Presidential Politics in the Year of the Toad - 2

by Boozer Allan Hamilton Ph.D.

Republican candidates maybe not worthy discussing, since party wallows in serious denial concerning Iraq adventure. Even top military brass doesn't believe possible bringing stability to Iraq. Current effort buys time not for puppet political system of Iraq but for regime of Bush-Cheney to ride from office while saying they did not "lose" war on their watch. Funny hah-hah as Nixon crying didn't want to be first USA President to lose any war (had not heard of the War of 1812? Likely neither has Junior Bush).

Of course, BAH he reminds realists that military brass are bureaucrats, equal to CEO or civil servant, concerned only for career. Taking seriously they know something about winning war of occupation without massive suppressive force is so absurd as believing stockbroker can tell what markets will do in one year (or next week). They remain clueless as the rest of you (not BAH, he precisely prognosticates using the BAHM). As popular as has been inside US to blame ignoble defeat in Vietnam on politicians, was generals who lost. But generals as unelected politicians.

Dispatching troops to win hearts and mind equals giving new neighbors bucket of lava pé (editors note: Brazilian fire ants, S. invicta) for welcoming gift. War incites hatred, anger, racism, brutality, torture, disgust, cruelty. Some inside USA seem surprised troops sent to Iraq exhibit such as these typical characteristics, but is not only more evidence of senseless nation run (amok) by blind fools without pertinent experience nor critical grasp of own flakey "theories?" No one in US see troops suited up to look like Empire's storm troopers from Star Wars or worse, like Borg? Winning fear, not hearts and minds; hatred, not loyalty; symbols projecting intimidation as feckless nation flounders in new quagmire like fly stuck to papel mata moscas (editors note: flypaper), troops feel empowered and mean and brutal as garb intimates.

Amusing in Republican kaffeeklatsch sans café (debate as word seems without meaning inside US) became clustering of group in attempt to become Ronald Reagan whilst avoiding Junior Bush or his Daddy. Is dual to rush in Dems to shuck war responsibility.

Some praised unbounded optimism of Reagan. Of course, conveniently forgotten is man in throes of senile dementia, optimistic vision a function of confusing life with B-films made famous in public speeches. Upon being caught trading arms for hostages, his mental befuddlement embarrassed even BAH watch Reagan admit could not believe it happened. Even though evidence overwhelmed him. Reagan forgot what he did. Conveniently circumventing honesty from limbo between life and film, forgetting what one does.

That this a man who becomes hero of a political party claiming conservative values demonstrates USA inability for seeing reality. In reality, Junior Bush is close to Reagan. Both claimed desire for small government and balanced budgets while building massive bureaucracy, fat government and huge deficits. Both drag in line-item veto for cure-all. Reagan's defense spending hid Keynesian pump-priming, defense the politically correct expression for middle-class subsidies (social welfare via corporate welfare). Massive spending brought USA out of one recession, plunged it into another, yet credited as cause of economic collapse of Soviet Union in absurd charade well understood economically. CIA lied incessantly (or worse, actually ignorant) regarding strength of Soviet economy even as it collapsed leaving Gorbachev no recourse; this is history not taught inside US. Fiscally conservative Democratic president cleaned up resulting budget mess, riding luck due to stock market bubble and gullible Americans paying advance taxes on IRAs in so-called ROTH scam before wealth vanished. Credit Clinton backbone to stand up to own party. (Fairness here dictates saying Daddy Bush attempted fiscally conservative economics, but recession at finish of Reagan term and desire for Peace Dividend killed that tenure.)

Junior Bush lectures in style not so kindly as old platitude slinging Reagan, and seems so tongue knotted, unable to speak off prepared text, one wonders which had worse brain dysfunction. Junior perhaps shows damage results of drug and alcohol abuse. Perhaps Grand Old Party ought endorse mentally deficient candidates as part of platform. Allowed Reagan to commit impeachable offenses like fighting secret war with money gained selling arms to nation now termed terrorist and not be held accountable. What better excuse than not remembering (knowing) what you did (do)? Equivalent to insanity defense.

Is coincidence that interchangeable parade of faceless generals in charge of Iraq all sound like Cuban Colonel Bella in z-minus Red Dawn (so bad even Reagan or Chuck Norris or Stallone could be proud) not yet at the end of tether?

Amongst pack of Republican sad sacks only Ron Paul exhibits single paltry ounce of sense. Texas Libertarian who voted against pointless invasion of Iraq and likely not one to nuke Iran. He cannot win, suffering Libertarian defect of actually believing superstitious mumbo jumbo of Smithism all candidates spout. Would be informative as economic experiment to watch attempt to bring corporate-controlled USA to capitalism in the Smithist sense, given it is well known within economics impossible to realize profit in Smith's model (eds: perfect competition: the fundamental theorem of perfect competition is that the best one can hope to do in perfect competition is lose no more than the initial investment, and that over an infinite time horizon. Witness farm supports). BAH he finds amusing this image of corporate-dominated culture with economy of oligopolistic distribution driven by monopsonistic capital infusion, run in name of Defense or Welfare or Whatever bureaucracy, funded by taxes or borrowing of late banked by foreigners as Social Security funds begin to become unavailable, confronting prospect of free markets and unregulated competition. Seems outside realm of possibilities that corporations could allow true believer in Capitalism as President of the USA.

Reality says Paul, Gravel and Kucinich already canards morts (or merda do pato). No media organization inside USA presents them with serious intent. Already drawn outside box of who-can-be-elected. Such boxes pervade entire domain of US existence. This curiosity led BAH to recent research regards why US citizens such sheep when thinking. Bah's research it points to a nation of retards, explaining why serious scientific and engineering thinkers must be imported, but doesn't explain how nation exhibits large-scale retardation. One hypothesis is existence of grid over entire nation blasting away mentality, but question remains how manage some to escape the "stupid ray."

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