The gimmick that rules this country

[mqbush]

Now and then, an idea pops up that changes things radically for generations. Who knows when the momentous day was that the right stumbled upon their sure-fire gimmick to perpetually control US foreign policy, the US economy and budget? History has been distorted since then.

JFK didn’t want to invade Cuba. He thought it would be a mistake to get into Vietnam. LBJ was sure that escalating our involvement in Vietnam would be a mistake. Both of them did what they did out of fear of right wing “gotcha” assertions of weakness. Can you believe that? Decisions that killed 58,000 Americans and one to three million Vietnamese were dictated by a political gimmick!

At the time we were told that Vietnam was a necessary war that we absolutely had to win. Later we asked what the heck was so necessary about it. Now we’re told yet again that the war du jour is a necessary war that we absolutely have to win. As will tomorrow’s war be absolutely necessary, and today’s will be yesterday’s “whoops not so much.”. Since we’re never not at war, the right never loses control of all the big decisions.

So long as we are in one or more necessary wars, the decision on whether or not to fund these wars is not really debatable; it would be weeeeeak to not send as many trillions into these wars as it takes to finish the job…jobs…neverending jobs. And so therefore we can never afford to repair our crumbling infrastructure, can never afford to invest in renewable energy, can never afford- in the richest country in the world- to alleviate the gut-wrenching worries that illness could send families into homeless poverty.

One gimmick has controlled the course of American domestic and foreign affairs, at hideous cost, for generations. That’s unconscionable and unacceptable and has to stop. But how can it be stopped? Ideas, anyone?

[Cleita]

1. I would add that Carter was a one term President because he preferred to

negotiate for the release of the American hostages instead of a military assault on Iran. He was of course accused of being weak.

[FiveGoodMen]

3. Without the interference of GHWB, those negotiations might have worked.

[Cleita]

5. But it didn't for the very reasons given by the OP.

Also, didn't the interference come from St. Ronnie, not GHWB?

[rfranklin]

9. Bush was involved in the negotiations....

There was the time he was rumored to be in France talking to the Iranian representatives that he had no alibi for. Just couldn't remember where he was that day.

[paparush]

12. Funy thing about 'ol Poppy - For a former CIA man, he had a hell of a time remembering

where he was on certain days. I read over and over that he represents the very tiny minority of people who can't seem to recall where he was the day JFK was assassinated (though I've never figured out exactly when or where he was asked that question)

[onethatcares]

20. kinda like Dallas, November 22, 1963/nt

mt

[FiveGoodMen]

11. It got Ronnie elected, but I'm guessing the cloak-and-dagger stuff was carried out by the BFEE

Remember GHWB was head of CIA at one time.

His dad worked with Hitler.

I think that's where the real political clout was (and still is).

[rfranklin]

7. Actually a military rescue was attempted and failed...

When I woke up and heard the news that morning I knew he was finished.

[Cleita]

13. A military raid failed but I remember back then that people actually wanted

to send in the Marines or a full scale invasion like we did in Iraq. Carter wouldn't do it even though the Pentagon was itching to do it.

[Libertas1776]

8. Although,

didn't Carter send in some kind of special ops force in an attempt to rescue the hostages that failed miserably from the get go? That didn't help his re-election much either. As for St. Ronnie, he got the hostages freed because, if I am not mistaken, he agreed to unfreeze Iranian government overseas bank accounts that had been frozen by Carter. Simple as that. No big military assault or flexing of muscle. And yet all the freeper morons still like to believe that Carter was a pussy and Ronnie came in like John Wayne with guns blazing and the Iranians backed down like scared little children.:puke:

[Cleita]

14. From what I understand Carter got a deal worked with negotiation, but

St. Ronnie asked the Iranians to not release them telling them that they would get more from him if he was elected than from Carter.

[Caliman73]

19. I also think he was a one term president because he expected Americans to act like adults

He talked about saving and living non-extravagant lives. The Republicans, led by the "great imitator" jumped on him and started telling Americans that they had no reason to strive for anything better, because we were the bestest country in the world. That truly began the decline of America by espousing stupidity, greed, self satisfaction, and laziness as acceptable traits in the citizenry.

Republicans do tend to wrap themselves in the flag and scream national security though, and Democrats respond by going to war. I am not sure how to fix it, but I think that one thing that needs to happen is more confrontation of the rhetoric that Republicans use. Make them explain precisely where and what the threat is. Also, I think that Democrats need to bring back the idea that being at war requires sacrifice.

[librechik]

2. It never fails to surprise me that these "great man" worshippers are totlly unaware of their blatant

Fascism. We need to give in to fascism (not be "weak") in order to prove we are legitimate leaders of a country that allegedly hates fascism.

We need better schools. We seem to be turning out sheepish idiots ready for the slaughter.

[dionysus]

4. so now obama supporters are out and out facists?

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

[librechik]

10. Huh?

whatever you're on, let me have some. I wasn't talking about "Obama Supporters" I was talking about folks who think a president should never show "weakness" i. e., human sensitivity. I pointed out that they might as well be fascists, if that's what they think. If some of them pretend to support Obama the minute he shows any militaristic tendencies, they should be aware of their hypocrisy.

[dionysus]

16. pardon my mistake. i only slept 2 hours last night

:blush:

[librechik]

17. graciously given and accepted

dear dionysus

[dionysus]

18. nasty side effect of quitting cigs i think. while i don't have cravings, i cannot sleep. wierd huh.

[librechik]

21. I understand--I quit cigs myself long sgo--it is not easy

Hang in there!

[dionysus]

23. why thank you

:)

[Warpy]

6. It's a real old gimmick

that the upper class has used in every single empire on the face of the earth to gain and maintain control, and it's popular with people who are too caught up in their own lives to ask too many questions.

Eventually, people are exhausted. The people of Rome initially welcomed the barbarian invaders, at least until they stole everything in sight, because they represented an overthrow of the upper class who had beggared and oppressed them. Rome went out with a bang.

European empires have gone out with a fizzle, their treasuries depleted and their royalty unable to extort any more wealth from either a resentful population or foreign adventure in order to mount new campaigns.

Then of course, there's Germany, trying to extend its borders and pushed back thrice before it learned the lesson.

We're in the latter stage of our own empire. The only question to remain is if we'll go out with a bang or a fizzle. Both are likely to be extremely unpleasant in the short term, but more of us will survive a fizzle.

[kctim]

15. Damn Freemasons

[L0oniX]

22. Join the military and you are contributing to this gimmick.