The Legacy of Gerald Ford. . .
It is common to speak in eloquent terms of the recently departed. And I am hearing such things about Gerald Ford. It has caused me to second think my earlier supposition that Ford did a healing thing for the nation in pardoning Nixon. It was true that the nation had endured a great injury from Watergate. A president of the United States had lied to this country. That president tried to use his power and influence to stop an investigation into his illegal activities and suppress evidence. That president failed!
When Ford pardoned Nixon, to put it simply, I was pissed! I had just spent the last two years pointing out to everyone who would listen (or anyone I could trap into listening) how corrupt he was. I pointed to the evidence and I asked questions about why Nixon had all those lawyers around him and what was the function of all those "presidential aides?
Finally, the evidence was so overwhelming that even Republicans had to agree that Nixon had lied and had tried to corrupt our system of government. That was a glorious day for me and I immediately began looking forward to the trial. We speculated about how it would happen. Would Nixon end up in jail? Would he spend time behind bars before the trial? Get out on bail? Or just after he was found guilty? After all, his resignation was pretty much a confession of guilt!
Then Ford, after receiving the inclination while in church, pardoned Nixon. Ford explained how the nation had suffered enough through the thralls of Watergate and it was now time to move on and heal.
I was angry. I was very angry. The nation would not have the opportunity to see justice. The nation would not have the chance to witness our system in its full capacity of putting on trial its own leader because, no one, not even the President of the United States, is above the law! But the nation did not get to witness that! The nation did not get to heal through justice and fairness. The nation was preempted from seeing and viewing all the evidence and the true depth of Nixon’s crimes. Ford pardoned him. And I had no choice. The nation had no choice. We had to go on and accept the way things were because Ford had that power and Ford had used it.
Now, with Ford’s death, all those memories are coming back to me; the same anger, the same unfairness. And it’s causing me to rethink the matter.
What if Nixon had gone to trial? What if the nation had had the opportunity to see the evidence and witness the consequence for someone who had deceived it? How would that have stopped the healing this nation needed? Wouldn’t the nation have healed anyway?
We will never know because Ford pardoned Nixon. Yes, there was a committee that looked into any deal making that may have gone on when Ford was appointed to the Vice Presidency. Ford denied that. There was nothing this nation could do but move on and accept the reality of the situation. I moved on because I had no choice but to move on. And as the years passed, I could even forgive and come to believe that Ford had done the right thing.
Now, I have come up with new questions that are relevant. Let’s say that Nixon had been put on trial, convicted and jailed. What message would that send to later presidents? Like Bush? A message about usurping power, ignoring the Constitution, and outright law breaking? Could that have made him think twice before he attempted the things he has done? At least there would have been a precedent to show the Congress it could and should act in their capacity as a check and balance! Perhaps Ford’s pardon of Nixon wasn’t so good for the nation after all.
Now, we hear that Ford gave an interview in ’04, saying how he was opposed to what Bush had done in going into Iraq. His statement could be released when the book was published OR upon his death. This is what caused me to do my rethinking.
If Ford felt so strongly then, why didn’t he say something, THEN! What was the purpose for waiting? Did he feel it necessary to protect his Republican Party more than protecting the country? Or, perhaps, because he was never elected, he felt his opinion was inadequate in some way? Somehow, less important? That’s what got me to wondering about Watergate and the pardon of Nixon. If I can wonder that now, perhaps I was justified in being so pissed then!
It’s difficult for me to speak in eloquent terms about a man that may have put party before nation. Perhaps Ford was, after all, just a quick fix so someone, perhaps someone like Bush, could try it again later!
That’s as I see it. . . How do you see it?
Friday, December 22, 2006
The Constitution. . .
. . . is a wonderful document. It spells out every conceivable situation our government can experience with respect to the presidency except; . . . . . . . . INSANITY. If a president is incapacitated for physical reasons; the president gets incapacitated; a stroke, an illness; there is a plan for who should be in charge during that disability. There is NOTHING in the Constitution for a president who is insane!
George W. Bush is insane!
Insanity has many forms. We know this from modern science. Georgie ignores modern science. Einstein said the definition of insanity was repeating the same procedure and expecting different results. I can’t imagine a better definition for our president than that!
Georgie is now repeating the method used during Vietnam of giving enemy body counts to show we are winning. Georgie initiated the Iraq Study Group, gave Americans the impression he would respond to their advice, then ignores them and now says we need to commit more troops.
George is delusional. He is probably affected by his childhood, his alcoholism, and his desire to be better than his father. It all adds up to being nuts!
At what point do we, the people, decide this man is nuts and do something? This is no longer a partisan viewpoint. People on both sides of the isle are whispering. This man is incapable of leading this country. What do we wait for? How far do we allow this insanity to go on? Do we allow a war with Iran?
At what point do we declare the president as incompetent and follow the Constitution?
We are there! It just takes someone with courage to say it!
. . . is a wonderful document. It spells out every conceivable situation our government can experience with respect to the presidency except; . . . . . . . . INSANITY. If a president is incapacitated for physical reasons; the president gets incapacitated; a stroke, an illness; there is a plan for who should be in charge during that disability. There is NOTHING in the Constitution for a president who is insane!
George W. Bush is insane!
Insanity has many forms. We know this from modern science. Georgie ignores modern science. Einstein said the definition of insanity was repeating the same procedure and expecting different results. I can’t imagine a better definition for our president than that!
Georgie is now repeating the method used during Vietnam of giving enemy body counts to show we are winning. Georgie initiated the Iraq Study Group, gave Americans the impression he would respond to their advice, then ignores them and now says we need to commit more troops.
George is delusional. He is probably affected by his childhood, his alcoholism, and his desire to be better than his father. It all adds up to being nuts!
At what point do we, the people, decide this man is nuts and do something? This is no longer a partisan viewpoint. People on both sides of the isle are whispering. This man is incapable of leading this country. What do we wait for? How far do we allow this insanity to go on? Do we allow a war with Iran?
At what point do we declare the president as incompetent and follow the Constitution?
We are there! It just takes someone with courage to say it!
I used to enjoy disaster movies. It’s funny how attitudes change. . .
There is a trend now to make war movies. Clint Eastwood made one about Iwo Jima and then a Japanese version of the same thing, a very intriguing idea. The weird thing is; not a single veteran I know has gone to see them or wants to see them. Yet every “macho man” talks about seeing them or wanting to see them. I wonder why that is?
Life experience has a lot to do with it. Those who have been in the military and have seen the carnage do not want to see it again. Those who, for whatever reason; . . . circumstance, timing, or desire, and avoided military service somehow want to experience the adrenalin of that experience.
Which of the above do you figure Gerogie Boy is from?
There is a trend now to make war movies. Clint Eastwood made one about Iwo Jima and then a Japanese version of the same thing, a very intriguing idea. The weird thing is; not a single veteran I know has gone to see them or wants to see them. Yet every “macho man” talks about seeing them or wanting to see them. I wonder why that is?
Life experience has a lot to do with it. Those who have been in the military and have seen the carnage do not want to see it again. Those who, for whatever reason; . . . circumstance, timing, or desire, and avoided military service somehow want to experience the adrenalin of that experience.
Which of the above do you figure Gerogie Boy is from?
Saturday, December 02, 2006
NAFTA? CAFTA? What’s Afta’?
I think most people sleep fairly well at night. I know I do. The only things that wake me up are the occasional loud noise from outside or our barking Lassa Apso, Shanna Bu. I describe the waking type of outside noise because there is always noise from outside. We live in a small town west of Portland, Oregon and there is always the noise of trucks on the highway, distant barking dogs or the newspaper delivery person with squeaky brakes. I can sleep through all of those because I am used to it and the noise itself is meaningless.
I believe that’s how most Americans see politics. It is the usual distant noise that doesn’t require ones attention until it gets so loud or disturbing that you must pay attention and give it notice. That has been what has happened since George W. Bush took office in 2001. The noise of politics seemed distant and not too disturbing until things got so out of hand we had to change the course!
I don’t know how long it will take to undo the damage Georgie Boy and his cohort Republicans have done to this country, if, indeed, all of it can be undone. Time will tell. It will also take a dedicated, thoughtful and persistent congress to accomplish it. But all the damage to this country was not done under the rubber stamp congress.
Unfortunately, Americans weren’t paying attention when Clinton was president and the government passed NAFTA. My only excuse is that I was sleeping and the noise of politics didn’t disturb me enough to pay attention. I thought at the time it was a bad idea and could hurt our labor economy, but I reasoned that Clinton had been doing a good job and was a much smarter man than I, so Clinton probably knew more than I did and I trusted him. Well, I shouldn’t have! I should have spoken up. I should have written my congressmen and senators to express my concern.
NAFTA lowers the American middle class standard of living by exporting jobs to countries that pay pennies to our dollars for labor. This country’s labor force cannot compete at those prices for labor. The result is that jobs are exported, factories close and the labor force that had a middle class standard of living now have to take lesser paying jobs to survive. The middle class is disappearing.
The price conscious consumer may like it. Corporations most definitely love it! Corporations get cheaper labor, maintain good selling prices and increased profits and appeal to the uninformed consumer. That's why trickle down economics does not work. The wealthy do build factories and put people to work. They build them in China or South America!
Then Bush and the government passed CAFTA. It is the same, middles class destroying disaster that NAFTA was. What’s afta’ NAFTA and CAFTA? A disappearing middle class is what’s after any of the AFTA measures. They must be stopped!
Can they be undone? I don’t know. I believe that right now, the government has greater problems to solve, such as Iraq, health care and Social Security funding. The unfortunate big looser in this lack of priority is the middle class victims that have already lost their jobs, adjusted to a lesser life style and can not wait for government to “get-around-to-them.” When you are hungry, you must eat.
The most important lesson I learned about politics in all of this is to pay attention to all the noise. My only hope now is to make politicians listen and influence their vote as much as a constituent can. I encourage you to do the same. Watch the government! Remember, they work for us and we are their Boss!
I still sleep well at night, though I am concerned about the future and my own ability to continue to earn a living. But it’s been a hell of a lesson!
That’s As I see it. . . How do you see it?
I think most people sleep fairly well at night. I know I do. The only things that wake me up are the occasional loud noise from outside or our barking Lassa Apso, Shanna Bu. I describe the waking type of outside noise because there is always noise from outside. We live in a small town west of Portland, Oregon and there is always the noise of trucks on the highway, distant barking dogs or the newspaper delivery person with squeaky brakes. I can sleep through all of those because I am used to it and the noise itself is meaningless.
I believe that’s how most Americans see politics. It is the usual distant noise that doesn’t require ones attention until it gets so loud or disturbing that you must pay attention and give it notice. That has been what has happened since George W. Bush took office in 2001. The noise of politics seemed distant and not too disturbing until things got so out of hand we had to change the course!
I don’t know how long it will take to undo the damage Georgie Boy and his cohort Republicans have done to this country, if, indeed, all of it can be undone. Time will tell. It will also take a dedicated, thoughtful and persistent congress to accomplish it. But all the damage to this country was not done under the rubber stamp congress.
Unfortunately, Americans weren’t paying attention when Clinton was president and the government passed NAFTA. My only excuse is that I was sleeping and the noise of politics didn’t disturb me enough to pay attention. I thought at the time it was a bad idea and could hurt our labor economy, but I reasoned that Clinton had been doing a good job and was a much smarter man than I, so Clinton probably knew more than I did and I trusted him. Well, I shouldn’t have! I should have spoken up. I should have written my congressmen and senators to express my concern.
NAFTA lowers the American middle class standard of living by exporting jobs to countries that pay pennies to our dollars for labor. This country’s labor force cannot compete at those prices for labor. The result is that jobs are exported, factories close and the labor force that had a middle class standard of living now have to take lesser paying jobs to survive. The middle class is disappearing.
The price conscious consumer may like it. Corporations most definitely love it! Corporations get cheaper labor, maintain good selling prices and increased profits and appeal to the uninformed consumer. That's why trickle down economics does not work. The wealthy do build factories and put people to work. They build them in China or South America!
Then Bush and the government passed CAFTA. It is the same, middles class destroying disaster that NAFTA was. What’s afta’ NAFTA and CAFTA? A disappearing middle class is what’s after any of the AFTA measures. They must be stopped!
Can they be undone? I don’t know. I believe that right now, the government has greater problems to solve, such as Iraq, health care and Social Security funding. The unfortunate big looser in this lack of priority is the middle class victims that have already lost their jobs, adjusted to a lesser life style and can not wait for government to “get-around-to-them.” When you are hungry, you must eat.
The most important lesson I learned about politics in all of this is to pay attention to all the noise. My only hope now is to make politicians listen and influence their vote as much as a constituent can. I encourage you to do the same. Watch the government! Remember, they work for us and we are their Boss!
I still sleep well at night, though I am concerned about the future and my own ability to continue to earn a living. But it’s been a hell of a lesson!
That’s As I see it. . . How do you see it?
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