These periodic ramblings are written, produced and directed by Ronald Dale Karr, University of Massachusetts Lowell. Obviously, the opinions expressed here are my own, not those of the University.
Once more Bill Clinton has proved to be the craftiest politico of his age. Although even bombing Iraq wasn't enough to head off IMPEACHMENT (but it almost turned the tide), a Senate DEAL becomes more and more likely. With his popularity with the voters at an all-time high (what red-blooded American can resist a man who bombs helpless countries, cheats on his wife, lies constantly, smiles, has sex with women half his age, lectures welfare mothers about morality, and puts mentally retarded criminals to death?) Clinton will BEAT THE RAP. And deservedly so. Why should we hold our leaders to moral standards? After all morality is something to which criminals, people of color, drug addicts, bums on welfare, and foreign devils must be held accountable. For the rest of us it's a drag that stands in the way of making money and getting high.
in all this is the Republican Party has given the Democrats an excellent chance of taking back control of Congress in 2000. A lot can happen in two years, but seldom has Congress been so out of touch with public opinion. Impeaching a national icon has convinced a lot of people that the GOP has GONE OFF THE DEEP END. The fact that Clinton is for all intents and purposes a Rockefeller Republican and is the most conservative Democrat in the White House since GROVER CLEVELAND only once more shows how far to the right American politics in the 1990s has gone.
a most unlikely pair, were the most interesting winners in '98. Ventura's stunning upset of two veteran Minnesota pols shows it's still possible for a celebrity--even a pro wrestler--to gain high political office in this country if the voters are in the right humor. It also shows that in cases with two closely matched and uninspiring candidates an outsider running as a third party candidate might just squeak by with little more than a third of the votes. Of course, MINNESOTA has twice elected one of the most liberal members of the Senate, Paul Wellstone (as well as having previously raised a crop of serious presidential contenders). And in Texas, George W. ("Junior") Bush's solid re-election as Governor of the second largest state makes him the unchallenged frontrunner to take on AL GORE in 2000. If not Bush for the GOP, who else--the Newt?
although welcomed (it couldn't happy to a nicer guy) should not disguise the fact that his mission was largely accomplished-American politics has been shoved so far to the right that old-fashioned New Dealers seem like bomb-throwing radicals. Thirty years ago a politician with the Newt's agenda would have been regarded as a raving lunatic of the type found only in Orange County or at Birch Society meetings.
The savage bombing of Iraq is another in a long series of shameful and cowardly American actions against weaker nations. From the war against the Pequots in 1637 through campaigns against Mexico and Spain and finally, Iraq, Americans have always enjoyed their splendid little wars, as the dark-skinned bodies pile up at little or no cost--or risk--to ourselves. Cruel and viscous SADDAM HUSSEIN may well be, but he's hardly a viable military threat to the U.S. Consider this. During the Gulf War--in just three months--more bombs were dropped on his country than all those dropped in World War II or Vietnam. His army showed no will or ability to fight. Since 1990 he has been unable to obtain new weapons to replace those destroyed in the war. He has no air defenses whatsoever except for World War II-style anti-aircraft guns, which are utterly ineffective against cruise missiles and supersonic aircraft. With the proper air support the CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT could take on Iraq, and--having lived in Chicago--my money would be on the boys in blue. They're a lot tougher.
The ostensible reason for our latest round of air strikes was that Saddam had prevented U.N. weapons inspectors from carrying out their mission. So far, no "weapons of mass destruction" have been found. Presumably, their job was to find out what Saddam has and where. Now, according to Clinton, we've DESTROYED these weapons through bombing. Wait a minute! If the weapons inspectors failed, how do we know where the weapons are (or if they exist at all)? And, if we know this information, WHY DO WE NEED THE INSPECTORS?? So what did we bomb (aside from the few hundred civilians who perished)? Buildings! What's in the buildings? Saddam's weapons of mass destruction. How do we know? Because we say so! And we would NEVER lie to you, the American public. Anybody want to BUY A BRIDGE?
George Bush's recent memoirs confirm what we've long known, that OIL--not human rights or opposition to terrorism--is what drives our foreign policy. Back during the Gulf War we made a crucial decision, to abandon alternative energy sources and continue to rely on imported oil to fuel our economy. CHEAP GAS is what makes America possible. Gas prices, in real terms, are at an all-time low while the stock market is near an all-time high. Just recently OPEC announced plans to try to curtail oil production and raise prices. Bombs away! Hopefully, they got the message.
The U.S. economy is the only one on the globe that's in good shape these days. We're supposed to have a GLOBAL ECONOMY, but the U.S., while dominating that economy, seems immune from its problems. The biggest difficulty is the relentless pursuit of profits by multinational corporations. Everywhere wages race to the bottom and throughout the third world poverty is growing. In the U.S. greed is unchecked, the top quarter of the population is living high off the hog while the plight of the bottom half becomes increasingly desperate. The numbers without health insurance climb every year. Most families get by through running up huge credit card balances. Otherwise, they'd have precious little to spend on consumption. All eyes are on WALL STREET. With a record number of persons owning stock, it is critical that the stock market remain up. The problem is that most stocks are over priced. The market is kept afloat by smoke, wires, and mirrors. The Fed injects interest rate cuts to maintain the illusion. This is why cheap gas is so crucial. If gas prices shot up, inflation would return with a vengeance. The Fed would be forced to raise interest rates. CRASH! And bye-bye, AL GORE!
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Ronald Dale Karr
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