Constitution Day

We, the People of the United States...



On September 28,1787 (218 years ago!) the Constitutional Convention meeting in Philadelphia sent what was to become the Constitution of the United States of America to the "several states" for ratification. The necessary ratification of nine of the thirteen original states was complete by June 21, 1789. In theory, this document has guided the federal government ever since...
I remember in my elementary school days (admittedly a millenium ago) we used to recite such things as the Declaration of Independence and the Preamble to the Constitution at the beginning of the school day. Learning about such things is what is known as "Civics". Today, the violence that has been done to the Constitution, indeed to every basic law and convention of this country, is such an embarrassment to the federal government that they show far greater interest in having the children recite good Christian prayers rather than learn anything about the basic principles of our country. Promise them glory in the hereafter in hopes they won't notice how you're stealing their heritage in the here-and-now.
The picture of the actual Constitution is a little hard to read, so here is the preamble - the statement of purpose, asit were, of our government:

"We, the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America".

Union. Justice. Tranquility. Welfare. Blessings of Liberty.
Which of these (capitalized) purposes has the President advanced during his tenure?
Happy Constitution Day!

Which One Is In Denial?

Denial is one of the stranger human traits, but it is one I believe we all share, at least from time to time. Sometimes, Like with Scarlet, it's better just to "think about it tomorrow". However, sometimes denial becomes a usual part of one's thinking. This can be bad.
Here's a test for you: Which one of these is an example of denial at work?

a.)



A smoker (like former Marlboro Man Wayne McLaren, shown here) who says "I can quit anytime I want."

b.)


A gambler (like former star quarterback Art Schlichter, shown here) who says "I'll quit just as soon as I make one more big score."

c.)


A President (like ... George W. Bush, shown here) who says "... we see a situation in Iraq in which the Iraqi people at every opportunity have chosen to pull together in the political process," (quote from State Department spokesman Sean McCormack).


... Give up?

The answer is: All Of The Above!
Now, you might be thinking my main idea here is to point out the incredibly destructive kind of thinking denial can bring about. You are correct. The destructiveness is of course much greater if the person happens to be the Most Powerful Man In The World (and determined to prove it). It's not like people didn't try to tell George W. Bush about Iraq. Millions of people marched against his war. I tried to tell him here ( Don't Gaff That Shark!). To no avail. I really just wrote that post as a sort of memory-lane piece anyway. I understand that the President pays no attention to any information that doesn't conform to his own personal (that is to say, wierd) worldview. Heck, he doesn't even pay attention to his own father, who understood back when he invaded Iraq that the only options there were a secular brutal thug dictatorship (Saddam Hussein) or a group of ungovernable brutal thug theocracies (what we are about to see now). He (G.H.W. Bush) opted for a Hussein-without-fangs, as the best of a bad situation. Ahh; it's enough to make one yearn for the Good Old Days. If Only We Had Known!

Four Years Later:

September 11: Four years now since a group of terrorists flew planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Four years since the President found "my meaning and my mission." Four years since the President became the "War President." Four years since the President "hit the trifecta."
In those four years terrorism has burgeoned throughout the world.
In those four years the United States' ability to deal effectively with disasters - natural or man-made had been seriously degraded.
What Has George W. Bush been doing in these last four years? Where is Gerorge W. Bush leading the country? Why is George W. Bush still the President?
In yesterday's radio address, the Compassionate President compassionately said "We will honor the memory of those we have lost..." One hopes he will not honor the memory of the Katrina dead in the same way he "honors" the dead in Iraq; by endlessly creating more of them.