http://www.atlanticfreepress.com/content/view/2970/81/ Just Another Regular on Late Night T.V.
Monday, 03 December 2007
by Jayne Lyn Stahl
After watching most of the latest Republican debate, last week, one thing becomes obvious — who needs a platform to stand on when you have a Bible? From evolution to protecting the life of an unborn, it's patently obvious that all the contenders, for the Republican Party nomination, have a black belt in Bible studies. Too bad we're not looking to elect Moses to the highest elected office in the land, or it might work.
What's more, they all seem to have ideas about how to big the tallest, most durable fence. Not a word was said about statesmanship or diplomacy, but then their Democratic rivals dwell more on war than peace, too.
It seems, to me, that the word "illegal" reared its ugly head more in this debate than any other I've ever seen — Republican or Democrat, and was used exclusively with respect to immigration. Not one candidate, not Mike Huckabee, Rudy Guiliani, Mitt Romney, John McCain, not even Ron Paul, talked about illegal electronic surveillance of ordinary Americans, or withholding of witness testimony from detainees, or the outing of a covert CIA agent.
Hell, if these guys are so concerned about "illegals," why don't they impeach Bush and Cheney, neither of whom got to where they are legally. The answer may well be that we've had cruise control government, in this country, for nearly a decade. Reportedly, even super-delegates are uncommitted, and waiting for guidance from on high when it comes to picking the next president. So, maybe we should toss a coin, eh?
While the Democratic contenders make different noises, one walks away from the Republican debating team with the knowledge that, if these guys get in, Roe v. Wade will be overturned, more money will go to defense, the gap between rich and poor will be greater, the national guard will be deployed, more often, to secure the borders, the I.C.E. man will cometh with greater frequency, we'll see more censorship not just of government documents, but of movies, books, and TV shows, and God will be just another regular on Jay Leno.
Be scared; be very, very scared. In this country, we have a long, and distinguished history of deluding ourselves that miracles can happen. Well, miracles don't happen. I haven't seen another Jack Kennedy running for president lately, have you?
And, whether you like Edwards, or Obama, it's time for the Hillary-bashers, including myself, to back down and realize that it's not the candidate, but the platform we need to focus on, as well as the consequences of eight more years of neo-con jihadists to what's left of our civil liberties, and the prospect for world peace.
Unless we want to our worst fears for reality, we'd better rally, and rally strong, behind whichever Democrat gets the nomination and, hopefully, has the strongest odds of winning the election. There will be no place to run, and no place to hide if we lose this one.