The Murtha/Iraq Debate
If you've seen any of the "debate" unfolding in the House this evening (it's 6:45pm ET now), it will be clear to you that Republicans will simply not allow a meaningful debate on the Iraq War. It's shameful, and there's not much I can add to what many others are writing and blogging right now.
The viscious attacks on Rep. Murtha make clear that Karl Rove is back in the saddle -- the president's Veteran's Day speech was the first salvo in a new effort to label anyone who questions this administration as unpatriotic, and that's been this White House's political strategy for quite a long time. As they have in the past, Bush and Cheney are again saying that it's "irresponsible" to criticize or challenge the policies of our government. That is, in a word, chilling. It was four years ago, and it remains so today.
Pay close attention, friends, because what's happening right now will be recalled as a defining moment for our nation. It's not just about the Iraq War. This debate is revealing how our political system, and our democracy, is rotting from the inside. And how the system -- the broken, rusty, 200-year-old structures of democracy -- does not allow the priorities of the people to be reflected in public policy. Watch tonight as the Republican leadership uses its dissent-squelching rules of the House to prevent a real debate on the war. It's sickening, but also an unmistakeable sign that we've got to make some changes. And not just by electing members of a different political party.
It's hard to watch this unfold and not think that the real danger to America is not from terrorists, or other outside forces, but from the corruption and rot and broken value system that has engulfed our government and politics.
It makes satire difficult, to say the least. To me, satire is a powerful way to reveal the "startling truth" -- the first step in any movement for change. But the startling truth is, and has been, plain to see. In this context, satire is redundant.
In any event, it's worth taking a half-hour and watching Rep. Murtha's press conference from yesterday. Watch it in RealVideo here.
The viscious attacks on Rep. Murtha make clear that Karl Rove is back in the saddle -- the president's Veteran's Day speech was the first salvo in a new effort to label anyone who questions this administration as unpatriotic, and that's been this White House's political strategy for quite a long time. As they have in the past, Bush and Cheney are again saying that it's "irresponsible" to criticize or challenge the policies of our government. That is, in a word, chilling. It was four years ago, and it remains so today.
Pay close attention, friends, because what's happening right now will be recalled as a defining moment for our nation. It's not just about the Iraq War. This debate is revealing how our political system, and our democracy, is rotting from the inside. And how the system -- the broken, rusty, 200-year-old structures of democracy -- does not allow the priorities of the people to be reflected in public policy. Watch tonight as the Republican leadership uses its dissent-squelching rules of the House to prevent a real debate on the war. It's sickening, but also an unmistakeable sign that we've got to make some changes. And not just by electing members of a different political party.
It's hard to watch this unfold and not think that the real danger to America is not from terrorists, or other outside forces, but from the corruption and rot and broken value system that has engulfed our government and politics.
It makes satire difficult, to say the least. To me, satire is a powerful way to reveal the "startling truth" -- the first step in any movement for change. But the startling truth is, and has been, plain to see. In this context, satire is redundant.
In any event, it's worth taking a half-hour and watching Rep. Murtha's press conference from yesterday. Watch it in RealVideo here.
posted by Bill at 6:48 PM
2 Comments:
The issue is settled. Murtha voted not to pull out the troops.
It is amazing how things have disintegrated in 5 years
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