A BuzzFlash Reader Contribution

CONTRIBUTOR ARCHIVES  

Counting on the Memory Failure of Average Americans

A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION
by Harris Bierhoff

I am dreading the shameless hypocrisy that will ensue in the upcoming weeks over the candidacy of Supreme Court Nominee Samuel Alito.  At present, the Republican-led congress and Bush have successfully counted on the memory failure of average Americans in their hypocritical rules-shifting and moral flexibility where their own agendas are concerned.  For example, charges of perjury and obstruction of justice are impeachable offenses when the official in question is a Democrat, however they become minor technicalities when leveled at a Republican official.  Now that the right-wing powers-that-be have successfully obstructed former Supreme Court Nominee Harriet Miers from receiving her up-and-down vote (which they were so adamant that Chief Justice John Roberts receive), they will return to their tactic of demanding an up-and-down vote while painting opposing Democrats as obstructionists. 

The beauty of the Harriet Miers experience was watching the right-wingers completely switch gears to declare their outrage at the ambiguity of Miers’ background after having blown their collective gaskets over the Democrats’ objections to John Roberts’ own ambiguities.  Now that they have been exposed as having played both the role of obstructionists and anti-obstructionists in just one week apart, Bush has nominated someone who is no stealth candidate by any means.  Alito will assuredly move the court to the right.  The Democrats will threaten a filibuster, because the candidate is representing interests outside the mainstream of the American public.  The Republicans will pretend that it is the Democrats who are outside the mainstream and without regard for the absurd irony declare them “obstructionists.” 

For Bush and Congressional Republicans to distort reality in such a transparent way is beyond insulting to all American citizens.  It is destructive to our way of life. To the minority who remain loyal to the Republican party in all its disgrace:  it is your lack of integrity, self-righteousness, and lack of vision that has brought America to her knees.  What will it take to convince you how destructive the people you’ve elected have been to this once great nation?

Harris Bierhoff
Boston

A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION