In the great tradition of American government, only the truly important things get rushed though. Hence, the bankruptcy bill was the first thing herded through this year. It was an emergency. Credit card companies had recorded a mere 30 billion dollars in profits last year. Many of them, out of pure humanitarianism, were charging their customers a mere 29 to 34 percent after the inevitable late fees that did not have to be late fees on a specific card, but late on any payment. This is almost 0.5% percent less than the going rate Al Capone charged. We are, after all, talking about active Christians.
Then there were the earthshaking investigations into steroid use among home run hitters. America simply stopped in its tracks, since, as is well known, nothing effects every household in America like a distorted home run record. It causes little children to cry and grown men to hurl themselves from tall buildings.
But though grave issues require speed, other issues – like paying the trash that die or are wounded in Iraq and can’t figure out how to game the system like our President once did – can go on the backburner.
Here’s a story from the Boston Herald – a two bit paper obviously so desperate for news that it pays attention to a wounded military guy
“Winthrop Marine Lance Cpl. James Crosby's effort to give combat-wounded soldiers special pay while they recover moved closer to becoming law with a U.S. House vote last week.
``It will make such an impact,'' said Crosby's father, Kevin. ``My son is in constant pain 24 hours a day. No amount of money can ever make up for that, but at least there's something for these people and their families who have been torn apart.''
A rocket attack in Iraq last year left the younger Crosby, 20, paralyzed from the waist down. When he left Iraq, his combat pay was cut while he fought for his life.
The measure, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Edward Markey (D-Malden), would give $430 a month to soldiers who are wounded and evacuated from the combat zone.”
Supposedly, if it goes through in the House, the Senate might debate it in July, and who knows, Bush might even sign it by September, if he has nothing better to do. That will be after another, say, 800 to 1,000 are wounded in the war for our wonderful freedom lovin’ Iraqis, trusting the averages from the Iraqi coalition casualties page.
It is a bit much to give to the trash. On the bright side, what with the new tools given to the Credit card cos. in that Bankruptcy bill, it will probably be absorbed as late fee detritus by the investors in Discover, Visa, MBNA, Citibank and Bank of America who could really use it. Who says America isn’t still the land of opportunity? It's the ownership society, baby.
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Harry, as we know, the armies of ignorance are well represented in D.C. - in fact, they own the place lock stock and lobbyist.
By the way, the NYT Magazine has a good piece up about the war today. Here's a quote from the mother of a man who volunteered to go to Iraq (admirable,or unwise, on two counts -- one, the high chance of death or wounding over there, and two, as we know from the campaign led by chickenhawks last year, you are systematically spit on for making that kind of decision by the patriot sector twenty or thirty years later). The woman opposed the war, but, of course, supports her child.
"''I don't completely understand Stephen's position,'' Barbara said. ''But I have so much respect for him that it seems like it's an appropriate resolution. And I'm experiencing this as a mother, not as a male. I never had to wrestle with 'Am I obligated to serve my country in the military?'''
Barbara's office is on the university campus, and walking to and from work among students, she has been ruminating recently about the Vietnam War. ''I knew a lot of people in the Vietnam era who were wrestling with whether or not they would go,'' she said. ''It seemed to me that even the people who didn't want to serve wrestled with it in their mind. We thought about it. We talked about it. Everyone talked about it, and discussed it, and what I sense missing now is that same need to. . . . ''
She hesitated, searching for the right word. ''To grapple with it,'' she said."
Sometimes, it is hard not to feel about this country like Ezekiel felt about Israel.
"Therefore the fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of thee, and the sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments in thee, and the whole remnant of thee will I scatter into all the winds."
Admittedly, that isn't a very cheery Memorial Day sentiment.
I have attempted to share in this liberal sentiment, that whether we support the war, we are obligated to support the troops (send coffee or pictures of our sister's tits, give them free tuition, houses, insurance, etc). Have you noted how deeply ingrained this idea is, that the enlisted thugs are all victims exploited etc. and officers are nazi scum? I think that's wrong and bad American sunday school liberalism. When I do try to think of positive aspects of the military I would give much more praise to the engineers, the technicians, and even to the USAF than to the infantry.
I am willing to forgive the guys drafted to serve in 'Nam far more than the gung ho grunts who enlist in hopes of wasting peoples.
It's a thought: that the enlisted guys are as culpable as the officers pilots etc. The auto-sympathy for grunts is as much a load of sentimental scheisse as is any right wing flagwaving.
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