Cybrpnk's Rantings

I like Thomas Friedman. I don't always agree with him, but I think he's got a really good perspective on the Arab world. I also like the fact that I've seen both liberals and conservatives using his columns to support their views. I never really got why he bought into the neocon fantasy about invading Iraq being a good technique for catalyzing positive change in the middle east, but I respect that he always conditionalized his support on things being done correctly. He was one of the first of the pro-war clique to sound the alarm about the mismanagement and incompetence of Bush, Rumsfeld and company. And he has consistently questioned whether Bush wanted to fix the middle east, or just advance his own career and agenda. It was Friedman who I first saw raise the question "If winning in Iraq is the most important thing for America shouldn't it be more important than Bush getting re-elected?" Consistently throughout the campaign we saw that in the eyes of the administration nothing was as important as protecting their own power. Even if it meant letting Iraq slide closer and closer to the precipice of civil war. So, when Friedman asks whether Bush is willing to torpedo Arab-driven reform of repressive governments if it involves criticism of US policy, it gets my attention.

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In announcing his administration's commitment to a strong dollar today, our so-called president offered some deep insight into his grasp of economics, foreign trade, and globalization. It turns out that there is a simple solution to the trade deficit, and he has it for us: ``That's easy to resolve, people can buy more United States products if they're worried about the trade deficit.'' Thanks W., wouldn't have thought of that. Any suggestions about the apparent lack of interest most people have towards the trade deficit? Or ideas about how to find products made in America? Didn't think so. Truth is that if we leave the solution of hard economic problems to be solved by the buying patterns of those people who both care about the issues and have the resources (both money and time) to change their behavior based on those concerns, the problems will not get solved.

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After listening to years of whining from the Republicans in Congress about waste in government, bloated government, etc. we are now being treated by the spectacle of these self-proclaimed men and women of high standards covering themselves in mud in pursuit of as much pork as they can stuff down their greedy gullets. No surprise really, given the rapidity with which they have allowed power to corrupt their high and mighty selves. It was only ten years ago that the hungry, minority, GOP was decrying the moral decay wrought on the Democrats by nearly forty years of control of the house. Clearly the Democrats of old were made of sterner stuff than these modern Republicans who have descended into the muck and mire in a mere ten years.

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