Psychopolitik 2.0

It’s an election year, and you know what that means: a lil more lying…

The head of the Republican Party accused Democrats of being willing to surrender the tools necessary to combat terrorism as the GOP tries to capitalize on its national security advantage in a tough election year.

Faced with President Bush’s low approval ratings and diminishing support for the Iraq war, the Republican strategy is to make the war on terrorism a central campaign issue and argue that Democrats hold a pre-Sept. 11 view of the world.

Ken Mehlman, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, stressed that argument in a speech Friday at the organization’s two-day summer meeting, similar to points made by White House adviser Karl Rove in January.

“America faces a critical question,” Mehlman said in his prepared text. “Will we elect leaders who recognize we’re at war and want to use every tool to win it, or politicians who would surrender important tools we need to win?” (emphasis mine)

For the unintiated, by “important tools” he really means unconstitutional and/or morally ridiculous “tools” like the “Patriot” Act, warrantless spying on US citizens, torture, etc…
But y’know what?  I’m feeling charitable today.  So rather than dwell on the fact that this is absolutist-state nonsense, let’s humor them: what have we accomplished with these *hehehehe* “tools”?

-at the LA International airport an egyptian man walked up to the ticket counter for El Al (the Israeli airline) and started firing, killing two people and wounding four others.  No sign of a plot to be discovered ahead of time, so none of what is in place would’ve spotted him.  What stopped him from killing more? One of El Al’s security guards.  Strike one.
-an alleged terrorist ring was broken up in Miami, only to discover that rather than being a hardened jihadi sleeper cell it was a bunch of people from a small cult that started requesting weapons as a joke to string along a federal informant pretending to be an al-qaeda operative.  None of the “tools” were even relevant, and no real threat was discovered.    Strike two.
-a muslim apparently angry with the actions of Israel (and obviously mentally incapable of distinguishing between the Israeli government and “the jeeeeeews!” — even when the jewish people in question live in the freakin US) shot up a jewish community center in Seattle.  Notice the term “shot up” and not “was prevented from shooting up”, and also that 1) the local police handled it, & 2) the slightest bit of the plot — if one existed — was not uncovered by any of the fecal stains now on the Constitution.  The feds proved useless.  Strike three.

So, unless someone would like to argue that Jose Padilla is worth all the trouble, even if the Constitution weren’t against it the claim that we’re being protected by all this is bogus.

As for the claim that the Democrats would toss the “Patriot” act: Only a handful of democrats opposed it, w/ ONE doing so in the Senate.  So with all due respect Mr Mehlman, STFU.

Life:

A draft Bush administration plan for special military courts seeks to expand the reach and authority of such “commissions” to include trials, for the first time, of people who are not members of al-Qaeda or the Taliban and are not directly involved in acts of international terrorism, according to officials familiar with the proposal.

The plan, which would replace a military trial system ruled illegal by the Supreme Court in June, would also allow the secretary of defense to add crimes at will to those under the military court’s jurisdiction. The two provisions would be likely to put more individuals than previously expected before military juries, officials and independent experts said.[…]

Under the proposed procedures, defendants would lack rights to confront accusers, exclude hearsay accusations, or bar evidence obtained through rough or coercive interrogations. They would not be guaranteed a public or speedy trial and would lack the right to choose their military counsel, who in turn would not be guaranteed equal access to evidence held by prosecutors. (emphasis mine)

The Onion: “Bush grants self permission to grant more power to self”

“America’s finest news source” indeed…

Another meme, this time of books:

• One book that changed your life

“Why government doesn’t work”, by Harry Browne. Yeah, that sounds cliche as hell, but I’m serious. Prior to coming across his work I didn’t really think about much politically other than drug laws & “gun control”, he got me to realize the common theme.

• One book that you have read more than once.

“To be The Man”, by Ric Flair. I used to be a huge wrestling fan.

• One book that you would want on a desert island.

I’d rather get stoned and then write one on a desert island then bring someone elses. It’d get old quick.

• One book that made you laugh.

“Brain droppings” by George Carlin

• One book that made you cry.

“Native Son”, by Richard Wright. Well…not cry, but I was pretty damn bummed when I finished it, more of a sad, smoldering anger.

• One book you wish had been written.

“Do Nothing With Us: A pro-black, anti-state manifesto”, by….hell, whatever black libertarian would’ve had the balls to write it. If that had came out at any time during the civil rights movement…. let’s just say a lot would be different today.

• One book you wish had never been written.

I’ll give two: “The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money” by Keynes (made government management of the economy fashionable) & “The Case for Democracy” by Natan Sharansky (Bush’s favorite book; he apparently thought the title was “the case for imperialism”…).

• One book you are currently reading.

“The Conservative Nanny State”, by Dean Baker.

• One book you have been meaning to read.

“Peace, Love & BBQ: Recipes, Secrets, Tall Tales, and Outright Lies from the Legends of Barbecue” by Mike Mills

• Now tag five people

Cynapse, Cal Ulmann, Jim Henley, whoever feels like answering at Balloon Juice, and James Wilson.

Eager, ain’t they?

Three weeks before the official announcement in Havana of Castro’s deteriorating health, a U.S. presidential commission called for an $80 million program to bolster non-governmental groups in Cuba for the purpose of hastening an end to the country’s communist system.

The report also proposed “assistance in preparing the Cuban military forces to adjust to an appropriate role in a democracy.” It provided no details on this point.

I’m no expert, but I’m going to make an educated guess here: US involvement of this sort is holding political reform back, not enhancing it in any way whatsoever, as it taints anyone open to the idea as a “traitor”. The only thing we have any business at all doing is ending the trade embargo, which we should’ve done the second the Cold War ended.

On a related note: since there’s all kinds of single-issue activist groups and political organizations, the current climate has me wondering: is there one where its single issue is promoting an anti-intervention/restrictionist foreign policy? Like a GOA for isolationists?

If not, and one was created, my first thought for a name was the acronym “LPTFAA” — the Leave People The F**k Alone Association. Obviously that wouldn’t fly, but eh, I suck at sugarcoating.

***Update @12:07 am 080606: The LPTFAA isn’t reality, but Adam of Freedom Democrats proposes a transitional policy of sorts.  It’s not as radical as I’m talking about, but politically speaking you have to get your foot in the door first.***