Your Government, Working on your Behalf
A few interesting stories:
The US government is doing all of this on behalf of you, gentle reader. While you might think "the Republicans are doing this", remember that the outside world makes no such distinction. The outside world sees a budding dictator grabbing power, while pushing other countries around. The US is not beyond holding "prisoners" from other countries indefinitely, without trial, and while torturing them.
You, fair reader, are a US citizen. These things are being done on your behalf, in your name.
And $11.2 billion for some helicopters? That is simply insane.
- This American Life had a recent article entitled "The Audacity of Government", which looks at the Bush administration's ongoing quest to further empower the Executive branch of the U.S. government.
- Virtually without being noticed, the Cost Nearly Doubles For Marine One Fleet. 26 helicopters, originally slated for $6.1 billion, have seen their budget inflate to $11.2 billion, with production currently halted while the government figures out what is going on.
- The Pentagon Releases Memo on Harsh Tactics, where "hard tactics" were, for intents and purposes, torture. The memo notes "that customary international law is not federal law and that the president is free to override it at his discretion."
- Rules to Be Waived for Border Fence. The Federal Government is ignoring EPA laws while building its anti-immigration fence along the Mexican border.
- Former US secretaries of state recommend closing Guantanamo Bay prison.
The US government is doing all of this on behalf of you, gentle reader. While you might think "the Republicans are doing this", remember that the outside world makes no such distinction. The outside world sees a budding dictator grabbing power, while pushing other countries around. The US is not beyond holding "prisoners" from other countries indefinitely, without trial, and while torturing them.
You, fair reader, are a US citizen. These things are being done on your behalf, in your name.
And $11.2 billion for some helicopters? That is simply insane.