Rum-Tum-Tugger is the Coolest Cat

I cant believe the news today
I cant close my eyes and make it go away
How long...
How long must we sing this song?
How long?
How long...

U 2
Sunday, Bloody Sunday
1983

11/10/06

In a previous post - (Election Eve Special) - I urged the American public to vote for the Democratic candidate, no matter who they were, to finally put an end to this man made disaster that has been going on in our country. Well, evidently, my endorsement put the Democrats over the top because the results of the election can only be described as a clean sweep. The Democratic Party has gained control of the House and the Senate so, if anything, they will be at least relevant again. Of course, I can’t take all the credit for this glorious victory. As it turns out, the fringe concepts of honoring human rights and providing help for the middle and lower classes weren’t as off the wall as the 24 hour-a-day/seven-day-a-week plethora of talking heads would have us believe.

But make no mistake about it, the election swung primarily on one issue: Dissatisfaction with the War. Either being against it out right or just disgusted with the Administration’s prosecution of it, men and women, from Kentucky to Montana, came out in droves and said unequivocally Enough and cast their votes against the Republican Party.

In the aftermath of this landslide…and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld’s resignation which was probably caused by said landslide…cable news networks were all a buzz. Since I was hungry for some commentary about the who, why and how of this rebirth of freedom, I decided to enter the minefield of the Chris Matthews and Joe Scarboroughs of the world. The Zahns, the Coopers and the Blitzers, all rounding up the usual gang of idiots to throw their two cents in, verbally doing a victory dance or funeral dirge depending on which party they are shilling for. And, believe me, there were so many to choose from. Channel after channel were filled with overwhelming graphics, ridiculous color coded pie charts and close-up facial expressions of angry little men. The cumulative effect of this barrage was me hitting the remote, switching over to the USA network to watch Law and Order: Criminal Intent.

Alas, I had already seen that particular episode.

So after about twenty minutes I turned to PBS and the “Jim Lehrer New Hour.” It had been awhile since I watched this show, but I always felt that over the years they kept their dignity while all around them succumbed to the “we are a bunch of clowns in a funny car” approach to political news developed by The McLaughlin Group over twenty years ago. I was just in time to see Dov Zakheim, the former Under Secretary of Defense, discussing the legacy of his former boss, Don Rumsfeld. I only caught the tail end of the interview. It was a pretty straightforward exchange:

INTERVIEWER: Is it his (Rumsfeld) responsibility that some of these big things didn't happen, like recognizing that insurgency was starting to gather strength in Iraq?

ZAKHEIM: A lot of people didn't recognize it was gathering strength. The reason was that, if you recall in the first year after the war, you didn't have anything like this level of insurgency. So it caught a lot of people by surprise.

And there in lies the rub.

A lot of people DID know!!! Before the war started, MANY speculated on what would be needed to “win the peace.” During the “liberation” MANY people pointed out the possible consequences of the disastrous decisions being made in the Pentagon. And at the start of the occupation MANY people understood the possible ramifications of our policies which have all come true. But the “they” who...accurately as it turns out...anticipated events were either fired, discredited or treated as cowards and traitors. At every step of the way, they were viewed as people “with an agenda who want to see us lose the war.” The Pentagon and the Whitehouse surrounded themselves with Yes Men creating a cocoon of optimism ignoring all information and opinions to the contrary.

So, when Zakheim comes on PBS, the day after the electorate overwhelmingly reject his Party’s plan and vision, and his Guru resigns to the sound of cheering in the streets and defends these fuck-ups with a “well a lot of people were fooled” excuse, I think he HONESTLY believes it because the secretive, paranoid culture THEY created discouraged any dissent.

This is what Rumsfeld had to say to the gathered reporters the other day. THIS is how he sees his tumultuous tenure:

“The great respect that I have for your leadership, Mr. President, in this little understood, unfamiliar war, the first war of the 21st century -- it is not well-known, it was not well-understood, it is complex for people to comprehend. And I know, with certainty, that over time the contributions you've made will be recorded by history.”

Too complex and incomprehensible, heh?

Maybe he is right. The situation in Iraq is certainly complex. I mean, when the power structure of a society, full of distrusting tribal sensibilities being held together by a totalitarian strong man…NO MATTER HOW BAD YOU THINK HE IS…is ripped out by a foreign power, it would be extremely wise and prudent to have a specific, well thought out plan to prevent a complete breakdown of the social order. When that easily predictable situation started to occur, this is what Rummy had to say:

“Freedom's untidy and free people are free to make mistakes and commit crimes and do bad things. They're also free to live their lives and do wonderful things. And that's what's going to happen here…stuff happens.”

That must have gone over well with working class Iraqis who were living a somewhat normal pre-invasion existence.

I guess, in retrospect, Rummy’s farewell remarks are really on the money because how a man who makes such ridiculous, asinine, harmful statements can keep his job for as long as he did is incomprehensible. Until the Republican Party sheds itself of these self-deluded, closed minded, dangerous ideologues, the ones who have been the party’s high command for the last ten years, THEY are the ones who should be considered irrelevant.

In other words, instead of consulting with Jesus in the Rose Garden about life and death decisions affecting millions of people, or relying on objective rational analysis from officers like Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin, a career military man who made the following statements…

“…we're a Christian nation, because our foundation and our roots are Judeo-Christian ... and the enemy is a guy named Satan.”

“I knew my God was bigger than his. I knew that my God was a real God and his was an idol.”

“We in the army of God, in the house of God, kingdom of God have been raised for such a time as this.”

“He's (Bush) in the White House because God put him there.”

…maybe these guys should have considered the opinions of General Shinseki, a man who was eventually ran out of town for committing the sin of saying that the Emperor had no clothes.

Not too long after my post debuted on Monday…and subsequently changed the world…an Anonymous poster implied that my call for partisan voting (“Democrat, straight down the line”) was unreasonable. When I tried to explain that it was the reality of our two-party system that had led me to such a drastic conclusion I was, as usual, accused of playing the “Blame Game.”

Obviously, as the Republican Party has proven over the last six years, government needs to start working on a bi-partisan basis. Completely shutting the other party out of the legislative process, as the Republican Party has proven over the last six years, leads to some disastrous choices, dividing a nation on both domestic and foreign affairs, almost to the point of irreconciliation. I, for one, hope there is not too much vengeance. Yes, I want to see investigations immediately…IMMEDIATELY…into the rampant war profiteering that has been going on unchecked; the outrageous infringement of our civil rights; and “punish” the most egregious criminals. Basically I want the return of Constitutional Law. But I do not really need to see the “payback” that I am sure some will (justifiably) be chomping at the bit to get. Although it will feel good, humiliating the opposition wouldn’t really fix the problem or fill the hole we find ourselves in. We ALL have to be adults and straighten this shit out. Every interview I have seen with any of the Democrats these past few days, from McCaskal to Pelosi (Yes…Pelosi) seems to indicate that they are going to take the high road… even at the risk of offending some of their more rabid constituency which, more often then not, I find myself in. But outweighing the sheer pleasure I would have in seeing a whole bunch of these guys pilloried in the town square is the very real sense that we are in some serious trouble and the only way to get out of it is to work together.

So, with my optimistic feeling of “seeing a light at the end of the tunnel,” I opened up the New York Post this morning.

It was a huge mistake.

Dear Anonymous:

How are Democrats suppose to cooperate with Republicans when they are being portrayed as weak, cowardly and in league with terrorists? Yes, I know this is just some political cartoon in a completely useless feces covered sheet of toilet paper, but hasn’t this idea been the central theme of every Republican campaign since 9-11? Haven’t these draft dodging jerks attempted to scare the public into thinking their opposition…incredibly combat veterans in some cases…are weak and cowardly and are being cheered on by Osama bin-Laden?

This is completely disgusting.

I think these guys…the Ralph Reeds, Dick Cheneys, Pat Robertsons, etc, the influential Republicans who have pretty much controlled the direction of the party since Pat Buchanan made that deplorable keynote speech at the RNC in 1992 are either

Fully aware they are laying down a repulsive con that is destroying this country just to make themselves rich or,


If they truly believe this horse shit that they directly, or through surrogates, saturate the public with, despise the United States of America and everything this great country stands for.

I am still excited about the changes in Washington and there will be, for the next two years anyway, accountability and adulthood brought back to representative government for the first time since Bill Clinton (YES…Bill Clinton). But, please Anonymous, when you have one party, in 2002, only a few months after the worst assault upon this country - an attack that unified this entire nation and possibly a majority of the globe - accuse the opposition party of not being patriotic because they didn’t support a tax bill that would make the richest even more richer or some such nonsense like that…do not tell me that it is unreasonable to become partisan.

I plead self defense.

Sincerely,
Larry

The Kids Win...You Lose !!!

"I thank God that I have lived to see this day. It seems to me that I have been dreaming a horrid dream for five years. But now the nightmare is gone."

Abraham Lincoln
April, 1865

11/8/2006


At the time of this writing, 10 AM on the day after the 2006 mid term election, the Democrats have...at minimum...taken back the House of Representatives.

Baltimore, Maryland
Tuesday, 11/07/2006
9:00 PM (E.S.T.)

St Louis, Missouri
Tuesday, 11/7/2006
9:01 PM (C.S.T.)

Portland, Oregon
Tuesday, 11/7/2006
9:02 PM (P.S.T.)

In the spirit of bi-partisanship, I would like to take this time to congratulate the Republican Party and the current Administration on a successful strategy coming to full flurition last night.

They finally achieved that “WW II feeling” they have been trying to foster all this time.

Larry

Election Eve Special...

...and now it's on to Chicago and let's win the election."

Robert Kennedy
Last public words
June, 1968

11/6/2006


Tomorrow is mid-term Election Day and, if you have read any of my other postings on this blog, you could probably guess who I am voting for and to reiterate my position would be “preaching to the choir.”

But, and this is the beauty of the internet, over the past few years I seem to have picked up a few readers who somewhat disagree with my basic political point of view. With that in mind, to illustrate my thoughts on the current state of affairs, I will take a different path.

Instead of mentioning the complete mismanagement of intelligence and resources leading to the attack on the World Trade Center, the loss of New Orleans and the invasion of Iraq.

Instead of harping on the implementation of sanctioned torture, the suspension of habeas corpus and the establishment of a concentration camp system.

Instead of pointing to the fiscal irresponsibility and the continued rape of our treasury which is going to cause the next generation to live in economical oblivion.

Instead of making the observation about the consistent vilification of science for the idealization of magic hampering both the medical and the social evolution of the human being.

Instead of remarking on the rampant hypocrisy of Gay Bashing/Family Values clowns who make the world a worse place to live by day with firebrand sermons demonizing homosexuals but, when the lights go down, partake in all night, “Ice” fueled ass-fucking sessions with paid male-whores.

Instead of suggesting that the consolidation of the media and news gathering services, a situation that gives a wide national audience to fat jerks who spend their air time preaching intolerance and compassionless vengeance and their free time high on any narcotic they can get their hands on…from NyQuil to OxyContin.

All of which has happened under Republican leadership.

No, instead of mentioning any of that, I just want to refer to an incident that happened almost 200 years ago.

In the beginning of 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte, having been defeated by a united anti-French coalition, was in exile on the Mediterranean island of Elba. The Emperor of France and would be ruler of all of Europe whose edicts and orders which, at one time, became international law who now found himself in humbled disgrace, barking out orders to anyone who would listen. At his command, instead of the half a million man Grand Armée which he led to stunning victories all across the continent a decade earlier, was a small private guard of one thousand obeying every order with their trademark elan. Their enthusiasm must have felt like a mockery to the little corporal who still held onto his earlier delusions of grandeur.

Despite of Napoleon’s tethered state, or maybe because of it, he decided not to go quietly. He left his island prison, accompanied by his small but extremely loyal armed force and set sail for the south of France. His goal was to take back his Empire. An empire, that he could not accept, was already lost forever.

He landed on the mainland in March of 1815 and immediately began to march towards Paris which, by then, was controlled by the restored monarchy. When his small force, which was slightly bolstered by volunteers who joined along the way, reached the town of Grenoble, they were confronted by the 5th Regiment, a combat hardened veteran unit sent by King Louis XVIII to capture Napoleon and squelch any resistance.

As the story is told, when the two forces finally faced each other in the field, Napoleon ordered the newly outlawed Revolutionary Tri-Color flag to be raised. With his troops outnumbered and outgunned, he rode out into the middle of field… alone. Upon reaching the middle, he opened his coat and spoke directly to the opposing firing line:

“If any man would shoot his Emperor, he may do so now.”

And no one did.

Have any of the fearless leaders of today, the ones who speak of “honor” and “strength” shown anything near this kind of leadership? In the Republican created environment of loyalty oaths, free speech zones and state/corporate run media, can you think of one…just one…of these assholes, the ones who have been telling you to hate or to be afraid for the last six years, who would have the political will or the fearlessness of conviction to put their own ass on the line?

The Republicans have been running the show for six years. If you like what has been going on (The War, The Consumer Debt, The Overspending, The Ass Slamming) then vote for them…because you are going to get more of the same. When you vote for men who can’t take responsibility for their own failures, you will get a society that is full of failures, both material and spiritual.

I urge you to vote Democrat across the board. I honestly don’t care who the candidate is.

In the reality of a two-party system, there is no place else to turn.

The stakes are too high.
Larry

Someone Saved My Life Tonight

Int. - A university Economics lecture class. In attendance are successful, multi-millionaire, business entrepreneur, middle-aged THORNTON MELON and his SON.

PROFESSOR: We've got a lot to cover, and time is short. There are two kinds of people in business today...the quick and the dead. So, rather than waste your time this semester with a lot of useless theories...we're going to jump right in with both feet and create a fictional company from the ground up. We'll construct our physical plant...we'll set up an efficient administrative and executive structure...then we'll manufacture our product and market it. I think you'll find it very interesting and a lot of fun. So, let's start by looking at construction costs of our new factory.

THORNTON: What's the product?

PROFESSOR: That is immaterial for the purposes of our discussion here...but if it makes you happy let's say we're making tape recorders.

THORNTON: Tape recorders? Are you kidding? The Japs will kill us on the labor costs.

PROFESSOR: OK, fine. Then let's just say they're widgets.

THORNTON: What's a widget?

PROFESSOR: It's a fictional product. It doesn't matter.

THORNTON: Doesn't matter. Tell that to the bank.

SON: Take it easy. It's the first day.

PROFESSOR: On the board, you will see a cost analysis for construction of a 10,000 square-foot facility which will encompass both factory and office space and is fully serviced by all utilities...a railroad spur line and a four-bay shipping dock.

THORNTON: Hold it, hold it. Why build? You're better off leasing at a buck and a quarter, a buck and a half a square foot. Take your down payment and put it into CDs...or something else you can roll over every couple of months.

PROFESSOR: Thank you, Mr. Melon...but we'll be concentrating on finance a little later in the term. For the time being, let's just concentrate on the construction figures, shall we? You'll see the final bottom line requires the factoring in of not just the material and construction costs but also the architects' fees and the cost of land servicing.

THORNTON: Oh, you left out a bunch of stuff.

PROFESSOR: Oh, really? Like what, for instance?

THORNTON: First of all, you have to grease the local politicians for the sudden zoning problems that always come up. Then there's the kickbacks to the carpenters. And if you plan on using any cement in this building I'm sure the teamsters would like to have a little chat with you and that'll cost you. Don't forget a little something for the building inspectors. There's the long-term costs, such as waste disposal. I don't know if you're familiar with who runs that business...but I assure you it's not the boy scouts.

PROFESSOR: That will be quite enough, Mr. Melon. Maybe bribes and kickbacks and Mafia payoffs are how you do business but they are not part of the legitimate business world...and they're certainly not part of anything...I'm teaching in this class. Do I make myself clear?

THORNTON: Sorry. Just trying to help. That's all.

PROFESSOR: Now, notwithstanding Mr. Melon's input...the next question for us is where to build our factory?

THORNTON: How about Fantasy land?

from Back to School (1986)

11/02/2006


This scene is one of my all time favorites in American comedic film. I remember watching it, all those years ago, and laughing out loud. My reaction was not only for the crispness of the dialogue, reproduced here, but Rodney Dangerfield’s delivery. It was perfect. His timing and tone as Melon was brilliant. If you never saw that movie you should check it out some time. Especially if your in a bad or depressed mood. It is not the greatest but definitely worth some good laughs.

Which is why, the other night, as I sat in a sleazy Bronx motel room, sipping Georgi Vodka and Sunkist Orange Soda, staring at the worn carpet and peeling wall paper, with some awful game show hosted by Bob Sagat playing in the background, I recalled it so nostalgically. It had both relevance and weight in my particular predicament.

That is because, sometime earlier, I decided to hire someone to refinish my floors and paint my apartment...and I live in a Co-Op.

Playing the scene in my head from memory, 20 years later, it still made me laugh out loud.

Thanks Rodney...
I didn’t blow my brains out.
Larry