Monday, February 20, 2006

"A terrible catastrophe awaits"

In my mailbox this morning was an e-mail from Nona over at "Fish Wars on Cars". In it, was a link to a story about Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, telling our Chevron Oil Tanker (and secretary of state), Condoleezza Rice, "Don’t mess with me, girl".

It's a story of remarks made by Chavez in response to Rice after she labeled him "one of the 'biggest problems' for the Western Hemisphere and promised to develop regional alliances as part of an 'inoculation' strategy to expose what the State Department calls anti-democratic behavior in Venezuela."*

"Anti-democratic behavior in Venezuela"? Oooh, strong words from a "democratically elected" U.S. regime.

Is it just me, or does Rice have more balls than a ten foot tree on Christmas morning? Talk about tough! I'm not sure just how much more of this dominatrix testosterone rush other nations will tolerate. Back on Feb. 1 in "It's what the people want," I quoted Paul Craig Roberts who said, "America has become a rogue nation, flying blind, guided only by ignorance and hubris. A terrible catastrophe awaits."

I went on to add that it's my fear, if we, the American people, can't or won't restore order in our house from within, it is only a matter of time before someone attempts to restore it from without.

Hugo Chavez's latest dress-down of Oil Tanker Rice is but one of the growing responses of anger manifesting in strong language and warnings from overseas. But that's not stopping Rice from practicing her ballsy global diplomacy with ominous threats and innuendo.

So Rice not only flails her sword over South America and popularly elected governments there. She, Bush and Israel conspire to damage similarly elected Hamas.

Don't forget, the Oil Tanker's government overthrew democratically elected President Aristide of Haiti.

In congress, she asks for millions to finance regime change of yet another popularly elected government in Iran through a propaganda blitz. (Here, Dada thinks this may be a total waste of "good" money if Bush is simultaneously planning to bomb the shit out of Iran in the very near future.)

Did anyone else here hear the rather ominous warning Russia gave us about making war on Iran? I only heard it once about a week ago. Didn't get much play, but I suspect that's just as Bush and the MSM wants it. "Fuck Russia!" Bush and Rice seem to be saying.

So, while our dear Chevron Oil Tanker globe trots promoting "democracy", it's obvious hers is a democracy similar to the one in which Bush came to power here in the U.S. One of power through its outright seizure. If current governments overseas don't fit the Bush "democracy" model, they must be disposed of and new ones "democratically" installed.

Maybe many Americans can't grasp the hypocrisy dripping from the oil stained lips of Rice, but it's stirring up a hornet's nest of resentment outside the U.S. And what's good for the goose, may just be good for the gander. That is, if we here in the U.S. can't rein in these despots in Washington who think they can globe trot, imposing their will at whim on others with impunity, sooner or later it may be only fitting someone from outside tries to impose theirs on us.

It may be Bush has a plan to halt global warming after all. It's call "nuclear winter". And as Paul Craig Roberts has warned, "A terrible catastrophe awaits."

*Attribution: MSNBC

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Is anyone else as impressed as I that the U.S. Marines are halfway around the world in Guinsaugon, Philippines searching for possible survivors from the mudslide a day or two before Homeland Security or FEMA were able to get people on the ground in New Orleans after Katrina? I think this is a credit to Bush. It shows he's learned a lot since since last September.

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The Medicare Drug Plan Backlash? was a story on ABC News over the weekend on Bush's new Medicare drug plan that kicked in 1 January. It featured Tom Ball, a lifelong republican, who is NOT pleased at all. Because of a disability, he was mandatorily transferred into the plan. Ball reports when he picks up his medications, both formerly free, it now costs $12 and $90 each per refill. "Everyone else I know is having the same problem," says Ball.

But president Bush reassures folks like Bell that, despite glitches, the new Medicare part D republicans have delivered is "good medicine."

Disabled Ball now realizes his free medications are a thing of the past. But so are his republican political allegiances as well, he says.

ABC also showed "republican lite," senator Joseph Liebermann feigning support of those now paying for their "free" medications under the new Medicare plan that he and other members of congress passed to benefit all Americans, especially the pharmas.

As for Ball and the others who voted for Bush, it's difficult for Dada to empathize, but it gladdens my heart to see Ball sharing in the financing of the exorbitant costs of his government with we who didn't "elect" Bush. Maybe Tom Ball is affluent. If so, maybe the costs of his new prescription bills will be more than offset by the big tax cut his president has given him?

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12 comments:

Anonymous said...

so many outrages, huh? halting global warming with a little newcular winter, hmmm ... you can bet they've got some nice cozy safe havens all ready a la Dr. Strangelove. I'd like to see the A-List guests for those little dens ... a real rogue's gallery line-up of the world's worst criminals with a few super models thrown in for "comfort".

Re: Medicare ... my Dad tells me his supplemental insurance plan advised everyone not to bother signing up for the prez's drug plan; that their Rx's would cost them more even with no deductible under that plan than just staying with their regular insurance program. What a scam. D.K.

Dada said...

You don't suppose that if enough seniors stay away from the Medicare prescription plan, this won't be the huge land grab theft the pharmas are expecting and the whole thing could collapse? One can only pray.

Funny, I just finished watching Strangelove a week or so ago. (Knowing it was a favorite of mine, my wife had taped a commercialless version off the tube.) And yes, Bush and his ball busting bunker buddies remind of a couple of the excellent idiot portrayals from that movie.

My favorite line from that flick? "Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the war room! "

It's right up there with a Four Weddings and a Funeral line, "Oh, I think we both know that's a big lie!" which had little significance before the Bush coup, but now it's political capital has soared.

Anonymous said...

Dear Dada:
This this response is apropo of nothing, but I was wondering if you could identify the author of this quote that has been lingering in my files for many a year: "I'd like to suggest a place I've found nearby which requires no time and very little effort to reach. Whenever I feel the need to get away, I just climb up the memory banks of a consciousness stream, find a shady spot under a branch of the family tree and do a little fishing for compliments. (Most of the time the only thing biting are the remarks, but, nonetheless, it's a refreshing getaway.)"
Nice, no? So what do you think?

Dada said...

OH MY GOD!!! Your comment "apropos of nothing" has absolutely freaked me out. So, are you telling me, that all along you've KNOWN me?

That somehow...after all these years, a little blip I sent to a local columnist who had solicited of his readers "fishing stories", you still have a copy of that submission I sent him?

I am soooo totally FREAKED OUT at the moment!

Yes, it was "I" who authored that quote you uploaded here! How did you POSSIBLY know? Are you with the NSA?

Dada said...

Anonymous:

Are you, somehow, telling me it's time I should go 'underground'? That you KNOW who I am?

Or maybe, this was a quote from a source other than its origin?

I don't know whether to be revelling in the moment or packing my bags for Riobamba, Ecuador. (Whoops, I shouldn't have revealed that maybe?)

Dada said...

Anonymous: Somehow, in the back of mind, I always knew they were watching us. Knew who we were. But I wasn't concerned because--so long as they never revealed their devious deeds, I didn't care; could pretend it wasn't happening. But now things have taken a sinister turn. Dada is very uncomfortable, considering shutting down the blog and going on a tour of microbreweries of the great American west. Let Bush run amok in the nation he's destroyed whilst I distract myself with pints of 10,000 Foot Stouts and Wanda's Wicked Wheats!

Dada said...

....can you tell I'm freaked? Three comments in a row from me (no, make this four)!

Dada said...

NOTE to anyone reading these comments unaware of exactly what's going on here.

"Anonymous" uploaded a response, "apropo of nothing, but I was wondering if you could identify the author of this quote that has been lingering in my files for many a year: "I'd like to suggest a place I've found nearby which requires no time and very little effort to reach. Whenever I feel the need to get away, I just climb up the memory banks of a consciousness stream, find a shady spot under a branch of the family tree and do a little fishing for compliments. (Most of the time the only thing biting are the remarks, but, nonetheless, it's a refreshing getaway.)"

Well, to clarify, to explain why I'm freaked by that quote Anonymous sent, it was something that appeared in a local newspaper on March 17, 1990. It was something I wrote.

Apparently, an old friend is lurking, letting me know they're around, or one of our (way too) many intelligence agencies is letting me know their file on me goes back at least 16 years!

I suspect it's the former and pray it's not the latter.

BTW, FYI, I don't plan on running off anytime soon to Riobamba, Columbia.

Anonymous said...

Dada, I see I can't even take a day off & not have some trouble pop up. That's the problem with so many anonymi (?), the evidence is hard to trace. Rest assured, it was not me who did that excellent bit of detective work. I keep no files & the very thought of the NSA fills me with dread. The last comment I made was following up on your Bob Dylan remarks a few posts back.

Stop freaking out (or you'll start me freaking out)! You've obviously got an old friend or ex friend who knew you when. If you want, I'll email you directly to discuss your concerns. D.K.

Dada said...

D.K. Yeh, see what happens when you get distracted--weird things--that's what!

But not to worry. Seems the culprit behind the obscurity has been discovered! BTW, thanks for your nervous empathy here.(grin)
Everything's okay.

I've been intending to respond to your last Bob Dylan post, but in fear of revealing the only song he wrote I ever understood was "Knock, Knock, Knocking on Heaven's Door" I haven't gotten around to it yet. (Er, whoops!)

Anonymous said...

Dada:
Sorry I caused you so much anxiety. My thought was to provide a pleasant surprise. To help you pinpoint the culprit, think relative, think Oregon, think atheist.
Oh, and sorry about botching the spelling. I should have begun with "a propos de rien" but I thought that was getting a bit pretentious.

Dada said...

Anonymous: Aha! Just as I surmised. (See my previous comment posted here to D.K.--also "anonymous"--you guys related by any chance?)

First of all, my apology, for referring to you in that comment as "culprit". Secondly, please accept my "Welcome!" 'cousin'.

That was a most unexpected quote of mine. How deep did you have to dig to find that one??!!

(And yes, I was a just a tad freaked at first.)

But thanks for the pleasant distraction. Feel free to drop a comment here anytime. I promise to maintain your anonymity.

By the way, you got anymore brilliant quotes from the same guy?