"I don't get much hope from Democrats these days, a timid and skittish bunch, slow to learn, unable to sing the hymns and express the steady optimism that is at the heart of the heart of the country. I get no hope at all from Republicans, whose policies seem predicated on the Second Coming occurring in the very near future. If Jesus does not descend through the clouds to take them directly to paradise, and do it now, they are going to have to answer to the rest of us." -- Garrison Keillor, 9-6-2006
President Bush told some conversative journalists that he gets a sense of "Fourth Wave" occuring here in America,a spiritual renaissance in which good and evil finally become easily defined in the hearts of man. Won't that be the day?
My question is: where is he getting this feeling from? Has he met any Americans in the last three or more years? Does he not filter his speaking engagements down to the staunchest supporters and, as far as I can tell, refuses to as much as meet with his fiercest critics? So, who exactly has this man been talking to? How, for the love of Pete, does he know what's awakening in this country? Maybe it is spiritual, and maybe it's just righteous indignation. From what I can see, Allah is kicking George's personal Jesus over and over again.
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You know what? I'm don't want to be a Democrat. And I am psychologically unable to be a Republican. It pisses me off. It's unAmerican, to have to choose sides, to be forced to foreswear independent thought, to have to don either a red shirt or blue shirt in order to identify yourself to others, to be self-conscious about which news broadcast you watch, which paper you buy, which website you visit.
And it all comes from that post-9-11 quote, our New Foreign Policy, the "You're Either With Us or You're With the Terrorists" doctrine. President Bush, I am not a terrorist. Stop telling me that I'm a terrorist. And Nancy Pelosi (I'm sorry, Minority Leader Pelosi - I know how much that means to you), stop sending me emails telling me about all the people who think I am a terrorist. Just stop. I don't want to hear it. I don't believe any of you anymore.
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I don't much like TV news, but lately Keith Olbermann has been making some scathing speeches on MSNBC addressed to Rumsfeld and Bush. It is rhetoric to the nth degree, but there is a truth and an anger behind the words that is compelling to hear. I will say, it has been nice to hear someone on TV express an opinion that wasn't just a retelling of spin and strategy and oversimplification. I think he's a pretty courageous guy and his ratings have actually started to skyrocket since he "found his voice." I'll post one on the Robotfilter and and you can check it out if you like.
