Oh Lord, Won't You Buy Me
Only the true political junkies ( and serial Nixon haters, such as myself) will remember this poignant and poetical moment.Tricky Dick, facing the crisis of his destroyed political career and legacy asks Henry Kissenger to kneel with him in the oval office for a moment of prayer. I'm picturing bewildered George Bush asking Rove to kneel with him today as they ask for divine guidance and just one more favor. Please. I just love history.
These letters to the editor show up in Trout Unlimited's magazine every so often: "I have always been a bit uncomfortable with some of the 'tree hugging' stances TU has taken on issues.I have been a conservationist and fisherman my whole life." Right away we know he's a conservative unable to reconcile his values with his ideology. He cannot be associated with the word "environmentalist' because those are wacky tree huggers who want to preserve things, conservationists are hook and bullet Teddy Roosevelt types strictly interested in what nature can do for them. He goes on: "The organizations apparent embrace of the Pew Center's findings on global warming is over the edge. There are a sizable number of us who believe the "global warming " issue is nothing more than a shakedown. It's proponents are charlatans whose motives are cynically financial as well as socialist." A typical brainwashed wing-nut who's cognitave dissonance does not allow him to see that it is IN FACT his own motives that are "financial". ( he believes regulations to restrict carbon will hurt his precious free market capitalist economy) He then threatens to cancel his subscription unless TU ceases it's "embrace of these leftists." I was a local chapter president for a while and had to deal with these same idiots. They worked for or were shareholders in or payed homage to the very corporate extractors that were poisoning the water or destroying the watershed which supported the fisheries they claimed to love but could never make that connection. Minds poisoned by right wing propoganda, they incoherently blamed the government or leftists for their inability to have their cake and eat it to. Socialists love trout. TU needs to forthrightly acknowledge the connection between unrestricted capitalist development and environmental degradation and tell these non-conserving "conservationists" not to let the door hit them in the ass on their way out.
While we are on the subject, we find out this morning the Christian Taliban has suceeded in scuttling Bush's Supreme court nominee, " demanding" one who's anti-choice position is intractable and clearly stated. But not an "activist judge"... Even Kurt Vonnegut couldn't make this stuff up. Perhaps Tom Robbins.
posted by troutsky @ 10:41 AM
5 comments
5 Comments:
This is a little off topic but I'll ask it anyways. How do we as a nation come to terms with the idea of environmentalism? Should we make distinctions between environmentalists and sustainable conservationists? How do we get everyone on the same page with reference to the idea that global warming does exist and it is a problem? How do we stop this phenomenon we see in our country that I will call the pendumlum swing? That is, this idea that people only vote for one or the other party because they are sick of what the previous party did. How do we get people to stop being reacitve and start becoming more involved. Where is the disconnect and how do we plug everyone back in?
While we are on the subject, we find out this morning the Christian Taliban has suceeded in scuttling Bush's Supreme court nominee, " demanding" one who's anti-choice position is intractable and clearly stated. But not an "activist judge"... Even Kurt Vonnegut couldn't make this stuff up. Perhaps Tom Robbins.
Come on Troutsky, the Christian Taliban? Miers was an unqualified candidate, plain and simple. Further, she was a verifiable tabula rosa, something that should make any skeptic cringe. Yes, there are religious extremists in this country, even of the Christian variety. Yet one not be one to think Miers was a bad choice for Supreme Court Justice.
Furthermore, it wasn't necessarily the Christians, but the Libertarians, who put up the biggest fuss.
Step away from the easy stereotypes, you might actually learn something about your opposition.
Sorry, Christians,I did allow my emotions a bit to much free reign.But in my defense I listen regularly to Dobson and some of the others on the radio (you should try it)I listen to Sen Brownback and others trying to spin the fact she just wasnt a "pure" enough conservative,etc.We could have used the hearing process to find out her views and qualifications but we will just have to see the next candidate before I can say I told you so.These folks agitate me seriously and you as thinking people should be concerned as well because their hypocrisy reflects on all conservatives.Remember when the Republican line was "everyone deserves an up or down vote"? She simply failed the very litmus test so many rail against and the battle this will engender will hurt the nation and ,I suspect ,your cause, in the end.As for stereotypes cutler, Ill try to watch out for them if you will source your information. What Libertarians,where, how?
My radical politics,John,are in part a result of the frustration of having worked the last twenty five years as an environmental activist.On the state council of TU,founding member of the Bitterroot Water Forum,a short term on the board of Mt.Conservation Voters,on the board of B.E.A.R. etc,I did my time.Forest plans, salmon recovery,wilderness designation,etc.always returned to the same dominant narrative,people believing they can"have it all", unlimited growth and development (each generation doing better than the last) AND a clean, healthy environment.An economy whose allocation is determined by markets can "hide" important information, what we call external costs,allowing this illusion to persist.Short term planning is encouraged with the results being exemplified by such things as the toxic mess in the Clark Fork or the ruined coastline around New Orleans.
By the time people feel the direct "costs" of global warming,thereby affecting their behavior, it will be to late.My analysis on the state of our democracy also involves a radical critique of capitalism.Because of the obvious disconnect between voting and real power, people become disenfranchised, consumer culture and dare I say it, religion, playing important roles in this.I tried hard to make change on a local level for a long time but i am growing older and less patient.
In defense of Cutler, I will say that it is very hard to identify a "libertarian" at least at the mainstream level. Let's not forget that Badnarik--the libertarian presidential candidate in 2004--got less than half a percent of the vote.
The religious right marches in step like good obedient Christians. I recall hearing Dobson praise Miers initially. It should come as no surprise that when he changed his view so did his base.
But the reason he changed his base wasn't because people were worried about abortion per se. It was because Jeffersonian Republicans were worried Miers wouldn't be a strict constructionist.
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