Hunter S. Thompson: The nation's capital

[Stoic]

ESPN

"...Ah, but that was twenty-nine (29) years ago, bubba, and many things have changed. The utter collapse of this Profoundly criminal Bush conspiracy will come none too soon for people like me, or it may already be too late. The massive plundering of the U.S. Treasury and all its resources has been almost on a scale that is criminally insane, and has literally destroyed the lives of millions of American people and American families. Exactly. You and me, sport -- we are the ones who are going to suffer, and suffer massively. This is going to be just like the Book of Revelation said it was going to be -- the end of the world as we knew it..."

[Love Bug]

1. What about this statement

The real shocker of the week, for me, was and remains the stunning collapse of the evil Bush administration, which I view with mixed feelings.

In truth, I could be a lot happier about the collapse of Bush and his people and his whole house of cards and everything he stands for, if it didn't also mean the certain collapse of the U.S. economy, and the vital infrastructure, and, indeed, the whole "American way of life."

It will not be anything like the collapse and Impeachment of Richard Nixon, which had little or no impact on day-to-day life in this country. Nothing really changed, except Some people went to prison, of course, but that was to be expected, considering the crimes they committed and the shameful damage they caused ... They were criminals, and the righteous American people punished them for it. Our system worked, and we were all heroes.

Of course, since this is Hunter S. Thompson, people will just make circular motions in front of their ears and dismiss his political comments as so much crazy ranting from someone that everyone knows did a LOT of drugs in the past. No matter that he's right, but there you are.

[bemildred]

2. Hunter never lies.

But people hear what they want to, and ignore the rest.

[Wonder]

3. hmmm.

I tended to believe the part about the fall of the bush cabal and the collapse of american life as we know it, not because it was what I wanted to hear, but because this whole thing smelt fishy from the instance it sunk in two planes had hit and before those two buildings had collaped along with WTC7; I yelled out to no one that was there with me at the time, what the F..K happened to NORAD? One can not easily get around those revelations, so I don't necessarily disbelieve that either.

I read "fear and loathing," but I was so young when I did that I really don't remember it that well, and I never really followed him. He easily engages me. There is an off the beaten path but on the money quality to his style, so find I like him fine. This was my favorite part, mostly because it made me laugh.

"Edward Bennett Williams was the Real Thing. And so am I, for that matter, but we will not dwell on that now."

The part I didn't like...well...it bothered me. Not that I am surprised what he implies. However, I can't imagine how he's gotten away with saying something which can be construed as libelous, just right off the cuff like that. So I checked the last article which I had also read, to see what it was he thought he was babbling about.
So now I wonder is the NFL going to pay her off (in the classic sense), and who is Mr. Green?

Seems an interesting place for Hunter to tuck himself so off the beaten path, out of sight yet in plain view. Afterall, it is ESPN.

[bemildred]

7. He used to hide out with Rolling Stone Magazine,

back in the Seventies. "News" organizations have always
been a bit uncomfortable with his lack of rhetorical filters.
He has always been "libelious" and gotten away with it because
no politician wants the things he says dragged into the light.
He was absolutely savage to Hubert Humphrey in the runup to '68,
to Nixon and his crew, to Reagan.

I don't mean he tells the truth literally, he gets the feel right.

I have considered that Bush is toast since we went into Iraq, since
Afghanistan really, they will never keep the lipstick on those
pigs, but these things happen over years. There is a certain
level and degree of arrogance, paranoia, violence, ignorance, and
stupidity that is guaranteed to get you toasted in the long run.

They will not impeach unless forced to, which may yet happen, because
as was pointed out, that calls the credibility of the entire
establishment into question. In the end they may be forced to
impeach in an attempt to restore credibility. What is noticeable at
this point is that the self-censorship of the press is disintegrating.

[Wonder]

9. It's Hunters lack of rhetorical filters that I like and

IMHO, he has that feel right as well. If they had begun impeachment proceeding prior to the Iraqi Invasion the status quo might have had a better chance of redeeming humpty dumpty. Now, I am not sure credibility is restorable. A disintergration seems imminent. As you alluded to in your post below: "Circling the drain for some time now, (I'm) not clear when the final plunge into the dark comes (either)."

Might be worth reading some of his old columns from the RS, though.

[belab13]

5. Hunter's right and Hunter's wrong

This system of rape and pillage, from which all U.S. citizens have benefitted, has been in place for more than a handful of administrations. Hunter's wrong- because this is nothing new. Hunter's right - because the Bush administration has shown the world our true colours. The Roman empire collapsed, and things have accelerated. why shouldn't we expect the worst?

[bemildred]

8. Part of a much longer process, correct.

Circling the drain for some time now, not clear when the
final plunge into the dark comes.

[Wonder]

10. "why shouldn't we expect the worst?"

perhaps, because our survival mechanisms require a measured combination of denial and positive thinking. You know, perhaps, this might kick start a change in our modes of thinking: evolved consciousness with favor to humanity. See what I mean a bit of positive thinking belied by a bit of denial that the LCD, like gravity, tends to pull us down. But what are our options? Conspiracy theorizing, great leaps of imagination and speculation are generally held at bay, to give way for pragmatic relativism, and no one likes a party pooper either.

[JackSwift]

4. When the markets and public figure out that the real

deficit is not $460 billion but $700 billion, the old school Republicans will get Bush off the ticket. He is toast.

[Lost_Stash_Of_Dubya]

6. Huh?

He's talking like the Dubya admin has already collapsed? I normally like HST's commentary, but he's getting ahead of himself here. Dubya's still standing tall and proud, fully in power in all his evil glory.

I don't like these ESPN collumns, they're too short and lack the meat typical of a good HST essay.

[Karenina]

11. Well, he IS correct ya know

*&cabal have sucked GAZILLIONS out of the National Treasury already. It's DONE. Dey got it stashed somewhere and you be amongst da DAID if you even think of tryin' to relieve them of it. Just waiting for the *golden typhoon to hit land... :shrug: