AND THE ROCKET'S RED GLARE

[NanceGreggs]

And The Rocket’s Red Glare
By Nancy Greggs

Oh, what a difference a day makes. Had I written this just twenty-four hours ago, it would have been entitled “Twilight’s Last Gleaming”.

Last night, along with millions of my fellow citizens, I was toasting the demise of my country. Well into our cups, we sat around and prepared the obligatory obituary, too numb with grief to be truly coherent; too blinded by tears to accept any consolation.

In my despair, I had almost given up hope that after the tears, the anger necessary to keep fighting the good fight would ever surface again – that things, as we are all wont to say, would look better in the morning.

But the sun rose, the alarm clock blared, and the same bus that runs late every day was – you guessed it – wholly-predictable in being late again.

And then something else happened: the news. The news that GOP family-values poster boy Foley, amidst undeniable proof of his own immorality, had resigned. The news that the tentacles of the Abramoff gang-of-thieves was more widespread – and higher-reaching – than had previously been reported. The news that Judge Anna Diggs Taylor (re ACLU v. NSA ) who had recently ruled that the President's warrantless eavesdropping violated both criminal law and the U.S. Constitution, refused the administration's request for a stay and instead gave them only seven days to comply with her Order.

Witness ABC-TV, after being pummelled for “Path to 9-11”, leading with anti-administration, anti-GOP stories in prime time tonight. After kow-towing to the right wing a few weeks ago, they now have no choice but to manipulate that pendulum to swing widely in the other direction, lest their revenue-generating sponsors demand lower air-time rates, or choose to sell their wares in less controversial marketplaces.

Witness Bob Woodward hawking his latest book, shedding a less-than-favorable light on the White House and its machinations in an attempt to regain his all-but-lost credibility with the public as a journalist of integrity.

Witness the now-publicly disclosed reports on the escalation of violent terrorism as a direct result of the occupation of Iraq, the fruitlessness of the ‘Stay the Course” strategy, and the disclosure of how much money this fiasco is costing the American taxpayer.

Call it the hand of God, Buddha, Allah, or natural karma – call it whatever you will – but the fact is that the truth is out there, and in the past few days, it’s been more out there than this administration and its supporters want to admit. And it ain’t over, not by a long shot.

While most of us realize that the hard-core BS (Bush supporters) all suffer from a short attention span, coupled with an inherent unwillingness to accept even the most obvious truths, at this point those are the very factors that are weighing in our favor. What they see, in the few moments per day they pay attention to the news, is: “Foley = Pedophile = GOP”, “My tax dollars = War in Iraq = Increase in Terrorism”, “Bribe money = crime = White House”.

Let’s not allow our present anger to obfuscate the impact those thoughts, no matter how subliminal, affect the minds of Republicans across the country. And let’s not lose sight of the fact that those messages are being broadcast within mere weeks of a mid-term election.

As for the present fiasco, let’s concentrate on how many elected officials, on both sides of the aisle, have been flooded with phone calls, faxes, letters and emails in the last twenty-four hours that have led them to believe – and rightly so – that their pro-torture vote in the past two days have bought them not the ‘strong stance on terrorism’ image they’d hoped for, but instead the label of being too weak to stand up to the president, along with the sign ‘pro-torture’ being hung around their necks for the rest of their political careers. How many “presidential hopefuls” abandoned all hope of such an ambition in the wee hours of this morning will never be known, but can surely be surmised.

We will NOT forget the names of those who were willing to sell out everything this country has traditionally stood for in a bid to gain some ill-perceived political advantage, some slap-on-the-back support from the powers-that-be – powers that, in the Dawn’s Early Light, are not on as solid a footing as previously advertised.

I do not discount in any way the darkness of the past few days, nor the implications of what has happened. But I do take heart in what I am seeing, hearing, and absorbing in the aftermath of what may indeed be not the end of democracy, but simply the darkness that precedes the Perfect Storm.

The Fat Lady has yet to sing, my fellow Americans. And when she rises to deliver her greatest performance, even this evil administration, its neo-con pretenders, its money-grubbing supporters – cowering in the blackest corner of the upper balcony – will have no choice but to hear the loudest, most passionate rendition of the “Start Spangled Banner” that has ever been heard in the course of our nation’s illustrious history.

So in place of the, "That's it, the show’s over" cry I would have indulged in a scant few hours ago, I say this instead:

“Strike up the band!!!"

[JeffR]

1. You're playing my song, Nance

These next six weeks will be hellish, but after the last six years, it'll be - to paraphrase right-wing idiot Ken Adelman - a cakewalk.

[Joe Bacon]

36. It was The Big Dog who opened the door last week.

I had given up hope until the Big Dog gave Chris Wallace the butt-bongoing he richly deserved. That was the turning point for me. I bet the Big Dog KNEW what was coming down the pike and he waited for just the right opportunity to strike back.

[Phrogman]

51. CLINTON KICKED IN their fucking door!

What is this "opened" nonsense?

[fuzzyball]

54. Bill Clinton is the SMARTEST democrat alive...by far...

and he proves that again!!

[texastoast]

2. Hear, hear!!

And those godless bastards WILL get theirs!

[zonkers]

3. Read subject line and thought you were just quoting a Foley IM.

[NanceGreggs]

4. I'd thank you properly for making me laugh with that remark ...

... if I could just STOP long enough to catch my breath!

[gordianot]

5. Best rant I have seen in a long time.

[Branjor]

6. Proud to cast

the 5th vote.

I sure hope you're right, Nance.

[NanceGreggs]

8. I am becoming more confident by the minute ...

Last night I thought all was lost. But then, as today wore on, I saw the GOP and the WH falling into the very traps they'd themselves set for others.

Foley may well be prosecuted under law he HIMSELF created -- how sweet is THAT?

[bonito]

10. She's right in my mind

I can ride that horse and go on from there, nothing else matters and I won't look down!
I'm gonna make it so. Peace

[Digit]

7. As always, Nance, you hit it out of the park!

Way to Go!!

[Brundle_Fly]

9. I needed this pointed out.

thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou

[NanceGreggs]

12. Allow me to join you ...

...

[astonamous]

11. I bookmarked, although I am sure it will be easy to find this

post when I am ready to get back up on my horse. Thanks for the uplift in spirit and the shot of hope.

Trudy
www.pryorsplanet.com

[Hawkowl]

13. Indeed

This is by far your best post that I've read.

[samplegirl]

14. Amen!

[Brundle_Fly]

15. kicking for hungover saturday people!

whutuhPish

[Mad_Dem_X]

16. Another excellent entry, Nancy!

As usual, you hit the nail right on the head.

[emmadoggy]

17. Thank you for the ray of hope.

I keep waffling back and forth - but mostly to the "fear, dread, despair" side than the "hope, excitement, we're-gonna-kick-ass" side.

Thanks for swinging me back to the good one (for now, anyway).

[rhiannon55]

18. Yay Nance!

Thank you for a much needed ray of hope!

Sometimes Karma is very sweet, indeed.

[BlueMark]

19. Rockets Red distraction

The Republican leadership knew about Foley's problem for at least 10 months, yet they did nothing. They knew it would eventually blow up, yet they delayed. Then, on the eve of Congressional passage of an abomination of a bill that legalizes torture and retroactively immunizes Government officials from prosecution for War Crimes, the story explodes, blunting media coverage of the passage of a bill that destroys democracy. Coincidence?

[NanceGreggs]

28. I've heard that theory from a lot of people ...

... But I ain't buying. Sure they want a distraction, but 'outing' one of their own as a pedophile, six weeks before an election? Sorry, I don't think THIS is what they would have deliberatly picked as a 'distraction'.

The fact that the GOP is the pander-to-the-Fundie-base party makes this much worse for them than most any other scandal. And don't forget they're spinning their pro-torture stance as 'look at the drastic measures we're willing to take to keep America safe'. There's no spinning the Foley story.

These guys are smart, but we often give them credit for being smarter than they actually are. They've also been caught doing some really DUMB things. Sure there was 'talk' about Foley long before now. But in their arrogance, they thought they could contain it, just as they do everything else.

But then fate intervened ...

[Hoping4Change]

32. Welcome to DU Bluemark.

Glad you're here.

[PurpleChez]

20. Thanks, Nance!

I feel better than I have in days. Just by a little bit, but I'll take what I can get.

[lenegal]

21. Thank you God

Thank God all this spew is happening just one month before mid-term election time.


Thank you for posting this.

[Hoping4Change]

33. Hi lelegal. Welcome to DU.

Glad you're here.

[MikeE]

22. Thank You

Thank you so much. I had another hopeful sign as well, I live by GWU and one of my neighbors is a little repug, but his friends were tearing him a new asshole. So, even the college crowd is talking finally. I woke to screams of fuck you, but far from being disturbing, they were like birdsongs.

[Hoping4Change]

34. "they were like birdsongs". I'll drink to that.

Welcome to DU. Glad you're here.

[Jack Rabbit]

23. Ladies, please join in singing

Our National Anthem

As sung by its author

[The Wizard]

27. The most patriotic song written yet

This land is our land, not the corporofascist's.
Everyday the swine in the White House push a little more, looking for the breaking point.
It became their land because we got complacent. Democracy requires constant vigilance. The totalitarians have breached the perimeter and we must reclaim out stolen land and government.
Remember Veterans Day, November 11, is the Saturday after the elections. Stand up for veterans and democracy. Without free and fair elections like the Iraqis have, what's the point?
So Bush and the neocon choir were singing to the Iraqis, "Your land is my land." And the Rockets Red Glare has me thinking about South Park where Cartman is playing a game with a dog called Red Rocket, and I couldn't help but think of ex-Congressman Foley (Red Rocket Resigned, Fla).

[kineneb]

46. full lyrics

THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND
words and music by Woody Guthrie

Chorus:
This land is your land, this land is my land
From California, to the New York Island
From the redwood forest, to the gulf stream waters
This land was made for you and me

As I was walking a ribbon of highway
I saw above me an endless skyway
I saw below me a golden valley
This land was made for you and me

Chorus

I've roamed and rambled and I've followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts
And all around me a voice was sounding
This land was made for you and me

Chorus

The sun comes shining as I was strolling
The wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling
The fog was lifting a voice come chanting
This land was made for you and me

Chorus

As I was walkin' - I saw a sign there
And that sign said - no tress passin'
But on the other side .... it didn't say nothin!
Now that side was made for you and me!

Chorus

In the squares of the city - In the shadow of the steeple
Near the relief office - I see my people
And some are grumblin' and some are wonderin'
If this land's still made for you and me.

Chorus (2x)

©1956 (renewed 1984), 1958 (renewed 1986) and 1970 TRO-Ludlow Music, Inc. (
BMI)

[barbtries]

24. i wanna witness faux

leading off with the truth. that'll be the day. but i loved your rant, you have a great way with words

[Dystopian]

25. Thank you Nance! .....k and r

Thank you for lifting our spirits! What an inspiring piece...just what we need at this moment...the voice of reason and hope. I've been so bummed out I didn't think I could stop the downward spiral.....but you did it!




peace~

[depakid]

26. Thank you for this

K&R

[L0oniX]

29. Is there a list of those that voted for the "torture" act?

Please post the list so I can help to expose these ass hats to all whom I know.

[Imagevision]

30. Nancegregg, you do have a way with words... thank you

[im10ashus]

31. Hear, Hear!!!

K&R!!!

[Hoping4Change]

35. AMEN sister. What an uplifting post.

k & r.

[Nordic65]

37. Brilliant. Period.

n/t

[babylonsister]

38. You put a smile on my face, Nance. Thank you! nt

[NanceGreggs]

39. And knowing that I've done so ...

... puts a smile on mine!

[lonestarnot]

40. Yeah that's right people! Don't give up in despair! Now pick up those

pitchforks and march on damn it!

[confludemocrat]

41. Not buyin' the premise. R's are self destructing, not being wrecked by Ds

So you see a big change in the weather? How so? The only change that matters is if one of these bastards gets tossed in jail for starters. Who was on this Foley guy's case, really? Raw Story, a site trashed often here by panty-waist libs as irresponsible, and not the big guns of the party or the moderate liberal left. Waiting around for all of them (repubs) to self-destruct is gonna take awhile. They will eventually self implode, sure, but not much of united, combative front is being amassed against the fuckers to push them over the cliff. Lyn Samuels of Sirius Left, was defending this guy Foley yesterday passing off most of his e-mails as harmless, when she shoulda been going for the throat. To me her approach is more typical. I note the lack in the post of any extolling of some new emerging leadership, or the growing of a backbone by the present Dem leadership, but simply a hope that the winds have changed.

[thingfisher]

44. strike up the band ?

"Hope springs eternal in the human breast". Who said that? It must be true or there would be bodies all over the streets.
Having said that, I must posit a scenario.
Maybe it's time for the Bush crime family to do a little tactical retreat. The fictional two party system needs to be reinvigorated once every so often to maintain public confidence, right. I think the Clinton hiatus is an example of just this very thing. Did it cause any real harm to the AGENDA? Eight years in office and mostly an ongoing soap opera for public titilation. A real Punch and Judy show for Mr. and Ms. America. Then time to bring "integrity" back to the office of the president! Right!
We get Dubya back just in time for 911 to soften up the Peeps for the never ending war on terror its a new world (order) now post 911 world... WHEW! That was quite a trip.
Or maybe these recent setbacks (causing such a burst of optimism) will provoke another 911 type event, get everybody on the same page again, underscore the seriousness of "the problem" bring Congress together on the Capital steps for another rendition of "God Bless America" and a renewal of "resolve" to stand firm and not "cut and run"...
My paranoia knows no limits!!!!!!!

[NanceGreggs]

48. I understand your paranoia, BUT ...

"Or maybe these recent setbacks (causing such a burst of optimism) will provoke another 911 type event, get everybody on the same page again, underscore the seriousness of "the problem" bring Congress together on the Capital steps for another rendition of "God Bless America" and a renewal of "resolve" to stand firm and not "cut and run" ..."

A couple of years ago, I would have agreed with the possibility of this scenario. But I'm afraid (as far as this Administration is concerned) that boat has sailed.

Their ear-piercing mantra these days is "There have been NO attacks SINCE 9-11, which means we ARE keeping you safe." Another 9-11-type event at this point would bring that concept crashing down around their heads. And they KNOW it.

Just as in comedy, when it comes to politically-staged disasters, TIMING IS EVERYTHING.

[NanceGreggs]

53. The point of the post was ...

... the fact that the GOP are self-imploding. Sometimes you see someone teetering at the edge of a cliff, and you have to give them one last PUSH. But at this rate, the GOP are pushing themselves over the edge -- we just have to stand back and watch it happen.

Do I see a big change in the weather? You betcha! Polls keep showing potential Dem gains among voters, along with GOP losses.

I've never had much faith in the Dem 'leadership'; but my faith in my fellow Democratic citizens has NEVER been stronger, nor more wisely placed.

WE THE PEOPLE will win big in November -- if the leadership of the Democratic Party comes along for the ride, that's fine with me.

[Redstone]

42. Boy, did you just cheer me up. Wish I had read this last night, when

I was despairing the loss of my country as well.

Excellent writing, as always.

Redstone

[FredStembottom]

43. With apologies to Francis Fukuyama........

Get ready for some freakin' H.I.S.T.O.R.Y., baby!

Like none we've seen before in our lifetimes!

It's gonna be a bumpy ride.

[badgerpup]

45. Thanks, Nance...

When the torture bill passed...(couldn't believe they'd go for it, honestly!) I really was at the "Twilight's Last Gleaming" stage.
I sure hope there's more glaring red rockets where that came from...

and yeah, I'm kinda wondering what they want to slide in under the radar now that the Rep. Foley Dog-and-Pony Show! has come to town.
I hope to gods they don't let little Ricky Santorum anywhere near the dogs...

[shaniqua6392]

47. There is still hope for America.

Thank you for reminding us of that! Brilliant writing as usual.

[KrazyProf69]

49. It is things such as this that indicate the downfall of our democracy!

But you see, it is not the "Hand of God," as religion is a lie of the bourgeoisie to control the proletariat. Rather, it is the capitalists themselves that are causing their own conundra. For years they have slandered the good people of Russia, claiming them to be "Communists!" They have exploited our livestock for personal gain! They have thumbed their noses at the environment, desposing of toxic wastes in our land, air, and rivers! They have placed their collective heel on the backs of our workers, forcing them to work forty hours in one week, even though workers in other countries are only required to work twenty-five hours per week! And now, the workers are taking their revenge! May the non-socialist economic region of dying capitalism, finally be destroyed!

Debout, les damnés de la terre
Debout, les forçats de la faim
La raison tonne en son cratère
C'est l'éruption de la fin
Du passé faisons table rase
Foules, esclaves, debout, debout
Le monde va changer de base
Nous ne sommes rien, soyons tout

C'est la lutte finale
Groupons-nous, et demain
L'Internationale
Sera le genre humain

[JNelson6563]

50. Yet another superb contribution

As always, thanks for the splendid read!

[juajen]

52. Thanks so much, Nance

I really needed this new day. I, like so many of us, was in tears all day yesterday, and, took medication to help me sleep. This nightmare must end.

[Maryland Liberal]

55. Just another reason for IMPEACHMENT!!!

The news that Judge Anna Diggs Taylor (re ACLU v. NSA ) who had recently ruled that the President's warrantless eavesdropping violated both criminal law and the U.S. Constitution

OK - HELLO? Do we need anymore? Sure sounds like "high crimes and misdameanours" to me. Time to NATIONALIZE these mid-term elections. We need a NATIONAL TV message saying "Vote for US and we WILL impeach the Bushie

[KrazyProf69]

56. Forget Impeachment...

What we need, is a Revolution! The bourgeoisie must be destroyed! We have tolerated their inhumanities against the proletariat for far too long, and now is the time for all oppose the culture of corruption that is the Republican party to rise and steal all power from them by force!