My quickly-written comment is as follows:
You place this under the title "A Conservative with a Conscience" and that says a great deal about how you view what is happening in Washington these days.
Despite what some talk radio types might have us believe, conservatism is not so much a political agenda, as it is an **attitude toward** political agendas -- a look-before-you-leap approach. *Very* broadly speaking, it is the philosophy of the Republican Party.
As a Republican, I find myself disagreeing with most Democrats on a wide range of political issues.
But, far more fundamentally, I am an American, and am happy to work with honest people among the Democrats to uphold what I will describe as Truth, Justice and the American Way.
Does that expression sound cheesy to you?
The current administration is the most corrupt this country has ever had. The previous record was held by the Clinton Administration, with a long laundry list of criminal offenses including racketeering, bribery, obstruction of justice, perjury and treason. The Bush Administration happens to be significantly worse -- something that, during the 1990's, I did not think was possible in America.
The Republican Party has always had this "blue-blood" wing to it, an excessively pro-business, ivy-league elite, but the Republican Party has also always had other, more mainstream influences, and the expression Truth, Justice and the American Way comes to mind again. That is why our nation's first Republican President was "Honest Abe" Lincoln, and that is why, historically, the Republican Party has, since its birth, dominated the Presidency.
It is interesting to note that, in pushing for the abuse and mistreatment of "detainees", the Bush Administration is overturning standing general orders that were brought into force by President Lincoln in 1863.
I do not weep for my country, because I know that the Bush Administration will set another precedent in American history -- it will be the first American administration that will be held rather fully accountable for its criminal actions, thus demonstrating that America truly is "one Nation, under God, with Liberty and Justice for all." This, I'm sure, not only sounds cheesy, but even quite impossible -- no matter, from my vantage point, I see it happening.
As a conservative Republican who condemns the Bush Administration's treasonous, foolish, self-serving criminal actions, it often seems I stand alone, as too many "conservatives" and "Republicans" seem to go along with whatever the Dear Leader does, and too many "liberals" and "Democrats" fail to see the bad on their side or the good on the other side. However, I would rather stand alone than stand in bad company, as I stand not on politics, but on principle.
The Bush Administration demonstrates the difference between true Republicans and criminals.
The crimes of the Bush Administration, which are both grave and numerous, seem to be seen for the most part only by "The Left".
The crimes of the Clinton Administration, also quite numerous, seem to be seen only the "The Right".
I see both.
In fact, I see connections between the Clinton Administration's criminal activity, and the Bush Administration's... a great many connections.
So, here I sit -- disavowed by more vocal elements of "The Right" because of my rejection of the criminality of the current administration, and not accepted by the vocal elements of "The Left" because of my refusal to share their political views.
It is rather eerie to be in the Twilight Zone looking out and contemplating the crimes of the Shadow Realm...
Our lives, our fortunes, our sacred honor....
4 comments:
Yankee, it's really difficult for many GOP supporters to side with those who oppose their party, even if they are conservative. While I see your point, there are only two parties in America now and therefore only two choices. It's either choose one or don't vote at all. To not vote is to concede defeat in many people's minds. They believe that if they tear down the Republican party, there's really nothing left. Americans are fighters. And most Republicans are pretty decent people who were brought up to respect authority.
Once again, I see your point that someone has to point these things out but you have to realize that not too many people will be eagerly following along with you on that.
I'm not sure exactly what you are saying, Aurora. To be clear, I do not oppose the Republican Party. I am a Republican. I oppose the criminals who are hijacking my party, every bit as much as I oppose criminals of all sorts who are hijacking my country. I am willing to make common cause with honest people, including liberals and Democrats, to put the crooks in jail. Then we can go back to bickering over other things.
The Republican Party is the party of Abraham Lincoln -- "Honest Abe". America is the land of George Washington, who was supported so overwhelmingly because of his character.
I disavow this "character-doesn't-count-he's-ethical-enough-to-be-President" culture; it is wrong. I disavow this "they're-all-crooks-but-at-least-this-guy-is-our-crook" philosophy; it is wrong.
Bush & Cheney and many from their administration belong in prison; the Clintons and many from their administration belong in prison. And the list certainly doesn't end with them.
Knowing what is going on and still supporting Bush because he calls himself a Republican is like supporting Hitler because he called himself a German. And make no mistake about it -- Americans are no better than Germans; the reason people like Bush or Cheney or the Clintons are not as bad as Hitler was is because this is the United States of America.
I am not tearing down America. I am not tearing down the Grand Old Party. In fact I, a Republican, am not even tearing down the Democrats. I am tearing down the criminals. And I will not stop until they are in prison. And they can't stop me -- and don't think they're not trying.
As I live, these people will be brought to justice: Bin Laden, Bush, Clinton, and all the rest -- every one of them.
Yankee, I don't know where I stand on this myself. While I suspect that there is a lot that has gone on behind closed doors that I would find repugnant, there just isn't enough irrefutable stuff that I would personally post it at TMS. As a matter of fact, I trust almost no politician in power today. I don't think it's just George Bush but Blair, the Australian P.M. (current) Kevin Rudd. I think the previous Aus. P.M. may have been OK simply because the media still continues to constantly lambaste him...but I could be wrong on that as well.
Obviously you need to speak your mind. I admire that you continue to do that.
What I said in my first comment relates to comments made to me by two Conservatives who were displeased when I posted a story on Bush's building of detention centers around the U.S. After I realized that many on our side just weren't ready to come with me there, I took the detention center story off the blog.
To me, the main benefit of what we do is the creation of a community and in that community to share the truth as I see it. I want both of those things. So I do post some of the things I know but there are a few things that I will never post on.
I've known about George Bush (the elder) for more than ten years; along with a lot of the other stuff. A man that I heard speak on several occasions in the early to mid-90s was absolutely spot on about all this. His name was Barry Smith.
Wikipedia disparages him, of course:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Smith_(New_Zealand)
But actually he was brilliant and way ahead of his time.
So I've been researching this stuff for around fifteen years since I used to listen to Barry Smith. I don't discount the theories and it's great that you post them. I'm just playing devil's advocate and looking at reasons why there are those who don't go along with what you might be saying.
I'm glad you have affirmed that you haven't 'crossed over', by the way. I really don't think you'll find much to admire on the other side.
My focus is on American politicians, but, yeah -- while the UK has been a great ally of the United States, many of the UK's politicians have been partners in crime for our politicians. Of course, the US and the UK certainly don't have the market cornered on corruption.
It's amazing you took down the story on the camps. Was that the KBR contract that only the lefties seem to know about? It's the truth, and backing off from it because it's "our" side doing it is part of the problem, Aurora. Backing off from a story like that is when things cease to be about principle, and start to be about politics.
That's what we are seeing in the Muslim world -- extremists commit horrendous terrorist acts, and the majority of Muslims stick their heads in the sand and refuse to condemn these acts, but rather either say nothing or even condone it. And why? Because they fear disapproval of the extemists for being fingered by "fellow" Muslims? Fellow Muslims that the extremists would kill in a heartbeat, thinking they were doing a service to Allah?
Are you backing off from the story because of disapproval? I voted for Bush and Cheney, both in 2000 and in 2004. I'm sure they wouldn't approve of much of what I write at my blog. But you know what? I don't care. That disapproval goes both ways; they violated the trust that was placed in them. The bottom line is: who is committing crimes? They are, I am not. And, they are doing it while in a position of public trust, which makes it especially low. I have some respect for a narcotrafficker or terrorist who makes no pretense, but Bush and Cheney are hypocrites into the deal -- do they have anything that I would recognize as honor? I see no evidence of it.
Up to a point, some of the political issues like taxes and social security are differences of opinion, but treason is a serious crime. Americans are being killed in distant lands and right here at home -- because Bush, Cheney, the Clintons, McCain, and a whole plethora of other current and past "public servants" have violated and continue to violate not only US law but the special trust placed in them. To be silent about it is to acquiesce in the deaths of all those people on 9/11, of all our troops overseas, of all the innocent people in Iraq and elsewhere.
If it can be shown that my work is incorrect, that is one thing, but I will not remove it just because it offends someone who voted for a criminal. To do that is to betray our troops, our fellow Americans and others.
I draw the line against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Different laws apply to bin Laden that what apply to Bush, Cheney, the Clintons, McCain and others, but morally, I make very little distinction.
Aurora, I put it to you that it is better to be alone than in bad company.
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