally, or luckily able to acquire more possessions and privileges than they have makes life difficult and frustrating for those who are forced to live without at least a modicum of comfort and opportunity for their children and themselves. For those on the top of the heap (with the lucky exception of quite a few people who are morally well-endowed) the vast majority spend their lives acquiring and indulging. For all that so many Americans congratulate themselves on our national generosity, it is amazing that our citizens, encouraged by the Republican party in particular, complain about taxes intended to help others and are best satisfied when expenses are cut from the bottom.

4. When Bush threatened to veto the bill for military spending unless the Democrats deleted the demand for a date for military withdrawal, why didn’t the Democrats just let him veto the whole thing and leave it at that? I suppose it was because this is voting season and they were scared. But just think of what a tremendous Surge of Approval the Democrats would have received! As it is, many are considering an Independent option

5 comments:

Commander Zaius said...

For all that so many Americans congratulate themselves on our national generosity, it is amazing that our citizens, encouraged by the Republican party in particular, complain about taxes intended to help others and are best satisfied when expenses are cut from the bottom.

My head about exploded several times during the aftermath of Katrina and I would hear good Christains (given where I live they were republicans) say that those people stuck in New Orleans were there because they didn't want to leave.

George W Bush said...

My image 'Bush wants to fight Muslims.' And, yes, I'm concerned about it. Not because of me, personally. I'm concerned because I want most people to understand the great generosity and compassion of Americans.

I'm sure people view me as a war monger and I view myself as peacemaker. They view me as so pro-Israeli I can't be open-minded about Palestinian peace, and yet I'm the only president ever to have articulated a two-state solution. And you just have to fight through stereotypes by actions.

15 January 2008

jmsjoin said...

Hi little bill hope you are well!
We are living Bush's lie! Like us the military is being used for his gain. When they can not put out for him they too are gone.
A lot of people think Kucinich and Ron Paul are the only two to vote for if you really want change.

Yellow Dog said...

Any Democrat running would produce leaderhip and change for the better!

Yellow Dog said...

Gloria Steinem:
Women Are Never Front-Runners

I’m not advocating a competition for who has it toughest. The caste systems of sex and race are interdependent and can only be uprooted together. That’s why Senators Clinton and Obama have to be careful not to let a healthy debate turn into the kind of hostility that the news media love. Both will need a coalition of outsiders to win a general election. The abolition and suffrage movements progressed when united and were damaged by division; we should remember that . . . . . Besides, to clean up the mess left by President Bush, we may need two terms of President Clinton and two of President Obama.