🚀 go-pugleaf

On 2007-06-09 16:20:02 -0400, Mike Smith <mws@wt.net> said:

> On Sat, 09 Jun 2007 14:34:57 GMT, Sanders Kaufman <bucky@kaufman.net>
> wrote:
> 
>> Mike Smith wrote:
>> 
>>> We are WAY past due for another Contract with America!
>> 
>> If y'all had not defaulted on the last one, you would likely have 
>> gotten another.
>> 
>> You got what you wanted, and in return you gave us Bush, Cheney, Rice 
>> and Rumsfeld.
> 
> Newt & the Republicans did what they said they would do.

Thats right...everything they said in the backroom deals which widened 
the gap between the rich and poor. They did a hatchet job on the middle 
class like America had never seen before.


--------------

Step Away From The Constitution, Mr. Gingrich, And Put Your Hands Where 
We Can See Them

 You, me and every human being who calls him- or herself an American 
ought to be willing to sacrifice ourselves before acquiescing to the 
tyranny of those who advocate such unconstitutional laws as the USA 
Patriot Act, the Military Commissions Act and other yet-to-be-proposed 
ideas put forth by reactionary Republican cowards.

And "reactionary Republican cowards" includes Newt Gingrich who said, 
according to the Union Leader, we need to "reexamine freedom of speech" 
in order to "get ahead of the curve before we actually lose a city, 
which I think could happen in the next decade." The irony is that he 
said this at an event honoring the First Amendment. The scary side of 
this statement isn't the idea of losing a city but rather the notion 
that Mr. Gingrich wants to be our next president.

For several years, we've debated the various sides to the terrorist 
situation as it relates to our Constitution. This is not a new 
discussion. But the Republican cowardice has always remained 
half-hidden beneath its agitprop and slogans painting progressives and 
Democrats as weak on terrorism. If preserving our Constitution is 
defined as weak while destroying it is defined as patriotic, the most 
despicable fraud in the history of this nation has been successfully 
thrust upon all Americans of every political stripe.

Safety at all costs has become a nonchalantly repeated mantra in all 
circles and the childishly illogical slogan "You can't have a 
Constitution if you're dead" is actually taken seriously. Now, more 
than five years after the terrorist attacks in New York and Virginia, 
we can safely take a look at men like Newt Gingrich and see them for 
who they really are: fearful would-be tyrants caught in the act of 
subverting American democracy; their apologists and followers enabling 
them to tear off long strips of the Constitution -- haphazardly 
fashioning the pieces into some kind of pathetic safety cocoon.

Think about that for a minute. It's not just Republican politicians, 
pundits and voters. Millions of Americans have become so hysterically 
blinded by the toe monsters lurking under their beds that their 
liberties have been willingly offered up as a legitimate sacrifice for 
the sake of -- what? -- making sure we're still sucking down rancid air 
and high fructose corn syrup while shopping at Wal-Mart? Losing a city, 
along with every Wal-Mart therein, should be an acceptable consequence 
of our founding principles.

In financial circles, it's called "the price of doing business." The 
price of liberty is that it inherently leaves us somewhat vulnerable to 
attack. The Framers knew this and so, for example, the Second Amendment 
was written to address one of several forms of national defense. But 
for men like Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, the restriction of 
liberty was never even remotely considered to be a viable option for 
shoring up American national security and defense. The sad fact that it 
has been, via the various Sedition Acts or the Patriot Act or the 
Military Commissions Act, is only made more ridiculous by the fact that 
the restriction of liberty is so widely embraced by Americans who wear 
flags on their lapels and who laughably call themselves patriots. Mr. 
Gingrich, to name one.

Men like Mr. Gingrich aren't simply afraid of terrorists, they're 
afraid of you. An historical goal of conservatism has always been to 
restrict individual liberty out of fear of the "mob." You and I. If 
we're muzzled -- if liberty is squelched -- then right-wing leaders are 
allowed to further consolidate their corporate and political power. 
However, if free speech is allowed to flourish, then you and I can hold 
accountable men like Mr. Gingrich. They freakin' hate being held 
accountable by that meddling Bill of Rights. So we're told by our 
leaders and their parrots in the traditional media that it's okay; that 
it's only natural to give up little bits of our liberty. And it's not 
just okay and acceptable -- it's goddamn patriotic! Give me liberty or 
give me... wait... give me liberty... unless I'm too scared, which 
case, I'll just donate my liberty to Newt Gingrich and President Bush. 
They seem nice.

Sure, America (and liberty with it) was never meant to roll over and 
allow itself to be invaded and destroyed by foreign nations. Liberty 
doesn't mean weakness in the face of legitimate threats. We've always 
been expected to defend ourselves using every lawful and constitutional 
means at our disposal. But let's face it, the terrorists, whatever 
delusions of grandeur they might be suffering from, do not have the 
means to take over America and overturn our Constitution. Nazi Germany 
might have. Great Britain, in the War of 1812, almost succeeded when 
its army marched into Washington and burned the White House to the 
ground. The jihadists by themselves, meanwhile, don't have a chance in 
hell. Sorry, jihadists.

However, those smiling white faces on television who wear their 
patriotism on their lapels are certainly up to the task. They've 
already started. And that's the sort of reaction the terrorists have 
always counted on, but, until this decade, were never indulged. It's 
become easier for the terrorists now. They can't take over, but they 
can facilitate the end of American democracy simply by laying up their 
shots with acts like 9/11, and allowing men like Newt Gingrich to 
finish the job. One little bit at a time. With the support of 
frightened citizens and thousands of tiny soundbites calling for the 
"reexamining" of free speech.

-- 
"Naturally the common people don't want war: Neither in Russia, nor in 
England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after 
all, IT IS THE LEADERS of the country who determine the policy and it 
is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a 
democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist 
dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to 
the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is TELL 
THEM THEY ARE BEING ATTACKED, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of 
patriotism and exposing the country to danger. IT WORKS THE SAME IN ANY 
COUNTRY."
�
--Goering at the Nuremberg Trials