Event: The Pentagon vs. Senator Clinton.

You know, I think I've done a good job speaking my mind and separating my emotions... at least I've taken what provisions I'm able to. I'm as passionate as my friends and family, but I've always maintained that demographics and contexts have to be considered in any political discussion... that we cannot genuinely persuade someone unless we understand them. By that reasoning, any argument or bias that requires that half the population of Red States is irredeemably stupid or irredeemably selfish is not only unproductive, but smacks of arrogance. I've maintained that the Left is correct on most of these issues, but I've always thought that respect had to be maintained against all sorts of odds (and among all sorts of frustration) to make any progress.

But I'm angry about this.

I know, it's a strange time to start taking things personally, and there are probably more pressing issues for me to take personally. But I can't help the fact that it really pisses me off. Why this?

It's not what's said in these arguments/chastisements/evasions as much as what is lacking.

Whether it's the Bush administration or congressional Republicans or the Department of Defence or conservative bloggers, even amid the (too hard won) concessions that (duh!) Iraq is not going well, there is little or no talk of accountability. And an Undersecretary has the audacity to flame a member of the Armed Services Committee about "abandoning" allies in Vietnam, Somalia, and Iraq?!

No. 1. IF WE DIDN'T GET INTO UNNECESSARY, UNWINNABLE ADVENTURIST WARS IN THE FIRST PLACE, THEN "ABANDONING" ALLIES WOULDN'T BE AN ISSUE!

No. 2. WHEN IS A DECISION-MAKER GOING TO BE PUT ON TRIAL FOR THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF OUR ENGAGEMENT IN IRAQ? THE CASE CAN VALIDLY BE THE DELIBERATE MANIPULATION OF INFORMATION OR CRIMINAL NEGLECT, BUT IN EITHER CASE THERE ARE VIABLE LEGAL GROUNDS FOR ANY NUMBER OF PROSECUTIONS. CONGRESS IMPEACHED CLINTON OVER A PERJURY OF ELEVENTH-RATE NATIONAL RELEVANCE; WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO IMPEACH BUSH AND COMPANY OVER HIS FIRST-DEGREE SACRIFICE OF NATIONAL INTEREST AND ALL-OUT SABOTAGE OF OUR SYSTEM OF CHECKS-AND-BALANCES? THE PRO-DEATH-PENALTY REPUBLICANS RELIABLY NEGLECT THIS QUESTION OVER AND OVER.

WHO IS GOING TO PAY FOR WHAT HAS HAPPENED?

WHEN IS IT GOING TO HAPPEN?

WHY ISN'T IT HAPPENING ALREADY?

No. 3. REPUBLICAN LEADERS: YOU HAVE MADE YOURSELF HYPOCRITICAL BY BOTH YOUR WORDS AND YOUR SILENCES. SHAME ON YOU.

DEMOCRATIC LEADERS: MAYBE YOU CAN'T PUSH AN IMPEACHMENT THROUGH CONGRESS, BUT THIS VOTER SURE AS HELL BETTER SEE YOU TRYING, OR YOUR PROGRESSIVE VOTERS WILL STOP REGRETTING VOTING FOR NADER IN '00 WHILE YOUR COVETED SWING VOTERS STICK BY THE PARTY THEY PERCEIVE AS HAVING A SPINE. I WILL BE SENDING MY VOTE TOWARD WHOEVER IS ABLE TO BRING THE FIGHT TO THIS PERSISTANTLY ONE-SIDED POLITICAL DIALOGUE.

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I'm just saying.

It makes me literally want to scream sometimes.

Fortunately, this blog allows me to spare my neighbors.