Sean Hannity's incoherent Neocon Madness

"Son, all I've ever asked of my Marines is that they obey my orders as if they would the Word of God. We are here to help the Vietnamese because inside every Gook there is an American trying to get out. It's a hard ball world son. We've got to try to keep our heads until this peace craze blows over." from Stanley Kubrik's Full Metal Jacket

If these words were set to music it would be the Neocon national anthem.

You've got to hand it to Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, Bill Krystol and their Neocon buddies on talk radio and FOX. They are very critical of the execrable fiscal and domestic policies of America's incompetent leadership. Their criticisms have often gone across party lines. Not infrequently it is intense.
The impression any listener comes away with is that we have highly flawed leadership that pays little or no heed to the Constitution, thumbs its nose at the Bill of Rights and is destroying our economy and our liberty.

But when Hannity and his ilk begin to assess the decisions and choices of these same leaders, past and present, in regard to foreign policy a miraculous transformation occurs in these deeply flaw, inept souls. Suddenly, these leaders become brilliant---even infallible.

There is no war, it seems, that Hannity and his Neocon cronies will disapprove of except for reasons of political partisanship.

There is no place on the earth Krauthammer cannot find American interest that must be defended with military might. There is no place that Neocons do not see the possibility of aggression that must be stopped before it begins. Action must be taken preemptively before it's too late!

Men like Mark Levin are incapable of seeing that the lust of military power and aggression abroad destroys the possibility of his domestic vision of a humble central government and true constitutional federalism.

This military aggression, this insistence on growing American military might even poisoned Ronald Reagan's hope to reduce the size of government and re-embrace constitutionalism.

And God help the soul that dares to indicate there might be some flaw in America foreign policy that might possibly have caused the blowback resulting in the first attack on the World Trade Center, the Cole and 9/11.

To paraphrase Christ the Lord, "Blessed are the peace makers, for they shall have their eyes scratched out." This is most certainly true if one speaks in ear-shot of a Neocon.

The most recent Neocon "holier than thou" attack is the one now being unleashed on Tony Bennett for remarking that American foreign policy might have had something (not everything, just something) to do with the attack of 9/11.

Upon hearing such "treasonous blasphemy" from Mr. Bennett the indignant and "patriotic" self-righteousness of the Neocons would, as we say back home, gag a maggot.

When I consider the commentaries and opinions of the Neocons I find an inner contradiction there I am hard pressed to resolve. It is simply this: how is it leaders who are horrible and incompetent with domestic policy transform into infallible visionaries when it comes to foreign policy, and that those policies are above all criticism, whether that criticism comes from America's perceived enemies or our own citizens? And speaking of citizens, how is it Americans who level such criticism are instantly shouted down by Neocon chicken hawks who never served or fought? How is it those who protest are labeled unpatriotic and their comments condemned as treasonous? How is it our leaders' choices of foreign policy, wars, aggression and interventionism are all beyond questioning or fault? How is it that any action taken by foreign entities in response to American aggression and interventionism is labeled totally unjust and unprovoked? How is it Neocons are as tone deaf on foreign policy as the liberal left is on domestic policy? How is it the Neocons can claim that such actions are carried out by evil men who do what they do just because they hate us...and they hate us without a reason?

Such are a few of the incoherent, contradictory and arbitrary positions of the Neocons. Apparently, every act of aggression, control and intervention in their view serves to elevate American glory and is completely justified. They do not give equal respect to the sovereignty of other nations and peoples. They may not say it, but their actions show they think these other lands and people are inferior and do not have the same rights as we Americans. They think, with the colonel in Full Metal Jacket, that where ever they go, there's a gook with an American inside trying to get out...and that the world belongs to America. They, of course, would not openly say as much, but their actions betray their true feelings.

In the Neocon philosophy, dear friends, we see the very acme of American jingoism--the nationalism that has usurped and now charades as the pathetic and poor chimera of the patriotism of our original Republic. And it, every bit as much as the welfarism of the liberals, is destroying what little remains of the shattered fragments of our once free and glorious Republic.

Poor Tony, defenseless and alone, he has issued an apology that has served to assuage the outrage of the Neocons––not at all. They remain indignant and disconsolate; as childishly offended and unforgiving as the liberals.

Only one man inside the Beltway I know of has been consistent--and long before these Machiavellian talking heads posing as Conservatives got into the game. That man is Dr. Ron Paul.

Long ago Dr. Paul saw what the Neocons are apparently incapable of seeing: that an aggressive, hegemonic, imperialistic foreign policy is incompatible with and destroys the possibility of Constitutionally limited government. He saw an aggressive government abroad would, ipso facto, be a despotic one at home, that the lust and mania for power and control could not be limited by borders. Long ago Dr. Paul rigorously and rightly taught this along with a program of true fiscal sanity and restraint. And he did it when no one was listening. He was often ignored and even ostracized--yet, he continued undaunted and undeterred.

Countless times in the Congress he stood alone–––alone, just him and the Constitution.

If we had listened to Dr. Paul then and followed his ideas in the 1980 and 90s America would freer today and not teetering on the precipice of fiscal and social disaster.

As Jon Stewart put it, "All that small government grassroots business? He (Ron Paul) planted that grass. The other folks? They're just moral majorities in a tri-cornered hat. Ron Paul is the real deal. These others just recently showed up and started mowing the grass."

The Welfare/Warfare state has it easy. They are to government what Coke and Pepsi are to soft drinks. All they have to say is, "Coke is it!"---"The Pepsi Generation!"--and they sell their wares. How different is that from the jingoism of the Neocons? How different is "Coke is it" from the parroting of "You're a great American!" ? I'll tell you; it is no different at all! It is just as mindless, just as empty, just as vacuous, and just as destructive. These radio catch phrases destroy the true health and honor of a nation like these soft drinks destroy the health of the body.

In response I ask, "Where's the beef?" Where are the Constitution, limited government, American Liberty and peace and prosperity to be found in all this welfare/warfare-ism?

The fact is there is no beef, and following these twin pied pipers, with their false patriotism and false, misguided compassion, is leading America to ruin and her people to incalculable suffering.

Among those vying for the highest office in the land in 2012 only Ron Paul has consistently shown character, coherence, courage and dedication to the Constitution.

There is an antidote for the falseness of Obama's hope and change and Neocon aggression posing as conservatism. It is Ron Paul.

Dr. Paul has the cure for the twin poisons of the welfare and warfare state. May God, in His infinite Mercy, help enough Americans to see it before it is too late.

Remembering 9/11

Today we commemorate a terrible day in the lives of all Americans--a day thousands suffered and died and countless lives were changed. I note the news has been filled with programming that reveals more and more details of WHAT happened on that terrible day. The media is reflecting on and recounting those events in microscopic detail. It is touching. But in this great orgy of remembrance something screams at me by its absence. We know more and more about what happened, but programming is virtually silent on why it happened.

Who or what is to blame? Obviously, those who flew the planes make up the proximate cause and must bear much of the blame. But were these just evil men conspiring to do evil for evil's sake---psychotic mad-dogs attacking for attacking's sake--void of provocation? Was it just purposeless and senseless evil and violence they had in mind and nothing more? Some say yes. Others in the past, especially immediately after the initial attack, said otherwise. They said it was our fault; We the People--our lives and our freedoms drove them to seek to destroy us. Thus began the blame game, and few in Washington, either then or now, doubted that explanation. To repeat; We as a nation and a people did nothing to provoke these fanatics, BUT, if any one in America must bear any guilt of provocation it could only be We the People, our lives and our freedoms. Thus said the talking heads and government officials in lock step.

Let this sink into your ears. Here's the headline as it should have been written in the Washington Post on 9/12:

US GOVERNMENT BLAMES "WE THE PEOPLE" FOR MUSLIM ATTACKS.

We the people suffered and died on 9/11 because Muslim fanatics hated our life-styles and freedoms. But our brave government is doing all it can to protect us from the consequences of our folly.

Get the message: OUR GOVERNMENT blames us! We endure Muslim terrorist threats today because of how we live--there is no other reason. Muslims are simply jealous of our freedoms and they want to kill us.

Is this what the perpetrators of Islamic terrorism say?....Not exactly.

When asked, Muslim fanatics never mention the freedom or lives of Americans as the reason they attack us.

Let this sink into your ears: unlike our government and television talking heads, the terrorists don't blame us. They blame those who have blamed us: OUR GOVERNMENT and its aggressive, interventionist foreign policies in Muslim lands.

Who will we listen to? Our government which seeks to exculpate itself by pointing the finger at We the People? Or the attackers, who are in virtual unanimity about why they attacked and continue to attack America: Federal interventionist foreign policy in Muslim lands.

Don't misunderstand. I'm not saying the Muslim fanatics are completely blameless. What I am saying is the Federal government is, in some degree, clearly blameworthy. What I am saying is that it takes two to tango, and when you meddle, intervene, control and dictate policy to others, it is unreasonable to think they will continually take it and not try to strike back in some way.

In the past two months American planes have bombed targets in Libya, killing thousands there. Here is a place the CIA told Obama we have no strategic or economic interests--and yet we intervene and bomb in yet another shadow war--undeclared by congress. To the politicians and the media it is a "non-war." To the dead it must seem very real indeed.

Contrary to the Neocon's despot's-eye view of history, the collapse of the Soviet Union was not the sign that made us Kings of the World; it did not give us the right to use our military as a world police when ever and where ever the delusional Neocons see "American interests"---whatever that is.

Our non-interventionism in Syria and Somalia has had no effect on us as a nation or a people. In contrast, our government's needless intervention in Libya will see blow-back in the near future, and Libyans will be found among those Muslim fanatics who seek to attack us--NOT because of our freedoms, but because of the decision of the Federal government to bomb their lands and intervene in their domestic affairs.

Contrary to the Federal Government which points the finger at We the People as the reason for domestic Muslim terrorism, We the People are not the cause. But we are the solution.

We must stop electing those who make and maintain aggressive, interventionist foreign policy. We must elect those who support the Monroe Doctrine of domestic defense and reject the Bush interventionist policy of aggression and pre-emption; we must choose those who seek a peaceful foreign policy, who are willing to negotiate and end sanctions that harm the citizens of Muslim lands, starving their children (while having virtually no effect on the rulers). We must seek to elect those who are desirous of establishing peaceful trade with all who are willing to do so. THAT, not aggressive interventionism driven by the Military/Industrial complex and promoted by "manifest destiny" Neocon talking head progressives, THAT is the path to the restoration of American peace and prosperity.

Remember, peace and prosperity come together or not at all. And those who desire prosperity must seek and PRACTICE a policy of peace.

follow up letter to Jeff Bolton, KLIF talk show host

Mr. Bolton,

This will make the third time I've written you--the first two letters garnering no response.

My main subject in those previous posts was your unfairness to Dr. Paul and his foreign policy. I posted the second letter on my blog; avengingarmadillo.blogspot.com

This is a brief follow up to say just a few things.

I believe now...

1....your patriotism is misplaced, for it supports Federal foreign policies that only grow government, bringing American to penury at home and make us increasingly hated abroad.

2. ...you have been fooled into thinking a Wilsonian/T. Roosevelt-like progressive foreign policy, a la the Neocons, is both conservative and patriotic. You are tragically wrong on both issues. True conservatism is non-interventionist--non-nation building--non-aggressive and does not act preemptively.

Your failure to acknowledge this as a possibility, your refusal to see it as an historical fact, and your refusal to consider that Dr. Paul's foreign policy might bring peace and prosperity to America is either blindness or intransigence driven by the stubbornness of human pride.

Your refusal to consider that continuing to waste our wealth and the lives of our youngest and best in wars that are driven by profiteers and hegemonic propagandists makes you complicit in the criminal acts and policies of our government that are destroying our economy, our nation and the future for our children.

I will be posting this on my blog as I did my previous post to you. Thank you for showing who you really are by completely disregarding the thoughtful communiques of your listeners. I thought you were a courageous man by how you comported yourself when Beck attacked Medina. But I am now sad to see you've swallowed the Neocon propaganda now, hook, line and sinker--and both your intellect and your courage have failed you.

sincerely,

Tom Ridenour, Duncanviile

An Open Letter to Jeff Bolton, KLIF radio, Dallas

Dear Jeff,
It looks to me like you're being very unfair to Dr. Paul. By presenting his policies and ideas isolated from one another you are missing the fact that his policy positions are all integrated and interdependent--that a part cannot be rightly and fairly understood without looking at the whole.
For instance, you are constant tearing down on Dr. Paul's foreign policy as "nuts", but have occasional good things to say about his domestic fiscal policy. I say these two policies reinforce and support each other and the success of one depends greatly upon the success of the other.
Let this sink into your ears: You'll NEVER have a successful domestic fiscal and social policy if it runs concomitant with an aggressive and hegemonic foreign policy. The success of such a combination have never been know in history.
But it seems to me you have bought into the Neocon fear mongering to the point you seem to be blind to that. And what has listening to that fear mongering gotten us the past two decades? It has gotten us in massive debt, in foreign policy quagmires that seem to have no purpose and no end, and generally hated throughout the world.
The Neocon's policies are destroying us just as the aggressive imperialist policy of the leaders helped bring the Soviet Union down in the 1980s. But do you see the correlation?? Dr. Paul does.
Next, this morning you asked if any listeners would want Ron Paul in the White House during a 9/11--I ask in response what if we had a foreign policy that was not hegemonic, that did not scatter our military around the world in places where our presence is resented and even hated (while at the same time leaving us virtually defenseless at home) and that did not invite and aggravate the possibility of a 9/11?
Why do you focus on what to do during a 9/11 but ignore what we can honorably do to avoid one? It boggles my mind. What could you be thinking?

In doing what you're doing you're behaving like the blind man feeling of the elephant, and to any one who is thoughtful about these matters it looks like you're either simplistic and not very bright, or you're doing your best to attack Dr.Paul without allowing any adequate response. And if you think some caller who is given limited time to speak, is probably nervous and has no time to prepare is adequate response I beg you to reconsider.

If you want to be fair let me encourage you to have an extended give and take with Dr. Paul on the air--give him time to explain the inner coherence of his policies and how they can bring about the deep systemic changes we need to re-establish constitutional norms, bring about an honorable peace, reduce the raping and pillaging government is doing to feed the policies of the welfare/warfare state and protect and restore our liberties.

Since they have no coherent, interdependent vision that I can see reporting the isolated policies of the other candidates does them no great disservice. Reporting their policies is doing little more than reporting how each would arrange the deck chairs on the Titanic.

Not so with Dr. Paul. His interdependent, coherent view of systemic renewal will result in healing the breech in the hull and uprighting our ship of state, and it needs to be presented in an organic fashion to be properly understood.
Personally, as one who is thoughtful, and seems to have libertarian sympathies I'm shocked that you have failed to see this.
Sincerely,
Tom Ridenour

kook pt. II

Consider the graphic posted here--now compare it to the Neocons who are still trying to pick fights in the world, still fear mongering to promote endless wars, still trying to cram democracy down the throats of the nations (something very undemocratic), still trying to use the US military to right every perceived wrong in the world (an impossible task), still trying to maintain a coercive military presence in dozens of countries----all this. And they call Ron Paul a kook! Good God Almighty. Which do they hate the most: peace or prosperity.

Welcome to Rome 450 AD.

FOX NEWS ANNOUNCES NEW BROADCAST POLICY

Proposed Congressional Reform Act of 2011

Polls clearly show most Americans (rightly) believe Washington is broken. One of the main problems is career politicians living as a special class. Ending the conditions that have created an elite ruling class will not solve every problem, but I believe it is an excellent beginning at turning us back from the brink of disaster and make the politicians more responsive to the people they represent. Please note the following:

The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in 1971...before computers, before e-mail, the internet, before cell phones, etc.

Seven (7) of the 27 amendments to the Constitution took 1 year or less to become the law of the land...all because of public pressure.

I'm asking each person who reads this to send this link to a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise.

If each of you does this in three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. Those who agree should petition their congressmen and senators for passage of this Act. This is one idea that really should be passed around.

Congressional Reform Act of 2011

1. Term Limits.

12 years only, one of the possible options below.

A. Two Six-year Senate terms
B. Six Two-year House terms C. One Six-year Senate term and three Two-Year House terms

2. No Tenure / No Pension.

A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.

3. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security like the rest of us.

All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people.

4. Congress can and should purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

6. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

7. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.

8. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/12.

The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen. Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career.

Congress has done a horrible job by any objective measure. Yet, its members have

shamelessly passed laws making themselves a ruling elite, a political aristocracy, living by a different set of laws and conditions from average Americans–conditions that allow them and their families to perpetually feed at the public trough for free healthcare and retirement benefits. (Even many who resign in dishonor and commit shameless acts draw these benefits till they take their last breath). So much for all the pious rhetoric you hear from them about fairness and "equality."

In contrast to such abuses of power, the Founding Fathers envisioned Citizen Legislators; citizens who would serve their term(s), return home, go back to work, and live under the same laws and conditions as the rest of us–laws they helped make and conditions they helped create. The Founders thought that having to live under the same laws and restrictions they created would make law makers circumspect about which bills they passed into law. But our lawmakers have gotten around that by passing legislation that makes them, as a political class, immune to many of the laws they pass; laws that are injurious and burdensome to the rest of us.

Just think, what if you ruined your employer's business and then boldly walked into his office and told him you're the one in charge, that you're taking another raise and that he will pay your family's healthcare and retirement benefits for a lifetime? How do you think your boss would respond to such delusional, self-assuming arrogance? He'd mostly likely call you mad, throw you out of his office head first and tell you never to show your face there again!

Isn't it time we returned to the wisdom of the Founders, put an end to career political elitism and restored government of, for and by the people?

If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S. ) to receive the message. Maybe now is the time. If not, when?

LET'S begin turning things around by FIXING CONGRESS!!!!! If you agree, pass it on. If not, just delete.