micah holmquist's irregular thoughts and links |
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Welcome to the musings and notes of a Cadillac, Michigan based writer named Micah Holmquist, who is bothered by his own sarcasm. Please send him email at micahth@chartermi.net. Holmquist's full archives are listed here.
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Sites Holmquist trys, and often fails, to go no more than a couple of days without visiting (some of which Holmquist regularly swipes links from without attribution) Aljazeera.Net English Blogs that for one reason or another Holmquist would like to read on at least something of a regular basis (always in development) Thivai Abhor |
Friday, January 07, 2005
Micah on politics in these here United States "You don't look like a terrorist," a banker helping me set up a checking account said to me today, before asking a few questions like whether the amount of cash I will be depositing in the account will be between one and one thousand. I figure my excuse will be that I didn't know she was talking about U.S. dollars or that I figured the dollar would go up in value more than it has. On a somewhat related note, The New Standard published a story today by Brian Dominick and Ariella Cohen with more on the comments by Roy Blunt that I touched upon yesterday. Dominick and Cohen write: House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Missouri) said questions about Ohio’s electoral process should be dealt with in Ohio, not in the United States Congress. "Every time we attack the process, we cast that doubt on that fabric of democracy that is so important."Yeah, nobody who hasn't seen could believe what happens. Whatthefuckever... Let's think about Blunt's logic that people "don’t need to believe that [the democratic system] is absolutely perfect because after all it’s the greatest democracy in the history of the world." I'm sure he thinks America is the greatest country in the history of the world -a fact that will be proven at the country contest in July- so I don't want to hear this fine elected representative criticizing his fellow congressional Republicans every time they do something with the aim of improving this great land. Also from The New Standard story: Florida Republican Ric Keller distilled his message down to three simple words: "Get over it," he told Democratic detractors. Rep. David Hobson, an Ohio Republican, called the proceedings "outrageous."Let's resort to name calling instead of debate. Calling the proceeding "an assault against the institutions of our representative democracy" and "a threat to the very ideals it ostensibly defends," Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) denied that any voter disenfranchisement took place anywhere in 2004 or 2000. He accused Democrats of crying wolf, and wondered "what will happen" when a future election is actually stolen.In all likelihood, they will get away with it. FWIW, Barbara Boxer, the senator for California, deserves no praise for joining members of the House in challenging Ohio's electoral votes. She belongs to a political party that helps the Bush Administration along by pretending to make up the opposition, even as they agree with Team Bush on the most important matters of the day such as the idea that "terror" can be defeated. It would be honest but not honorable of the Democrats to just join the GOP. The honorable thing for them to do is apologize while at the same time telling their supporters how fucking stupid they are for supporting them. The Dems could ask for forgiveness and pledge to never again be seen in public. I can laugh at the political culture of the United States, but the truth is that I am very tired of the idiotic game. Better should be demanded. Does that make me an optimist about the potential of the people of the United States? No, not really. I don't expect them to demand anything different or stop falling prey to the manipulation of people like Boxer and Bush, and I certainly don't think the system would tolerate it if they did, but I think it is in their ability to try and, without hesitation, they should do so. |