Shameless political use of terrorism

There’s an old saying:
Fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice, shame on me.
Fool me thrice,
A fool I’ll always be.

Polls show that defense against terrorism is the only area where the people trust the Republicans to do a better job than the Democrats. Why the thrice people would trust those who failed to protect us on Sept. 11 can be explained only by believing in a reversion to animal survival instincts. With elections rapidly approaching in November, the Republicans’ only chance to retain control of the government is to create terrorist plots and instill fear in the people.

Recently, the Republicans found a “terrorist cell” in Florida. On closer scrutiny, those “terrorists” could not have knocked over a convenience store, let alone the Sears Tower. That alarm went over like a lead balloon.

Next, they went on the Sunday morning propaganda platforms and cried “World War III World War III.” Michael Ledeen, their resident clown, varied the alarm claiming it was World War IV. How a loony like Ledeen can go to any TV station and get his rantings broadcast across the nation is a sign of the media decay this nation is suffering.

That alarm didn’t work well either. The duct tape and plastic departments in the hardware stores remained fully stocked.

These are determined people. They would do anything to keep the keys to the U.S. Treasury for two more years. They still have a lot of friends they would like to reward and slip a little to themselves in the process. Next they called on their loyal London lapdog to initiate another phase in the hope that some Americans could be fooled by a multinational threat. Of course, the media fell for it instantly, again.

The three events occurred in the three most Bush-friendly, perhaps only Bush-friendly, territories in the world: Florida, where his brother is governor; United Kingdom where his loyal London lapdog is Prime Minister and the media that has been his compliant doormat for the past 5 ½ years.

Let’s hope this last ploy works. Otherwise the Republicans might feel obliged to blow up another building or landmark or invade another nation to win the November elections.

Root for the Bush

When George W. Bush became president in 2001, the national debt was at $5.7 trillion. Now, after five and one-half years of his stewardship, it is at $8.5 trillion. Will he be the one who reaches the $10 trillion milestone?

At the current rate of $560 billion annual debt—as opposed to deficit, George will achieve $9.880 trillion by January 20, 2009. That will leave him only $120 billion short of the $10 trillion mark. A couple points rise in the interest rates or another invasion would close the gap easily. This would be a monumental achievement for a mental lightweight.

At four percent, the interest rate paid on most savings bonds, the annual interest on the current debt is $340 billion. We Americans can brag proudly that what we pay in interest on our national debt is more than the gross domestic product of all but 25 nations in the world.

So let’s root for George, the man with numerous intelligence handicaps, who has made a deep footprint on America that won’t soon be forgotten.