George Dubya is not for real....

I had made a conscious effort that this site would be apolitical, but I can't anymore.  Current events in the world are too big for me to ignore.

Let's get this straight.  I don't like George W. Bush.  I am a lifelong Democrat, and in my own mind anyway, a patriot.  I do not like what "Dubya" stands for, I do not like him personally, and aI especially don't like his politics.  As an American citizen (even if I am living in Norway at the moment), I enjoy the right and freedom to say this publicly, thanks to the foresight of our founding fathers.  'Cuz I have a sneaking suspicion our current President has a thin skin, and would happily silence his opposition if he could.

Prior to the tragic events of September 11, 2001, President Bush's administration was ineffectual at best.  He thinks it's a good idea is to go digging for oil on land that is protected against that sort of thing, because the short term benefits do NOT equal the long term costs.  I'm talking about his request to Congress to allow oil drilling in Alaska, even though most experts say at best we'll get 2 years worth of oil, but the consequences to the environment there will be catastrophic for generations.  I'd rather he promote other energy solutions to using more oil, but then again, he is deep in political debt to the big oil companies, and they have helped make him a very wealthy man.

His solution to the economic downturn in 2001?  Let's send every taxpayer back part of his taxes.  Ok, I guess that sounded good to him... but it seemed ludicrous to me at the time.  I mean, let's be honest, if you were the recipient of one of those checks, did you think, "Oh good, now I can help the economy by buying something I want" or did you do like I did, and send the check directly to one of the nations various utility companies?  You wanna help the American people George?  You could have spent that money to bolster the nations schools.  Or you could have put that money toward the US National debt. You could have even used that money to help the homeless or any number of other projects!  You wanna learn about how to deal with a country under economic hardship?  Go look in your history book.  Take a look at how Franklin D. Roosevelt managed to get the country back on it's feet.  People need to WORK.  Then they can pay taxes, and buy things - which puts other people to work.  An economy is not stimulated by giving tax cuts to the most wealthy 5%.  The trickle down theory doesn't work.  Reagan tried it. Nixon tried it.  Bush Sr tried it.  And now Bush Jr's  gonna give it another shot?

I can't talk for every American citizen, but I don't mind paying taxes.  What I mind is having them squandered away.  What I mind is having Congress and the President find new and exciting ways to spend millions that have very little to do with real life.  I really do not care about the DNA of bears in Montana.  And frankly, the International Coffee Organization has it's own money, why are we giving them $500,000?  And I absolutely am not concerned enough with the health of catfish in Stoneville, Mississippi to warrant $500,000 to them.  And, uh,  $250,000 for anger management in PRESCHOOL?  I grant, Democrats aren't better then the Republicans when it comes to this subject.  But I grew up hearing republicans call democrats "tax and spend".  Y'know what though?  President Bush came into office with a shrinking deficit for the first time in my lifetime...but that didn't last long, did it?  And don't blame the economy.  George W. Bush, Jr. is the person responsible for delivering a budget to congress every year, as is every President.

I've also heard how, if the Republicans could only hold both Congress and the Presidency how good life would be.  Uh huh.  Well, Congress follows the Presidency like a lost puppy at the moment.  They don't even seem to question your motives.  Hell, Congress handed him a blank check in October to go to war with whomever he felt necessary.  And now that it looks like the war in Iraq is a success, he's decided to have another?  Ok, he may not have decided, but he's definitely saber-rattling against Syria.  Mr. President, are you TRYING to provoke World War III?  You aren't even pretending to make political concessions to the other governments of the world and you've single handedly turned the U.N. into a joke... ok maybe you had a little help there... but you sure as heck didn't help the matter.

Ok. That's enough for today.  But I sure as heck ain't done.

Below are some links you might find interesting.

NRDC - Natural Resources Defence Council

CAGW - Citizens Against Government Waste

DNC - Democratic National Committee

And this which I found posted on a Yahoo message board today.