In the interest of full disclosure, yes, I will be voting for Senator Clinton, but not because I'm a Hillary fan or because I dislike Republicans or even because someone I respect as much as Wes Clark endorsed her. If you'd asked me a year ago, and some of you did, could I imagine any circumstance under which I would vote for Hillary Clinton for president, I would have, and did, say no. Then I remembered what's best for my country is a hell of a lot more important than what I want, and wrote this comment June 30th:
You know? I cannot believe how stupid we can all be. It is utterly amazing to me that so many normally intelligent, well-educated, well-intentioned people can spend the past month debating and decrying a document most either haven't actually read, only read the version supporting their tirades that didn't pass, or are just too fucking dumb or lazy to comprehend the version that did pass.
And one other thing - if you don't like this resolution - which, by the way, does carry some diplomatic weight if used properly, but carries about as much military attack weight as a senate press release - that's fine. But, stop beating up people who had no way to vote for it, but who are trying to explain it to you. Explaining it is not the same thing as rationalizing it, or giving cover to some candidate who isn't your candidate just because you're pissed off about it.
If you don't like the way someone voted on something - take it up with them.
On October 2nd, Wes Clark started a campaign to have Rush Limbaugh taken off Armed Forces Radio - essentially, getting him fired. The link to this petition reads (and you can click it to sign the petition - PLEASE!):
I happen to agree with him. Yeah, I know, BIG surprise there, but what can I say? When he does something, or says something I disagree with, I'll tell you, promise! (we actually have disagreed once or twice)
Anyway...Over the past week or so, I've run into a number of people very upset about Wes' campaign to get Rush Limbaugh dumped from Armed Forces Radio. Most are Clark supporters, and most are upset enough about this to consider no longer supporting Wes because of it.
Will Bush listen or care? (4+ / 0-)
Is there any reason to believe that an outcry from the American people, from congress, even from his own advisors, would make a difference?
General Clark responded with the following:
Bush (55+ / 0-) Sure, he'll listen. He is a politician. He reads polls. He worries about his legacy. But he won't like it. He wants to be viewed as imperturbable. Nobody is. So if we build enough of a groundswell, if we concentrate not just on democrats but on republicans, we CAN sway this policy.
by Wes Clark on Thu Feb 22, 2007 at 10:37:51 AM PDT
Not only do petitons work, but they are one of the oldest forms of civil & political persuasion and leverage. They've been around as long we've had forms of governments.
But to make them truly effective is sometimes a matter of simple math - meaning everyones' help is needed. Everyone's voice must be heard, as evidenced by their signature on this petition.
By: Nicole Belle on Tuesday, April 24th, 2007 at 8:04 PM - PDT
John Gorka is a favorite of mine, and he has agreed to lend his song Road of Good Intentions to Gen. Wesley Clark for his www.stopiranwar.com campaign.
(Thanks to CarolNYC for posting the video on YouTube!)
For those who think war with Iran isn't a real possibility, remember this:
there's nothing more dangerous than a lame duck administration, because they have nothing to lose. They don't have to worry about being re-elected - so can do what they want (and have said as much that they will).
Walter Reed: How the Hell did this happen? - Part 1
If you ask this question, you will no doubt get a variety of answers varying from, "...it's a leadership issue..." to "...it's a communications breakdown..." to "...it's because of all the privatization." These are only a few of the answers I've been given. I've talked about the problems at Walter Reed - Building 18, in particular - to friends on active duty, retired officers, retired enlisted personnel, doctors, nurses, private sector hospital workers with no relation to these events, and civilians of many descriptions. Most shook their heads and uttered one of the reasons I mentioned. Some yelled angrily that it - the problem - starts with President Bush, or with former Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld.
They're wrong. Let me say that again: They - are - wrong.
What created the circumstances that allowed the conditions in Building 18 to exist, and persist, is far worse and much bigger than issues of leadership, communication, and privatization combined. That’s not to say that these three points haven't played their part - they have. But, they’re only parts...and rationalizations.
Many of you may have already seen General Clark's diary from this morning (I got back to the office too late to participate...again! Sometimes it sucks being on the Left Coast) about a new site called StopIranWar.com. If you haven't checked it out yet, I urge you to do so...
This may be one of the few times in political history when it no longer matters what party you belong to, or if you're part of the roughly 50% who don't vote. Forget about finding an issue to get behind. Let's make it a simpler:
If you agree with everything the Bush Administration has done since 2000, and want President Bush and his administration to have unfettered power to continue on their current course for the next two years - vote Republican.
