I know many of you may have seen this story before now, but I just want to say a few words about the recent testimony former US Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona (2002-2006) gave at a hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Here are just a few highlights of what he had to say, in no particular order:
Told to mention Bush 3 times on every page of every speech he gave.
Told not to attend the Special Olympics because it was a prominent cause of the Kennedy family.
Told Global Warming was a “liberal cause.”
Not permitted to speak or issue reports about “stem cells, emergency contraception, sex education, or prison, mental and global health issues.”
Disclosed that a report on the serious damage caused by “second hand smoke” was delayed for years by political interference from the administration.
Was told by six former Surgeon Generals that the political interference he faced was far worse than any they had had to deal with.
Was asked to attend political briefings and speak in support of Republican candidates.
Said Bush administration made numerous important public health decisions based solely on political considerations.
It’s not just the Department of Justice. It’s not just the EPA. It’s not just NASA, or NOAA. It’s not just the Departments of Education, Interior, Commerce, Agriculture. It’s not just the Surgeon General. Or the FTC, FCC, FDA, SEC, EEOC, DEA, FBI, CIA, NSA, etc. Everything your government does or, more importantly, doesn’t do, is decided on the basis of political considerations. Everything. You can’t trust anyone in the Bush administration to act on behalf of the public good.
Not Colin Powell. Not Christie Todd Whitman. Not Robert Gates. Not Condoleezza Rice. Not Michael Chertoff. Not Tom Ridge. Not Porter Goss. Not Brownie.
Name almost any prominent person associated with the Bush administration over the past 7 years and they have been forced to issue statements on important topics of war, peace, public health, global warming, education policy, pollution, the economy, what have you, according to preconceived and predetermined political decisions emanating from the White House. In essence, they have all been, at one time or another, Karl Rove’s sock puppets.
This is why we are where we are. We have been living in a one party state, and that party has been the party of Karl Rove.
