Author: philinmaine

Back in high school, the best essay I ever wrote was based on a favorite book of mine, Brave New World. A world where people willingly submitted to a controlling government and society as long as their personal needs were met. Society was separated by rigid classes yet all were controlled by their pursuit of pleasure. Unlike Orwell’s 1984, Huxley’s world was not controlled by fear or a police state but by the manipulation of society’s institutions. Both books were popular but Orwell’s vision was more widely subscribed to. Looking back, it seems we were being seduced down the rabbit hole and into a wonderland. Over time the seductiveness of pleasure and time wasting pursuits has evolved into a tacit acceptance of a totalitarian government….or has it?
Yes, there is far too much acceptance of the Bush doctrine, the Bush torture years, the Bush cronyism, the Cheney police state, the submission of the media, and the list goes on and on. In a way, it’s remarkable that Clinton’s relatively minor infractions dominated the airwaves and the far greater crimes (lying, ignoring laws, the Constituttion, you name it) does not inspire a revolution. We’re still being massaged, too many people are still trying to live their lives as if everything were ‘normal’. Electronic games distract us, flat TV beckons us and the government has mandated digital only TV broadcasting. Not sure why that bothers me, but it does.

The key to a brave new world is that one does not see it operating in plain view. The problem with the Bush Administration is it believed in its agenda and brought it to the open. Under the almost light of day, they are losing their converts and are poised to be swept out of office, if not into jail. But there’s a problem that is not being talked about. It’s the notion that all politicians are pathetic losers who only serve themselves and their corporate masters. The public’s low opinion of Congress encompasses the Demcrats as well as Republicans. A pox on both their houses, leave mealone, got my own problems and besides, the game is on. There’s a great song, Give It To Me, by Rodney Crowell that captures some of this: “Give to me my tax cut outsource / Build me my own private golf course / The Dixie Chicks can kiss my ass / But I still need that backstage pass.” In point of fact, that song is on his latest CD entitled “The Outsider”.

Of course, the media is really of little use as most of the voices of dissent have been marginalized (to the internets). Yes, there are some great opinion columns but that’s all they are, opinion. Occaisionally a reporter here and there raises an eyebrow or an anchorperson raises an eyebrow but not much more than that. The publishers and TV channel owners are entirely complicit. The fact that a publisher and editor of the supposedly liberal NY Times can be persuaded to sit on a story for years, that an investigative reporter who, in his youth was instrumental in exposing lies, can be seduced by power is a searing indictment of an institution we depend on. Media has been well massaged and we are seeing the results. I’ve never seen a transit strike covered so completely. I’ve never seen the stench of dead bodies in New Orleans and Iraq more thoroughly ignored.

The word embedded has entered our language and it seems very accurate. Until, and if, people of conscience who happen to work in government and media take the step of telling their personal story and providing evidence AND getting heard, we stand little chance of throwing off the mind meld that has seduced society. There are a lot of ANDs and IFs. Most of us are still convinced that politics and politicians are the scum of the earth and Democrats are just as corrupt as Republicans. Fact is, some Dems are worthless hunks of plasma. But it’s only some and fewer than many think. There are far more elected Dems who are motivated by doing for the common good, who want to raise all to a table of opportunity while enhancing the environment and who really believe in truth and justice.

I’m not sure if we’re too far down the rabbit hole, if too many of us accept the premise that politicians are bad, and our trust is shot. If so, we’re fair game for the crusader who will come forward and lead us to a higher moral plane. If we fall for that then indeed we are all complicit in writing the final chapter. Those are my thoughts, what are yours?

Here’s the email I got:

 1. Go to www.google.com

 2. Type in “french military victories”, without the quotes

 3. Instead of hitting “Search” hit “I’m feeling Lucky”

4. Tell your friends before the people at Google fix it

Here’s what I wrote to Google at

http://www.google.com/support/bin/request.py

Well, I want you to Fix It. I’m more than tired of the litany of jokes about the ‘hapless French’. My family was practically wiped out in WW2. 52 direct family members were killed fighting for their homeland. I became the 3rd male when I was born. Americans have no idea what national sacrifice really means. And yes, i would appreciate a response to…..
I’m fed up with everyone and yes i am including the Daily Show and many ‘liberals’ and progressives who make jokes about the French. I’ve seen on blogs, I’ve seen it on TV, newspapers, etc. Everyone knows the movie scene (Saving Private Ryan I think) where the Mom collapses on the porch as the military come bearing tidings that her sons had died…well, I grew up never knowing any uncles or grandfather. My grandmother lost every male relative except one. From concentration camps to fighting for the Free French they were killed. My aunt saw the Germans bust into the place they were hiding and chase her fiance out the back. Last she ever saw of him. And that’s just my family. You can repeat that by the tens of thousands.

France was the front line in two wars. Without the lowly French there would be no successful American Revolution. And it was the French who almost stopped the US war machine. I don’t want (or need) your sympathy. I would appreciate you writing Google and the next time someone tells a French joke educating them some. Thank you, end of rant.

I live and work in a non-fiction world, I do politics on the side so when I read, it’s fiction most of the time. So I am reading along in this book which has precious little to do with politics. It’s about a biographer who is hired to write a family history on a British family of renown (not Windsor and still fiction)

Then there’s this passage: “Well, it’s quite simple, really, said Henry. “The trick is to keep doing outrageous things. There’s no point in passingsome scandalous piece of legislation and then giving everyone time to get worked up about it. You have to get right in there and top it with something even worse, before the public have had a chance to work out what’s hit them. The thing about the British conscience, you see, is that it really has no more capacity than a primitive home computer, if you like. It can only hold two or three things in its memory at at a time…”
Now I don’t know if that is Rove’s plan in a nutshell or they are just making it up on the fly. Either way their house of cards is falling apart. Their strategy may have been to keep their machinations behind the flag curtain but it isn’t working anymore. It has all become too obvious to many of us. So I think they are counting on something else. I think they are counting on that home computer. And they may be right.

The casual American voter, the one that doesn’t pay all that much attention, the one that hears jingoist slogans and is suspectible to fear, they are counting on that voter. The one that doesn’t watch the news, doesn’t read the paper and avoids the discomfort that watching the news brings them. They just want their own piece of life and they want to be left alone with any unpleasant thoughts of American dead or wounded or 30,000 (more or less) Iraqi deaths. They want to ignore the corruption, the cronyism, the law breaking at the highest levels of government, the wholesale ignoring of laws, the spying on Americans, the torture, the fact that the USA, the leader of the free world has become the greatest threat to countries everywhere. And the person who ignores, discounts, tries to pretend the crap doesn’t exist?

That describes the public persona of one George Bush but as more people are beginning to recognize he’s not that good a liar. The blinking eyes,the twitching, the attempt at who me, aw shucks, 30,000 more or less like it’s a crowd estimate at a ball game, except this ball game has no overtime, the architect is about to get busted and the white hot panic is setting in for George. They are too far in and don;t have an exit plan from their own policies and actions. But we can expect more outrages, more plundering of the Constitution and the Treasury. They think they can brazen their way through. Our job is simple. Engage everyone we can and keep repeating the list..over and over, especially to the media. Write, call, fax, rinse and repeat. Keep the pressure on as individuals and collectively as part of the Dem party.

As some of you know (I hope) I do an ongoing series at WERU (weru.org) on the environment and here’s another in the series…let me know what topics you’d like to see or whether this type of diary should be moved to some other blog….and I don’t know how to do all the formatting or stick pics in so bear with please.

Sometimes, I just can’t help myself. The news that 10,000 experts from 180 nations gathered nearby (Montreal) to try and address (and I quote) “the alarming effects of greenhouse gases and global warming.” No kidding? The USA admits global warming is happening? Well, let’s find out shall we? Now by the time this airs, the conference will be over but what the heck, it’s head shaking.

“Dr. Harlan L. Watson, senior climate negotiator for the U.S. Department of State, said that while President George W. Bush declined to join the treaty, the U.S. leader takes global warming seriously. He noted greenhouse gas emissions had actually gone down by .8 percent under Bush.

“With regard to what the United States is doing on climate change, the actions we have taken are next to none in the world,” Watson told The Associated Press on the sidelines of the conference.”….Wow, did I hear him correctly? .8%? that’s almost a whole percent. We’re on the road to salvation. Take that Europe, take that Japan,

“Watson said the United States spends more than US$5 billion (euro4.3 billion) a year on efforts to slow the deterioration of the earth’s atmosphere by supporting climate change research and technology, and that Bush had committed to cutting greenhouses gases some 18 percent by 2012.” 18% by 2012? Wow that’s only 6 years away and will require 3% a year which means everyone in the US better stop driving Right Now and turn off their lights…That’s a mighty ambitious goal don’t ya think? Do you have a plan for that? Is it like your plan for Iraq?

The article goes on to state “The United States, the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, has refused to ratify the Kyoto Protocol.” Oh yes, Kyoto …it finally got ratified by enough of the world last year (Russia put it over the top) but we’re half way thru the cutting emissions time frame and how are we doing? The treaty, which went into effect in February, calls on the top 35 industrialized nations to cut emissions by 5.2 percent below their 1990 levels by 2012. See, that .8% is a good start after all, we’re not so shabby are we? Are we?

Well, signatories are already falling short of their targets. How short? Canada is up there with Spain, Ireland, Greece and five other nations as having the biggest increases in gas emissions. According to the United Nations, Spain is the worst, with a nearly 42 percent increase in emissions between 1990 and 2003; Canada stands at 24 percent and the United States experienced an increase of 13 percent. Wait a minute, hold the presses? We increased 13%?? I thought we lowered a massive .8%?? Oh, now I get it..we increased 13% and cut .8%..swell, gosh, I’m thrilled, I’m all choked up. Literally.

In the first ever meeting of all 140 signatories of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, Canada’s Environment Minister Stephane Dion said, “Tragic experiences in many countries over the last year have once again reminded us of the world’s vulnerability to climate-related disasters and highlighted the urgent need for adaptation” to rising sea levels, glacial melting and warmer atmospheric temperatures. I guess that’s an indication the tsunamis, hurricanes with names stretching into the Greek alphabet, tornadoes from hell and more (lots more) are an indication the planet is ailing. But our government told us that global warming was overblown (funny word that, overblown) and the science wasn’t complete and it really wasn’t all that big a deal. In the timeless words of Alfred E Neuman (or was that our President?) “What, me worry?”

Let’s face the facts. The Kyoto treaty was negotiated in 1997 and we haven’t gotten off the dime. Our government has abandoned us to whatever comes next. And whatever that is, we have every indication it won’t be pretty, paying the piper. It’s up to us. It’s up to individual states and its citizens to do what the national government will not. Fortunately, Maine’s legislature and Governor stood up. Did you know Maine is the first state to have comprehensive legislation on global warming in place? In fact, none other than Environment Defense has called Maine America’s leader.

Maine is the first state to measure and track greenhouse gas emissions from state energy use. Maine has reduced state government’s emissions eight percent in two years, in part through the following actions:
o Increasing the state’s renewable power purchase
o Improving fleet fuel economy and reducing vehicle-miles-traveled by state employees
o Reducing energy usage in state buildings through efficiency investments
o Using biodiesel to heat state office buildings
Thank you lawmakers and Governor. You’re Actually Doing Something. Thank you to any of Maine’s businesses that are following suit. The energy you save goes straight to the bottom line. But state government is a really a small player in the state. It is however a role model. What are we as individuals doing about it? I’d love to hear your ideas, solutions and actions you’ve taken. And remember, the actons you take are not to ‘save our children’, it’s to save our sorry asses. It’s the tomorrow we were warned about 50 years ago.

If you aren’t signed up to participate in Zogby’s online polls, you might want to try it. It’s worth it if for nothing else than to see how questions are worded and the conclusions reached by prior polls. When you complete a poll, they let you read results from a prior survey or you get a copy of their news letter. I’m going to quote from the newsletter and provide my own thoughts in between. I’ll try to do the box thing but I’m technically challenged and may resort to ”   “

A Zogby America poll of 854 likely voters conducted October 29 through
November 2 found the President at his all-time low, with a 39% job approval
rating. Making this number sting somewhat is the fact that only 76% of
Republicans give the President passing marks, and only one-in-four rate his
performance “excellent.” Among politically independent voters–a group no
politician can take for granted–just 28% rate the President’s job
performance favorably.

So that looks good, but then there’s even more..below the fold of course.

So, how bad is the President’s predicament? Bad, certainly–it’s much easier
to pass an agenda when you’re flying high. And, as Zogby International CEO
John Zogby noted recently, the public’s faith is “kind of like virginity–it is
hard to get back.”
But not impossible.

But not impossible. He goes on to cite Reagan and Clinton as having come back from low poll numbers and suggests Bush’s numbers could change as well.

The task ahead for a Presidency that has strayed off-course is not easy, nor is it simple. But it is not
impossible, nor is it even improbable. President Bush’s predecessors have all come to this crossroads.
Those that did so early in their first terms–Reagan and Clinton–turned fortune around. Those that saw
their approval ratings decline later in their terms–Bush Sr. and Carter–never recovered.
President Bush has the same opportunity afforded Reagan and Clinton, plus none of the pressures of
winning a second term–that, he has already done. But to get there from here, he first has a few fires to
put out.

A few fires indeed. The job situation, the price of gas, the lack of response to Katrina, a disenchanted base and oh yes, the war.

However goes the war will go this presidency.

Maybe, but to me there’s another factor at work, a factor somewhat revealed in more recent polls that show Bush’s numbers climbing back a little bit on the back of better economic numbers, people out spending on Christmas, and what i think is a key factor; slightly lower gas prices. I think people tend to vote their pocketbook. It’s all about ME don’t you know? Gas prices are a major topic of concern and discussion. If gas stays ‘down’ which is truly a relative situation (still higher than last year but lower then two months ago)then Bush’s poor numbers may rebound some more.

But there’s a test coming soon. People are paying for their winter home heating fuel now. All those bills are going up by a hefty 15-30%. There are already news stories on TV news about how tough it is going to be. So we can watch the polls and see if there is an effect. Don’t get me wrong, the war is a huge issue but it’s clear they are going to remove troops early next year, maybe a third of those there, declare they have a ‘plan’ and we have to give the ‘plan’ time and so on.

But what if gas prices stay above $2.00/gl and inch back up towards $3.00? What if there is an upsurge in violence after the ‘election’? So here’s the ironic point. What if it’s the price of oil that does Bush in? Wouldn’t that be the height of irony? We shall see.

http://www.zogby.com/Nov-zra.pdf

So, NBC’s ‘blog’ from Baghdad started today and I took a look, and uh, you should too. It’s stated goal is, and I quote: “Blogging Baghdad aims to provide a dynamic look at the story behind the story of covering the news in Iraq. Online entries – from text to video blogs – will detail the realities of daily life for ordinary Iraqis, American troops and the media living and working in a 24 hour war zone.”

The sub-headline is ‘The untold story’. My experience with blogs may be a trifle limited but I thought someone wrote and readers wrote back, a little back and forth you know. Otherwise it’s more like a journal. You got it, it’s not exactly a blog. Take a look for yourself and if you choos can send them a note 🙂

http://baghdadblog.msnbc.com/

Seems the other day, Rove’s minions hand picked audiences got infiltrated by a patriot. Some guy who had the temerity to raise a question or two. Of course, since it wasn’t part of the script Clueless George just waited for the interloper to be hustled away.

What struck me about this story is not that it happened, it’s happened before. It’s not that most of the media missed the story, again what else is new, but that a local media outlet didn’t miss it. Not only that, they did a great job on it. Now why does that deserve a highlight?

Well, it’s the local paper in Norfolk, VA. Just one of the largest navy bases in the world. The whole city revolves around the base. It is THE game in town. It is not exactly a liberal bastion. The article was done by a columnist, not a reporter, so it falls under the ‘opinion’ cloak, but trust me I lived in VA for 13 years and they would not have published it if the climate were not far different these days.

My hunch, there are many more anti THIS war in the military than we may think. Now I did see a national (either CBS or NBC) story last night on a trooper from Maine who has made no secret of his opinion while still doing his duty. But it was done as if he were the anomaly. There are many patriots, both in and out of the service. Some service members are running for Congress as Democrats. We can and will frog march these usurpers out of power. Now, here’s this morning’s cheerful story:

http://www.dailypress.com/dp-11598cm0oct29,0,70532.column?track=mostemailedlink

It’s becoming very clear. The political discussion has moved from Bush’s ‘generational commitment’and ‘we must stay the course’ to not if we are gettin out but when. When and how many troops. Amazing enough that the discussion has shifted dramatically but it does beg a few questions.

Fast forward a few months. BushCo starts pulling out or ‘re-deploying’ troops, his polls start to improve and Repubs call for more troop withdrawals, Bush/Cheney protest it’s too much too soon but continue pulling troop levels down while increasing the bombing runs. The ‘insurgents’ aka mostly Iraqis control more of Iraq but the troop toll goes down and that means a little more public support. What could happen next?
What happens next is Repubs run on the we’re winning, it’s working, it’s all ok. We’re transferring power, we’re pulling out in a constructive, controlled manner not like those crazy Dems who always want to cut and run. Result, they retain control of the House and the Dems lose the opportunity to do a jiu-jitsu reverse and start real investigations into the most corrupt, inept, and criminal admin ever. McKinley doesn’t hold a candle to these guys.

But they could retain control under the above scenario so how do we stop them? I don’t know but will suggest a few things. I do know that whatever we choose we should keep repeating it at every opportunity and interject them at other times.

1. This is the most inept, untrustworthy Administration ever. They either lied or misled or wever but they are incompetent at best.
2. Tom DeLay is a thief and a power junkie. If he and the others like him or beholden to him had been more concerned with the country than their pocketbook, we’d be a lot better off.
3. The economy used to be better, we weren;t at war, the deficit was going down, in fact, a lot of things were actually better with the Dems. Maybe they’re for more like me and the bottom line is i don;t trust Bush.

I’m sure others can come up with more concise statements. For me it boils down to ‘Throw the bums out’ Now, before one more person loses their life for Bush’s War

I’m watching Dick Morris pitch his book on CSpan. The attitude of this guy is something else. Pretty obvious he thinks he is ‘all that’. Among other things he said Rice is ‘brilliant’ and is responsible for bringing North Korea to the table, getting Iran to back down and has performed above the call of duty in any job she has had (mushroom cloud). She will lead black people to new heights and that southerners will vote for her because ‘regionalism will transcend race’.

He told stories to show Hillary Clinton in the worst light possible and of course the stories cannot be verified as true or not true. He said Rice has never made a faux pas (calling Bush her husband). He claimed Rice will make inroads into the black vote and will carry the white vote in the South.
He also claimed the foreign press adores her and the French adore her. As my son visiting from Spain said, “What? is he kidding. Europe thinks she is a joke and is probably Bush’s mistress.”

The whole performance dripped with sarcasm, innuendo, gossip, personal opinion and oft-repeated statements that amounted to: Condi Rice is perfect. Rice is great and she doesn;t want to be president which is even better. It was also replete with lie after lie after lie. Bald faced BS.

But why would Dick Morris be out humping a book and be in Rice’s corner? I don’t know and don’t even want to give the twerpie lil dick any credit. He isn’t worth it. I still think Rice will be the Repub VP candidate and i still think Morris is a toadie who will be caught next time in bed with Karl Rove, they deserve each other.

Some prior Morris gems: Morris went on to say that if Westchester County D. A. Jeanine Pirro runs against Hillary Clinton in 2006, Hillary will eventually withdraw her name because, as Morris puts it, “Hillary can run against an opposite very well … but when she runs against a woman who’s pro-choice, pro-gun control, pro-affirmative action like Jeanine Pirro is, she has a hard time making distinctions. And Pirro’s issues – child abuse, internet porn, pedophilia, law & order – those are all Hillary’s issues, too. And, I think that Pirro gives Hillary a very tough fight. ….”

As you probably know, I do a short feature on WERU each week called Earth Sense and sometimes rememberto post them here. Here’s the latest:

Hello and welcome to Earth Sense, thanks for stopping by. I’ve noticed a spate of discussion on gas prices and a variety of opinions: government should do something, higher gas prices fall unfairly on lower income, oil companies are gouging, etc. It’s become part of our daily conversation, almost like how’s the weather.
Yes, higher gas prices affect Americans who live in a car centered transportation system. It unfairly falls on lower income folks, rural folks, hey, that’s us, but there are things we can all do…
Following are a few ideas. I’m not suggesting there are ideas for every situation, lifestyle, or job but you may find something that helps.

During the CA energy ‘crisis’ a few years ago (ginned up as it was) Californians reduced energy use by almost a third. Now with energy in great supply again, energy use is back up. But, that tells us that when pushed we can conserve. Today, there are warnings of blackouts in New England this winter. Why not practice conservation and head off system failure? Can’t hurt.

#1) Conserve with a vengeance. Really practice, look for ways to conserve. Everything from leaving lights on to lowering the thermostat to changing to compact fluroscents. In other words, stop being lazy and enforce some rules in the house. Charge for wastefulness and make it stick. Have a family meeting and lay it out. Say we have to find ways to cut 25% of the energy we use.

#2) Car pool whenever possible..widen your circle to find rides. If you have a job in the same location with regular hours, find someone to go to work with.
#3) Never waste a single trip. Plan ahead so as to avoid coming home and then going out. One trip out and one trip back.

#4) Kids need to go here, there, and everywhere? Work with other parents, car pool and put the kids on bikes (weather permitting). They complain? Tough. For older kids, they want a car they have to earn it (and the insurance and the gas). That will slow them down. Here’s one thing I’ve noticed. Who is riding the school buses anymore? The car lines to drop kids off are long. Same thing in the afternoon to pick them up.  Is it really necessary. Geez, I hate to sound like an old guy but in my day…..

#5) Talk to your neighbors. Are they facing the same problems? What can be done as a neighborhood to take the pressure off? I’ve seen neighborhood coops where 5-10 families get together, maintain one pick-up and sell some other vehicles off.

#6) Insulate your dwelling. Renting or buying, tighten it up, add insulation if possible and close off parts of the house not in daily, constant use. Each degree you lower the thermostat saves at least 1% on your fuel bill. There is nothing wrong with wearing a sweater indoors in Maine in winter.

I think people instinctively do many of the above but we should be creative, innovative and do what we can to make adjustments. Gas and energy prices are not going down for any extended time period…we are going to go through a heck of a transition period and no oil reserve is going to bail us out. Work together. It’s all about pooling resources, working together and getting a little away from our isolated lifestyle. It is not saying ‘there’s nothing I can do’ or `I need a big truck’ or it’s not my fault where I live or whatever. It is each of our situations and we will have to deal with it. There are no magic wands. There is you, there is me, and we need to reach out and work together. I’ve just given you 6 ideas. Take two of them you haven’t put into practice and save.
Have an idea for an Earth Sense piece? Want more info on this subject? Write me at info@weru.org and be sure to put Earth Sense in the subject line. I read them and respond. This has been another Random Thought on Earth by Phil Bailey