Rant Casserole
According to this CNN report, during Bush’s closed-door meeting with Republican senators, the war in Iraq wasn’t discussed. Yawn, no surprise there. Who wants to talk about that? But that’s not the interesting part - after being asked whether Iraq was discussed, Trent Lott went on to say (referring to the media asking him)
“You’re the only ones who obsess on that. We don’t and the real people out in the real world don’t for the most part.”
A senator thinking the war in Iraq isn’t a big deal is a big deal, especially when sixteen American intelligence agencies identified the war in Iraq being the “cause celebre” for anti-American violence (source). Isn’t ending anti-American violence the primary concern of the average American lately?
But that’s not the really interesting part either — here’s what he said next:
“It’s hard for Americans, all of us, including me, to understand what’s wrong with these people. Why do they kill people of other religions because of religion? Why do they hate the Israelis and despise their right to exist? Why do they hate each other? Why do Sunnis kill Shiites? How do they tell the difference? They all look the same to me.“
No seriously, that’s what he said. They all look the same to me. That faint scratchy sound you hear is MLK trying to claw through the coffin lid.
In related news, Bill O’Reilly (or Orally as KO likes to call him) had this gem to offer:
I don’t care what Iraq was, I don’t care what it will be. I just don’t want them killing anybody or helping Al Qaeda. OK? Couldn’t care less about the country. That is the no-spin honesty that you all come to expect from me.
Sentiment like that might explain why the US has been fighting in Iraq longer than we fought in World War II, or as history may rename it, “The Skirmish Overseas from Which We Learned Nothing”.
Speaking of segues,
Rep. Mark Foley (R, duh) stepped down from the house Friday after his sexcapades with a minor were uncovered. Strange irony that he was the guy who wrote the sexual predator provisions on a child protection law this year. While leaving office seemed a totally obvious move, it turns out the G.O.P. knew last year that he was involved in the emails. But why kick the pedophile out when he’s helping hold on to your majority? Makes perfect sense to me. Bonus points if you put 2 and 2 together in this paragraph and noticed that he wrote the anti-pedophile stuff after his actions were quietly uncovered. To hopefully end my rant on this topic, I’ll give the first of many ‘Tied for Douchebag of the Century Awards’ to FOX News’ Brit Hume, who completely overlooked the whole pedophilia angle and described Foley’s actions as “inappropriate behaviors towards subordinates“, putting them on par with Clinton’s Lewinsky affair.
Only one more topic I promise…
This Friday, the House passed a bill titled the Public Expression of Religion Act. All it does is prevent the winning of attorney’s fees in cases brought against the government regarding the First Amendment’s clause regarding establishment of religion.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
(I actually had to look it up. I suck.)
This bill if enacted, would seriously deter lawyers from fighting for constitutionally-protected religious freedom. The ACLU explains it better than I can. This sucks. It widens the door for the government to blatantly violate the First Amendment, just so long as they don’t violate it significantly enough for people with large amounts of money who can afford to spend it.