A few quotes from her latest column on The New York Times:
Mr. Bush is acting positively French in his love of le loafing, with 339 days at his ranch since he took office - nearly a year out of his five. Most Americans, on the other hand, take fewer vacations than anyone else in the developed world (even the Japanese), averaging only 13 to 16 days off a year.
America has caved on Iraqi women's rights. In fact, the women's rights activists supported by George and Laura Bush may have to leave Iraq.
But, as a former C.I.A. Middle East specialist, Reuel Marc Gerecht, said on "Meet the Press," U.S. democracy in 1900 didn't let women vote. If Iraqi democracy resembled that, "we'd all be thrilled," he said. "I mean, women's social rights are not critical to the evolution of democracy."
[T]he president hailed the constitution establishing an Islamic republic as "an amazing process," and said it "honors women's rights, the rights of minorities." Could he really think that? Or is he following the Vietnam model - declaring victory so we can leave?
[T]he president has a history of silence on America's war dead. But he finally mentioned them on Monday because it became politically useful to use them as a rationale for war - now that all the other rationales have gone up in smoke.
"We owe them something," he told veterans in Salt Lake City (even though his administration tried to shortchange the veterans agency by $1.5 billion). "We will finish the task that they gave their lives for."
What twisted logic: with no W.M.D., no link to 9/11 and no democracy, now we have to keep killing people and have our kids killed because so many of our kids have been killed already? Talk about a vicious circle: the killing keeps justifying itself.
Isn't she great?!
2 comments:
Maureen Dowd is the poster girl for why the Founding Fathers didn't want women involved in politics. Why doesn't she comment on the Supreme Court and Congress, which are also on vacation during August? And let's not forget the average federal workers, who get 30 days of paid vacation a year, not counting holidays. That jumps to six weeks after a certain number of years in the system. And I doubt whether the President is actually vacationing on any of those days. The daily briefings still go on, the daily decisions still have to be made. Maureen Dowd needs a man.
Ok, this reply just fills me with glee, I have to admit it. Let's go in order.
Maureen Dowd is the poster girl for why the Founding Fathers didn't want women involved in politics: that's quite misogynist. I guess you're not dating anyone, hence your nickname...
Why doesn't she comment on the Supreme Court and Congress, which are also on vacation during August: let's see... how about:
- Because they didn't lie to us to declare an immoral and illegal war.
- Because they are not in charge of fixing Iraq.
- Because they don't hold the highest office in the land, i.e. the Presidency.
- Because nobody is asking the Supreme Court or Congress to explain what the noble cause to attack Iraq was.
And let's not forget the average federal workers, who get 30 days of paid vacation a year, not counting holidays. That jumps to six weeks after a certain number of years in the system: oh yes, I'm quite sure that there are plenty of people in the US that have longer vacations than the average 13 to 16 days a year (that's why it's called average, which by the way, entails that there are plenty of people who don't even have those 13 to 16 days a year... but I degress,) like teachers for example.
The difference here being the job description, or your title, if you will. A CEO, a federal employee, a teacher... they aren't the fucking President of the United States!! We are at war, our soldiers are dying in Iraq and Afghanistan, our homeland is not secure by any standard, the price of gasoline is going through the roof, the deficit is HUGE, Iran and North Korea are two nuclear hotbeds, Africa is always troubled. See, it's not like he couldn't find anything to do for FIVE WEEKS!!
And I doubt whether the President is actually vacationing on any of those days. The daily briefings still go on, the daily decisions still have to be made: come on, man, who are you trying to convince, me or yourself? You doubt he's actually vacationing? Oh, he's vacationing alright. He's so stupid, he shows himself vacationing to the White House press corps, so that they can report it nationwide, as if we should be happy and proud that our President is vacationing for FIVE WEEKS while the nation is at war.
The briefings still go on, that's for sure, like in August 2001, when he got one that read "Osama bin Laden determined to attack inside the U.S." The problem is that either he doesn't understand them or he doesn't care about their content. Whichever it may be, the end result is nothing, nada, no action, which resulted in September the 11th, the day he so gladly brings up at every turn.
As for the decisions to be made, don't worry about that, it's not like he's on top of everything and makes the decisions himself. Those are made for him by Cheney, Rove, the neocons, and the religious-right. He's only the messenger, or the puppet, if you will. That's probably why he can afford to go on vacation for five weeks, because he has no decisional power anyway, so why stay and rut at the White House? Might as well go have some good ol' fun at the ranch!!
Maureen Dowd needs a man: I'm gonna go out on a limb here, but do you think you need one too?
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