Weapons of Mass Destruction
It is still possible that the same troops that tracked down Saddam Hussein, may someday find another leanto, concealing another hole in the ground and find a few dozen or so starving, unshaven, Iraqi scientist and along with them those so far undiscovered Weapons of Mass Destruction. Even thought it appears highly unlikely, it could still happen.
So, the question that remains unanswered is , was there ever any real evidence of these weapons to begin with? The primary argument for going to war was "Saddam Hussein either already has or has access to WMD's and won't think twice about using them...". Yes, there were other reasons, massive human rights violations, the suspicision that Saddam was in bed with Osama Bin Laden and his merry band of international terrorist. But, this is not the argument that the current administration chose to employ.
Based on these facts one can ask the question, did they lie to us, or were they mistaken? While it may seem that the former of the two would be the worst case, in my opinion it is the ladder that is most frightening. Being lied to by ones Government is not that big of a surprise. Governments lie, politicians lie. Yes, even Presidents lie, and probably more often than you think, they are lied to. Not a big shocker there.
What truly concerns me is the possibility that they were mistaken. How could the most highly regarded intelligence organization in the world be so badly mistaken? We have the best experts, the best technology, the best military, the best of the best. How did they get this so wrong? Not just wrong but deadly wrong. So far nothing of any significance has been found. No major chemical labs. No storage of deadly weapons. Lots of mass graves but none of them contain weapons or chemicals. Yes there have been a few minor discoveries but nothing that would substantiate claims of WMD's. Not even close. And this worries me. A lot.
Is it any wonder that there was not so much as a hint in the air of a terrorist attact such as occurred on 9/11? What? You say there was? Now, I'm really worried. Because I don't feel one bit safer than I did September 10th, 2001. In fact I feel less safe. Why? Because if they did know about the possibility of a terrorist attact and did nothing to warn Americans (especially those in large cities and those who worked in high rise buildings), and they got it all wrong about WMD's in Iraq. Then what does that say about our intelligence community? Who do we trust now? Inquiring minds want to know.
posted by wanda at 4:56 PM

The New (not) Republican
"wealthy, white, (Republican), males with calculators, short sleeve shirts, and pocket protectors living in the suburbs, with soccer moms and three kids. "

This is damn near the best description of the majority of today's Republicans that I have seen. Especially the "wealthy, white male" part. Of course there are variations on this . I am sure the soccer moms are Republican too, and there may be only one kid or none at all. But it all comes back to the "wealthy and white" . Do you suppose there are ANY poor Republicans? There may be some who call themselves poor, but they are a long shot from the real poor. Not having 20k in savings does NOT qualify you as poor.
Thanks to Jaye for this little tidbit.
posted by wanda at 3:35 PM

brain drain
There are days when I just have nothing to contribute. This is one of them. So I am going to just say take a hop over to Jaye's Winding Road. She has some really great posts. I especially like the on titled "President Non-sequitur". However all her posts are excellent. She cuts right to the heart of the matter and explains it in plain simple english, that even boderline morons should be able to understand. Maybe someone should suggest Dubya read her blog.
posted by wanda at 3:26 PM

Hot Damn I Love It!!!
I found this over at Dohiyi Mir .
Wesley Clark to Karl Rove...
"So if Karl Rove is watching today, Karl, I want you to hear this loud and clear - I'm going to provide tax cuts to ease the burden for 34 million American families and lift hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty by raising the taxes on one-tenth of one percent of families in America, those who make more than a million dollars a year. You don't have to read my lips, I'm saying it. And if that makes me an "old style" Democrat, then, I accept that label with pride and dare you to come after me for it. Because what I am talking about today is in the best tradition of Wilson and Roosevelt; of JFK, LBJ, and Bill Clinton - and it is in the best interest of the United States of America!*" YOU GO WESLEY!!!
Speaking of Karl Rove, am I the only person who thinks he could well be the most dangerous man in country? This a powerful, behind the scene's politician who answers ONLY to the President. The President, who has Karl Rove to thank for his political career and depends on him for his political future and is therefore very unlikely to cross him. The President who is virtually his (Karls) puppet on a sting. Wes Clark would be wise to be careful about pissing this man off.
I for one would love to see Wesley Clark and Howard Dean on the same ticket. I believe they would be a force to be reckoned with. They can be the team to take back the White House in 04. Why can't they see that? Will they let their egos stand in the way of victory?

posted by wanda at 5:18 PM

Speaking of Republicans
Well I did briefly mention Republicans in the post below, so one could technically say I was speaking of Republicans. The follow is an exsert from an editorial in the NY Times.

Late-20th-century Republicanism was an uneasy alliance of social conservatives — who were comfortable with government intervention in citizens' lives when it came to morality issues — and libertarians who wanted as little interference as possible. That balancing act ended on 9/11.
The Republican Party's Justice Department has since gone on to endorse all sorts of invasaions of civil liberties. Additionally, the Republican Party has forsaken even the pretense of a balanced budget by cutting taxes and increasing government entitlement programs left and right. Of course, businesses continue to receive their handouts -- a measure that only swells the government's budget deficit.
The two halves of Republican policy no longer fit together. A political majority that believes in big government for people, and little or no government for corporations, has produced an unsustainable fiscal policy that combines spending on social programs with pork and tax cuts for the rich. Massive budget deficits have been the inevitable result. Something similar happened in the Reagan administration. But unlike Ronald Reagan, Mr. Bush has given no hint of a midcourse adjustment to repair revenue flow. In fact, his Congressional leaders talk of still more tax cuts next year to extend the $1.7 trillion already enacted. That would compound deficits, which could reach $5 trillion in the decade.

This editorial summerizes exactly why people like me are moving farther away from the Republican Party. The unholy alliance between the current administration , big business , and the wealthiest of our citizens has created an atmosphere of 'if your not one of us, your against us'. The attitude appears to be those who have the most earned it and deserved to keep it. If your not wealthy it's because your lazy or stupid. I can't remember a time when the rich were more arrogant about their feelings of superiority. There was a time when I considered myself to be more Republican than Independent and certainly never a Democrat. Alex Keaton was my hero! One swift kick knocked me off my pedestal and I woke up to the cold hard facts. It wasn't 9/11. It was losing my job, my car and damn near my husband. It's easy to look down on people when you have it all. It's a whole other world when you lose it and realize some people never had it and never will. Not because they are lazy or stupid, but because there are circumstance over which they have no control. The rich want to believe they control their destiny. They don't, fate does. If your family can't afford to live for 6 months to a year with little or no income, you are living on the edge of disaster. And just like and earthquake, disaster can strike when you least expect it. The Republican Party has no room for people like me. So like a jilted lover I have turned to those who are compassionate and welcoming.
posted by wanda at 4:13 PM

Bad Company
Well, I guess I have officially arrived on the blogging scene. I have had my first troll. Sam whom I so graciously quoted in the previous post, paid me a visit and decided to be one nasty bitch in my comments. Her comments while offensive where probably a true insight into her character (and quite possibibly an insight into the true feelings of many Republicans). I'm not sure what her point was other than to just be an ass, because she had to know that as soon as I saw them they'd be deleted. Or maybe she didn't realize that comments can be deleted. I also noticed when I visited her page to return the favor, that she had disabled comments on her site. I suppose she thinks she's clever. Clever? Maybe. Ignorant, for sure.

Incidently I would like to make a comment to the first statement in the post below.
I think that income taxes are a necessary part of life. I think that income taxes should be based on income amounts and anyone making less than 50k a year should not pay any federal income tax. This would all but eliminate income tax refunds and also lessen the work load on the IRS.
Okay , you may now shoot me.
posted by wanda at 3:12 PM

From Sam over at Cry Me A River comes this...
Hate Me If You Wish
*********
I believe the money I make belongs to me and my
family, not some government stooge with a bad
comb-over who wants to give it away to crack addicts
for squirting out babies.

I believe they are called the Boy Scouts for a reason,
that is why there are no girls allowed. Girls belong
in the Girl Scouts!

I think that if you feel homosexuality is wrong, it
is not a phobia, it is an opinion, whether it's a good one or not.
I don't think being a minority makes you a victim of anything
except numbers.

The only things I can think of that are truly
discriminatory are things like the United Negro
College Fund, Jet Magazine, Black Entertainment
Television, and Miss Black America. Try to have
things like the United Caucasian College Fund, Cloud
Magazine, White Entertainment Television, or Miss
White America; and see what happens. Jesse Jackson
will be knocking down your door.

I have the right "NOT" to be tolerant of others
because they are different, weird, or tick me off.

When 70% of the people who get arrested are black, in
cities where 70% off the population is black, that is
not racial profiling, it is the Law of Probability.

I know what sex is, and there are not varying degrees
of it. If I received sex from one of my subordinates
in my office, it wouldn't be a private matter or my
personal business. I would be "FIRED"
immediately!

I believe that if you are selling me a milk shake, a
pack of cigarettes, a newspaper or a hotel room, you
must do it in English! As a matter of fact, if you
want to be an American citizen, you should have to
speak English!

My father and grandfather didn't die in vain so you
can leave the countries you were born in to come over
and disrespect ours.

I think the police should have every right to shoot
your sorry self if you threaten them after they tell
you to stop. If you can't understand the word
"freeze" or "stop" in English, see the above lines.

I feel much safer letting a machine with no political
affiliation recount votes when needed. I know what
the definition of lying is.

I don't think just because you were not born in this
country, you are qualified for any special loan
programs, government sponsored bank loans or tax
breaks, etc., so you can open a hotel, coffee shop,
trinket store, or any other business.

We did not go to the aid of certain foreign countries
and risk our lives in wars to defend their freedoms,
so that decades later they could come over here and
tell us our constitution is a living document; and
open to their interpretations.

I don't hate the rich. I don't pity the poor. I
know pro wrestling is fake, but so are movies and
television. That doesn't stop you from
watching them.

I believe a self-righteous liberal or conservative
with a cause is more dangerous than a Hell's Angel
with an attitude.

I think Bill Gates has every right to keep every
penny he made and continue to make more. If it ticks
you off, go and invent the next operating system
that's better, and put your name on the building.
Ask your buddy that invented the Internet to help you.

It doesn't take a whole village to raise a child
right, but it does take a parent to stand up to the
kid; and smack their little behinds when necessary,
and say "NO!"

I think tattoos and piercing are fine if you want
them, but please don't pretend they are a political
statement. And, please, stay home until that new lip
ring heals. I don't want to look at your ugly
infected mouth as you serve me French Fries!

I am sick of "Political Correctness." I know a lot of
black people, and not a single one of them was born in
Africa; so how can they be "African-Americans"?
Besides, Africa is a continent. I don't go
around saying I am a European-American because my
great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather
was from Europe. I am proud to be from America and
nowhere else.

And if you don't like my point of view,
why the hell are you here reading this, dumbass?

No, Andy Rooney did not say this, for those of you who have received the forward as well.
************
I have to say, I agree with most every thing said here.
Here are a few things I'd like to add...
I don't think that the men and women who serve our country in the military should not have to rely on food stamps to feed their families.
I don't think politicians should be some of the highest paid people in this country.
I think that CEO's who pillage, steal and squander the profits of large corperations should be sent to jail. Everything they own should be seized, sold and the profits divided among the people they robbed.
I don't think the families of the victims of 9/11 should be compensated for their loss any more than the families of any other victims of acts of terrorism. Their loss is no greater or of no more importance than anyone who has lost a family member in the war being waged by terrorist. Enough already

This said, I suspect that if most people took the time to actually listen to each other, Democrats, Republicans and Independents would discover they have a lot more in common than they realize.

posted by wanda at 3:36 AM