Germans say Bush Admin has gone too far...

[4X541N7]

[url=http://groups.yahoo.com/group/freethoughtarmy/]This article was written for "Vorwarts," the official magazine of the German Social Democratic Party.

What Is Happening In America?

By Eliot Weinberger

In the Western democracies in the last fifty years, we have grown accustomed
to governments whose policies on specific issues may be good or bad, but
which essentially institute incremental changes to the status quo. The major
exceptions have been Thatcher and Reagan, but even their programs of
dismantling systems of social welfare seem, in retrospect, mild compared to
what is happening in the United States under George Bush-- or more exactly,
the ruling junta that tells Bush what to do and say.

It is unquestionably the most radical government in modern American history,
one whose ideology and actions have become so pervasive, and are so
unquestionably mirrored by the mass media here, that the population seems to
have forgotten what "normal" is.

George Bush is the first unelected President of the United States, installed
by a right-wing Supreme Court in a kind of judicial coup d'etat. He is the
first to actively subvert one of the pillars of American democracy: the
separation of church and state. There are now daily prayer meetings and
Bible study groups in every branch of the government, and religious
organizations are being given funds to
take over educational and welfare programs that have always been the domain
of the state.

Bush is the first president to invoke the specific "Jesus Christ" rather
than an ecumenical "God," and he has surrounded himself with evangelical
Christians, including his Attorney General, who attends
a church where he talks in tongues.

It is the first administration to openly declare a policy of unilateral
aggression, a "Pax Americana" where the presence of allies (whether England
or Bulgaria) is agreeable but unimportant; where international treaties no
longer apply to the United States; and where-- for the first time in
history-- this country reserves the right to non-defensive, "pre-emptive"
strikes against any nation on earth, for whatever reason it declares.

It is the first-- since the internment of Japanese-Americans in World War
II-- to enact special laws for a specific ethnic group. Non-citizen young
Muslim men are now required to register and subject themselves to
interrogation. Many hundreds have been arrested and held without trial or
access to legal assistance-- a violation of another a mug full of blue boat hull cleaner of American
democracy: habeas corpus. Many have been taken from their families and
deported on minor technical immigration violations; the whereabouts of many
others are still unknown. And, in Guantanamo Bay, where it is said that they
are now preparing execution chambers, hundreds of foreign nationals --
including a 13-year-old and a man who claims to be 100-- have been kept for
almost two years in a limbo that clearly contravenes the Geneva Convention.

Similar to the Reagan era, it is an administration openly devoted to helping
the rich and ignoring the poor, one that has turned the surplus of the
Clinton years into a massive deficit through its
combination of enormous tax cuts for the wealthy (particularly those who
earn more than a million dollars a year) and increases in defense spending.
(And, although Republicans always campaign on
"less government," it has created the largest new government bureaucracy in
history: the Department of Homeland Security.) The Financial Times of
England, hardly a hotbed of leftists, has categorized this economic policy
as "the lunatics taking over the asylum."

But more than Reagan-- whose policies tended to benefit the rich in
general-- most of Bush's legislation specifically enriches those in his
lifelong inner circle from the oil, mining, logging,
construction, and pharmaceutical industries. At the middle level of the
bureaucracy, where laws may be issued without Congressional approval,
hundreds of regulations have been changed to lower
standards of pollution or safety in the workplace, to open up wilderness
areas for exploitation, or to eliminate the testing of drugs.

Billions in government contracts have been awarded, without competition, to
corporations formerly run by administration officials. In a country where
the most significant social changes are enacted by court rulings, rather
than by legislation, the Bush administration has been filling every level of
the complex judicial system with ultra-right ideologues, especially those
who have protected corporations from lawsuits by individuals or
environmental groups, and those who are opposed to women's reproductive
rights. It remains to be seen how far they can push their antipathy to
contraception and abortion. They have already banned a rare form of
late-term abortion that is only given when the health of the mother is
endangered or the fetus is terribly deformed, and a large portion of Bush's
heralded billions to Africa to fight AIDS will be devoted to so-called
"abstinence" education.

Most of all, America doesn't feel like America any more. The climate of
militarism and fear, similar to any totalitarian state, permeates
everything. Bush is the first American president in memory to
swagger around in a military uniform, though he himself-- like all of his
most militant advisers-- evaded the Vietnam War. (Even Eisenhower, a general
and a war hero, never wore his uniform while he was
president).

In the airports of provincial cities, there are frequent announcements in
that assuring, disembodied voice of science-fiction films: "The Department
of Homeland Security advises that the Terror Alert is now . . . Code
Orange." Every few weeks there is an announcement that another terrorist
attack is imminent, and citizens are urged to take ludicrous measures, like
sealing their windows, against biological and chemical attacks, and to
report the suspicious activities of their neighbors.

The Pentagon institutes the "Total Information Awareness" program to collect
data on the ordinary activities of ordinary citizens (credit card charges,
library book withdrawals, university course enrollments) and when this
is perceived as going too far, they change the name to "Terrorist
Information Awareness" and continue to do the same things. Millions are
listed in airport security
computers as potential terrorists, including antiwar demonstrators and
pacifists. Critics are warned to "watch what they say" and lists of
"traitors" are posted on the internet.

The war in Iraq has been the most extreme manifestation of this new America,
and almost a casebook study in totalitarian techniques.

First, an Enemy is created by blatant lies that are endlessly repeated until
the population believes it: in this case, that Iraq was linked to the attack
on the World Trade Center, and that it possesses vast "weapons of mass
destruction" that threaten the world.

Then, a War of Liberation, entirely portrayed by the mass media in terms of
our Heroic Troops, with little or no imagery of casualties and devastation,
and with morale-inspiring, scripted "news" scenes--
such as the toppling of the Saddam statue and the heroic "rescue" of Private
Lynch-- worthy of Soviet cinema.

Finally, as has happened with Afghanistan, very little news of the chaos
that has followed the Great Victory. Instead, the propaganda machine moves
on to a new Enemy-- this time, Iran.

It is very difficult to speak of what is happening in America without
resorting to the hyperbolic cliches of anti-Americanism that have lost their
meaning after so many decades, but that have now
finally come true.

Perhaps one can only recite the facts, and I have mentioned only some of
them here. This is, quite simply, the most frightening American
administration in modern times, one that is appalling both
to the left and to traditional conservatives. This junta is unabashed in its
imperialist ambitions; it is enacting an Orwellian state of Perpetual War;
it is dismantling, or attempting to dismantle, some of the most fundamental
tenets of American democracy; it is acting without opposition within the
government, and is operating so quickly on so many fronts that it has
overwhelmed and exhausted any popular opposition.

Perhaps it cannot be stopped, but the first step toward slowing it down is
the recognition that this is an American government unlike any other in this
country's history, and one for whom democracy is
an obstacle.
-Eliot Weinberger[/url]

[iblis]

[Mercurygriffin]

Bravo! Nice to see my thoughts in print, even if someone else wrote it, and I think alot of people could say the same.

[judas gnb]

Wine Wine Wine the germans havent produced anything decent in years minus the Scorpions and Accept (i hope i spelled that right)i wholeheartedly voted for Bush and its this sorta left wing crap that gets my blood boiling.I am sick and tired of disrespect shown to a leader that i voted into office this isnt just about this thread is about yesterday how people were booing and throwing things at my commander in chief i look back to the days when as president you could walk to the white house (see jimmy carter)Lastly the germans have got alot of room to talk cause ya know they did vote Hitler into office and no matter how bad GWB is suppose to be he isnt Hitler

[Mercurygriffin]

Wine Wine Wine the germans havent produced anything decent in years minus the Scorpions and Accept (i hope i spelled that right)i wholeheartedly voted for Bush and its this sorta left wing crap that gets my blood boiling.I am sick and tired of disrespect shown to a leader that i voted into office this isnt just about this thread is about yesterday how people were booing and throwing things at my commander in chief i look back to the days when as president you could walk to the white house (see jimmy carter)Lastly the germans have got alot of room to talk cause ya know they did vote Hitler into office and no matter how bad GWB is suppose to be he isnt Hitler

Your right. He isn't Hitler. Hitler was a psycho. Bush is just a paranoid moron who sees this as a chance to live it up and leave a legacy, even if it costs the lives of ( what # are we up to ,counting both sides, men women, and children). You won. Your boy won. Be proud, but at the same time, look around and tell me we aren't going to start WW3 over this shit. Making a mistake is one thing. Making one that has this kind of price tag is completely different.

[shadow dancer]

I think we just made that our slogan for the week for the equipment checkout we are doing. Thanks for the laugh on that one.

[karmakaze]

Wine Wine Wine the germans havent produced anything decent in years minus the Scorpions and Accept (i hope i spelled that right)i wholeheartedly voted for Bush and its this sorta left wing crap that gets my blood boiling.I am sick and tired of disrespect shown to a leader that i voted into office this isnt just about this thread is about yesterday how people were booing and throwing things at my commander in chief i look back to the days when as president you could walk to the white house (see jimmy carter)Lastly the germans have got alot of room to talk cause ya know they did vote Hitler into office and no matter how bad GWB is suppose to be he isnt Hitler

maybe disrespect would not be shown if he was not such a douche bag. i don't know, bush is on his way to being as bad as hitler. what is one redeaming quality that the man has or has done? please, tell me, because i have not heard a decent excuse on why someone voted for him other than blind patriotism. (which by the way, is a really retarded reason)

[Bone]

Wine Wine Wine the germans havent produced anything decent in years minus the Scorpions and Accept (i hope i spelled that right)i wholeheartedly voted for Bush and its this sorta left wing crap that gets my blood boiling.I am sick and tired of disrespect shown to a leader that i voted into office this isnt just about this thread is about yesterday how people were booing and throwing things at my commander in chief i look back to the days when as president you could walk to the white house (see jimmy carter)Lastly the germans have got alot of room to talk cause ya know they did vote Hitler into office and no matter how bad GWB is suppose to be he isnt Hitler

You say the Germans elected Hitler.
Are you sure you didn't just do the same thing?

Respect is earned not deserved...
When Bush starts showing respect for the World, America, The US Constitution, The American Citizens, and not unnessiciarily endangering our military for his own agendas and bank accounts. Maybe, just Maybe, I could show him something resembling respect.... But I doubt it.
As to the germans voting hitler into power, you are only partly right. Unless you understand pre war germany and see what its politics and economics were, please DO NOT go down that road! You want to quote history to make a point, be sure you understand what your saying.
From your statement I can't believe you do.

For the record, I see to many similarities between Bush and Hitler.

Luv ya Dustin, but honestly, go do some research before you start germany bashing over Hitler. Question anything you are told. Research it if your not sure about the source. And always remember, history is written by the winners. That means the commanly believed facts are not always straight. Espc when it comes from a political movement or party. To that end you might be suprised just how much you think you know about Nazi Germany is in fact American Propeganda still left over from the wars.
I am in no way supporting Hitler here!!!!!!
I am saying that you should get a better understanding of what allowed Hitler to come to power. It wasn't that the German people believed in what Hitler was saying. rather the state of germany was so bad that the people were willing to put up with anything that might make things better. Hitler was charismatic, and he had a vision to change Germany. The madness came later. Things started to turn around for Germany, and the germans blindly followed whatever Hitler said because he made things better. The germans allowed him to do what he did, because he kept them in fear, and confusion. Much like Bush is doing now with terrorism here in America.

As the saying goes:
I Love America, But Fear My Goverment!

[Hardcoregirl]

Wine Wine Wine the germans havent produced anything decent in years minus the Scorpions and Accept (i hope i spelled that right)i wholeheartedly voted for Bush and its this sorta left wing crap that gets my blood boiling.I am sick and tired of disrespect shown to a leader that i voted into office this isnt just about this thread is about yesterday how people were booing and throwing things at my commander in chief i look back to the days when as president you could walk to the white house (see jimmy carter)Lastly the germans have got alot of room to talk cause ya know they did vote Hitler into office and no matter how bad GWB is suppose to be he isnt Hitler

judas, I don't understand your p.o.v. whatsoever....you know I love you but I don't see how you can be so....yes, blindly patriotic. I consider myself pretty patriotic and Bush makes me ashamed to be an American. I keep my Kerry Edwards sticker on my car so people know what side I"m on...

BTW, have you guys seen these cool ass stickers that I think are made here in Ktown?



You can buy them at Off The Wall or at Whatever or visit -

http://www.wthewarlord.com

[OmeGaDucK]

Check this site out...Now this is crazy shite!
http://arnoldexposed.com/

[QueenOfTheFlock]

That article sums it up very well. I didn't like having to live under his presidency the first time but now that I know I have another 4 years of this, I really am scared. Most people think "Oh, she's a Christian, she must have voted for him" but hell no. I can't stand that he tramples over anything he wants, and get away with it. I can't stand that our system of checks and balances has went out the door with his reign as president. Most of the time, I just can't stand living here. Yes, I know we're still better off than most other countries, but until this is over, I won't be very happy being here.

Dustin, you're one of my "brothers" and you know how much I love you....but you also know how much I disagree with you on this. Comparing todays world to people from back in the days of Hitler, is absolutely insane. It's a completely different world now...and regardless of what choices people *might* have made in those days, we're supposed to have gotten smarter over the years....it shames me to say that I don't think we have.

I'll go about my little life here, being scared of what might happen next, but it doesn't mean I have to smile and be happy about it just because he "won" the election. I didn't vote him in, he's not my fucking president.

[4X541N7]

Wine Wine Wine the germans havent produced anything decent in years minus the Scorpions and Accept (i hope i spelled that right)i wholeheartedly voted for Bush and its this sorta left wing crap that gets my blood boiling.I am sick and tired of disrespect shown to a leader that i voted into office this isnt just about this thread is about yesterday how people were booing and throwing things at my commander in chief i look back to the days when as president you could walk to the white house (see jimmy carter)Lastly the germans have got alot of room to talk cause ya know they did vote Hitler into office and no matter how bad GWB is suppose to be he isnt Hitler

Ok...First...Heckler & Koch, & also that Industrial stuff...I'm pretty sure they a little hand in that stuff....

It's pretty sad, Judas, that your blood starts boiling at 'this sorta left wing crap'...I mean...It IS an opinion...My opinion, you may ask...W is a monomaniacal, hatemonger under a thin guise of idiocy...I personally don't think he's that stupid...I think it's a well played act...He can't be up to all of this 'Evil'...He's too stupid...

Now, may I ask, WHY you voted for him?...Because he's Christian?...Because he's a Republican?...Because he's raised the national deficit up to a regawddamndiculious amount?...Or because, he has achieved nothing of value in the 4 years he's been in office, other than hatemongering, needlessly killing our troops, & installing the Patriot Acts?...Why?

I'll be honest, Judas...I'm not trying to personally call you out, or personally attack you...But on the same hand...I don't like you...Reasons of my own, & they have NOTHING to do with this...But, I have yet to see a single reason to think that you're not a moron...

[judas gnb]

ya know i had this big post about being called a moron and being disliked but ya know its not really worth my time bush is in the white house now and there is nothing anybody can do to change that for those that know me love me for this fellow who doesnt know me and dislikes me thats cool too but i can say this will be the last time i air my views on the fourm

[Alur006]

I respect that this is mostly a liberal board, and I have no intention of arguing political views. I recognize they're opinions and we're all welcome to them, and deserve to have them respected if not agreed to. However a lot of the stuff in that article is 100% bunk. For example, the requirement of young muslims to register and be counted, is crap. People being arrested and deprived of all normal legal procedure and kept from their families is crap. Comments about the Clinton surplus are just plain goofy. It was well known that surplass was a projection of where we'd be down the road if things stayed the way they were, something everyone knew and predicted would not happen. There is just a lot of misinformation in there. I'm not saying anyone should go loving Bush, but if you're going to dislike a guy, do it for the right reasons.

[Mercurygriffin]

Clinton almost got impeached over a blowjob yet we can't get rid of Bush over killing thousands of people because of a mistake? Can't do anything about it? Bull shit!

[judas gnb]

actually for the record clinton was impeached they just couldnt get the votes in the senate that were needed to actually kick him outta office,and btw clinton was a bigger liar but hey in the world of politics just like in the world of pro wrestling you gotta be a good worker

[vicious_blood]

Not that this is really anything to do with the topic, but everyone has a right to say what they feel, including Dustin. And I give him great big ol' props for doing it when he knew that the majority would be against it.
Besides, it's not like posting your feelings on a msg board is really gonna change the broad spectrum of things.
And it's one thing to dislike a person, but it's another thing to dislike them just because you don't agree with one of their (many) opinions.

And, that's really all I'm gonna say.

I don't really have any input into the whole political thing. I really don't pay much attention to it. I mean, I'm aware of whats going on, but I have too short of an attention span to get all into it.

[Aubri Wolf]

Lets agree on one thing here, as bad a GWB is, and all the mistakes he has mad and is making, I think he is doing a better job then his opposition John Kerry would have any day. And while I agree, there is a lot to be said for this new system of goverment. Ask yourself. Who would you prefer was in power? the opposition that stood up to bush? The commie sympathizer whos picture is on a wall in a room over seas known as the hall of hero's. A man who's own team mates in the military refered to as the worst possible choice for president, and publicly proclaimed what none of them would vote for him.

Honestly people, Bush is bad, no doubt. But Kerry would have been worse, and there is NOTHING.. we can do about it now, except revolt and over throw the goverment, peacibly, as is allowed by the constitution. Then we are back to square one in selecting someone to run the country into the ground again.

I have heard so much crap on the subject of Bush being president, Im sick of it, as far as Im concerned anyone who thinks they could do better, its only as hard as running for city mayor, or state govoner,, holding hte office for 2 years then running for president.. So if you think you can do any better, get up there and do it, if you won't, then stop bitching about the guy in charge.

Aubri Wolf, Out.

[darkvader]

Well, I certainly can't agree on that. John Kerry, while not my first choice, would have been a far better president than Shrubbie ever hoped to be. II never liked Al Gore - but we would be far better off today if Shrubbie hadn't stolen the presidency in 2000 - and he DID steal it, he was not elected.

By "this new system of government" do you mean fascism? Because it certainly looks like that's where we're heading. We've got concentration camps (see Guantanamo Bay), they're running ads on TV encouraging you to "report suspicious people" (I saw one on PBS last night), you can be arrested for the content of your protest sign (see free speech zones).

And as for Kerry being on a "wall of heros" in Vietnam, I think he should be on a wall of heros here, not for what he did in Vietnam, but for what he did for the country after he got back. His appearances before congress had a real effect in helping to end a war we should never have entered. I'm not pleased that he didn't have the same reaction to this war, but I think he was initially as taken by Shrubbie's lies about Iraq's weapons as much of the American people were.

As far as there being nothing we can do - I also disagree. We can complain, loudly and repeatedly, we can be as obstructionist as possible, and we can try our best to elect a congress in two years that will block Shrubbie at every turn.

And it's every good citizen's job to bitch about the guy in charge, particularly when he is either this evil or this stupid.

[karmakaze]

I respect that this is mostly a liberal board, and I have no intention of arguing political views. I recognize they're opinions and we're all welcome to them, and deserve to have them respected if not agreed to. However a lot of the stuff in that article is 100% bunk. For example, the requirement of young muslims to register and be counted, is crap. People being arrested and deprived of all normal legal procedure and kept from their families is crap. Comments about the Clinton surplus are just plain goofy. It was well known that surplass was a projection of where we'd be down the road if things stayed the way they were, something everyone knew and predicted would not happen. There is just a lot of misinformation in there. I'm not saying anyone should go loving Bush, but if you're going to dislike a guy, do it for the right reasons.

have you actually read the patriot act?


Patriot Act Pt. 1 :
http://www.epic.org/privacy/terrorism/hr3162.html

Patriot Act Pt. 2 :
http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/Safeand ... 2161&c=206