MY POLITICAL THOUGHTS

1. I saw Howard Dean last night on Hardball with Chris Matthews. I disagree with most of this guys policies, and would never vote for him because of that. But, out of all the Democratic hopefuls, he's the one I could stand behind and support if elected. He's the only one who seems to hold his political beliefs personally, not as an impetus to get elected. I believe in him as a person, even though I don't agree with him. Unlike the others, he spoke out against the war with Iraq from the beginning, and he is still speaking out against it. All the other Democrats (at least the one's who currently hold elected office,) supported the war when it started, but are now saying they didn't. Dean's the only one who is consistent.

2. With that said, I am loving W. more and more each day. I thought his secret trip to Baghdad was gold. Of course there will be those who say it was a political move. To those people, I have two words... Fuck You. Most people who had a problem with it are people who just don't like the guy, and nothing he would do, no matter how valid and genuine, would ever be accepted as a good move. I feel sorry for people like that, but what are you doing to do? I'm reading this book right now called AntiAmericanism that is, interestingly enough, written by a French scholar. He makes a good point when making the comment that some people's minds will never be changed. Quoting Jonathon Swift he states "You can never reason someone out of something they were never reasoned into." In other words, most people's opinion of the president is solely personal, and has nothing to do with policies. They just really don't like the guy.

3. The Michael Moore train still keeps moving along, and it baffles me. I found out a couple of my friends from work, ones I previously thought were intelligent, are fans of his. What the fuck is the problem with you people? I read the first chapter of his new book, and couldn't read any further. It was proof of what I said earlier that certain people's opinion of the president is solely based on the fact that they thought he stole the election. Moore couldn't let a paragraph go by without insinuating that Bush wasn't rightly elected. The final vote in Florida said that Bush won that state. Every major news agency and political watchdog group in the entire fucking nation went to Florida in the months after the election to count every ballot, and every single one of them came to the same damn conclusion: George W. Bush had more votes than did Gore. Sure Gore won the popular vote, but we have this pesky little document called the Constitution that says the popular vote doesn't elect a president, the electoral vote does. So if you have a beef, Mr. Moore, it's with the Constitution, not the president. It's entirely possible that he had some valid points based on substantive facts in the book, but unless you come forward with intellect, rather than sensationalism, right off the bat, you might as well stop writing and start jacking off, because I'm not going to listen to you.

ABOUT THE WAR, A FEW MORE PESKY LITTLE FACTS

4. In 1991 Saddam Hussein invaded and occupied Kuwait, a soveriegn nation that was helpless to defend itself. The U.N. led by the U.S. said "Oh no you don't. Get out of Kuwait." When he refused to do that, we used force to remove him. To prevent us from going all the way to Baghdad and beating the living shit out of him, Hussein agreed to allow U.N. inspectors into Iraq for an unspecified time. In '94 Hussein kicked the U.N. inspectors out. From that moment on, we had the right, based on the cease fire agreement of '91, to kick ass in Iraq whenever the hell we felt like it.

In the meantime, in 1992, Hussein sent bombs containing mustard gas, into Kurdish villages in the south of Iraq that aided the allies during the Gulf War, killing thousands of people in horrendously painful deaths.

In 1993 the CIA uncovered a plot of Hussein's to assasinate former president Bush during a visit to Kuwait.

Since attacking Iraq earlier this year, we have uncovered at least two mass graves containing the bodies of thousands of political prisoners, denied their freedom for speaking out against Hussein.

Is it really necessary that we find WMD's in order to justify removing this guy?

About unilateralism: France and Germany, the two major opponents against the war, had said numerous times that they would not support military action against Iraq EVEN IF we found weapons of mass destruction. So their not participating is irrelevant.

About solving problems diplomatically: Over the past 10 year, every major diplomatic measure had been taken to try to get the UN inspectors back into Iraq. Dozens of UN resolutions. Food for oil programs. Everything. Some people only respond to force.

About not finding WMD's yet: Everyone, from the UN, to the CIA, to the intelligence agencies of at least a half dozen other countries, agreed that Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. So if the president had faulty information, dont' just blame the US. Blame the intelligence communites of other countries as well as of the U.N.

About why I'm a W. supporter, but am liberal in so many areas

5. I want my teachers and professors and people who guide me along intellectually to see things in shades of grey. I want my friends to be open minded about a wide range of topics. I want those who I look up to spiritually to show me the wide world of belief and faith and ideas. I want the person who is in charge of leading my nation to be strong, resolute, and sure of himself (or as those who don't like him would say, cocky.)