A Question for America: What Would Be Too Much?

Add comment May 30th, 2007

By: Jack Dalton
Jack Daltion is a disabled Vietnam veteran and freelance writer that lives in Portland, Oregon. He has retreated for now from internet insanity, but his voice needs to be heard. This article was first published in October 2004.

“All men having power ought to be mistrusted.” James Madison

Shortly after George W. Bush unleashed the “Dogs of War” on Iraq last year, and right after an emerging insurgency started growing, Bush asked, “What’s the matter with those people; don’t they know how good we [Americans] are?” And that right there is at the heart of what I see as a very big problem with so very many of my fellow American citizens - and one that in many ways is getting worse and not better.

Here in the U.S. there is a deeply-held belief that no matter what this nations governing body does abroad, no matter how bad what it does may appear, no matter what horror may result, the American government means well. That the government has good intentions and means well. And, generally speaking, the American public wonders why the rest of the world can’t see how “kind” and “generous” and “self-sacrificing” America is and has been. Unfortunately the road to hell is paved with “good intentions.”

My questions to my fellow American citizens are this: What for you would be too much? What would this nation’s government have to do in its foreign policy, or domestic policies, that would cause you to forsake your basic belief in and support for that governing body and its policies?

It is apparent to me at this point in time that invading a country that posed no real threat to this nation - Iraq for instance?is not enough, for many, to question that support for this current cabal. The distortions and outright lies concerning Medicare and liability lawsuits appears not to be enough to raise questions by those of you that continue your support for Bush. Grossly under-funding the Veterans Administration Health Care system does not seem to generate any significant level of concern either.

Again I ask, what for you would be too much?

The growing number of dead, ours and Iraq’s, seems not to be enough to question that support. Why? 15 hours after being discharged from the Army, a young man that spent 12 months in Baghdad and another three months due to “stop loss” was in an auto accident. Two days later his arm was swelling and very painful. Turns out he had a blood clot in his arm from the IV the paramedics put in. This young man’s father took him to the local V.A. just to be turned away being told he did not qualify for V.A. care. This is not an isolated incident and the list is growing daily.

Once again I ask, what for you would be too much for you to be able to continue your support of these policies and those that make them?

Never in my 60+ years have I been witness to the level of corruption as what is taking place today with this current governing body led by Bush and Cheney. The increasing levels of secrecy by Bush, the criminals running congress like Tom DeLay, the nexus between government and corporations as exemplified by Dick Cheney and Halliburton. The influence pedaling by an army of over 26,000 corporate lobbyists that “help” write the nations laws is at a level unseen in this nation’s history.

In short the “Criminalization of the State” is what is taking place and still so many believe in and support this criminal enterprise known as the Bush administration.

What is it that would be too much for even you true believers in this administration to be able to continue your support for the single most disastrous administration to ever hold the reigns of power of our government?

References and Additional Readings:
The Criminalization of the State

William Blum. Common Courage Press. Freeing the World to Death: Essays on the American Empire (book)

Corporations File 4 Times More Frivolous Lawsuits than Individuals

Conventional Facades: Why the Republicans Have to Hide their Agenda

William Blum. Common Courage Press. Rogue State (book)

George Lakoff. Chelsea Green Publishing. Don?t think of an Elephant (book)