Where is the Outrage During the Presidential Debates?

So two front page stories in my Sunday paper grab my attention:

"Broken Supply Channels Sent Arms For Iraq Astray." "...billions of dollars in arms handed over to shoestring commands without oversight."

"Death of a Spy Satellite Program; How Lofty Plans and Unrealistic Bids Wasted Billions."

And as I choke, I think:

Tuesday night, when the Democrat candidates debate, am I going to hear them clawing at each other once again -- or am I going to see some representation of the pent up anger and bitterness and outright disgust most Americans are feeling for the near tragic situations the current administration has so ineptly and imprudently mismanaged, and, while winking to its neo-con and corporate supporters, lied and weedled and obfuscated its way into?

Take a look at those two headlines again. And then add to them the cost overruns everywhere this administration dallies and shops and wars (at a cost of $10 billion per month) and extends itself uninvited in our name, not to mention Blackwater and Halliburton and on and on and on -- and how DO our candidates let the opposition get away with the canard that they, the Democrats, are the big spenders?

And notice the word "canard," which came from a reluctance to say it the way I feel it -- and that would be to label a big fucking lie the big fucking lie it is! When are my candidates going to show more outrage, directed to the opposition, than this poor fool is able to express in more appropriate language?

Comments

[donjuandemarco]

There is something we American citizens can do to send a clear message to both Congress and the President--a national strike. I call for all Americans, except for those engaged in critical services such as police, doctors, firefighters, to go on strike beginning Jan. 1, 2008, unless President Bush meets the following demands: (1)demand Cheney's resignation; (2)appoint Senator Chuck Hagel as the new vice-president; and (3)resign as President. Let's take back our country! We CAN! Go on strike if Bush and Cheney don't resign by Dec. 31, 2007! JOIN ME!

[Kontessa]

I can only hope all of the Democratic candidates read this comment!! They are only too willing partners in enabling the media in its eternam campaign to make total fools of Democratic candidates. The candidates should rise above all these media efforts to make them look like shallow, bickering fools.

They should remain silent and unresponsive when questioned by their persecutors such as rightwinger Tim Russert, always playing a sophmoric gotcha game, and girly-man back-stabber and gossip, Chris Matthews for example, when being intensely grilled about petty, inconsequencial issues and, simply not respond.
Each candidate should respond vigorously only to questions of vital national and international importance, the true responsiblities of a President.
And I might add, keep their personal conduct exemplary and NOT messy.

[sonofdy1]

Because historicaly democrats have been. The republicans are giving the democrats a good run for thier money lately.

[thedirtman]

Realistically, there are two candidates speaking at the debate, maybe three. Both Democratic candidates need only their celebrity status to allow them to speak and speak often. One is the front-runner and she addresses the questions safely knowing that even if the boat takes on water she'll make it to the shore. The other hasn't made a significant distinction between himself and the "star celebrity" in the eyes of the voters.

There are others but they rarely are given a chance to speak and when they do they are expected to respond to joke questions. The only thing we hear about them when their names come up is a commentator will chime in with "Oh, he has no chance of winning", and then the subject quickly changes. One of them actually addressed the issue of spending once but then the next day there was an avalanche of hate stuff directed towards him, and he was not given a microphone with which to respond. That was the last I heard from him.

This is clearly an anti-debate. The purpose seems to be to keep information about the candidates under wraps while causing the viewer think that the media has done their jobs. It is painful to watch, but it's also funny so I guess I will watch anyhow.

[Purple Girl]

As soon as One of the candidates really goes after this admin & it's cohorts (at least supports Kucinich) I'll give them a nod- but not my vote nor my money, they've let it go too far. Dems are Complicit.

[MRb1000]

These crook are getting away with this because most Dems are running scared try to hold their jobs. They need to grow a spine. If they do not grow a spine after this election I will become Independent. How can you be a leader running scare.

[retarius]

Leading Dem candidates have no balls, no leaders, no convictions...scared of taking a position that the Repubs might challenge...so we end up with just more of the same crap we've had for the last 7 years...Republican light? No thanks!
I really hope the Dems lose big in the next election...then maybe we will get a leader who has a vision for a new direction and a set of cojones.

[Chris24Ruh]

Norman, we need you to write a speech or two, or at least draft a policy paper of talking points and rebuttals. The Dems ought to stand up and say that though THEY ARE NOT the big spenders, THEY ARE (or WILL BE) the party of BIG PEOPLE, as in grown-ups who understand that NOTHING IS FREE! They need to say that we have a record trade deficit and a record (and crippling) national debt that were both run up by a Republican Party in control of the entire government for 6 years, with a president who NEVER VETOED a single spending bill; a president who was allowed to run rampant with no oversight, offering sweetheart, no-bid contracts to companies he and his cronies were allied with.

Then the Dems need to say quite loudly, YES, WILL WILL RAISE TAXES. "We have NO choice. The Republicans eviscerated our government agencies, gutting them in favor of out-sourced companies. Again, these sweetheart no-bid deals resulted in Blackwater getting monies we could have spent on our troops while institutions like the Consumer Products Safety Commission have been starved of staff and inspectors - and look at the results. War profiteers have made off with the national treasury while our children are at risk. WE WILL RAISE taxes in as fair a manner as possible so we can STOP borrowing from China. WE WILL spend what we have to to restore a working, effective government - and we're going to ask the richest among us to give more of what they've made as a part of thier civic duty to a country that helped them attain great wealth. Period."

[dotmafia]

Mr. Lear,

I too have been severely shocked by the complete lack of determination and backbone by the Democratic presidential candidates, as well as the party leadership, in confronting the continuous assault on democracy by this so-called Bush "administration".

If the Democratic leadership only realized that if they showed more confidence and fortitude in seizing back their country which this Bush "administration" has held hostage for 7 years, they would find that the majority of the American public is behind them, supporting them, and it would all but ensure a complete victory for the Democrats in 2008.

The only thing I can think of why impeachment has been "taken off the table" (I HATE that phrase) by Pelosi and Reid, and why the Dem candidates have not been more aggressive, is because the Democrats are directly complicit in helping/enabling this "administration" in its abuses of power, and as a result they have formed a collective guilt of consciousness before the American people, and an almost helplessness in the face of an outright American government dictatorship.

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." ~ Edmund Burke
_

[Gonzalez]

You have to understand that this bunch of democrats in public office now, don't have a stitch of courage. None! Just look at what is going on in Congress. Time after time, they give in to Bush and company. All the republicans have to say is, support the troops or terrirism and the democrats fall by the wayside. They don't have the courage to stand up to Bush or the intelligence to explain to the american people why they have to do something against Bush. It is a shame!

[tborg58]

I share your outrage Norman but I'm starting
to believe that we're not going to see any
major changes for the better by either party
or candidate for one major reason; they're no
longer pulling the strings.This ever advancing
corporate capitalism is influencing policy and
political decisions.Candidates on either side
are not going to rock the trough from which
they all feed !

[BetterDeadthanRedState]

Republicans get away with lying because that is what one expects from them.

[MinerSam]

I fully agree with you.

It is an outrage that Obama and Edwards seem to be using the Republican playbook and Talking Points and feeding the Republican controlled GE/MSNBC and CNN theblood they crave so much to bring the Democrats down.

Obama and Edwards are mistaken if they think that if they won they would not be attacked by the Republicans in the same way they are attacking fellow Democrats.

It is absurd! They not only lost me, but since I Judge people's character by their campaign, I cannot see Obama or Edwards as VPS!

[cw9580]

Mr. Lear, with all your talents you could not make up a more bizarre and frightening screenplay than the reality of what we have seen these past seven years. It's like Bush and Cheney are pulling off a daring daylight robbery and we're all just standing by.

It's Alice Through the Looking Glass....

CW

[Moshe]

Like millions of other Americans, I worked very hard to help assure that the DEMS would take control of Congress.

But to date, what we have gotten is screwed and betrayed.

The first thing Pelosi and the other nancys did was take "impeachment off the table" and ever since then the only thing on the table seems to be the DEM leadership bending over it for King George.

Rather than boldly doing what they had sworn to do (protect and defend our Constitution), or what the majority of Americans sent them to Congress to do (honorably end the fiasco in Iraq and restore the Rule of Law in the U.S.), they spend all their time appeasing the GOP (as if this were possible), apologizing for the views of those that actually elected them (both insulting and unwise) and generally debating issues about as pressing as how million angels can dance on the head of a pin.

The DEM leadership is clearly not up to the task. I can only hope that in each of their districts, there is some decent, wise, brave soul that is preparing to challenge them and do the American People a great service by sending the DEM leadership surrender monkeys home.

The GOP neo-con traitors are not going to be stopped by a group of people without the political courage to do what even the vast majority of Americans support: Ending the war in Iraq; restoring the Rule of Law in the U.S.; and standing up against corruption in U.S. government and for the interests of the American People rather than just the people that are shoving dirty money in their pockets.

Nancy and company, if you can't do this, don't go away mad, just please go away and make room for someone who will take charge and do what needs to be done. We don't give a rat's a-s about your re-election and neither should you. Your primary concern should be doing your duty. But if you did your duty, you would be re-elected.