Seeing as today is Friday, allow me to take everyone back to our days in school, when our teachers - and then professors - would weigh us down with big homework as the week ended. In that tradition, I'd like to ask two essay questions to our
Republican friends, whom I'm sure will see them. Feel free to answer yourselves, progressives, but I'd love to see what our
rightie friends have to say in response to the following:
1. Republicans often claim to be the law-and-order party. They expect everyone to follow the rules and play by the book. Look, for example, at their treatment of the
immigration issue. Republicans are using the threat of punishing lawbreaking as a convenient cover for their racist fear-mongering.
That said, how do you excuse the Republicans' inaction as related to President Bush's warrantless wiretapping, which, it has repeatedly been shown, is illegal. Further, the president
has admitted to the practice and continues to do it to this day. If warrantless wiretapping is as illegal as illegal immigration, why aren't Republicans seeking accountability from their president?
2. Unless you've been on the moon for the last few weeks, you've not doubt seen prominent Republicans - including the president - and the right-wing noise machine accuse the media of not showing the "good news" coming from Iraq. If journalists focused on the positive instead of the overwhelming torrent of bad news coming from Iraq, the argument goes, opinion on the war would change.
That ludicrous notion aside, consider the release of hostage Jill Carroll. This, without a doubt, has been the
best news coming from Iraq in recent memory. Why, then, have right wingers reacted
so negatively to her release,
insulting Carroll personally and
questioning her mental state? Shouldn't they be ecstatic the media are reporting her release?