Of Al Gore's Presidency Denied, Eight Years of Illegitimacy, and the Triumph of Meritocracy over Corrupt Entitlement

Submitted by mark karlin on Tue, 01/20/2009 - 10:01pm.

EditorBlog

The BuzzFlash Editor's Blog

By Mark Karlin

"Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." -- Macbeth

For eight years, we have had a poor player (Bush), a man of infinite mediocrity, swagger and fret his hour upon our national stage, bringing the nation to near ruin, as he carried out the Machiavellian orders of a man full of sound and fury (Cheney) -- and now that it is over, can we say that it signified nothing?

The history of the world is full of episodes of horror, particularly the human propensity to engage in murderous wars, a legacy of our ancient ancestors' penchant for territorial genocide.

History is a book that remains open, and in December of 2000, we in the United States found that the chapter written by the voters -- the election of Al Gore by 542,000 popular votes and his election in Florida were all the votes counted -- was torn out of the book. It was rewritten by a vote of 5-4 by a U.S. Supreme Court who had no legitmate role in the election, and who said that their felonious ruling only applied to that particular case of Bush V. Gore. It was the mugging of democracy.

BuzzFlash was publishing on the Internet at the time (we started in May of 2000) and there was nary a site like ours. With the Antonin Scalia orchestrated theft of an election, the BuzzFlash community jelled in an outpouring of grief and loss for our democracy. A dimwitted heir of Eastern Establishment (turned Texan) political brand name and his Regent were placed into power in order to preserve plutocratic rule, assert a military dominance of the world, and assume unprecedented powers to suppress the citizenry.

In the end, they strutted upon the stage and brought the theater down upon them as they arrogantly stumbled about, wrecking everything in their path. They failed to stop a terrorist attack on the U.S., and then used their own form of terrorism to drive fear into the hearts of Americans.

Bush's public pronouncements were indeed tales told by an idiot. Cheney was evil incarnate "operating in the shadows." He left the stage a hateful, unhumbled man in a wheelchair, rolled onward into the infamous pages of history.

Meanwhile, Al Gore was briefly seen as an honored former Vice President at the 2009 Inaugural, the man who was elected to the White House who should have been rightfully occupying it the last eight years.

Now there is a new resident who tells us inspirational tales, filled with eloquence, challenge, and a call to work toward a common good. Barack Obama was elected on the basis of meritocracy -- the vision of the American ideal of democracy in action -- rather than installed due to entitlement and the bank robbing audacity of the Nino Scalias of the world and their Neo-Con, oligarchical colleagues.

Contrary to Shakespeare's words in Macbeth, with Obama we know that we are not upon a stage, but we that we are living as responsible citizens accountable for our common and individual needs and aspirations. We have moved from a nightmarish play to the open, liberating air of reality.

There is no perfection in life, and Obama will not be a perfect president.

But in this game of tales, his is the one that we are invited to help write without fear of once again being robbed. His is the tale that allows us to exhale and restore our rightful place among the nations of the world -- with dignity, with pride, and with honor.

His is the tale of the promise and the gift of our Constitution and our nation of laws, our nation of equality, our nation of economic justice.

His is the nation in which the dreams of those who founded America continue to be actualized.

He is himself that promise, as our we.

The BuzzFlash Editor's Blog

GOP election stealing seeds sowed in 1824

Submitted by GoAl on Fri, 01/23/2009 - 9:00am.

The seeds of republican election stealing were sowed by John Quincy Adams with his theft, with Daddy's help of Andrew Jackson's first victory in 1824. It seems that the Adams couldn't stand the thought of a common man like Andrew Jackson being in the White House instead of someone with proper aristocratic breeding like John Quincy. Quincy thought hs last name entitled him in 1824 and Bush thought his last name entitled him in 2000. Numerous books have been written about Andrew Jackson and they provide documentation of the first stolen Presidential election in 1824. The best place for Bush is jail with the key thrown away. Let him spend his remaining years having to think about the governmental system he hated so strongly that he overthrew it with his broad daylight coup d'etat in Florida in 2000.

I am very very very happy,

Submitted by Atmost11 on Wed, 01/21/2009 - 4:28pm.

I am very very very happy, and I am taking a very long nap as soon as I cant party no more.

Joy Subliminated

Submitted by University Academic on Wed, 01/21/2009 - 2:25pm.

No one among the media identified or recognized the hidden source of the joy of millions at home and overseas. I can understand because the joy was coming from a deep collective subconscious of those who suffered through two elections that placed a man in the White House through nationwide, systematic and blatant fraud the likes of which the nation had never witnessed. I believe people all over the world were rejoicing because the 2009 Inaugural was the first legitimate one since Clinton's reelection for a second term.

To Buzzflash editor Mark Karlin

Submitted by Gregory Lynn Kruse on Wed, 01/21/2009 - 1:55pm.

Thank you Mark Karlin for the beautiful editorial, and for the experience of being on this end of Buzzflash, reading, sharing, and sometimes writing a comment. It has been a long, hard-fought battle, and we have managed to avert fascism once again, but only by a hair's breadth. Had not the Republicans made so many stupid mistakes, they would probably have held onto power. This makes me think that God might exist, who hears the prayers of the righteous, and confounds their tormentors who would enslave them forever. Morrison, IL

Buzzflash Editor's Blog

Submitted by jabaderic on Wed, 01/21/2009 - 12:21pm.

Well said, Mark. Thank you.

Buh,bye, george

Submitted by Chrisdutch on Wed, 01/21/2009 - 11:05am.

We can only hope that the President (and after winning 53% of the vote and by a margin of over 9,500,000 votes we Americans can proudly point to a legitimately elected President) will truly exercise good judgement and foresight in his governance. My only regret is that Bushco will get away with the usurpation of the processes of this republic that they have pursued over the last eight years.

Prosecute Bush for 2000 election theft

Submitted by GoAl on Wed, 01/21/2009 - 9:29am.

Anyone who thinks that Barack Obama now in the White House makes up for Bush's illegal theft of the 2000 election is sorely mistaken. Only the prosecution of Bush with a long jail sentence will begin to do so. Previous generations are rolling in their graves and future generations will look back in digust at our generation for being the first generation to fail to defend our country from the attack from within that many oaths of office refer to. Bush's broad daylight, illegal disenfranchisement of many thousands of mostly low income, black, women voters in Florida must not be allowed to stand. Many more elections will continue to be stolen if Bush isn't held accountable for stealing the 2000 election. It's Bush's theft of the 2000 election that made possible the long list of crimes he's committed since.

GoAl, The 2000 elections are

Submitted by columbuscharlie on Sat, 01/24/2009 - 3:49pm.

GoAl, The 2000 elections are merely the STARTING point of all the crimes committed by the Bush cabal and minions, if or when the full scale of which is revealed, I dare say, America will be screaming for public executions. Merely locking these traitors in prison cells leaves the impression of rehabilitation. These crimes were agenda driven for Greed, Profit, and Power, flaunted by pure evil. America, for that matter, the World, must demand accountability, or as we witnessed from history, the next traitorous cabal will finally destroy ALL HOPE and VISION for life, liberty and pursuit of happiness for all of mankind.

Bush election theft the most catastrphic

Submitted by GoAl on Thu, 01/22/2009 - 9:23am.

The comment that Samuel Tilden in 1876 was the first stolen Presidential election is inaccurate. The first stolen Presidential election was Andrew Jackson in 1824. Jackson's election was stolen by another idiot son of a 1 term President, John Quincy Adams. Like Al Gore, Andrew Jackson had also gotten the most votes but not enough votes needed for victory in the electoral college. There was such outrage that the Democratic National Committee was formed in the aftermath of this stolen election and Andrew Jackson ran again in 1828 with the full support of the DNC, calling John Quincy Adams the thief that he was. Andrew Jackson won overwhelmingly in 1828. In 2000, the leadership of the DNC and Senate Democrats couldn't abandon Al Gore and his fight to have the uncounted Florida votes counted fast enough and hide like pathetic cowards in their cushy, ivory Washington towers. They then spent the next 8 years allowing Bush to wreek his misery on our country and the world. In 2004, they refused to support Al Gore running again and holding Bush accountable for his crimes. In the words of Paul Begala, "the democrats were so cowed, you could hear them moo."To this day, John Quincy Adams Presidency is considered a total failure. The 1876 election was stolen by the republicans in Florida by tampering with legal ballots to make them invalid. Rutheford Hayes was dubbed "Ruthefraud Hayes" and wisely didn't run again in 1880, stating publically that he hadn't been the choice of the people. The stolen election with the most catastrophic consequences for our country and the world is Bush's theft of the 2000 election. If Bush isn't held accountable for his broad daylight coup d'etat in Florida in 2000, there will be more stolen elections whose consequences will be even more catastrophic for our country. As I said previously, future generations will look back on our generation with disgust for not defending our country from the illegal Bush attack. I'm sure Andrew Jackson and the original founders of the DNC are rolling in their graves as well.

GoAl, Samuel Tilden was the first to have election stolen, 1876

Submitted by Norm on Wed, 01/21/2009 - 10:18am.

The Republicans are old hands at stolen elections. Read Gore Vidal's book, 1876, which details the stolen election of then NY Democratic Governor Samuel Tilden by Republican Rutherford B Hayes and his Florida cronies. Yes, Tilden also won the popular vote as well. The Republicans did it through their first "Southern Strategy" by exchanging stealing the White House in exchange for removing Federal Troops from the Confederate States and re-introducing segregation in the South. Are Republicans a wonderful group of people? Bush was far more clumsy in stealing the elections in 2000 and 2004. Then again, a public hanging is far more in order than a long jail sentence for Dumbyass.

Era of New Responsibility

Submitted by Joseph Richey on Wed, 01/21/2009 - 9:01am.

I do solemnly swear to work with all due diligence in my chosen field of political action and be an effective agent for change, regardless of reward or recognition. This focus will require that I refrain from joining the national sycophancy for the exciting lives of Obama family members. Indeed the time has come.

Lead Not With Words, Obama...

Submitted by neoconned on Wed, 01/21/2009 - 5:55am.

...but with actions.

The world is calling upon you to rise to your new responsibilities, not the least of which are dealing with the illegal actions of your predecessors and repairing the damage done to the world economy. You will know quickly when you stray from the desired path, and how you deal with that deviance will determine whether or not you will continue to enjoy the hopes and good will of the world community. You will have no one and no thing to hide behind. It's all up to you to produce, and excuses aren't going to fly.

Glad to see Bush gone

Submitted by tinker_toy on Wed, 01/21/2009 - 4:49am.

but Obama has offered NOTHING in the way of concrete programs to confront the economic crisis or bring an end to war. Instead, he wants the American people to accept even greater sacrifices.

Obama also made clear that he has no intention of holding Bush, Cheney or other senior officials accountable for war crimes and crimes against the Constitution.

And there was arrogance in the speech, with his "We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense" meaning that the phony War on Terror for corporate profit will continue.

Obama's only goal is not to offend the forces of social reaction which helped install him and which now surround him. The fools who think Obama will "change" anything are just that, fools.

I did not, for one minute,

Submitted by CherMoe on Thu, 01/22/2009 - 1:35pm.

I did not, for one minute, see arrogance in Obama's speech. I saw a serious, well-thought out MESSAGE that he delivered to us and all nations. He does NOT apologize for our freedoms and the progressive way of life we have because of those freedoms. "We will not waver in its defense" is a message that, contrary to the picture Republicans have painted of the Democrats, we will NOT back down when threatened or confronted and that we will not be wusses. The "war on terror" WAS started for profit ... by Bush and Cheney. Having said that, Bush got us into a real mess without an exit plan. OF COURSE, it must continue in part, until there can be a safe and expedient way to withdraw, and he is already taking steps to do so. And yes, those people who have profited hugely from the war (Cheney, Bush, Halliburton, Blackwater, etc.) will still continue to profit as those things were already set in place. Obama will need to determine HOW and WHEN to get the crooks out of there. One thing not helping is that Bush installed a fairly corrupt government in Iraq (patterned after his own?). As far as I know, he was elected to be President for ALL Americans, not like Bush who was President to the rich and elite, his campaign contributors and his religious followers. Obama made his inaugural speech and you had him pre-judged before his FIRST DAY on the job, as a failure. You people gave Bush 8 YEARS OF FAILURE, created by himself, and you still refuse to admit his failures and the terrible condition of this country CAUSED by him. Yet you have the AUDACITY to judge the man WHO HAS INHERITED THIS MESS and call him a liar and a failure. Obama has NOT said that Bush won't be prosecuted for his crimes. What he has said is that HIS EXECUTIVE BRANCH is not going to spend his whole administration "looking back". He has said that his people will look at the situation to see what was actually "bad policy decisions" or actual CRIMES. Why do you think he is bringing Eric Holder on board? He has other branches of government that will do this duty of investigating the Bush crimes, i.e. Congress and the Department of Justice. President Obama is far from stupid. He does not want to be blamed (as he would be, by the Republicans) for spending his precious work time on a "witch hunt". Matters WILL be handled, thanks to public pressure here in the U.S. and from other countries, because he knows if WE don't take action, the international courts WILL. Loosen up and indulge yourself in some of the massive amounts of HOPE that is in the hearts of Americans. The economy is bad, but this administration WILL BE A VAST IMPROVEMENT.

addendum to "Glad to see Bush gone"

Submitted by Norm on Wed, 01/21/2009 - 8:08am.

Let's for argument sake say, "Obama needs massive cooperation with both the corrupt Republicans, former Bush Administration staff and the Democrats to hit the ground running." Obama's actions must belie his words given in his Inaugural speech, however, because "a House divided will not stand" and not prosecuting Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, et al will maintain "a house divided." The "change" Obama speaks of "reigning in Big Oil" and replacing it with "Big Solar and Big Windpower" requires brute force, not simply massive cooperation. John D Rockefeller coerced, murdered and bribed his way into creating the Standard Oil Trust of NJ. Exxon-Mobil, Chevron-Texaco, et al "the heir-apparents" to the original trust have no intention of changing their ways. America is the way it is because of "Big Oil's" influence on governing us. Bush was "Big Oil's" president. If Obama is serious about "change" his first act is to nationalize the American oil industry and the American banking industry. The oil industry has and is leading America in the wrong direction. The banking industry is totally corrupt as proven by their complete failure to avoid the easily preventable mortgage crisis. The two industries are intertwined and cannot be separately dealt with. The banking industry was used to manage the flow of all the petrodollars flowing to the Middle East. Wall Street's solution was to create a real estate bubble with those petrodollars. Obviously, that didn't work. For that reason Obama must nationalize both industries if he is serious about "change." Otherwise, we are all fools to believe anything this man has to say (Note: Our House Divided is "Big Oil" vs "The American People")

PIC: Jefferson on Bush v. Obama

Submitted by yurbud on Wed, 01/21/2009 - 2:46am.

Thomas Jefferson on difference between Bush & Obama

Bush and Crime Family

Submitted by blackjack on Wed, 01/21/2009 - 2:05am.

Bush and his Crime Family walk away Free and Clear after all that they have done to this COUNTRY AND ITS PEOPLE. Rove (TURD BLOSSOM) is working for the CORPORATE CONTROLED MEDIA, and LIE-berman is back in the SENATE in his old JOB. No guts PELOSE, Reid and other that backed Bush and Chanie are still in there old JOBS. I say it is time to CLEAN HOUSE.

I can't begin to describe the relief I feel right now.

Submitted by ElleninBigD on Wed, 01/21/2009 - 12:13am.

As of today, I no longer fear my government as I have for the last eight miserable years. By "fear," I mean literally the fear of being picked up off the street for doing (or not) something they don't have to tell me (or not) I have done (or not). Throughout the day, for no reason at all (in my sensate mind), I have sobbed, gut wrenching sobs, that came out of nowhere. Bush & Co have terrorized this nation as no foreign enemy could have ever done. Watching Obama today, I felt that sanity has returned. And I have to also say that I'm so extremely proud (for the first time in eight years) of my country for electing a person of color with a funny "un-American" sounding name, who is smart, curious, competent and all those other un-Bush words.

President Obama!

Submitted by kurtz101 on Wed, 01/21/2009 - 12:01am.

First: Mark, Thank you very much for all your hard work and for keeping this beacon on during the Dark Days. Let's enjoy the celebration, then get to work. The forces of fascism and evil will not just walk away. The rest of us have to be vigilant and involved. I never again want to see 8 years in American history like we just experienced. Where's Howard Dean?? Not just Obama, but the country owes him a lot! What a great day!! -Joe Weber, Costa Mesa, CA

It was a multilevel theft

Submitted by Michael Collins on Thu, 01/22/2009 - 1:46am.

This is an extremely important reminder of a period in our history when the respect for law and the will of the people were stolen by a gang of thugs. There is no doubt that the press laid the foundation for the theft of the presidency by constantly denigrating Gore during the campaign. In fact the theft was launched by another Bush in the bowels of Fox News. But the press was merely the propaganda ministry for the perpetrators, the Bush gang lead by Consigliere James Baker. There was no rule that would not be broken to take this prize. The media was right there with Baker, every step of the way. Who can forget future torturer Colin Powell lending "legitimacy" to Bush at the "ranch." And there were those few Democrats who preemptively raised the white flag. It was a time of disgrace that anticipated the horrors of the last eight years. Gore's contributions on climate change dwarf the combined efforts, negative included, of Bush-Cheney. There is an arc of justice in the universe, however, and his name is Vincent Bugliosi. May his life's mission be fulfilled to put a final stake in this heart of darkness known as the Bush administration.

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