Here’s a few quotes I found while quote browsing…

“When once a republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.” ~Thomas Jefferson

“…we have only a one-party government. It’s the winners. And then everybody else is the losers. And the winners are divided into two parties. The Republicans and the Democrats…that’s what a charade the combat between the Republicans and the Democrats is. It’s rich kids. Winners on both sides. So the winners can’t lose. And, of course, the losers have no representation in Congress…” ~Kurt Vonnegut

“Am I the only guy in this country who’s fed up with what’s happening? Where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder. We’ve got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we’ve got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can’t even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, ‘Stay the course.’ Stay the course? You’ve got to be kidding. This is America, not the damned Titanic. I’ll give you a sound bite: Throw the bums out!” ~Lee Iacocca

“I’ll show you politics in America. Here it is, right here. ‘I think the puppet on the right shares my beliefs.’ ‘I think the puppet on the left is more to my liking.’ ‘Hey, wait a minute, there’s one guy holding out both puppets!’” ~Bill Hicks

There seems to be a pretty popular dream that goes something like this: big-time politician grows some big…uh…grows a spine, and stands in front of the world and tells the truth.

Like most pipe dreams, Hollywood has played out the fantasy for us many times, from Jimmy Stewart in Frank Capra’s classic Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, to one of my favs, Warren Beatty’s Bulworth. And, like most pipe dreams, it ain’t likely to happen.

But, if that dream did come true today, what might it really be like?

The Real State of the Union

A friend sent me the following, and he imagined it well. He wishes to remain anonymous (I asked if he was scared of being lynched, and his reply: “I don’t mind being lynched (it’s an American tradition), but I don’t think I could stand the water boarding.”)

Anyway, if tonight, by some twist of fate, George W. Bush told the truth, it might go something like this…

A Word from George

“My fellow Americans. The United States of America is a colony of a vast military - industrial Empire. Dick and I call it, The Western Empire. This is the same Empire started with those Holy Romans. The same Empire that was headquartered in Western Europe from the fifteenth through nineteenth centuries. The headquarters moved to Texas after World War One, and in 2001, it moved to Saudi Arabia.

“Those that fight against the Empire are Terrorists, just like our founding fathers were Terrorists when they fought the Empire. America was the dream of a bunch of terrorists. George Washington was the biggest, most evil terrorist of them all! But, my fellow subjects, I am here today to report to you that everything is back to normal. Thanks to all the presidents since that loony Eisenhower, the State of the Western Empire is good. Good night, and God bless the Western Empire and all its loyal subjects.”

We now return to the Western Broadcasting Company’s presentation of Star Wars - Episode Ten.

Read More: State of the Union, George W. Bush

Yesterday, it was announced that a study by two nonprofit journalism organizations found that President Bush and top administration officials issued hundreds of false statements to brainwash America into invading Iraq.

The study calls the administration’s 935 lies “methodical,” and explains how they were “amplified by thousands of news stories and broadcasts.”

Lies They Knew Were Lies And Lies They Knew They Knew They Didn’t Know Were Lies

A friend of mine, commenting on the story, wondered if the study addressed the issue of whether, at the point the statements were made, were the lies known to be lies?

Well, I say there’s this: It was knowledge as far back as July, 2002, when the Downing Street Memo was written by Sir Richard Dearlove, head of the British Secret Intelligence Service, after a visit to Washington:

C reported on his recent talks in Washington. There was a perceptible shift in attitude. Military action was now seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy. The NSC had no patience with the UN route, and no enthusiasm for publishing material on the Iraqi regime’s record. There was little discussion in Washington of the aftermath after military action.

Remember, this memo was written 9 months before we invaded. And over those nine months Bush and company stepped up the brainwashing of America with a deluge of WMD lies and “mushroom clouds over America” scare tactics.

Saddam’s Silly Drones

Some of their lies that were silly then, are hillarious now. Remember this outlandish lie from October 2002:

President Bush addressed the threat in October in Cincinnati, making his first big case outlining Iraq’s defiance.

“We’ve also discovered through intelligence that Iraq has a growing fleet of manned and unmanned aerial vehicles that could be used to disperse chemical and biological weapons across broad areas,” Bush said in preparation for a congressional vote authorizing the use of force against Iraq. “We’re concerned that Iraq is exploring ways of using these UAVs for missions targeting the United States.”

The president noted, however, that sophisticated delivery systems aren’t required for a chemical or biological attack. “All that might be required are a small container and one terrorist or Iraqi intelligence operative to deliver it,” he said.

Still Drinking the Kool-Aid

In fact, there was no real intelligence remotely suggesting that Saddam could use drones to spray chemicals on American cities. That was just one of the 935 bald-faced lies this administration used to dupe (some) Americans…especially the folks that still proudly have “W” stickers on their cars ;-)

Nevertheless, some of the folks who bought those lies hook, line, and sinker, are now buying the propaganda on Iran. Many are still refusing to ask the administration to pony up hard evidence to support their claims, and still refusing to impeach opportunistic traitors.

Next time you wonder why an abused wife won’t simply leave the jerk that’s punching her in the face every night, ask yourself why Americans haven’t impeached Cheney and Bush yet. There are a lot of common answers from both sets of victims.

Read More: Bush, lies, Iraq