Open Letter to the White House - So Much to Do
Dear Mr. President,
Ordinarily I wouldn't bother writing you a mere couple of days after my last letter, but it's been a busy week for you, hasn't it?
The first thing I happened to notice was your interview on Danish television in which you said that you could not, in "good conscience," sign the Kyoto Protocols for repairing environmental damage in the world because it would have "wrecked the U.S. economy," and would not have worked without the participation of other industrial nations like China and India. Taking these points in turn, allow me to correct a number of errors. Firstly, according to your avowed Christian belief, we are to know you by the fruits of your labors, and by that evidence you have no conscience. I won't bother with too much of a laundry list, but by your actions you have no concern for American workers, for international law or peace, for a successful conclusion to the war on terror or the war on Iraq, for the environmental survival of the world, or for much beyond your personal power and the wealth of your corporate friends and allies. Secondly, you have no standing to claim any concern over the economy being wrecked, since our current woes in economic stability are a direct result of your policies since 2000 - the Protocols could never have produced a worse result in a million years. Third, I must point out the logical and moral fallacy in assuming that, because the Protocols might not have worked without the participation of other nations, it was therefore acceptable for us to continue polluting ourselves - in other words, you seem to be saying "This plan might not solve the whole problem, so let's not do anything at all," as blatant a piece of nonsense as has ever emerged from your administration (which is saying something). Fourthly, I find it highly amusing that you seemed perfectly willing to jump into a foolish and bloody war without international participation, but you now announce that you are unwilling to jump into a plan to clean up the planet without such participation - it's clearly the lamest of excuses, but it does show where your priorities lie. And lastly, I can't imagine what delusion led you to talk of signing the Protocols as if you came into office before America had committed to them, unless you seriously believe that the previous administration had not already agreed to participate. That's six separate and distinct lies or illogical constructions in one sentence, sir, which has to be some kind of record - has anyone in your administration called Guinness yet?
Moving right along, your proposals for African aid as usual sound extremely well taken by themselves. Taken in the context of what's actually going on in Africa and in other nations regarding her plight, however, your proposals seem to have come from Alice's Wonderland. While others propose sweeping reforms that might help the continent get out from under crippling debt and the phenomenal spread of AIDS, you suggest a billion dollars - the equivalent of a week's worth of Iraqi war - to fight malaria. A very salutary goal, to be sure. If Congress provides that funding, along with your proposed $400 million to promote the education of girls, $55 million to protect women against violence, and $674 million in emergency famine relief, that makes something like $2.2 billion for famine, one disease, and two women's issues. While Prime Minister Blair proposes something comprehensive to pull Africa out of the morass, you, the leader of the most powerful nation on Earth, pick and choose what it suits you to address and return to playing soldier. Then you stand up and tell us all that aid to Africa has tripled during the course of your presidency, concealing the fact that you began your term by cutting that aid. I'd admire your audacity if it weren't that people will die because of it.
And now Justice O'Connor has announced her retirement, and the first thing you do is call for a "dignified" process to replace her. This from a man who got himself dressed up in a flight suit to say "Mission Accomplished" in Iraq when there were still at least twelve years of bloodshed to go according to his own Secretary of War. This from a man who designed an education program called "No Child Left Behind" that left thousands of children struggling to learn as they got passed along so their schools could hang on to a little federal money. This from a man who designed a forestry program called "Healthy Forest" that allowed industry to cut down healthy trees without any oversight at all. This from a man who eagerly pumped his arm in excitement when a war began. This from a man who appointed judges to recess appointments who had been turned down by the Congress instead of finding compromise candidates and looks likely to do the same thing with an unqualified and possibly deranged candidate for United Nations Ambassador. This from a man who let his chief political advisor ridicule half the country and label them as traitors, and applauded him to boot. This from a man who came to power claiming to be a "uniter," and has done nothing but tear the country apart ever since. Sir, you have no more idea of "dignity" than any four-year-old caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Less, in fact - at least that four-year-old honestly goes after what he wants, while you resort to the most underhanded tactics as a matter of course.
All of this despicable conduct is, unfortunately, as legal as extramarital sex, but then again, extramarital sex is evidently an impeachable offense in this day and age. As for your conduct, combined with the laws you and your administration have broken in the matter of the Iraqi war, the distribution of power to unelected corporate executives, the violation of intelligence cover, and who knows what else - with all of this in operation, sir, it is high time for you to resign. That's about the only thing I can think of that would restore to you any of the "dignity" you claim to want. I will wait and see how much it really means to you.
Ordinarily I wouldn't bother writing you a mere couple of days after my last letter, but it's been a busy week for you, hasn't it?
The first thing I happened to notice was your interview on Danish television in which you said that you could not, in "good conscience," sign the Kyoto Protocols for repairing environmental damage in the world because it would have "wrecked the U.S. economy," and would not have worked without the participation of other industrial nations like China and India. Taking these points in turn, allow me to correct a number of errors. Firstly, according to your avowed Christian belief, we are to know you by the fruits of your labors, and by that evidence you have no conscience. I won't bother with too much of a laundry list, but by your actions you have no concern for American workers, for international law or peace, for a successful conclusion to the war on terror or the war on Iraq, for the environmental survival of the world, or for much beyond your personal power and the wealth of your corporate friends and allies. Secondly, you have no standing to claim any concern over the economy being wrecked, since our current woes in economic stability are a direct result of your policies since 2000 - the Protocols could never have produced a worse result in a million years. Third, I must point out the logical and moral fallacy in assuming that, because the Protocols might not have worked without the participation of other nations, it was therefore acceptable for us to continue polluting ourselves - in other words, you seem to be saying "This plan might not solve the whole problem, so let's not do anything at all," as blatant a piece of nonsense as has ever emerged from your administration (which is saying something). Fourthly, I find it highly amusing that you seemed perfectly willing to jump into a foolish and bloody war without international participation, but you now announce that you are unwilling to jump into a plan to clean up the planet without such participation - it's clearly the lamest of excuses, but it does show where your priorities lie. And lastly, I can't imagine what delusion led you to talk of signing the Protocols as if you came into office before America had committed to them, unless you seriously believe that the previous administration had not already agreed to participate. That's six separate and distinct lies or illogical constructions in one sentence, sir, which has to be some kind of record - has anyone in your administration called Guinness yet?
Moving right along, your proposals for African aid as usual sound extremely well taken by themselves. Taken in the context of what's actually going on in Africa and in other nations regarding her plight, however, your proposals seem to have come from Alice's Wonderland. While others propose sweeping reforms that might help the continent get out from under crippling debt and the phenomenal spread of AIDS, you suggest a billion dollars - the equivalent of a week's worth of Iraqi war - to fight malaria. A very salutary goal, to be sure. If Congress provides that funding, along with your proposed $400 million to promote the education of girls, $55 million to protect women against violence, and $674 million in emergency famine relief, that makes something like $2.2 billion for famine, one disease, and two women's issues. While Prime Minister Blair proposes something comprehensive to pull Africa out of the morass, you, the leader of the most powerful nation on Earth, pick and choose what it suits you to address and return to playing soldier. Then you stand up and tell us all that aid to Africa has tripled during the course of your presidency, concealing the fact that you began your term by cutting that aid. I'd admire your audacity if it weren't that people will die because of it.
And now Justice O'Connor has announced her retirement, and the first thing you do is call for a "dignified" process to replace her. This from a man who got himself dressed up in a flight suit to say "Mission Accomplished" in Iraq when there were still at least twelve years of bloodshed to go according to his own Secretary of War. This from a man who designed an education program called "No Child Left Behind" that left thousands of children struggling to learn as they got passed along so their schools could hang on to a little federal money. This from a man who designed a forestry program called "Healthy Forest" that allowed industry to cut down healthy trees without any oversight at all. This from a man who eagerly pumped his arm in excitement when a war began. This from a man who appointed judges to recess appointments who had been turned down by the Congress instead of finding compromise candidates and looks likely to do the same thing with an unqualified and possibly deranged candidate for United Nations Ambassador. This from a man who let his chief political advisor ridicule half the country and label them as traitors, and applauded him to boot. This from a man who came to power claiming to be a "uniter," and has done nothing but tear the country apart ever since. Sir, you have no more idea of "dignity" than any four-year-old caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Less, in fact - at least that four-year-old honestly goes after what he wants, while you resort to the most underhanded tactics as a matter of course.
All of this despicable conduct is, unfortunately, as legal as extramarital sex, but then again, extramarital sex is evidently an impeachable offense in this day and age. As for your conduct, combined with the laws you and your administration have broken in the matter of the Iraqi war, the distribution of power to unelected corporate executives, the violation of intelligence cover, and who knows what else - with all of this in operation, sir, it is high time for you to resign. That's about the only thing I can think of that would restore to you any of the "dignity" you claim to want. I will wait and see how much it really means to you.
posted by benshlomo at 3:51 PM
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