The Lies We Live By in Politics

SHIRLEY SMITH FOR BUZZFLASH

"I lie, therefore I am, The existentially Ambiguous Image in Politics "Lies We live By," Carl Hausman, 2000.  

Throughout his book, Hausman gives ten lists of ten guidelines for becoming better informed about polls or propaganda. Another way is to also ask yourself, what does this person or group have to gain.     We just got through celebrating our Day of Independence. How do we gain our independence in today's world from a US government that has been out of control for 40 years. A US government that wants to own us, deprive us, kill us,  use us . . . forty years of propaganda and the greed for world power . . . how else do we explain over 800 military bases around the world.

How else to we explain the Iran/Contra affair. How else do we explain the million deaths in Afghanistan, Iraq and the displacement of three to four million citizens of that country, and knowing that our own American citizens' lives were sacrificed for the goals of the Bush GOP. Dead long before they had begun to live out their lives. These are just a few examples of US government out of control. There's so much more.  

Why do we continue to hear how important our role is in Afghanistan? What arrogance. That country has been invaded successfully throughout history by "Aryans, Persians, Greeks, Macedonians, and armies from central Asia. Second war ended with the dominance of British interests and recognized in a 1907 Anglo-Russian agreement. By the time of the end of a third war, an unstable monarchy was formed, then the fighting of the Soviet Troops 1979-1989; In 1996, the Taliban (Persian students) took over until they controlled 90% of the country. As early as 1999, the US (stuck our noses into this business) and bombed "suspected" (my emphasis) bases of a militant Osama bin Laden. 

Again, US military killed innocent people . . . and, this was before Bush bombed them after 911, also for no reason, and killed up to 5,000 innocent, unarmed people. Bush did this after he had months of warnings and failed to tell the airlines or the American people . . . and we wonder why they hate us. Stop wondering. Before we can clean up and help this world we live in, we have to clean up our own government and we can't do it with "friendly Democrats." Where is their passion for accountability and for our own way of life? Buried in their bank accounts, most likely.  

What would we think if any other super power on this planet would do what this country has done under Republican leadership and the Clinton leadership, along with the go ahead from Democrats in Congress. None of these people, Democrats or Republicans have represented the people of this nation. Only themselves. Yet, no trials, no justice . . . just the misuse of our own military and of US dollars by a corrupt Republican Party for the last 40 years, along with some so-called Democrats (those who run on Democratic tickets, but vote Republican). Along with Democrats who just want to leave the past alone and look toward the future. That's fine for them, they are millionaires, but for the rest of us citizens, we have to live with their stupid and greedy mistakes.  

We cannot keep dismissing criminal activity by our officials in US government any more than we can dismiss criminal activity within our own society. You know, out in the mother land, outside the DC Beltway. Because, as telling as human nature is, laws regarding punishment are not a real deterrent for crime as our prisons show us, but it would allow, we the people, to trust our government and it would allow the rest of the world to trust this country too, if we had US law in US government.   It was a mistake that Clinton made by stopping investigations, and even though he, Clinton, gained a father figure, according to the words of George H. W. Bush, we, the people, gained Bush number two, which in all probabilities, would not have had that injustice, had Clinton done his job.  

We could say that the same mistake is being made by Obama, who, instead of using his own people or who we thought would be his people . . . instead, he just kept the Clinton people (DLC Republican lights) and the Bush people within his own White House and expects change? No, Obama expects us to think that we will see change. What we can expect to see is much of the same . . . only different. That's the change. Obama cannot please the members in Congress and please the citizens of this country, we are at opposite ends. Leave Afghanistan? Leave Iraq? For gawdsake just leave!  

Nixon lied and added five more years to the war in Vietnam, a war that was a lie to begin with. And, as with most all politicians, what you see is pretty much what we are going to get. Lies all during the Reagan/Bush years with the Iran/Contra affair. Bush lied and tricked Saddam before the first Iraq invasion known as the Gulf War. No accountability possible during the Clinton years, he kept up the bombing in Iraq. Lies and invasions/occupations during the eight years of the Bush/Cheney/Rove occupation of our own government, ending in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent men, women, and children; the highest debt ever in US history; and the destruction of our own economy, a true war against the American people. Many lives destroyed due to that war against the American people and a loss of faith in our two party system as being an honest balance of power.   The loss of respect for our Supreme Court when they put their own boy into office.

How can we ever trust them? No bipartisanship there, which brings me to Kagan . . . I want to think she would bring this court back at least to the middle, then, I see this (article below) . . . and, what Rove did to this man was an example of what we can expect in the future because of no accountability for these treasonous bastards. Want to know why I think these appointments should not be for a lifetime? I've always felt that way, but the book "Secret Lives of the Supreme Court, by Robert Schnakenberg" confirms my thinking that it's not what you know in our government that is important . . . it's who you know and how much money you can raise. It was only a matter of time when one or both of those two things became the leading factors for all three branches of US government.

Kagan knew what she was doing when she argued against Don Siegelman's appeal. She did it of her own free will. Therefore, she deserves a judgment based on her actions.That judgment is that Elena Kagan was a willing accomplice in one of the most outrageous political prosecutions of our time. Why should anyone ever trust her?

http://www.opednews.com/articles/3/Elena-Kagan--Willing-Acco-by-Michael-Collins-100622-971.html  

We Americans cannot be held responsible for the violence and greed seen in this country's leadership for the past 40 years, unless we do nothing to change it. And, by this, even though the Obama/Clinton/Bush administration has not taken the steps of investigation that would lead to accountability, however, a vote for the Bush GOP will only dig  a deeper hole for the future burial of our democracy, and the rise of the ghost of fascism. A word the Right Wing of the GOP loves to throw around knowing that their supporters don't know what it is or couldn't care less. If it takes 20 years, our only hope is for the younger generation to be smarter and more savvy than we have been. One by one, vote out those who have supported these criminal invasions/occupations and the greed for more power around the world.  

We Americans are victims of our own willful ignorance. We are constantly being fed or led by the MSM that supports the corporate-led GOP greed in this country.   Imagine people getting rich off of the dead bodies of our youth in our military and getting rich off of the damaged reputation of US democracy. Why would any country trust anything this government has to say after what this country has done and has continued to do after a generation-plus of deceit and lies that took hundreds of thousands of innocent lives. Win what? As long as this country sticks to these military invasions/occupations, we are a country of losers.   KABUL, Afghanistan (July 4) -- Gen. David Petraeus formally assumed command of the 130,000-strong international force in Afghanistan on Sunday, declaring "we are in this to win" despite rising casualties and growing skepticism about the nearly 9-year-old war.   General David Petraeus on Afghanistan War: 'We Are in This to Win'   Below is a paragraph taken from  OpEdNews: Ray McGovern - Writer

Two administration officials who are spared harsh criticism from McChrystal's team are Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who were considered key supporters of McChrystal's insistence last year that Obama boost U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan to about 100,000.

In praise of Clinton, one of McChrystal's entourage told Hastings, "Hillary had Stan's back during the strategic review [last fall]." Another aide added, "She said, "If Stan wants it, give him what he needs.'"

The main problem with the Obama administration is that, even though he inherited all of the China-owned US debt, death, and destruction acquired by the greed of the Bush/Cheney/Rove/Rummy regime, he kept many of the people who always were in support of the Bush GOP down through the years that brought us these gigantic problems that will lead to the misery of the once-called 'middle class' of this country as they join the poor of this nation, and those who had homes in the cities, instead of  roaming on the prairies of discovery years ago, will again, be found roaming the streets of this nation. Isn't that taking steps backwards? Super Power? We are only fooling ourselves. Truth be told . . .we are only as super and as powerful as our people, not as those we so foolishly put into power.

McChrystal has an interesting past. I finished reading Jon Krakaurer's book "Where Men Win Glory," The Odyssey of Pat Tillman. I read Krakauer's 'Into Thin Air" years ago and knew this book would be just as exceptionable in detail. We all remember Tillman as this young man, who, like many of our young people grow up with a feeling of dedication to this country. This is not unusual for anyone wherever they live. Tillman gave up a lucrative career in sports to fight what he believed was an honorable fight, and then through his real-life experience, he saw the truth, and we, as a nation, lost part of our future in that young man. I'm talking about much needed brains in this country.

How many Americans remember when Bush/Cheney invaded Iraq for the second time. I remember our troops were without proper equipment and some were buying their own. I and many other Americans sent care packages to US troops including food and magazines, etc. Hundreds of dollars were sent by citizens of this country and the outrage of putting our military at such risks and for what . . . for lies and for those blood-thirsty war hawks that exist in all three branches of US government and in our military.

Friendly fire . . . I hate that line. There is no such thing as 'friendly fire.' Shock and awe, another asinine expression by our politicians who reside safely in their DC abodes while thinking up these idiotic expressions to sell their high-priced, deadly and poisonous goods. 

A quote by Pat Tillman in Krakauer's book . . ."Well the war has certainly begun," Pat wrote from his tent in the desert, thirty-five miles outside of Iraq. "My heart goes out to those who will suffer. Whatever your politics, whatever you believe is right or wrong, the fact is most of those who will feel the wrath of this ordeal want nothing more than to live peacefully."

And, I personally think that most citizens of this country feel the same way, yet, the war hawks bet on people believing what we call in this country . . . the news. And, don't forget today's so-call teabaggers . . . Can you get drunk on tea, I wonder. Because these people didn't give a damn about the innocent people who have died or suffered because of the greed in US government this past generation. And, today, we hear of those who either will not vote or who will vote, again, for the very political party (Bush/Cheney/Rove GOP) who brought down this country and many thousands of lives with it. Without any responsibility for their actions. Mainly, because they don't fear accountability in US government.

Why is that, we ask ourselves, well, it could be that, those same Democrats who so unthinkably cut off ACORN, didn't mind invading Iraq and Afghanistan. That's where our problems are, not just with one political party, as the Bush regime didn't seem to have a whole lot of anti-war coming from the mouths of Congress. They did see many people getting arrested for protesting during the Bush/Cheney/Rove regime, didn't they? Arrested trying to save lives.

In announcing McChrystal's ouster on Wednesday, President Barack Obama praised his long Army career but said his intemperate remarks in a magazine article that appeared last week could not be abided.

Gen. Stanley McChrystal Tells Army He'll Retire   Interesting thing about McChrystal. At first, I thought this interview with Rolling Stone was just to get himself fired, since military brass know exactly what they can and cannot do, but then I read that journalist Michael Hastings has a great reputation, and as much of our media has always been pro propaganda and has always gone along with the Bush/Cheney/Rove GOP, maybe McChrystal didn't think what he and his people said would get into the 'real' news . . . after all, he was serving in Iraq.  

How many Americans remember reading about the fake Jessica Lynch rescue mission. I'm not sure it was in the US MSM, at that time, I got my news from overseas. I have to admit that when the US was faking going after bin Laden in Afghanistan and had a "stand down," by the military, and we could hear in the background on TV the helicopters lifting bin Laden and his little group into Pakistan, this was all reported by a Canadian station on TV, the one Gore bought when it came up for sale, and I've talked about it before. I liked Gore, but hated losing that news station because they really did report the news. Remember when the hospital tried to send Lynch back to the US and they refused to take her and US military sent the ambulance back to the hospital so they could pull off this fake rescue mission. McChrystal was in charge of that mission according to Krakauer.  

From the book, this is how they treated this hero, and we can only assume how they would treat someone not known, only worse.    Page 245 . . . Stanley McChrystal who ran the most covert branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). Major General McChrystal was in charge of the high-risk counterterrorism missions undertaken by Navy SEALs, Delta Force operators, and Army Rangers. Exceptionally capable, unafraid to bend rules to get results, he commanded the guys who'd rescued Jessica Lynch, as well as the units that would later capture Saddam Hussein and kill Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi. He was politically shrewd. He worked under the radar. Vice President Cheney and Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld kept in close touch with him and trusted him absolutely. (snip) The facts of Tillman's death were restricted to a tight cadre. (snip)   

The book explains how Kevin, Pat Tillman's brother was serving with him in the same unit, and was going to accompany his body back home. He was trying to find Tillman's notebook, because he wrote in it constantly. This is what this military did.   Taken from the book . . .Standard operating procedure dictates that when a soldier is killed in action, his or her uniform is left on the body for shipment back to the United States, to be removed during the autopsy and analyzed as forensic evidence. For reason that have never been explained, Tillman's blood-soaked uniform and body armor were removed at Salerno and placed into a trash bag before the body was flown to Bagram. (snip) In the cargo pocket of his pants he found Pat's notebook, after which he started a fired in an empty oil drum and destroyed the notebook, uniform, and body armor. As these items were burning, Valdez stated, "Captain Bovard came out one time to ensure that everything was going all right.  

This is abominable and yet, we have a government that does nothing. In fact, Saddam's trial was a sham and why are these leaders associated with bin Laden killed instead of captured and put on trial as if we were a real democracy, and it mattered. Clinton did do that.   It's years past the time for big change and it will have to come from us, the people. It's impossible to read this book and not to feel sad, angry, or to cry, because it represents all of our sons and daughters. How dare them, how double dare them, but the death of our military is thought of no more than the deaths of those they train them to kill. These people do not represent me or my kind. They are animals. The irony of these animals using our young people, men, women, to do their fighting over fossil fuel. The disrespect for life in this government and in our military has got to change.

I remember reading that not one of these Bush Republicans in Congress at that time had ever served in US military, nor had any of their children.      Most of the reporting in Iraq was from embedded journalists, remember? I never listened to the US reports coming out of Iraq. The real news came from across the ocean. Remember reading that at least 70 journalists were murdered in Iraq? Has there ever been another time when so many journalists were killed? I always thought they were protected, but to kill this many, and no accountability. No accountability for what these years did to our own troops. Pure mental and physical abuse. We Americans grow up like any other children of countries around the world, thinking we need to protect our homeland, but to kill when we are not being attacked . . . this hurt many of our people in the military. And, if that was not enough, Bush hired a squad of assassins, Blackwater. A fitting name that has been changed. We read about them overseas too.  

There is one thing that the Bush/Cheney/Rove GOP is really good at and that is changing the meaning of words. They have tried to make liberal a dirty word. Socialism is a dirty word, when it comes to decent healthcare or anything that would help the American people . . . al-Qaeda is a word that just means "the training base." Yet, it has come to mean a killing group to many Americans. It's not what these TV/radio GOP well-paid propagandists say, it's "how" they say it and repeat it often enough, and many of our citizens are gullible because we don't teach enough in this country about other cultures. During the fifties, it was communism. Today, in the news was a big deal about a Twitter comment concerning visits to Syria. We have American citizens who have lived here for years and years from that country, and from every other Middle Eastern country.  

At one time many years ago, the Brits traveled freely through the Middle East, well because they invaded Mesopotamia and renamed it "Iraq," in 1920. It became independent in 1932. One in particular, who wrote about her travels back then was Freya Stark, a single woman, who loved to see the world as it was at that time and wrote several books. It's hard to believe it's the same country today. At least the Brits preserved it and the culture, they didn't bomb the bejesus out of it and spill blood on every inch of soil.  

When someone invades your country, it's not known to be a friendly gesture.(cough) I grew up proud of this nation, but have never understood the arrogance and of all places to see that arrogance, within our own branches of government. But, when we study the Brits and their history, we got it honestly,  or did we. After all, why else are we celebrating the fourth of July. I've learned that there is a difference in how the Brits took over countries in the past, and how the US does it today.  

Many people will continue to suffer because of what the Bush/Cheney/Rove GOP has done during their illegal occupation of the White House. Does anyone ever wonder what job loss does to this country? It fills up our military with young people. Young people who need a job or want to go to school after their tours (Bush GOP) of duty. The Bush regime put our young people through tour after tour, after tour of duties in Afghanistan and in Iraq. You don't do that to people, and a few committed suicide and killed family members when they finally returned home, they were so messed up, physically and mentally, and, believe it or not, they had to fight for healthcare, and the denial of PTS.   We citizens should see that those who have supported this corrupted regime, do not stay in office. Or, we can expect the same over and over again. The abuse to our country and to our citizens by wealthy, greedy, and unaccountable politicians in US government. Name one corporation that would put up with this type of corruption within their own company.  

As we continue to remember those who have become or will become legends, good or bad, we, cannot, as American citizens allow our country, our youth, our educational system, our health systems, our way of life to continue to become fowled by these wealthy, power hungry punchinellos who just happen to have enough money to get into the US political system. If they cannot be responsible, we must change this country one politician at a time if necessary.   Too little, too late . . . this from the GOP, because of a majority in Congress led by Democrats . . . who could tell . . . all of a sudden the Bush GOP want to hear from the citizens of this country? Where where they when they supported the debt, death, and destruction by the Bush/Cheney/Rove GOP for eight years. Huh? I call them the BushGOP because they are still the same people.   This from the GOP of today. The same members of Congress who have refused to do their job in cleaning up the damage they did and supported for the eight years of the Bush/Cheney/Rove debt, death, and destruction.   Republicans have offered and will continue to offer positive solutions to the challenges facing this country.  Washington needs to listen to the American people and incorporate their ideas and solutions, and America Speaking Out makes that process more efficient and accessible than ever. Together, we can prioritize policy solutions that strengthen our economy, fiscal responsibility, values, and security. America Speaking Out gives fresh voice to our nation’s enduring principles for freedom and democracy and puts Washington on notice that accountability in government will ultimately prevail.

www.americaspeakingout.com.   This is an example of political, pre-election propaganda or out and out lies. Actions speak louder than words and we have seen no action from those who gave their all to the Bush GOP regime.   Propaganda: The propagandist's purpose is to make one set of people forget that certain other sets of people are human. Aldous Huxley, The Olive Tree, 1937.   And, this is an example of the world today. How we award stupidity, arrogance, and lies that cost lives. Typical US political crapola in today's world. Are we insane to put up with this? These ne'er do wells rubbing shoulders and using awards and propaganda in the public is just another way of indirectly declaring that  the Bush/Cheney/Rove regime was innocent. If there is a hell, it sure as hell ain't gonna be large enough.  

Many Brits regard Blair -- who stepped down as prime minister in 2007 -- as a deeply flawed figure, believing he exaggerated the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction in order to win support for the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. A Daily Mail survey in January found that 80 percent of people thought he lied in the run-up to the war, and 70 percent said the subsequent war was illegal.   Brits Stunned By Former Prime Minister Tony Blair's US Liberty Medal   Look at the figures in the above paragraph. That's why we cannot give up hope, because I feel that the majority of Americans are not stupid either, we just have to rid ourselves of the greed and money in our own politics. I have had people tell me that they don't pay any attention to politics, as if there is something to be proud of in such a statement. On the contrary, our government and our politicians are the cover of our book. They are what the world sees first and they are how we, the people, are judged.    

I do believe people have big hearts. We see those hearts in the actions of the people of this country, and around the world. We had support from all around the world after 911 and after Katrina, except the Bush/Cheney/Rove regime refused such help. We cannot forget how the American people supported our military, even when the Bush GOP didn't, how they support our poor, and those who are forever in trouble, we just need to pay more attention to those who support this democracy in name only and fire them. We are not what or who the world thinks we are. The people of this country do have heart, and so do the Brits. It's those who use us and use our names to benefit themselves, they are who the world sees.   O World, thou choosest not the better part! It is not wisdom to be only wise, and on the inward vision close the eyes, But it is wisdom to believe the heart. Santayana, "O World, Thou Choosest Not," 1894   We will never see change until we change our government, and those are the people in Congress who gave their whole hearted support for eight long years of the Bush/Cheney/Rove regime.