Putting the Con Back in Conservative
As I write this, a warrant has been issued for the voluntary summons/arrest of Representative Tom DeLay, the former Republican House Leader who was forced to step down after he was indicted for illegally funneling corporate campaign contributions. Now he faces charges of state conspiracy and money laundering.
Where is the Christian outcry? Where is James Dobson's wrath? Where is the Religious Right's indignation? Where is Pat Robertson's call for an assasination?
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist is currently under investigation by federal prosecutors and the Securities and Exchange Commission, probing for possible insider trading in his suspicious sale of stock in a large health care company before that stock suddenly plummeted.
Where is the Christian outcry? Where is James Dobson's wrath? Where is the Religious Right's indignation? Where is Pat Robertson's call for an assasination?
Bush's right-hand man, Karl Rove, is under subpoena for the fourth time, adding his testimony to a grand jury interested in whether or not he and Vice Presidential Chief of Staff, Lewis "Scooter" Libby, dangerously outed a CIA agent in the hopes of punishing her diplomat husband, an outspoken dissenter of the Iraq war. The heat is said to be so fierce, that unsubstantiated but weighty rumors have flown within Washington this week, citing the possibility of Dick Cheney’s resignation.
Where is the Christian outcry? Where is James Dobson's wrath? Where is the Religious Right's indignation? Where is Pat Robertson's call for an assasination?
This is to say nothing of President George Bush, who continues to press ahead with his plans in Iraq, despite illegitimate and bogus rationale for a war that is staggeringly opposed by the majority of Americans.
Where is the Christian outcry? Where is James Dobson's wrath? Where is the Religious Right's indignation? Where is Pat Robertson's call for an assasination?
Bush is practically seen as a messiah figure for many in the Religious Right; Frist and DeLay have massive support among Christian churches; and Rove is daily in touch with the Christian power brokers.
Am I alone in finding it more than a bit troubling that Christians who so adamantly support Bush, Rove, DeLay, and Frist in their political battles express little to no concern about the possibility of cancerous corruption at the highest levels of government? What's worse, perhaps, is that Christians are nearly silent on these issues, preferring blind and unwavering allegiance to moral strength.
While it is true that the aforementioned misdeeds are only allegations, I seem to recall that many Christian leaders and their supporters showed little restraint in eviscerating Clinton and his cronies for their moral ineptitude.
Why do so many Christians seem to remove their brains when it comes to politics? Why do they so imprudently support leaders who say they are Christians but whose actions prove they are not? Is the specter of political power too enticing? Is the imaginary perfect Christian nation so within reach that we are willing to allow a few wrongs in order to have a hypothetical overwhelming right? Or are traditional values such as honesty and integrity used only as weapons against our enemies but ignored for the tiny indiscretions among friends?
Is it too much to ask for a little moral consistency?
posted by Brandon at 8:46 PM
19 Comments:
RIGHT ON!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank God you're out there Brandon!! Especially in the heartland where such comments could be viewed as hostile. Now, can we find this middle road, everyone, or not?
The Religious Right is absent on these issues, because it's not really about God and morality, it's about power. The "prophets" of the Right have sold their souls to the GOP; so, it's unlikely they are ever going to be critical of it.
I am not suggesting that the Left is somehow more righteous. However, the Left doesn't usually claim holy ground. When you do, you better be ready to back it up.
Reacher,
Maybe the Left does not claim holy ground in the literal sense, but they - they as in their leaders, as in the Right's leaders - often claim to hold the higher moral ground with populist screeds, pandering to marginalized groups, when it is more often simply about tearing down the other side. Moralizing comes in many forms. It's just that the ugliest and most overt comes from the religious right players on the national scene (our president included, but Dobson et al), but I believe the Democrats rarely engage in anything more constructive than adolescent schadenfreude.
Good post, Brandon. I do admire your political stances in light of the many family, friends, and colleagues of yours that I know read this blog and may vehemently disagree with it. I am always the appeaser within my own family.
Reacher: Scary lookin' picture.
Sorry. Cards got clobbered last night by the Enron Astros. I am feeling very Devil's Advocate-y.
Love,
Al Contrarian
This is what happens to an intelligent writer when they listen to too much liberal implicity guised as intellect. He starts to jump the gun in a self-righteous rant.
Ok, I'm pretty tongue-in-cheek here.
Really now, they are ALLEGATIONS. We haven't got past the politics of it yet. The guy who charged Delay is a liberal weany who uses his position to try and cause political damge for Republicans. We can't go off half-cocked over political gaming by some loser prosecuter who's only goal was to make Delay step down in a vain
attempt to mess up the Republicans. This article is premature, and may prove to be wrong entirely. Even if it is right, we cannot jump the gun and ASSume guilt before the facts come out.
From what I have heard, what Delay did is just what most of the politicians do. Why, if they started really cleaning house on this stuff, I think we would lose most of congress!!
Now, the ONLY sensible part of this article, as opposed to many others of yours, is the statement about conservatives descending on Clinton like a pack of wolves on just allegations. But, now, aren't you just doing what they did?
The war: we are fighting WHERE we want to, OVER THERE, not over here. Isn't that what wears down a people (the South in the civil war), fighting in their own country? Well, we're fighting the war on terror on OUR terms not theirs. That's what the war in Iraq is all about.
Now, I still haven't read your articles about your journey... I really want to. You just got me all fired up. And I have committed the sin of rebuttting you on this and not reading your journey, which is of much more value to me...
Andy
And it's a good thing we invaded, too. I was tired of Iraqis raiding my vegetable garden under the dark of night.
I kid, I kid. There WERE crimes committed on American soil more serious than that. Namely flying airplanes into buildings and killing 3,000 people!
Those were Iraqis, right?
Pardon me a moment while I go Google check my facts, just to be sure...
(***time passes***)
Damn! Nope. Saudi Arabians! Who knew?
(Anyone who reads newspapers? - ed.)
That was a rhetorical question! Shut it!
Well if I got you this "fired up" on this issue, it's a good thing I didn't post something about John Calvin or Predestination or something REALLY controversial! :-)
"The guy who charged Delay is a liberal weeny who uses his position to try and cause political damage for Republicans."
Truth of the matter is, while Ronnie Earle is, in fact, a Democrat, he has prosecuted 15 public officials during his tenure--12 of them were Democrats--only three were Republicans!
"This article is premature, and may prove to be wrong entirely. Even if it is right, we cannot jump the gun and ASSume guilt before the facts come out."
You know what, you're right. But the blog wasn't really a proposition of facts and technicalities, so much as it was a frustration that so many in Christian circles would be ALL OVER these men if they were Democrats (you know I'm right) but are mum because they are the very ones with whom they're in political bed. It's political hypocrisy. Worse still, it's spiritual hypocrisy.
"From what I have heard, what Delay did is just what most of the politicians do. Why, if they started really cleaning house on this stuff, I think we would lose most of congress!!"
Andy, Andy!!! Say it ain't so. DeLay used this very argument himself and I blanched when I heard it. Since when is "well, everyone else is doing it, so why can't I" an excuse for sinning!?
"But, now, aren't you just doing what they did?"
Admittedly.
"The war: we're fighting the war on terror on OUR terms not theirs. That's what the war in Iraq is all about."
I think I'll ignore this one seeing as how hours upon hours of face to face debate has done little to change either of our minds!
Love ya, brother, and I highly value your opinions, even and especially when they differ from my own. Keep 'em coming.
Nate,
Sure, the Left is engaging in juvenile schadenfreude; that's why they lose elections, and that's why they piss me off. They're stupid. This momentary advantage will surely prove to be a Pyrrhic victory for them.
The Left is misguided, mismanaged, mistaken, malicious, misfeasant, malfeasant, misfeasant, and lame.
They just aren't blasphemous. They are not (mostly) taking the Lord's name in vain.
It's one thing to deceive, defame, and behave in many an untoward manner; but to do so under cover of God and Scripture is...well, stupid as hell.
It is a shame that there isn't harsher criticism thrown at the republicans by Christians, but you should almost expect it as a function of democracy.
The people that you named all have political platforms that are lipserviced (is that a word?), by the GOP. Just like PETA and ACLU supporters are lipserviced by the Left.
Until more political options open up, truth and real political solutions will always by filtered through partisan politics. People tend to vote for those who tell them what they want to hear.
I predict that none of these indictments will matter in a few months. Saddam's trial and a minor restriction on abortion allowed by a Bush-appointed Supreme Court this fall will energize the Republican base so much that there will be another Right Wing president.
Yeah, c-neil, if there is one thing that this country needs desperatly, it is the addition of more parties. People bemoan the polarization in this country, yet insist that all Americans can and should be broken down into only two groups and that those two groups can and should be able to effectivly lobby for all thier concerns. Absurd.
"People tend to vote for those who tell them what they want to hear." How true. But am I any different? Hmmm.
Another Right Wing President!. Oh, this is depressing; I gotta stop...
Oh, I’m dying over here. I thought that I might just sit this one out, not because I don’t whole heartedly agree with my brother’s post (because I do), but because I don’t want to fall victim to one of the classic blunders, the most famous of which is “Never get involved in a land war in Asia”, but only slightly less well known is this, “Never, ever, ever, ever, ever post another response to one of your brother’s political blog entries again!”. But, oh well, blunders are there to be made.
When, I wonder will we wake up and realize that neither the left nor the right represent us, they represent those who got them into power. Both sides are leading us down a prim rose path. It takes a left foot and a right foot (each in their own turn) to walk the nation towards the goal. Brandon, there already are other parties, it’s just that nobody every votes for them. I’m sure your precious news media darlings have nothing to do with any of that. It’s not like they frame the debate or anything. It’s not like they control who gets air time and who doesn’t. It’s not as if they have an interest in putting on a show for us, right? The fifth estate is kaput. I’m talking about both Fox and the alphabet networks/cable news stations. You have your choice in flavor for prapoganda these days.
Of course, it’s so much nicer with two major candidates isn’t it? It’s so much easier to control that way. That way one side always thinks they’re getting screwed and the other side always thinks they got everything they wanted, when in reality both sides are getting screwed. Left side, Right side, both sides lead to Bigger Government and less personal freedom. I don’t suppose any of you political buffs have ever heard of this party called the Libertarians, hmmmm? Why don’t you try giving them your vote someday, at least they think your mature enough to make decisions for yourself without the governments approval.
Heidi, Heidi, Heidi…my dear, I’m never so afraid of my government as when they speak with one voice. Nine times out of ten, when there is a strong bipartisan effort afoot, you can be certain that the losers will be the American people. Our founding fathers understood this very well and designed a system that would intentionally foster grid lock. John Quincy Adams once said, “There was never a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.”, and history certainly upholds this statement. Knowing this our founding fathers built a systems that they hoped would, at the very least, would slow down this process towards inevitable implosion by decentralizing power and congesting “progress”. Tyranny is rarely born of great upheavals, rather it is born of a slow, methodical decline and is permitted by the malaise of the very citizenry it propones to represent. Don’t know what I’m talking about? Don’t worry. You will. Soon. Stay away from the middle road or you will shortly find that you have compromised yourself into slavery.
Reacher, both the left and the right continually claim to speak God, the right just has better PR/Propagandist for this particular segment of society. A nice Trojan horse in the form of one Lord Bush never hurt either. Incidentally, what is with that picture anyway?
Mr. Foster, where to start…? I used to be you, you know. Just look back at some of the older posts I have made on my brother’s blog page. Actually, I take it back. I made you look like an ant. I was THE conservative poster child. Which is to say, I was the most believing of their lies. Now before you go all nuts, know that I have just finished nine years of “serving” my country in the US Marine Corps. I fulfilled my ‘loyalty’ litmus test. Now you have no reason to believe what I have to say, so again, I will let the founders speak for me, they sound so much better anyway. In regard to declaring a war with Iraq:
“The executive has no right, in any case, to decide the question, whether there is or is not cause for declaring war.” - James Madison
As it pertains enemy attacks on our soil:
“If tyranny and oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy.” - James Madison
Read that one again after you have read the so called “Patriot Act”, then follow it up with this one:
“The means of defense against foreign danger historically have become the instruments of tyranny at home.” - James Madison
This James Madison fellow was one smart guy, eh? Here’s what he would tell Rummy the next time we are told that this war will not be won in our lifetime:
“No nation could preserve freedom in the midst of continual war.” - James Madison
As far as taking the fight to them is concerned:
“America goes not abroad in search of monsters to destroy.” - John Quincy Adams
And finially a few words about nation building and the spread of Democracy (as an aside, we would be wise to remember that we are not a democracy, rather a constitutional republic, learn the difference. The most famous democratic vote in history was, “Crucify him!” and the government knew he was innocent):
“America is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all. She is the champion and vindicator only of her own.” - John Quincy Adams
As an add-on of my own, “You know nothing about the civil war as displayed by that dufus ignoramus comment you made.” – Jonathan Fibbs
Nate: Did you know that nine of the 19 terrorist highjackers are alive and well to this very day? All true, you can easily verify this fact for yourself with very reputable news sources. So if they didn’t fly the plane into the WTC and the Pentagon…who did? Look into it my friend. No more at that topic.
I agree that we would have very little if any Congressmen left if we were to do away with any one of them that ever knowingly involved themselves in any illegal activities. To this I say, so? Lets make it happen.
Brandon, about this war being undertaken upon dubious grounds, I have one more quote just for you:
“Great is the guilt of an unnecessary war.” - John Adams…for anybody but the last seven presidents.
And I’ll end with a paraphrase of your comment Brandon. Another president! This is so depressing! Sorry for the post bro, I just can’t help myself. It’s a sickness. I need help…just not from Uncle Sam.
Jon
Interesting stuff. Some of it I agree with. Some I don't.
In regards to the 9 living terrorist hijackers though, that is interesting as well. Did they still hijack the plane though? I can't tell if that's what you meant. Did they have last second parachutes? Or did you just mean they never got on the plane? Would the other 10 have been enough to do it then? Were the living 9 still involved somehow? How do we know they are alive and well? Can I find them? I have the weekend off; I'll take care of it myself if their status and location is so well known by reputable news sources. It seems amazing that no one else has, even private citizens. What are these sources? Can you post some links? I would be interested in researching this further.
Consider me intrigued.
Nate
Oh Nate, you don't know the Pandora's Box you've just opened!
Nate, just start here, if you're still interested email me personally at fibbsjs@tree.odn.ne.jp and I will send you all the links and info I can: http://www.pentagonstrike.co.uk/flash.htm#Preloader , I just don't want to turn my brother's blog page into a forum for this topic. This is his page, one of my blog pages can be seen here on this topic: www.thehegelianprinciple.blogspot.com although I just started it and I don't really have all that much on it yet.
And now (Oct.24th), it seems the Vice-President himself was either behind the leak or involved in the cover-up. Unbelievable.
Come on, was there ever any doubt?
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