[Aerial Politics] Ever since last weekend, gigantic military helicopters have been flying over my neighborhood (and yours too, I've learned). I saw them hovering over downtown yesterday, too. It was all a bit mysterious and even foreboding--very Apocalypse Now.I thought they were from Hill Air Force Base, doing maneuvers or some other military transport.
And then I learned the choppers were merely facsimiles of Military One, the official helicopter of the U.S. President. The helicopters have been scoping out the route George W. Bush will be taking during his big fund-raising visit in Salt Lake City and Deer Valley today for his kinda-sorta buddy (mostly behind closed doors), John McCain.
Wonderful. It isn't enough my tax dollars have propped up a hopeless war the worst president in U.S. history started for no good reason. Now I have to help pay for presidential security while Bush stumps for McCain at Mitt Romney's mountain mansion to the tune of $30,000 a plate from well-heeled Repub donors. The rest of us will eat cake. Our tax dollars at work.
(Holly Mullen)
You ain't a kiddin', Holly. Those things buzz bombed my hood the other day, flying directly over my house. I thought we were under attack. I thought the last thing I'd see in this life would be the little tomatoes I was planting.
ReplyDeleteBut this morning I noticed something on my way to work. Somebody and crew painted "FUCK BUSH" all over the place around 4th east. Whoever they are, as much as I hate most of the local "grafitti", I'd like to thank them for that one.
Oh, I don`t know..bunch of helicopters flying over Temple Square..blaring the `Ride Of The Valkyries`. Maybe Heinrich der Vogler looking down with a pithy comment.."miserable fucking savages".
ReplyDeleteNeed a drink to properly enjoy it.
Awesome. I was wondering why my entire street was dotted with no-parking barriers enforced by the SLCPD, leaving me with nowhere to park and forcing me to drive to work today even though I live five blocks away--lest my vehicle be towed in the name of our fair leader.
ReplyDeleteC'Mon Holly. It's part of the President's security wherever he goes. Stop whining: It's necessary for his protection. I'd say the same for Bill or Hillary or Barack or McCain or whomever.
ReplyDeleteThank you, yes I know it's standard security. But I don't have to like it, do I? If all of this were for official government business, I'd understand it and accept it much better. But a fundraiser?To benefit a bunch of fat cats in Deer Valley? No, I don't like it. Meanwhile, like the majority in this country, I'm just counting the days till Jr. leaves office. One calendar page at a time...
ReplyDeleteStop! I bet if Clinton or Obama were in town, you wouldn't bitch about those choppers. The President has to be save, especially from nuts who hate him. I worked outside yesturday at Temple Square, I felt pride when I saw a chopper protecting Bush. I got up to a chopper blaring over, Thank god we live where we respect a man in the highest office. If you hate it, tell them to fly over my place
ReplyDeleteRush Baby -
ReplyDeleteFirst off, there aren't many left in America that doesn’t hate Bush. It's only pathetic, mindless sheep like you that continue to support the lying, arrogant, murderous piece of shit.
Second, I'd bitch about my taxes being used to fly any president around in order to raise campaign money; that includes Obama, Hillary or even Jesus. If the Repugs want to use Bush to raise money (a move that wouldn't work in many states besides Utah these days) for an old, useless, out-of-touch cripple like McCain, the Repugs should spend their own damned money on transportation and security.
The place we live in that you refer to, the place that we "respect a man in the highest office", is in your tiny imagination and certainly in the minds of your personal clique of sheep.
To bow down to and willingly support a leader in spite of blaring corruption is the worst kind of tyranny - you and your ilk are traitors against your own country as well as your fellow human beings.
Holly-
ReplyDeleteSo, should the president get no protection from the Secret Service and local public safety officials when he's on trips that are political in nature? Count down the days if you want, but I want my president, whether it's Clinton, Bush, Obama, or McCain, to have protection 24/7 from the moment they enter office, til the moment they die.
Would you agree?
By the way, the amount of vitriolic hate on these blogs is remarkable. I mean, graffiti that says "F#&% Bush" is somehow okay? Anyone who supports Bush is a "pathetic, mindless sheep"? This rhetoric is a big part of what's wrong with America.
hayduke,
ReplyDeleteI`m in sympathy with your comments,Bush is the worst president at least since Harding.
Here in NorCal our prez enjoys a solid 8% approval rating and were he to make a public appearance we would have civil riots in the streets.
Utah, being a theocracy should have its statehood revoked. Revert to a territory like Guam (they could still send a non-voting member to Congress).
Watch for the blanket pardons when he leaves office..Rove,Cheney,Libby and all the chickenshit neocons who brought us the Iraq war.
Chardonnay,
ReplyDeleteI am postive that you're correct about the pardons. Absolutely positive. And I'd enjoy seeing Utah reverted to a territory. Might improve the politics of the place a bit.
Anonymous - The rhetoric you refer to (my own) is a simple, emotional reaction to blatant lies put forth by my own government and the havoc those lies have caused. I'm pissed off and I have every right.
For me, grafitti that says "FUCK BUSH!!" is not only okay, but is most welcome. And yes, any of you that voted for Bush (especially twice!) are mindless sheep. You're led along by your nose ring, never looking up to see where you're going or who it is that's dragging you along. You are cattle, being led to a slaughter of your own creation, and you'll never know it until you round that final corner.
Rhetoric isn't the problem with America. This rhetoric stems from pain. This rhetoric stems from deceit. This rhetoric is born of a stinking reality that I cannot change. Rhetoric, conversation, argument, words.......no, that's not the problem. The problem with America today is the source of this rhetoric and I had nothing to do with that.
If you want happy, flowery language go and speak with somebody that already agree's with you. If you don't want the truth, keep your mind tuned into American Idol and the 8:00 weather report.
I'm not looking for happy, flowery language. I am looking for a respectful debate of the issues, where ridiculously over-stated ad-hominem attacks are replaced by well-reasoned, structured arguments.
ReplyDeleteIn other words, I'm looking for something that apparently is in short supply on the internet.
Since I wrote this post, I shouldn't be taking up all the time discussing it, but this is an interesting thread. I have to agree on the point Hayduke makes--vitriolic posts about current politics in this country are indeed born of pain and frustration. The last anonymous poster is right about the rough and tumble of on-line communication,often it's downright nasty. But it's one of the only ways for many to express themselves--most certainly those who can't afford $35,000 a plate access to a presidential candidate in Deer Valley. (And please don't anyone tell me those folks didn't buy a nice little plate of political access in the process!)
ReplyDeleteThe anger most people are feeling over the Bush years is the most palpable I can recall for any president in my 50 years. They used to say newspapers are the rough draft of history. But perhaps that distinction now falls to the bloggers.
Anonymous - Give respect, get respect. It's that simple. I don't recall Bush showing any respect to anybody that wasn't in the process of either kissing his ass or writing a check for him. I don't owe him respect.
ReplyDeleteYou want reasoned debate? Fine. Which "issue" shall we discuss? The fact that the Presidency was stolen by Bush in the first place? The continued failure in Afganistan? In Iraq? The fact that American's voted Bush for a second term, even after lying through his teeth? The pending ecomnomic crisis here at home? The complete destruction of the American dollar? How long before we're using the Amero? How about discussing thousands upon thousands dead; not for liberation, not for freedom but for oil, money, geographical positioning and political power? How about the fact that Bush is flying around in government helicopters, paid for by you and me, trying to raise more money for a losing candidate within his own party, when he should be back in his office trying to fix the mess he's wrought upon us all?
Or, we could always just talk about lemon merengue pie. I like it tart. And you?
Hayduke-
ReplyDeleteYou actually have some points to make behind the anger. Talk about those! "F#@% Bush" doesn't win many votes, or hearts and minds.
I'm not a fan of all of Bush's policies. I'd say, in fairness, and as a conservative Republican, that my party's brand and most importantly, limited government, have been damaged for many years to come. To me, President Bush has been a failure. His failures have changed my view of foreign policy forever. No neo-conservative will ever convince me of the necessity of pre-emptive war. I'm firmly back in the Machievellian, Realist camp now.
You should remember, for all the harm the Bush presidency has done, his errors have taught us many valuable lessons, and Republicans, Democrats, and Independent voters alike have learned a painful lesson about the limits of power. A nasty 8 years, but an entirely repairable situation.
Anonymous - Believe me, at this point, I'm not trying to win republican hearts over with "FUCK BUSH!" or any other show of discontent. You folks are so out of it, so mired in a myopic, self-centered world view I have no interest in discussing politics with you. At this point, I’d consider that a waste of time.
ReplyDeleteToo bad you had to learn this lesson so late, rather than see the potential problems from the beginning. I’ve heard other Republicans state the same thing. But if you and yours hadn't voted so blindly, perhaps you could've helped to prevent thousands and thousands of murders; the rest of the world wouldn't view us as idiotic cavemen; we'd still have a robust economy; we wouldn't have instigated unending Middle Eastern conflict. Maybe nearly 5,000 American soldiers would be home with their families instead of dead; our Constitution would still be intact. Seriously, I'm surprised Heir Bush hasn't revoked the 22nd Amendment as of yet.
On and on and on and on; and I blame you. I blame every one of the blind sheep that voted for and followed this monster. This tragedy is on your hands. Blood is on your hands. You can't take it back, you can’t wash it off and you can't fix it. You've put a knife in America's back.
I didn't require the lessons you glibly refer to. I knew this totalitarian redneck was a disaster from the beginning. Millions of us did but through your fear and ignorance, you and yours overran us.
I'm so happy that you've learned your lesson and that you now disapprove of pre-emptive strikes against innocent people. It baffles me that you could’ve considered it a good idea in the first place. I’m glad you're understanding of foreign policy has expanded (maybe you should explain what you know to your leader?). I'm sure the dead and maimed feel much better about everything now.