Shifting Sands

United We Stand?

Two years ago George W Bush stood before the American people and acknowledged that our country was divided and he would do his best to unite us. Ironically, it was basically the same thing he said 4 years earlier at his State of the Union address--before 9-11. The obvious painful truth is that he wasn't interested in uniting or healing our country as long as his side was running it.

Now in what I find to be a complete shift in irony the Republicans are saying that our country is divided. As though before it wasn't really that divided because they were in control? The previous question is completely rhetorical and you're free not to answer it. Donald Rumsfeld resigned immediately after learning the Democrats had taken the House of Representatives. I'm not sure how I feel about it either, I mean it just seems a little chicken shit to me. I loved the half assed answers the man would provide to direct not so complex questions, it provided much comic relief for me and I didn't have to watch the Daily Show. All I had to do was watch C-Span.

Of course Republicans are talking about a divided America when they aren't talking about how our country isn't as safe as it was last week. I'm sorry but if a group of people decides they must win by making the rest of us feel unsafe, I'm not too sure I want them around much.

When I heard the news that the Democrats had taken the House I wasn't entirely surprised, the Bushwhackers had been saying there would be no changes. We all know from watching Survivor or Big Brother that one with the biggest mouth, at the end of day is the one caught in a shake up or sent home. I understand that the lead isn't so great that I have to really worry about Barbara Streisand setting policy anytime soon. That said, when I heard the Democrats had taken control of the Senate, I was taken slightly aback. I knew it would be close but found myself gobsmacked at how thoroughly pissed off people obviously are with Iraq. Regardless of what Republicans are saying I can assure you it wasn't the recent scandals that turned off voters. After the Catholic Priests, Boy Scouts, Enron, Tyco, Any Oil Company and Martha Stewart, we're all a little numb to scandal and have come to expect some form of scandal from our leaders. Be it in the form of running past security, or getting involved in a DWI. I think most issues will be nonissues, with the huge exception of Illegal Immigration and that does have me a little worried, but I'm trying not to let it dampen my obtimism, because I am hopeful.

When Clinton was impeached, I didn't care much for the reason, after all Ken Starr was supposed to be investigating White Water, not Monica Lewinsky. It doesn't take much to figure out what goes around comes around. I said it again when the Dems made a fucking fuss over Al Gore in 2000 and walked around for months afterward saying they were robbed. Get over it.

I'll admit I like an evenly matched Senate because it forces them to come together, a close house would likely do the same. I also like having one party in the Presidency and the other not so strongly controlling congress because it makes everyone carefully choose their battles. I think it makes for better laws, and reminds all in government that ultimately they really do work for all of us.

© 2006 Whimsical Ranter
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