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Cheney: The Political Kardashian..
Seems the Washington press think there are ONLY a handful of people – a select few -who can have answers, solutions or opinions about anything…and they call upon these people time and again to tell the rest of US:
- HOW things should be done
- WHY things should be done
- WHERE things should be done and
- WHEN things should be done.
One of these KNOWLEDGEABLE people is former Vice President Dick Cheney.
I think Cheney is really a Kardashian. Except instead of see-through tops, he wears see-through ideology! I mean, he’s as hungry and eager for the spotlight as any Kardashian – and he will do or say ANYTHING to get in the limelight. Here is one EGOmaniac who will NOT go away quietly – or EVER!
Dick “the Missing” Kardashian
Say what you will about George W. Bush or the elder Bush, they’ve gone away quietly. I admire their graciousness in this regard. Cheney will die – and minutes after his burial – he will be staggering up and down the Washington Mall, chains dragging, looking for some reporter to take a statement. Like we really want to know WHAT hell is like!
Does Dick (darn, his momma named him well) Cheney have nobody, no-one in his circle who can suggest he shuts up! I mean he’s NO Colin Powell. Now here’s a republican I can tolerate…that most people will tolerate. Cheney, good god! (as in Cheney thinks he’s a god). I personally don’t think he deserves a capital G…
So the Veep Wonder was on TV (ABC – 6/22/2014) AGAIN, talking about Iraq. Cheney is criticizing the President for Obama’s stance on Iraq. Host, JONATHAN KARL asked Cheney what HE would do about Iraq and he said, quote:
“I’d recognize that Iraq is not the whole problem. We’ve got a much bigger problem than just the current crisis in Iraq.
The Rand Corporation was out within the last week with a report that showed that there’s been a 58 percent increase in the number of groups like al Qaeda, Salafi jihadists. And it stretches from West Africa all across North Africa, East Africa, through the Middle East, all the way around to Indonesia, a doubling of the number of terrorists out there.
The first thing we have to do is recognize we’ve got a hell of a problem and it’s not just in Iraq. I worry about Pakistan. Just a couple of weeks ago in Pakistan, the Taliban, the same group that we just released five of the leaders from Guantanamo, the Taliban raided Karachi Airport.
Karachi airport after Taliban raid 6/10/2014
Why do I care about that?
Well, Pakistan is unique in that it has a significant inventory of nuclear weapons. We have evidence that the man who built the Pakistani program, AQ Khan, offered up recently and that was that the North Koreans have bribed Pakistani officials for sophisticated technology for enriching uranium and that the North Koreans now have some two — 2,000 centrifuges operating to enrich uranium.
We had North Korea try to provide Syria with a nuclear reactor.
The — the difficulty, the spread of the terrorist organizations is not recognized by the administration. The proliferation of nuclear capability and the possibility that it could fall into the hands of terrorists is not really being addressed at all.
And I appreciate the problems we’ve got in Iraq right now…
…But what I think we need is a broad strategy that lets us address this whole range of issues. And that involves reversing a number of the policies of…the Obama administration.
Host, JONATHAN KARL asked Cheney AGAIN:But let me — let me ask you specifically on Iraq, because that — that’s the crisis confronting us right at this moment.
Would you in — would you take war — you know, air strikes against ISIS? (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria…OR…Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)
CHENEY: Well, I — what we should have done in Iraq was…
KARL: No, no, what would you do now?
Kurdish fighter battling ISIL near Kurd border. Don’t forget the Kurds – the third part of that equation!
CHENEY: — leave behind a force — well, what I would do now, John, is, among other things, be realistic about the nature of the threat. When we’re arguing over 300 advisers when the request had been for 20,000 in order to do the job right, I’m not sure we’ve really addressed the problem.
I would definitely be helping the resistance up in Syria, in ISIS’ backyard, with training and weapons and so forth, in order to be able to do a more effective job on that end of the party.
But I think at this point, there are no good, easy answers in Iraq. And, again, I think it’s very important to emphasize that the problem we’re faced with is a much broader one, that we need to — an administration to recognize the fact that we’ve got this huge problem, quit peddling the notion that they — they got core al Qaeda and therefore there’s no problem out there…They’ve got to rebuild trust and relationship with our friends in the region…It’s very important to take a broad gauge approach to it.
Let’s break down Cheney’s answer – because it is way too simple for liberals to understand unless one DECONSTRUCTS his wisdom. So Cheney would:
- Have left a force behind. How long for – ask him! Ask him too about his TENSE. What would you do NOW, as in the PRESENT…but then Cheney CAN’T differentiate between past and present – which is why he still thinks HE is running the country!
- Be realistic about the nature of the threat. The White House thinks ISIS is a game with a pretend Egyptian invasion.
- Instead of arguing over 300 advisers (when the request had been for 20,000 in order to do the job right), let’s just wait until Mr. Cheney IS sure, then perhaps we’ll know if he wants to send 300, 33-hundred or 23-thousand to ADDRESS the problem.
- HE would definitely be helping the resistance up in Syria with training and weapons and so forth. Bravo Mr. Cheney. Now that’s decisive. Training – OK. Weapons – OK. So forth? Is that wriggle room, Mr. Cheney, for things like No-Bid Contracts for your cronies and companies you make lots of money from? Like Halliburton perhaps?
- He admits there are NO good, easy answers in Iraq. You don’t say!
- He wants the administration to recognize that we’ve got this huge problem. Did you know that we’ve got a huge problem in Iraq? Do you think perhaps we should TELL the White House about this big problem in Iraq?
- Cheney would quit peddling the notion that the U.S. got core al Qaeda and therefore there’s no problem out there. Would THAT be before or after he said (about Iraq): “And I think they’re in the — in the last throes, if you will, of the insurgency”… OR “Regime change in Iraq would bring about a number of benefits to the region”.
ISIL fighters round up the Iraqi Security forces we spent MILLIONS to train. The Iraqi forces either ran away, gave up or were ineffective. Great use of taxpayer dollars, Mr. Cheney! Money for more police in America? – nah, big government!
Cheney just did not realize to WHOM those benefits would go. Surely these benefits are NOT going to American taxpayers or the soldiers who return with PTSD or their families or to the U.S. economy or to the millions of refugees fleeing their homes in Iraq and Syria. Or does last throes mean to him: just beginning to arise?
If the U.S. bombs ISIL, America comes across as anti-Sunni — and if America moves too openly against Iraq’s Shiite prime minister, the unsatisfactory Nuri al-Maliki, then it is seen as anti-Shiite. WHICH side does Cheney want us to support? On which side does he see America coming out a winner? When he looks through HIS looking glass, where does it foretell a VICTORY? I suppose it would be whichever one can ensure his interests in Halliburton keep bearing juicy oil dividends?
Now I know Cheney is wrong, always thought he was wrong (and maybe you thought so too) but when his very OWN republican colleague – and a likely front-runner for the Republican Presidential nomination in 2016 (Rand Paul) says:
Rand Paul – not in step with fellow republican Dick Cheney.
“Many of those clamoring for military action now are the same people who made every false assumption imaginable about the cost, challenge and purpose of the Iraq War. They have been wrong for so long, why should we listen to him — listen to them again?”
…don’t you think it is time, BEYOND time, for Dick Kardashian, spotlight hogger, limelight chaser and attentionaholic – to get the hint. Pssst: Cheney! How much clearer can Paul get? Pack up! Go away! Shut up! IRRELEVANT!!!
Photos: Google Images, Reuters and others.
Boehner: Resign or be voted out! Not Sure? Call Gingrich!
Former Secretary of State, Colin Powell who served BEFORE Rice.
Colin Powell called it about Iraq – when he said: If we break it, we own it! Except NOW we don’t want it!
Today a force of militants calling themselves the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is nearing Baghdad, after marching across Iraq like a plague of locusts, destroying all opposition in it’s path. Al Queda is afraid of them – does that make you nervous?
Isis — Egyptian goddess – friend to the downtrodden. The name means: throne! Married her brother Osiris – and used her magic to restore his life after his body parts were scattered across the world. Symbolic, yes?
I am as outraged today as I was in 2003 when U.S. King George II (Bush the Younger) bombed Iraq. I still don’t understand WHY America invaded Iraq and toppled Saddam Hussein. I know of all the given reasons: U.S. gas and oil-guzzling interests; revenge for a slight to the president’s father (U.S King George the First) or Weapons Of Mass Destruction (WMDs). But I still don’t get it…Why? Why, why?
Islamic State of Iraq and Syria
Now Republicans – look back and tell me Iraq and the Middle East were NOT more stable with Saddam in power?
Naturally republicans are blaming Obama – because he withdrew US troops, took them out of a situation they could NOT win. We should have left them to be blown up to bits every day -to return home with missing limbs and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) the Veteran’s Administration is now faking it treated! Iraq today is NOT all about Obama and his choices. Obama had to treat an outbreak amid a republican-induced epidemic! Right or wrong, neither choice (leave troops/pull troops) could fix Iraq…just delay the inevitable.
If only republicans would say: “Gosh we messed up big time by invading Iraq, but pulling troops out did not help either”. OK, I’d buy that. But they ALL blame Obama, like what they did was working so well: Every Iraqi was overjoyed with the overthrow of the Saddam regime; the Sunnis were happy, the Shiites were content, the Kurds up north were waving the Iraqi flag and neighboring countries were in raptures! It was one big happy family holding July 4 barbecues; the surge was surging until Obama came along and blew all that hard work (or piece of pie as Republicans probably see it) by sending the troops home!
TEXAS Republican Michael McCaul, Chair of House Committee on Homeland Security, is on TV Sunday morning (6/15) urging the U.S. BACK into Iraq and blaming Obama for the debacle in Iraq. HE DOES NOT SEE THAT THERE WOULD BE NO ISIS WITHOUT THE REPUBLICAN GENERATED PSEUDO SCENARIO THEY SOLD TO GULLIBLE AMERICANS FOR THE GOP’s IMMORAL INVASION OF A COUNTRY THAT WAS NO THREAT. Naturally, send the troops back – and ISIS will just give up. Syria will be magically mended; Iran will stop enriching Uranium…and Israel will no longer want to bomb any of these countries. Magic…
Texas Republican Michael McCaul
So republicans want US troops back in Iraq? How about them giving their kids a crash course in Terrorism 101 and sending their pampered offspring to Iraq to face the invading ISIS jihadists? Pull their kids out of their fancy schools and well-paying jobs, give them body armor that is deficient and send them off to Iraq!
And until then, please DON’T ask more mostly poor and disenfranchised kids to lay down their lives for your misguided ideological nonsense. Until every Senator and every Representative is willing to don fatigues and go to Iraq, they need to STOP sending other people’s kids/loved ones to get blown by homemade bombs then return to a broken and underfunded Veteran’s Administration.
Eric Cantor
So House MAJORITY Leader, Virginia Republican Eric Cantor lost his reelection bid. Great. They ALL need to lose. House speaker John Boehner should be next…
Lesson for Democrats: Gerrymandering does NOT work! (Not that democrats will listen to no-trust-fund insignificant ME, who can’t afford to pay $50-thousand for a plate of food OR $100-thousand if I brought my son!) However, Listen up Democrats: gerrymandering – creating ideological districts that you think will benefit you – DOES NOT WORK in the long run AND MAY NOT WORK THE WAY YOU THINK IT WILL!
The best district is one where there is an ebb and flow. It is a MIX of ideology, thought, feeling, support, demographics and party loyalty. It is one where people vote for a Republican today but can also vote for a Democrat tomorrow. It is one where the Representative can vote on a popular issue or one he believes IN, even if some constituents DO NOT; a vote that may be in the interest of the country but not necessarily in the best interest of that district OR political party…a district where the majority of a DIVERSE view counts more than the narrow, petty view of a minority.
Gerrymandering by Republicans (Democrats Beware – you do it too!)
Republicans are sowing the seeds of the gerrymandering districts they created JUST TO CONTROL THE HOUSE. Well you control it now. Nice feeling ain’t it? You created lily-white districts where immigration is not an issue for them. So even though many states and major U.S. cities are reeling from the effects of unchecked immigration, even if farmers and many other industries are dependent on immigrant labor, even if the LEGAL immigration system is inadequate, even if the current impasse on immigration is allowing millions of UNDOCUMENTED workers to remain in the shadows, so what? Doesn’t affect me – don’t care!
Well, here’s the scenario facing the GOP:
- Republicans will NEVER win the majority of Hispanic voters with their stand on Immigration. For nearly EVERY Hispanic who can vote, he/she knows of, loves or has a family member WHO IS UNDOCUMENTED and is depending on Immigration Reform to get that person legalized. Hispanics are not PRO Immigration Reform for noble or ideological reasons – they support it because they want their mother, father, uncle, cousin, lover, spouse, best friend, relative, neighbor to BE LEGAL!
Anti-Immigrant Rally
Anti-immigration
- That holds true for voters from OTHER immigrant groups. Asians are another large voting bloc that is tied to Immigration Reform. Do Republicans realize the number of Vietnamese, Chinese, Koreans, Philippinos and other nationalities like Haitians, Jamaicans/English Caribbean, Irish, Eastern Europeans, Indians etc who are HERE in the US with similar desires/reasons for Immigration Reform?
What would Jesus do? Tea Party talked to Jesus and he told them in an exclusive: “I’d be merciless!”
- The Tea Party is NOT, repeat NOT popular nationally. How can it be, when we just heard that Cantor also lost in part because he supported the move to compromise on the Government Shutdown. The Tea Party STILL thinks that the government SHOULD HAVE REMAINED CLOSED UNTIL THEY GOT WHAT THEY WANTED. STILL think this is the way to go when America came so CLOSE to the brink of economic, social and political disaster. Yet, they want a repeat – and beyond a repeat, they want the system to crash so they can remake it in their image.
- Republicans deserve this debacle because they are afraid to kick the Tea Party out. KICK THEM OUT! Take the next 4 years to rebuild and rebrand. Pass Immigration Reform – DON’T push the president to take matters into his own hands. Compromise, roll your sleeves, get working IN THE INTEREST OF THE COUNTRY instead of preserving what works for you and your party. What’s best for any one party may not necessarily be best for America. Think slavery!
- Choose a speaker with guts/cahones who is vested in moving the country (not his career) forward. Because the harder Boehner tries to protect his job and the more he sells his soul to do that, the more the job slips AWAY from him. Trying to please EVERYBODY never works.
Still, maybe the Tea Party win in Virginia will make some “genuine” Republicans step up and say: “Enough. I’m not sending this uncompromising guy to Washington…I want someone who will NOT shut the government down, someone who will cross the aisle, someone who is willing to meet democrats halfway and even sometimes three-quarters of the way, instead of someone who is doggedly holding his ground even when that ground is slipping into the ocean”.
John Boehner
John Boehner is one of the worst House Speakers. To me he’s even worse than Newt Gingrich. At least with Gingrich there was the “Contract With America”. With Boehner there’s what? Crying, I guess… Ironically, Boehner was part of the Republican posse who gave Gingrich the ultimatum: “Resign – or be voted out!” Live by the sword, die by the sword. Well Boehner: Resign or be voted out! Which one…?
Crying works for some people – but won’t work for you Boehner. Now if Michelle Bachman started crying…(don’t say it. Please don’t. Thanks…)
Boo-hoo…WHO?
Gone Baby, Gone…
There is a BLOC of Republicans who think that the interests of their constituents OVERRIDE the interests of the entire country…
They are determined to uphold the narrow precepts of the handful of majority white constituents they serve – and ignore the wishes of the national majority of well-adjusted Americans in the rest of the country.
Among HOUSE Republicans who OPPOSE Immigration Reform: Don Young, Alaska
According to a newspaper article: About 131 of the 233 House Republicans represent districts that are more than 80 percent white.
These 1850’s thinking republicans oppose Immigration Reform. (Of course they do. They don’t like whites, blacks, Hispanics and Jews. They are also anti-gay, anti-choice when it comes to abortion…and anti gun control, believe fanatically in the Bible, (especially the part that says Jesus was white and hated Hispanics).
They’re the SAME ones who believe President Obama is a Muslim who was NOT born in the USA and think America, under Obama’s leadership, is going to hell in a container packed with lighter fluid. Because HOW can a black man hold a position of authority anyway, especially THAT high a position? It is NOT possible for him to be qualified – let us dissect his grades!
Mo Brooks, AL
According to one newspaper, this bloc of Republicans, (I call them: “The 131”) doesn’t have any Immigration Reform Pressure Groups in THEIR districts so they may see NO reason to vote FOR Immigration Reform.
This is a STUPID, self-preserving, Republican PARTY-KILLING, short-sighted view – one that is constituent driven to preserve their skins while shortchanging the country and the 300 million people “The 131” DO not represent.
- Republicans CANNOT stop the demographic shift. That horse has already bolted! The most they can do now is coax the horse home with an offer of warm oats.
Spencer, Bachus, AL
50-thousand Hispanics turn 18-years-old EVERY MONTH in America. These Hispanics are not Undocumented Immigrants – these are people who who can vote! People who were BORN in this country 18-years ago, NOT today!
Marketers look at this demographic and see dollar-signs.One newspaper report says: Hispanics have the greatest purchasing power of any US ethnic group and taken together will soon represent the world’s ninth largest economy…”
Another report finds: “Hispanic buying power is worth $1 trillion now and is expected to grow another 50 percent to $1.5 trillion in the next five years. It also found that Latino households earning more than $50-thousand are projected to grow at a faster rate than the total number of households.”
You now see TV ads in Spanish…as businesses jockey to tap into that vast market. But NOT Republicans. Oh no. Instead of embracing Hispanics, they look for every trick in the book to MARGINALIZE Latinos.
Robert, Aderholt, AL
Republicans perfected the notion of marginalization on blacks – why not apply it to Hispanics too!
- Republicans believe that they can keep their seats and maintain control in Congress through gerrymandering.
Say they succeed in weeding out blacks, Hispanics and Asians from their districts, or dilute the non-white voting power or create white enclaves…HOW LONG is that going to last?
Mike Rogers, AL
The white birth rate/population is DECLINING…the minority birthrate is exploding! As the republican’s base shrinks, have they forgotten that the House of Representatives is by “proportional Representation?” Are they going to represent elephants then?
Do republicasns understand that some districts, cities, states will lose seats in the House – and others will gain? What happens when the population grows in the areas they shrugged off – and declines in their little enclaves? MORE gerrymandering? Do republicans think that people/generations FORGET these things?
Jo Bonner, AL
- Republicans and their followers gripe: “Even if you Reform Immigration, you still won’t get the Hispanic vote, anyway – so why do it?”
I say: You Blind Mice. Stop the bleeding NOW – BEFORE you die from loss of blood!!! Obviously even if you reform Immigration now, Hispanics are not going to flock to you – not right away. BUT IT WILL STOP THEM FROM holding their noses and RUNNING AWAY FROM YOU! Puking!!!
Martha Roby, AL
Republicans have of course convinced themselves that the ONLY reason Hispanics vote Democrat is because Democrats give them “free stuff” – “welfare.” Has nothing to do with the name-calling, the draconian laws, the anti-immigrant rhetoric, the voter suppression, the racism.
I don’t know what George W. Bush was giving to Hispanics when they voted for him over the Democrat nominee in both his electoral wins – but it must have been something Hispanics had to PAY for.
Trey Gowdy, SC
Republicans…especially the bloc with the majority-white Tea Party obstructionist constituencies…are afraid to even “appear” to be reasonable – or compromise – or let their Obama-hating constituents see them socializing with the black President, or working with the Muslim President or compromising with the socialist non-American/foreigner President!
- It matters NOT to them that Immigration Reform is in the BEST interest of the country. They care only about what’s in the best interest of their political future.
- It matters NOT to them that a majority of Americans, (religious, civic, business, legal, social) has consistently supported Immigration Reform. They care only that their handful of constituents don’t want it. These Republicans lack the political balls to go against the narrow-minded wishes of their constituents and do the right thing – in support of the majority’s wishes.
Steve King, IA
HEAR THIS AMERICA. It is up to you. YOU hold the key. NOT these obstructionist republicans. They think that they are in Congress ONLY to carry out the wishes of the few, BUT THAT IS NOT SO. Every Congressman is called upon to do that which will benefit THE GREATER GOOD. Not benefit his party, himself or his constituents.
Politicians benefit themselves their party and constituents when Congress is self-doling out pork or contracts. Grab a slice for your district. Heck, take as much as you can get. Go create jobs in your districts so you can get re-elected. No problem…
Lamar Smith, TX
But when there is debate about a National issue like the Debt, Immigration Reform, Policing the world – PUT aside party and constituents and DO WHAT IS BEST FOR AMERICA. Don’t start a war because there is a weapons factory in your district!
SO HEAR THIS, REPUBLICANS. Immigration Reform is in the best interest of America. It is also in the best interest of your constituents, although they will NEVER see that! And even if it is not in the best interests of YOUR constituents, it is for the greater good. Yes, sometimes things we don’t believe in/support benefit the greater good.
Jim Jordan OH
AND HEAR THIS, AMERICA: YOU need to send a clear and present message to Republican Tea Party obstructionistas – that it is time for them to STOP listening to the strident, anti-compromising voice of the few – and START listening to the “WORK TOGETHER” chant from THE MAJORITY.
If EVERY Republican in a melting pot district LOSES their seat, the handful of obstructionistas left standing will get YOUR message – AND THEY WILL GET IT VERY QUICKLY AND CLEARLY!
Send a message that TELLS Republicans (both In and OUT of Congress) in NO uncertain terms to: WORK with President Obama on Immigration Reform and other issues. Because if they don’t – maybe their equally hard-line constituents will keep THEM in office. But other moderate, sane voters across America can throw out EVERY Republican in mixed-race districts (even if voters like that particular Republican, even if that Representative is nice, sane and moderate) and vote in a Democrat – JUST to send a message to these obstructionista Republicans, that: YOU CANNOT STAND ALONE!
Frank Wolf, VA
You may keep your job – but it ain’t worth squat without the rest of the country’s support! So if the ONLY people you aim to please, FEEL YOU CAN PLEASE, SHOULD PLEASE are the “My Way or NO Way” hardliners in YOUR constituency and DISREGARD the will of the majority across AMERICA:
“You’re Gone, Baby! GONE! Let’s see what YOU can BLOCK with 100 seats!”
Pretty soon even their constituents would throw them out – because they would become irrelevant – then America can start over with people who know THE VALUE of compromise!
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