Molly Ivins: US vs. us

[Dudley_DUright]

Always interesting to come into The City Where Everybody Says Exactly What Everybody Else Says just to run my own reality check. If I'm out of step with the conventional wisdom, I'm doing fine. The minute I find myself saying what everybody else says, it's time to leave town.

Here in our nation's capital, the political reporter from the boonies is most often asked, "Is this Howard Dean thing for real?" Hey, THEY never heard of Howard Dean; Howard Dean never did time on The Hill. How are they supposed to have a read on him? Their provincialism is truly charming. In politics, when people ask, "Is the guy serious?" it means, does he have money? So, OK, Howard Dean is serious. Next question.

But Bush is SERIOUS is the next argument. Have you looked at that money? Well yes, and I certainly say that $200 million makes him serious as a stroke. But you tell me what he can run on. The economy is in terrible shape, and I'm not just talking about lost jobs. People's lives go to hell in a lot of ways beyond no jobs -- no unemployment insurance; no health insurance; cost of health insurance spiking double, triple; lost pensions; Bush wants to take away overtime -- you start adding all this up, and even out in the "red states" (it's so cute, the way they say things here), it's not looking so good for Bush.

But security -- he's strong on defense and security, right? One of those moments of clarity that demonstrate HERE IS THE PROBLEM in an unforgettably dramatic fashion occurred last Friday. American troops shot and killed nine Iraqi cops and wounded nine more while the cops were in hot pursuit of some bandits. Our guys mistook their guys for the bad guys. The firefight lasted three hours, with the Iraqi cops screaming, "We're the police!" the whole time. Unfortunately, we didn't have anyone who could understand what they were saying. That's the problem.

more...

http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?itemid=15639

[Brucey]

1. Love Molly!

Thanks.

[JewelDigger]

2. This really says it well

As does this (partial) letter written by an unidentified person to another site. I thought the use of the past tense in the last paragraph saying we WERE the greatest nation as well as the apparently now-lost feeling that 'Repubs cared' was very telling indeed!

------------------------------

"Since even before I was legally able to vote, I've been a republican. The Democrats desire and willingness to take my money and give it away to people that I don't know makes me sick inside. Republicans cared about me.

This jobless recovery has weighed very heavily on me. I have yet to be unemployed but I know many who are. Offshoring jobs may be great for corporations but it kills families. I never liked that manufacturing jobs were leaving this country, but they always said.. Retraining is the key. I believed this.

I am a computer programmer. My friends are falling to unemployment so fast that if feels dark and ominous. What do we retrain to? Lawyer? Doctor? Most of us are over 30 and 40 years old. I've heard rumors that President Bush outsourced his fundraising campaign. At what point do corporations cross the line between profits and supporting America?

For the first time in my life I am not voting for a Republican. It hurts. I can't imagine why my president will not take a Pro-Worker stand on outsourcing and offshoring our jobs. I love this country. We where the greatest nation on earth. We need our jobs back. We need to feel secure"

[teryang]

3. Tom Friedman should volunteer for Iraq duty

He's a "middle east expert." Maybe he could tell the troops who they're shooting at.

[Wwagsthedog]

6. And he should be sent to Iraq in an Israeli uniform!

n/t

[damnraddem]

4. Molly don't molly-coddle the Bushistas!

Of course, she's one of them damn, Texas librals, so a lot of folks ignore her.

[PBinOregon]

5. Molly the Magnificent

Having Molly Ivins, Paul Krugman and other great writers is a bright spot in this hard, hard stretch of time.

Thanks for posting this.