Read my LTTE and criticize it?

[Th1onein]

Coup de grace. This is the term used to describe the last of a series of events which brings about the end of some entity. That’s exactly what you must call the latest “emergency” produced by the anti-regulatory fanaticism for which the current administration is well-known. It is the final blow.

The Bush administration breaks things—first, it was Iraq, and now it’s the financial industry--and it suddenly becomes an “emergency” for Congress and, ultimately, for the American people, to apply the glue that’s supposed to make everything alright again. Unfortunately, though, Americans have learned the hard way that when the Bush administration starts talking about “emergencies,” we need to watch out. Think about it:

First, we had pictures of mushroom clouds, and it was an “emergency” to attack a country that the Bush administration now finally admits had nothing to do with the attack on the Twin Towers. So we caved in to the Iraq War Resolution. It was an “emergency,” after all!

Of course, Dick Cheney, the vice president, is still making money off of that one. And, I’m not even going to go into the $9 billion dollars of American taxpayer money that was simply “mislaid,” during Paul Bremer’s stewardship of Iraq. Or the human excrement sliding down from the fixtures of Halliburton-built buildings there. Or the showers that electrocute our soldiers while they’re bathing, courtesy of Halliburton.

Now, we’ve got Paulson, Secretary of the Treasury and former head of Goldman-Sachs, wanting complete control over billions of dollars to be handed out to the greedy criminals of the firms that, by all accounts, are only reaping what they, themselves, sowed. It’s an emergency, we’re told. If the American taxpayer doesn’t bail out the greedy fools in the financial industry, then our entire system is going to go down the tubes! Sound familiar?

It should. Secretary Paulson, you see, came straight from Goldman-Sachs before being appointed to his position by the President. And he’s got to have (got to have, I say!) complete control over those billions, without any oversight from Congress, the courts, or any agency, in order to save us from the looming mushroom cloud about to destroy our financial industry. Does it surprise anyone to know that Goldman-Sachs is the main benefactor of the bailout?

Americans should know by now that when the Bush administration starts talking about mushroom clouds and shouting “Emergency!”, we are about to be take a painful hit. This bailout is not an emergency. It is the coup de grace; the bullet to the head; the massive and final transfer of our treasury to the big corporations.

[Saturday]

1. Excellent! nt

[grannie4peace]

2. is it to the general public?

if it is try to say it a little simpler if at all possible. you may reach some more people. good disgusting examples :):)

[nichomachus]

3. The sentiments and ideas are good

You could probably tighten it by about one-third without losing anything essential. (I used to edit letters to the editor for a newspaper.) There are a lot of unnecessary words and phrases. Just one example:

In the last paragraph, you say "Americans should know by now..." You can convey the same idea with "Americans know..." or even "We know..." There are a dozen other places where you could cut words, without cutting ideas.


Does your newspaper have a word limit? If so, adhere strictly to it.

If your paper edits letters, it's a good bet this one will be shortened. When I write a letter to the editor, I'd rather shorten it myself than let them chop something out.

I'm not criticizing you -- just trying to be helpful. It's a good letter, and just needs some editing.

[JHB]

4. Yup.

"9/11" would be shorter than "the attack on the Twin Towers", yet still say the same. That sort of thing.

The planks are sound, they just need the edges trimmed so they fit tight.

[TooBigaTent]

5. Change "billions" to "HUNDREDs of billions" - it has more of an impact. I also agree with

those recommending a little "tightening."

Good job. Good luck.

[dweller]

6. "only reaping what they, themselves, are sowing"

(it's still ongoing)

dp

[DCKit]

7. The last sentence....

I would change "...final transfer of our treasury to the big corporations." to "...final transfer of our treasury to already wealthy gamblers" or something along those lines. Make it more personal than "corporations."

Other than that? Spot on and not so long as to put the average 'Merkin to sleep.

[Th1onein]

9. Thanks so much. I took your advice and changed some, pulled some.

And I sent it. Second one in as many days. I feel good. Especially since they printed the first one.

[wvbygod]

8. It;'s a good anti bush/repub rant

As long as the point/title of it is to paint the repubs and bush as the sole culprits
of all that is wrong in America, it's great.