The Reign of Error, year 6

Like RD at Dharma Bums, I had my head in the sand last night. I knew I couldn't stomach watching Tush self-promote himself and his crooked cronies for more than a few seconds so I didn't subject myself to it. I had work to do anyway. And the Pistons were on TV.

Since I missed his surely-rousing version, here's my State of the Union list:

• Two years and 10 months have passed since we unjustly invaded Iraq and overthrew its government under the contention of their possession of WMD and alleged ties to terrorism. Both assertions have been shown to be false.


• 1800 dead and 20,000 wounded American soldiers, 300 dead Coalition civilians and 30,000 Iraqi civiliansin that effort. American soldiers are currently dying at a rate of 60-100 per month.


• Our government is proactively circumventing traditional legislative and judicial processes in order to illegally spy on its own citizens


• Those who'll do the Whitehouse's dirty work are repaid with high profile positions regardless of their meager or non-existent qualifications


• After spending $30 billion on a new, cabinet-level Department of Homeland Security, our infrastructure still cannot respond effectively to domestic crises.



• Oil is currently valued at $70 per barrel and rising.
  


• Numerous congressmen, lobbyists, Whitehouse staff, consultants and party officials have been indicted, charged or have pled guilty to a variety of serious crimes including murder, conspiracy, bribery and money laundering. All but a couple remain on the inside of the Republican 'Circle of Trust.'



• We still haven't re-agreed to the Kyoto protocol standards so that we can begin addressing climate change trends before it becomes irreversible.


• Too many Americans are un- or under-employed.


• Consumer energy costs have risen by 48% since Tush took office in 2001. Oil company profits are also setting records.
  


• Terrorism, measured by most any metric, has exploded worldwide.


• The Supreme Court now has a decidedly sexist, racist, classist, corporate, imperialist flavor.

Yep, our "union is strong!" It's so strong in fact, that it can't tolerate a 50-year old mother wearing a t-shirt with an anti-war statement on it [more here and here]. That said, it seems as though we might be hitting bottom; next - "we're turning the corner". I hope. The majority of Americans are not Tush fans and a few recent political transactions have found more liberal purchase than they would have a year or two ago.

ADDENDUM: Aaaahhh. This helps kill the pain a bit. [via Coturnix]

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