The Fool Who Follows

"Tough Shit." (?)

 

This was the response from republican Kentucky senator jim bunning, when asked by his colleague Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon to stop his one man crusade to end the extension of unemployment benefits and COBRA.

"Tough Shit."

I am incensed that a scumbag who happens to be an employee of the American people would comment in such a manner. bunning works for us. And he should no longer do so.

Supposedly and in theory an American politician should have the best interests of Americans in his/her heart and soul.  It doesn't always work out that way but that's how it's supposed to work. Most of the time politicians get by doing small favors to serve their own constituents while focusing on their own political advancements. And in the process telling everyone else outside their personal realm of influence to "go f*ck themselves."

And we as a nation have become a bunch of pussies accepting the status quo and saying to ourselves "we can't do anything about it." followed by the extremely annoying term: "it is what it is."

Well guess what...?  The term in fact should be:  "It is what you make of it!"

So let's get back to that asshole senator from Kentucky; jim bunning.

It's time to contact the "senator" and let him know that not only is he a sellout scumbag but he happens to be an employee of the American people and not some self-appointed aristocrat who thinks he knows "what is best".

We must remind bunning that he works for us and unless he wants his sorry ass canned and for his name to be equated with used diapers or soiled toilet paper; he better get with the program or quit.  And that is putting it kindly.  Very, very kindly.

And ironically the last thing senator jim bunning from Kentucky deserves is kindness.

Would you like to do something that is not only good but patriotic as well?

Let sen. bunning know that his actions are hurting thousands if not millions of people.  Let jim bunning from Kentucky know that if he gives Americans "the finger" Americans might take turns breaking all of his.  I mean this hypothetically of course.

The jim bunning contact form

jim bunning office addresses and phone numbers including faxes

jim bunning district offices and related contact information.

Please lets all of us as patriots and Americans in the spirit of freedom and democracy make it our sworn duty to make this motherf*cker miserable.

Afterthought:

Conservatives and members of the "tea party"happen to think that they own the rights to terms like "democracy" and "patriotism" when in fact they seem to mirror fascism and racism in the sense that their agenda seems to be driven by anger, fear and resentment.

Isn't it kinda funny that adolf hitler's nazi's had the same agenda.

Oh...and the movement was called "national socialism".

If it were funny i might actually laugh.

FYI: If by any chance i happened to offend anyone...well...."tough shit."

Dave

Why "Polls" can suck my ass.

 

Near the end of next month i will be 44 years old and 3 months later my wife will undergo a similar change.  Neither one of us have ever been polled.  Then i asked my family if they have ever been polled and not one answered yes.  Then i asked my co-workers (most are immigrants and/or people of color. Not all...but most.) and none admitted to ever being polled by anyone.

So.  Who the fuck is getting polled?  I've always wanted to get polled because God knows if anyone has an opinion on anything....i do.

But...i have never been polled.  

Now.  It should be no surprise that people of color rarely get polled.  Included on that list are people without access to phones or internet and people of poor literacy.  Then add to that people who are either busting their asses 6-7 days a week with 12+ hours per day who could give 2 shits about being polled (and giving 1 shit would still be asking too much.)

And then i have to wonder about the ones conducting the polling.  A few simple and curious questions:

1)  Since "pollsters" don't poll because it's an act of charity then who is paying them to do a poll and does that have any influence?

2)  In a national poll how do pollsters choose who they poll? (and why am i never on the fucking list?)

3) How (if at all) are those who have not been polled factor into a "national result"?  And how do they reach that result?

My opinion has always been that the only major difference between "polls" and "bullshit" is that only one of the two can be used as fertilizer.

I am still in the process of looking for the poll(s) that say 3 out of 4 Americans oppose health care reform. I will let you know if i find anything and please let me know if you do.  After all i'm quite sure those poll results are extremely valuable.

In an unrelated topic i had a very pleasant Chantix related dream. (not smoking week #8 in 2 days).

In the dream i was walking walking along a beautiful beach feeling wonderful after having had a dozen pina colada's when i suddenly noticed eric cantor passing me and after reflexively breaking his nose with a sucker punch i hopped on a winged horse and flew away.

I wish i could Tivo that one.

"Rabbit hunting is not fun...when the Rabbit has the gun."

 

The title quote was spoken by the Rev. Al Sharpton on Hardball in commenting about the "teabagger movement" and it's increasingly overt racism (not to mention it's ongoing campaign fueled by fear and paranoia.)  Rev. Sharpton anticipated that such tactics will come back to haunt them.  I believe so as well. In fact i personally will do whatever i can to counter such idiocy.  

When did stupid become patriotic and fashionable.  When did the political minority begin to dictate policy for everyone?  I did not get the memo. But then i never do.

The "left" wing has been nothing to write home about either.  Democrats could not get together on healthcare.  They fell asleep and lost a seat in Massachusetts. Democrats have seemingly sat around slack-jawed while republicans delay the passing of over 200 bills and almost 70 Obama nominations to important political offices for no other reason than the fact that the President supports the person or the bill.  And to make it worse Democratic politicians have been as aggressive in persuit of their constituents interests as a square brick rolling uphill.

Much of this is due to so many on the middle and left who feel President Obama has not delivered when it comes to their own particular causes.

No.  He cannot walk on water. Or divide it to guide the worthy through it.  And to be honest there were at least two times where i thought he could do both.  He cannot and he needs the help of rational, sane folks who posses sensibility.

I hate to burst the bubbles and kill the buzzes of those on the far left but the fact of the matter is that the President of the United States works within a system that greatly limits his ability. Case in point: The republican party, teabaggers, limbaugh, beck....  Name four stupid things with great influence on our lives even though they make up a minority in a nation where the majority supposedly rules.

I guess it does not.

I have always believed that a man with such power should only be able to change the course of the nation to a better one and in a careful manner.  After all too much change in either direction could bring us into a state of national shock.  A year ago the nation was bleeding 800,000 jobs.  Twelve months later the bleeding has stopped. I see that as great progress but people want more and they should want more.  But those twelve months saved our nation.  We stopped the bleeding.  We are weak but we will not be in a short time given some form of unity.

And that unity should in the least exist in the democratic party.

While republicans stand together to maintain a course towards the abyss democrats fragment themselves with different goals and agendas but all with the belief that "Their" goal is most important. And apparently more important than the economy or healthcare or education. 

It's like cutting off the nose to spite the face but in reverse.  It's like cutting out the face to save the nose.

Does that make any sense?  Of course not.  But it's not supposed to and "that" is what is happening. 

We need to realize that in order for us to even continue to exist as a race we need to work together to bring about the changes we all want despite the fact they will not all be achieved at once.  Hey...it makes each victory that more savorable. But more importantly it has to be done.  We have in existence in this modern democracy a political opposition that dismisses the truth as is needed and warps the rest.  We have a political opposition that is slowly treading towards the path of outward racism and intolerance in order to advance their own goals.

They want to go back to the"good 'ol days".  Except those days were not all that good or all that old to many people including myself.

I will not go back to that.

I have had my own moments in the last few months where i questioned all politics and all politicians.  But the President is different. His goal is not re-election (and it never should be.)

The goal of our current President is to do good by us in the time that we have allotted him.  And i truly, truly think he is despite all the sideshows.  Politics is a game like it or not.  That is what it is. You have to play that game and observe the rules.  Problem is most of the "players" are more motivated to become stars than to support the team. And we happen to have a President that is a team player.

And at this time in history the President has the ability to draw a foul. 

If that's what he has to do...so be it.

I am simply glad that it's him.  Imagine where we would be right now with McCain/Palin? 

No??  Me neither.  The thought is as bad as the idea of sleeping with my own mother.  It makes me shudder to even consider it and my normally (mildly) creative mind hits a brick wall as soon as the thought enters my mind.

It's that bad.

So remember:

Count your blessings.  And don't piss off the "Rabbit"

The Need for Public Discourse.

 
 

 A few days ago President Obama visited Republicans at their own retreat in Maryland and singlehandedly demonstrated what novices are at the control of power.  One by one idiot after idiot republican confronted the President with questions that were more in fact talking points.  Republican representatives stepped up to the mic. to read off "questions" that were in fact pre-fabricated talking points meant to corner our President and inspire his opposition.

Well...not only did they fail but they may have set a precedent that they will regret for a very long time.  This "precedent" can also work on teabaggers and and any other idiots from either the far right or far left of the political spectrum (and anywhere in between).

This "precedent" is daylight.  It is open discourse between politicians that can be witnessed by all affected citizens.  It allows us to evaluate each of our officials not just to identify their own political stances but to reveal if they know anything at all about the jobs they are supposed to be doing.

There are so many idiots in public office.  And i hope no one takes it as biased when i say that in the last 50 years or so the vast majority of those idiots have been of the republican persuasion. This by itself in no way denotes any type of uniform malevolence expressed by these "idiots" but it does highlight how many of them are idiots whether they "mean well" or not.

I will never be in a position to judge anyone.  More likely than not i would tell someone i dislike that "i will see them in hell."  But if i do end up on the line to hell i want to be on the back of that line so that i can watch all these lying, selfish, greedy, small brained scumbags burn before i do.

There....i feel better now.  I forgot my point.

Oh...now i remember.

I was watching Hardball with chris matthews tonight ( i do like his show...he is not a racist but more of a bigot:  The difference?  A racist will dislike you because of your race.  A bigot may actually like you despite your race but in liking you he gives your race "credit".  There is a difference.  

Anyway on his show he drew attention to a web petition that demands that our elected officials hold regularly televised (if not recorded) political sessions so that we the "Citizens" who placed them in office and pay their salaries can see if they:

1) Are actually doing work.

2) If they know what they are doing. 

3) If they are actually representing the people who put them in office.

It's about liability.  After all i have to pay yearly for liability insurance so that i may ply my trade.  Isn't it way past time that politicians face liability for the jobs they perform as well?

Well...one really great way to help bring this about would be by signing this petition to:

Demand Question Time.

We as Americans need to demand a regularly publicly aired "question time" so that we can see what our "employees" are doing for us.

After all...if someone you hired for a very important job turned out to "suck" at it or possibly have other motives for doing that job....wouldn't you like to see it so you can fire their dumb asses and hire someone who has your best interests in mind?

I know i would.

But i'm just rational. (and it f*ckin' sucks.)

Why Martha Coakley was the wrong pick for the senate seat, and why she will lose.

 

And she will more than likely lose.  I do not say this to be a buzzkill in any way but it is the truth. The whole attempt by Dems to gain the senate seat seemed biased towards them "politically".  But in reality the people of Mass. are actually tired of it.

Initially i supported Coakley without really looking into her record, motivations, flubs...etc.  As far as i was concerned as long as she isn't a Republican she cannot be a bad thing.  I was wrong.  And in retrospect it was stupid of me to even fall into that train of thought.

I looked into Coakley and was not impressed.  Not only was i not impressed but she made me a little worried and i imagine many of the people in Massachusetts  are feeling the same way. I think it is a mistake for the Democratic party to post a label on themselves and the opposition and then shove it towards us telling us to "approve it" without question.  I personally do not like that. It rubs me the wrong way and i imagine it rubs many people the same way.  And if this is the Democratic strategy then they will lose and continue to lose.  A lot of Americans do not trust the government right now. It's a fact. Period.  And that trust has to be earned...again.  Coakley has to offer more than the opposition and impress the public.  She has done neither and yet everyone is being told that she represents our best interest. Do the ways justify the means? You will have to decide that for yourself but i will be no one's "sheep".

The Incredible Incompetence of Martha Coakley

Coakley Blunders on Video. (Is it bullshit? yes. Will it cause a problem for her? Of course.)

Regardless...it all leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

And she will more than likely lose. I do not say this to be a buzzkill in any way but it is the truth. The whole attempt by Dems to gain the senate seat seemed biased towards them "politically". But in reality the people of Mass. are actually tired of it.
Initially i supported Coakley without really looking into her record, motivations, flubs...etc. As far as i was concerned as long as she isn't a Republican she cannot be a bad thing. I was wrong. And in retrospect it was stupid of me to even fall into that train of thought.
I looked into Coakley and was not impressed. Not only was i not impressed but she made me a little worried and i imagine many of the people in Massachusetts are feeling the same way. I think it is a mistake for the Democratic party to post a label on themselves and the opposition and then shove it towards us telling us to "approve it" without question. I personally do not like that. It rubs me the wrong way and i imagine it rubs many people the same way. And if this is the Democratic strategy then they will lose and continue to lose. A lot of Americans do not trust the government right now. It's a fact. Period. And that trust has to be earned...again. Coakley has to offer more than the opposition and impress the public. She has done neither and yet everyone is being told that she represents our best interest. Do the ways justify the means? You will have to decide that for yourself but i will be no one's "sheep".

The Incredible Incompetence of Martha Coakley

Coakley Blunders on Video. (Is it bullshit? yes. Will it cause a problem for her? Of course.)

Regardless...it all leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Dave.

Blanche Lincoln's half assed support for Healthcare Reform.

A few days ago Blanche Lincoln (Dem. Arkansas) begrudgingly voted in support of cloture for the healthcare reform bill.  She did it with a bit of a chip on her shoulder complaining of pressure from "outside" her state which she took offense to.  She went on to say that despite the fact she voted for cloture she would not support any bill with a public option in it.

Blanche Lincoln actually has had a pretty distinguished career.  But times change and sometimes people do as well.

Ok Blanche.  I feel your anger but if you can't stand the heat then get out of the f#ckin' kitchen.  The fact is that despite you are a senator representing your state...you are part of a nation and aligned with a specific party. If you are unable to see the "big picture" Blanche then maybe you should go back to farming rice and cotton like your daddy did.

Arkansas has a population of almost 2.85 million people.  And despite the fact that unemployment in Arkansas is below the national average at 7.6% about 450,000 Arkansans lack health insurance. That's about 1 in 6 Arkansans without health insurance.  And that number will probably grow.

The free clinic held in Little Rock was a powerful show of the need for significant healthcare reform.

I personally have great difficulty believing that the majority of Arkansans do not want healthcare reform especially if it will benefit that 1 of 6 people in the state that could use that help.

Blanche....one way or the other you are going to realize that if you are not willing to represent your people they will then be forced to walk over you to find a representative that fulfills their needs.

I heard someone on MSNBC say "Only dead fish go with the flow..."

Well ain't that the truth.

You wanna whine Blanche?  Whine to your hubby.  But do not dare to threaten to screw over millions of people in need of healthcare because the "kitchen got too hot and you couldn't stand the heat". 

After all it's not about "you" it's about "we".

Leading up to a Partial List of Government run Programs.

And by "government run" i can mean federal or state or local.  In these United States the government run programs have and are often referred to as "Social Programs" not "Socialist programs" because apparently there is a difference.  From my interpretation "social" means for everyone where as "socialist" means for everyone in a matching uniform saluting a nazi.

The latter interpretation is incorrect.

A "Socialist" is defined as someone in support of the theory of socialism that being:

so⋅cial⋅ism   /ˈsoʊʃəˌlɪzəm/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [soh-shuh-liz-uhm] Show IPA

–noun

1.	a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.

2.	procedure or practice in accordance with this theory.

3.	(in Marxist theory) the stage following capitalism in the transition of a society to communism, characterized by the imperfect implementation of collectivist principles

    Where as the term "Social" seems to be almost entirely different.  The word "social" being defined as:

adjective

1.	pertaining to, devoted to, or characterized by friendly companionship or relations: a social club.

2.	seeking or enjoying the companionship of others; friendly; sociable; gregarious.

3.	of, pertaining to, connected with, or suited to polite or fashionable society: a social event.

4.	living or disposed to live in companionship with others or in a community, rather than in isolation: People are social beings.

5.	of or pertaining to human society, esp. as a body divided into classes according to status: social rank.

6.	involved in many social activities: We're so busy working, we have to be a little less social now.

7.	of or pertaining to the life, welfare, and relations of human beings in a community: social problems.

8.	noting or pertaining to activities designed to remedy or alleviate certain unfavorable conditions of life in a community, esp. among the poor.

9.	pertaining to or advocating socialism.

10.	Zoology. living habitually together in communities, as bees or ants. Compare solitary (def. 8).

11.	Botany. growing in patches or clumps.

12.	Rare. occurring or taking place between allies or confederates.

In any case the following list i have compiled is a short list of programs operated or run by the government in it's many layers and forms from federal to local.  Most are well known and easily recognizable, some might be institutions you may not have considered or thought of. Not all are as successful or efficient as they may need to be but all consist of people working together to achieve success towards some end and in some positive direction.  And all of them are government funded or run. Some of them might actually be referred to as "social programs".

I will list these organizations/institutions...now:

Public hospitals

Public Transportation

Public schools and universities

Public Libraries

First Responders: Fire, Police, EMT's

U.S. Court System

Social Security admininstration

National Highway System

National Park Service

Centers for Disease Control

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

North American Space Administration

U.S. Dept. of Parks

Dept. of Environmental Protection

United States Amed Forces

Public Utilities

U.S. Postal Service

Federal Aviation Administration

Food and Drug Administration

Federal Emergency Management Agency

U.S. Dept. of Agriculture

U.S. Dept. of Commerce

Dept. of Defense

U.S. Dept. of Energy

Dept. of Health and Human Services

Dept. of Housing and Urban Developement

Dept. of Traffic

Dept. of the Treasury

Veterans Administration

and of course the U. S. Forest Service.

Which leads me to my point...there are way too many people on the right of the political spectrum espousing misinformation, misdirection and all out lies to spread the belief that "government healthcare" will only harm the nation and drag us into debt.  That the government cannot run anything.  This coming from many right wing mouthpieces who held office as our nation was being "raped and pillaged".

Many of these jerkoffs still hold office.  These creatures are called "politicians".

What is a politician you ask?

A politician is a person who once elected into "public office" decides their own political careers and personal ambitions are more important than the needs and desires of the people who put them there.

Do you get that?  That's not "representation" or even a democracy.  It's just personal greed and personal interest and has nothing....and i mean nothing to do with the well being of you and I. 

These are the same jerkoff, idiot, redneck, carpetbagging opportunists who are prepping to vote against health care reform because in the end "they" are going to be ok "we" on the other hand are up shit's creek. 

Since we are "We The People"...and not "we the p*ssies" i suggest " We the People" give our brains the excercise of learning why our "representatives" believe that they might know better than their own constituencies and what are their actual motivations.  And once this is determined hopefully a rational and average American citizen will excercise his/her right to vote in better representation.

Oh....nevermind.

The "Buyers Remorse" Story.

Earlier this week CBS News did a story on Indiana Congressman Steve Buyer who happens to be a republican.

  Now...as he is a republican he does the kind of things republicans now tend to do. Things like voting against healthcare reform, supporting tobacco and pharmaceutical industries, and not wiping after having a bowel movement.  But with Buyer (pronounced "boo-yer"...yeah. ok.) it went further.

 I personally hadn't heard of the guy until i saw the Sharyl Attkinson interview with him about the "non-profit" company he created called the "Frontier Education Foundation".  Buyer created this foundation in 2003 to raise scholarship money for young people who really could use it to advance their education.

To start the foundation $25,000 was donated by the pharmaceutical lobby (PhRMA) and since 2003 the foundation has raised nearly $1,000,000 most of it from companies and trade organizations that had issues coming up before the House Energy and Commerce Committee of which Steve Buyer is a member.

Until recently donations to the "Frontier Education Foundation" were mailed to their office which was conveniently located in Congressman Buyer's district office.  And since "the Foundations" inception in 2003 of the nearly $1,000,000 raised none of it has been used in scholarships.

Huh?

If you didn't watch the interview i suggest that you do so.

If you would rather read about it then you can do that as well.

And the Rachel Maddow take on the whole thing was beautiful in it's ability to shine a floodlight on a Congressional cockroach.

What else does this jerkoff have to do awaken Americans from their daze?   I sometimes wish i had the time and means to personally "bitch slap" everyone American like in that classic scene from the movie "Airplane".

  Just knock some sense into some 300 million people (sans those under 18 and over 65).

We need to realize that to allow scumbags like Buyer to operate his Congressional office as if it's a private enterprise run by a third string gangster reflects upon us.  If we allow it to continue we deserve it.

A Congressman works out of the House of Representatives.  Representatives?  Representing who?

You? Me?

Doh!

If you want to do something that might make you feel a little better about yourself then you might want to contact Congressman Buyer and let him know that it's come to our realization that he's full of shit and that his behavior will not be tolerated and we will push for it to be investigated. 

Send him an email, a letter or fax, call his office.  And know that even if it doesn't make you feel good to do it it will make me feel really really good.  And it is the f*ckin' thing a true Patriot would do.  Assholes like Buyer are representing no one's interests but there own. We cannot allow this to happen and we are not helpless sheep.

So please...anyone out there listening, fellow Americans...Patriots...grow a pair of whatever works for you and do something. Please.

Thank you and have a pleasant day.

 

If New Jersey wants "change" then don't vote for Christie....

Across the river in Jersey our neighbors over there are having a very contentious race for governor.

Republican Chris Christie has an ad that runs here in NYC and it basically goes like this: an overly dramatic announcer says "john corzine's plan: less jobs more taxes, the chris christie plan: more jobs less taxes.  Now that's a plan!"

That's a plan?  Where the fuck is the plan?  I didn't see a plan! did you see a plan somewhere in that run on sentence? If so please tell me because if that's "the plan" then the plan sucks. It sounds very much like the 2 page republican proposal on health care to rival the 1900 page proposal the democrats put out.

Another Christie ad claims that Corzine didn't pay income taxes last year. Which is true but only because Corzine only accepted $1.00 in salary.

Is this the kind of personality you want to head your state government?? Someone who twists the truth to suit their own needs??

Chris Christie lobbied for GPU Energy to oppose energy regulation. 

Christie has lobbied for the Securities Industry Association to block the inclusion of securities fraud under the consumer fraud act.

Christie was appointed to be U.S. Attorney for the district of New Jersey by George Bush after becoming a top political fundraiser for him. and this despite the state BAR association believed he lacked criminal law experience.

Christie's office has been accused of awarding lucrative federal monitoring positions in no bid contracts to friends and allies including a multimillion dollar no bid contract for former D.A. David Kelley after Kelley decided not to prosecute Christies brother Todd in a Wall Street fraud case.

Christie was criticized for recommending the appointment of the Ashcroft Group (owned by his former boss John Ashcroft...remember him?) as the monitor in a court settlement against an Indiana medical supplies company.  This no bid contract was worth between 28 and 52 million dollars and Christie actually defended his actions stating that Ascroft's prominence made him a natural choice.

And these are just the well documented conflicts of interest  in Chris Christie's political career. He has been accused of partisanship, civil rights violations and flouting the law.

And "he" proffesses change??  The only thing Chris Christie might change are his underwear.  And even on the off chance he does change them it's not the kind of change we need to see.

So on Tuesday, if you care about your state and you live in Jersey....do not vote Christie!

 

Thoughts on Afghanistan

Folks,
  This is not good news.  i know most of us right now are focusing on the healthcare bill but three other huge issues we need to deal with are the economy, unemployment and the war in Afghanistan.  Mr. Abdullah resigning from the race against Karzai will lend even less legitimacy to the government we are already supporting (Karzai's).  Corruption is rampant in Afghanistan and Karzai's administration has in part contributed to it.  The recent presidential election was ruled a sham with Karzai winning and so much fraud found on election day that a runoff was scheduled.  Abdullah has quit the election and we do not know why though there are some theories..   And though i don't consider myself a great supporter of either man i cannot blame him.  Which leaves Hamid Karzai supported by the U.S. running against no one in a runoff resulting from an election in which corruption and deceit brought about a Karzai win.   Karzai; who's poor influence in Afghanistan has given him the name "The Mayor of Kabul"...Kabul being the capital city and the only one he barely controls almost a decade into this war.

And this is the government and the war we are supporting. 

I am not a war hawk but i would not consider myself to be a pacifist either.  My opinion on this particular war has swung from "let's get the hell out!" to "We have to finish this and finish it right!"

But in war there is no "right".

The night in October 2001 the U.S. began bombing Afghanistan i was watching it on television while having dinner at the American Red Cross commissary at their NYC headquarters on the Brooklyn side of the Brooklyn Bridge.  I was volunteering in the logistics department shuttling supplies between Brooklyn and the still smoldering Ground Zero.  I had lost three of my friends on 9/11 amongst them the best friend i ever had. At that moment the bombing was personal to me.  It was payback.  It was something i thought would not take too long because after all we were "hunting the bad guys" and once they were found and killed it would all be over.

Now almost a decade later and thousands of lives lost we are still at it.  I am all for killing terrorists.  I am a big believer and advocate of technology and intelligence in persuing this cause.  But i believe that sometime within the last 8+ years or so we have forgotten what our initial reason was for going to Afghanistan.

The bottom line seems to be that the vast majority of the people there do not want "us" there.  They seem not to want our presence but demand our security.  But even with that most Afghans would seem to agree that our presence in their nation feeds the insurgency against American and other NATO forces.

I am a firm believer that if a people truly want something they will fight for it.  They will fight for it in mass and many would fight for the death.

I know i would.

 But this cannot go on.  The Afghan elections have proven themselves to be a fraud.  The government we support there is corrupt.  And as much as i know that there are very good and intelligent people over there who would prefer peace over violence the fact of the matter is that more of them have to want it.  "We" cannot create it for them. 

We know through our own nation's history that every freedom we have fought for whether it was from colonialism, to slavery, to equality to, the right for everyone to vote...  All of those were fought for by people who thought such things to be so important that if physically fighting for them was necessary then so be it.

The Afghans will have to choose that for themselves.  But until then i suggest we fight terror the way we best know how to fight it.  With technology, with airstrikes, with drones, with covert operations and hopefully with international pressure.

But if we think we are going to win the hearts of the Afghan people by physically being there all the time....we are going to fail.

"They" say timetables are wrong.

"They" are full of shit.

"A great war leaves the country with three armies - an army of cripples, an army of mourners, and an army of thieves."  ~German Proverb

"Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime."  ~Ernest Hemingway