Guns & Butter

[H2O Man]

"I knew from the start that I was bound to be crucified either way I moved. If I left the woman I really loved – the Great Society – in order to get involved with that bitch of a war on the other side of the world, then I would lose everything at home. ….And I knew that if we let Communist aggression succeed in taking over South Vietnam ….that would shatter my Presidency, kill my administration, and damage our democracy." --LBJ
--Doris Kearns; Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream; New York; 1976; pages 251-252.

The democratic debate last night was outstanding. Supporters of both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have good reason to be pleased with their candidate’s performance. I do not think that any objective person could say that either candidate made anything less than a good impression, showing that they are fully qualified to be President of the United States of America.

In my opinion, Senator Clinton seemed slightly stronger on the domestic economic questions, and Senator Obama appeared slightly stronger on the international issues involving war.

It is important that both Clinton and Obama begin to speak more forcefully on the connection between the damage done to our economy, and the Bush-Cheney war of occupation in Iraq. Just as LBJ told Doris Kearns that the war in Vietnam destroyed his economic policies, because he could not afford "guns and butter," the current administration’s Iraq policy is the cause of the economic depression we are experiencing.

More, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama must focus the public’s attention on the fact that there are business interests which are lining their pockets off the suffering of others. These business interests are, of course, closely connected to the family friends of the Bush and Cheney families. It is not just that they are getting huge tax breaks, but far more importantly, that these untaxed profits are "blood money."

Their investment in human suffering is what is causing the most severe damage to our Constitutional democracy. It is time for both candidates to bring this message home.

[H2O Man]

1. Are the rumors

that Skinner is giving out free tee-shirts to those who post nice things on my thread (and nominate them) true? There is only one way to be sure.

[hwmnbn]

11. K&R....

Yeah, yeah, yeah, nice post.

where's my tee-shirt? :evilgrin:

[blondeatlast]

13. Small for me! Great post, my friend--and worth extending my walk from my

won neighborhood.

K&R

[Coexist]

2. Randi Rhodes is difficult to listen to at times

but the sanest idea I have ever heard on war came from her. She said (and I paraphrase) "fine, you think we need to defend our country, then go to war, but there will be NO profit made from it. No profiteering. It should be illegal. THEN lets see how many wars this country gets into."




Oh, and would that be ladies or mens sizes??

[DemReadingDU]

3. Both are very fine candidates

I am still undecided who to vote for.

I would like to see them discuss more of Edward's talking points

What to do about solving the poverty in this country

Because the corporate businesses have moved jobs out of this country but put wealth into their big profits, how will create jobs here to put more money into middle Americans.


Can I have a t-shirt too?

[Beausoir]

4. K&R.

;-)

[H2O Man]

7. It's an important issue.

Some families are making a fortune off of the war.

[Beausoir]

14. Absolutely. I used to say that George H.W. Bush was running the country for the exclusive

benefit of about 100 of his uber rich golfing buddies.

Little did I know that his son would turn out to be so much worse.

[kid a]

5. k & r =)

[DemReadingDU]

6. afternoon kick

[countingbluecars]

8. K&R

[Armstead]

9. Kick for more butter

[TacticalPeek]

10. Amen.

:kick:

[Tatiana]

12. I think Obama shored up the foreign policy questions about his candidacy.

Clinton flexed her experienced muscle.

It was a draw, but it was encouraging to see the re-focusing on the reason why we are so "screwn" right now. The Republicans and the republican school of thought have brought us this mess. (Thought it was good on Obama to bring up the fact that we need to CHANGE MINDS or else this thing will be cyclical and we will be going through this process over and over again. People need to get that the Republican school of thought is poisonous and they should not embrace it.)