While the U.S. government and military was gearing up for war in Afghanistan and later Iraq, many American people of conscience spoke out before, during and after the hostilities. Many American politicians from Colin Powell to Donald Rumsfeld to George W. Bush spoke out with lies and bad policy advice, many Americans of conscience identified the lies in real time, and argued strongly against bad policies. Many Americans of conscience stood their ground, and held on to their values and did not have to check opinion polls or count body bags coming in from abroad to know how wrong these wars and policies were and are.
On the other hand, Democrats mostly disappeared within the Federal and state governments, and when the bullets started flying and the bombs started dropping, they dropped their consciences altogether and feel the need to “rally behind the troops” as the troops went off to colonize a sovereign nation, illegally change sovereign regimes, engage in criminal violations of the laws of warfare, and then humiliate a people who had no ability to defend themselves in any meaningful strategic way.
The Bush administration could not have done what they have done without the tacit acceptance and support of the leaders and members of the Democratic Party. If the Democrats had stood up and stood up for REAL democracy and values based on law, freedom, and honor, the bush administration could never have been so aggressive in its pursuit of the Pax Americana.
Alas, the Democratic Party is the other side of the same coin that holds the Republican Party. Both are corporate funded and dominated. Both own their existence to Big Business, and both have similar values, with the differences being a matter of degree in how monies are spent and how overtly damage is tolerated to the environment.
Now, that election time is nearing, the relatively minor differences begin to be detectable, with people like Al Gore continuing to support the invasion of Iraq and the removal of Saddam Hussein, but differing mildly on post-combat strategies and force size and relatively minor differences with Bush. Lieberman continues to be the Tom Delay of the Democratic Side, warning that Democrats who actually display conscience are not Democrats at all! and harm the prospects of the Party!
Pelosi counts the polling numbers to determine what approach she will take. Feinstein cannot bring herself to criticize Israel or the Zionist neo-cons, because Feinstein herself is obviously a Zionist, as is her California Democrat fellow Senator Boxer. Feinstein and Boxer are more like Wolfowitz and Perle than like Ralph Nader or any person of conscience on the American political scene.
It is clear to many Americans that a Gore victory in the last election would likely have led to a similar America as we see under George W Bush, whereas a Nader victory would have put us in a much better position now, both economically, environmentally, and in terms of foreign relations.
Unfortunately, the “system” is rigged in favor of the major corporate-dominated political parties. Two sides of the same coin. Minor differences between them are all that exist. And the next election offers relatively little hope of improvement for our nation.
If traditional democrats would abandon their party’s nominee in favor of a Ralph Nader or a Cynthia McKinney, maybe we could make some progress.
The writer is a member of several falconry and ornithological clubs and organizations. He contributed above article to Media Monitors Network (MMN) from California, USA.
