Shorter Al Gore: The nation has lost its bleeping mind.
Shorter rightie reaction: Al was crazy first!
Reaction on the Left ranges from “Yeah, Al baby!” to “It’s the Democrats’ fault because they don’t try hard enough to protect us from the lunatics.”
My reaction: Yeah, we know, Al. Just tell us you plan to announce your candidacy somewhere along the book tour.
Gore’s book should be read along with some Chalmers Johnson, specifically Can We End the American Empire Before It Ends Us?. Excerpt:
“If these people [donors to various presidential candidates, left and right] actually believe a presidential election a year-and-a-half from now will significantly alter how the country is run, they have almost surely wasted their money. As Andrew Bacevich, author of The New American Militarism, puts it: “None of the Democrats vying to replace President Bush is doing so with the promise of reviving the system of check and balances…. The aim of the party out of power is not to cut the presidency down to size but to seize it, not to reduce the prerogatives of the executive branch but to regain them.”
My point is, a people disconnected from their political system explicitly want, or by default, get, some sort of daddy authoritarian to run it for them.
Gore’s book talks about how this happened, Chalmers talks about the result. Both are trying to get to the root of it.
Fuck Al Gore…
We voted the phony son-of-a-bitch into the office of President in 2000 and he stood by with his thumb up his ass while the Bushistas stole it from US…
All the shit that’s been dropped on us in the last six-and-a-half years could have been avoided if only Al Gore had the guts to fight back…
He didn’t then and he won’t now…
Al Gore is just another Beltway Pussy…
Not fit to pass out trusses in Harry Truman’s wake…
WOW!
I feel your pain Marvel, But I don’t think Gore had any idea about how ruthless the Bushies would be.Dubya is like a cross between J.R.Ewing and Charlie Manson, and backed by a bunch that will do anything to win.I think Gore tried, but was trying to follow the laws, BIG mistake when dealing with thugs and brawlers
Kerry/Edwards on the other hand were fully aware, and they rolled over faster than a two dollar whore.
I wish I had the answer, but I’m afraid we’re stuck until Bush makes such a mess that he self destructs or someone has had enough and forces him out.My Rep. is Dave Weldon, R Melborne, he doesn’t answer my letters or emails unless Moveon uses my name in their letter, then I get some canned crap about terrorists and supporting the troops.
I have to agree wholeheartedly with Gore on one point…I gave up TV about 2 years ago and devoted my time to reading.With reading came thinking, and although my progress in thinking might not be apparent by my expression in the written word, it’s been remarkable to my own observations. My brain activity was by the constant watching of TV neared that of a flatliner — a tad more brain activity than Teri Chiavo’s.
A person can’t even begin to navigate their way to understanding the political arena by watching TV. It will only make them a victim of manipulation and ignorance.
Marvel:
You might want to read Commander in Chief by Geoffrey Perret before you start hyperventilating on Truman again.
I don’t know how much more there was to fight about when the Supreme Court handed the election to Bush using an equal protections argument. Equal protection for Bush/Cheney, unequal victimization for the rest of us