I don't recall the last one of these inauguration things I actually watched, and I've never sat all the way through one, what with all the ceremonial invocations and doodads. And the media commentary is about as ludicrous as Aretha Franklin's hat. But the sheer size of the throng is certainly impressive. Here's hoping that they and/or Obama mean it. There really is a lot of potential there, between Obama and the legions who believe, and one wishes for real success, even as reality tempers one's expectations.
Decent speech, some veiled repudiations at Fredo's all-encompassing incompetence and institutionalized corruption; mad props to throwing "non-believers" at the end of the "who Americans are" list. Right behind Hindus, yay us. Thanks for that shout out, especially after "Doctor" (of what, gravy?) Warren's presumptuous circumscription of what God is responsible for, and whom He loves.
Look, asshole, if God loved everyone and everything He made, He wouldn't let kids starve while Bernie Madoff holes up in his fuckin' penthouse; He wouldn't let His rats be skinned for Lynne Cheney's coat. Etc., etc. There are at least as many reasons not to believe as there are to believe, and a substantial one is the unfathomable success of sideshow carnies like George W. Bush or Rick Warren. If God loves His children, why does He make them so gullible?
Apparently the financial wizards heard the stuff about accountability (Dow down 200 right after Obama's speech ended), and are afraid he actually means it. One can only hope. It really does all start and end with holding people accountable for what they've done.
And enough with the fawning, credulous commentary over what a gracious exiter Bush has been. Good fucking riddance; the man has been a menace, who treated the country and the world like New Orleans for eight full years. I don't expect them to kick him in the ass on the way out the door, but they don't have to kiss it either. The man leaves under a cloud, largely of his own creation. He deserves nothing but contempt; the least we can ask is that he be ignored. There are few better arguments for the eventual demise of corporate media organizations than listening to them prattle on so.
3 comments:
Er, contempt is fine -- it's the least he deserves. But the government is obliged -- by both national law and international treaties to which it is a signatory -- to investigate and, if there is enough evidence, prosecute members of the past administration for infractions such as torture. It'll be interesting to see how the new kids handle this.
The "liberal" NYT noted, a few days ago, in a piece headed 'News Analysis,' that "it seems the new administration is obliged, under international law," to prosecute such breaches. Um, it seems, motherfucker? You're a news analyst but can't be bothered to read the Geneva Conventions?
Love to see it happen, not holding my breath for it. Congressional Dems are as gutless as ever, and would be with a 90-seat majority. And Obama's team has to already be thinking about '12, and are not about to give the yahoos any free ammunition there.
Maybe Baltazar Garzon can indict Rumsfeld, Cheney et al in absentia, at least cramp their travel plans. But no one in any position of influence actually wants to step up and do anything meaningful about it. Probably some bullshit about how we have to "heal" and "move on", like Watergate.
"Healing" and "moving on" may be fine for banana republics torn by civil strife -- there, these words mean something like, "we, the temporarily losing faction, still have a lot of weapons and can still do a lot of damage to this country, at least out of spite if not for political gains. So why don't we instead lay down our weapons, and let you guys have your little Truth and Reconciliation Commission or something -- but no actual prosecutions here, or else!"
The thing is, the United States is not yet one of those Third World violent shitholes. Moreover, its European allies will soon start pressuring the new administration about all those torture claims. So then Obama will have to say something publicly.
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