By Steven Jonas, MD, MPH – January 23, 2008
The bulk of the text of this column first appeared on August
29, 2007, as part 3 of a series entitled “The Permanent Republican Presidency.”
In view of the debacle that is currently going on in the Democratic Primaries
between Sens. Clinton and Obama, it seems suitable to
re-run it. In terms of the text below, they are, it must be said, both
now supporting reasonable timetables for withdrawal from Iraq. On the
other issues raised, neither one addresses any of them, except on rare
occasions the topic of Pres. Bush, in passing. For example, neither has
raised the issue of Permanent War and likely never will. That is unless
one regards what is going on between them as Permanent War.
This war, if continued, will lead directly to the election
of a Republican in 2008, for the following reasons. A) they are handing the Republicans so much negative sound-bite material that they won’t
know what to do with it, B) much more importantly they are driving wedges right
into the heart of the Democratic Party, and C) when they should be using the
present opportunity to convince Democratic voters that they would be the best
candidate to take on the Republicans and the total BushCheney record by attacking both non-stop, they continue to insist on focusing almost
entirely on each other and at the most base level. In commenting on Democratic
politics sometime last fall I did say that Clinton and Obama might take each other apart to the extent that Sen. Edwards could sneak through
the gap to the nomination. He may well have that in mind himself, which
is likely why he is sticking around. Hey, in politics as in Super Bowls,
you never know.
Given the seriousness of this situation, we thought to
interrupt the presentation in three parts of chapter 10 of The 15% Solution. We will return with Part 2 next week. And so, to what I wrote back in August of last year.
Read it and weep.
For the past two columns I have been talking with you about
Karl Rove’s present supreme objective: the establishment of the Permanent
Republican Presidency (PRP). That he has suddenly left the White House is
an indication that he will, likely already is, heavily
involved in the 2008 elections, with this as his goal (see my Commentary
on BuzzFlash at
http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/jonas/074). The Democrats --- Presidential
candidates, Congressional membership, commentator/analysts, and rank-and-file
--- all have a major role to play in all of this. In fact, I am, sure
that Rove is counting on them to do their part. In this column I lay out
what the Democrats need to do to ensure that Rove’s objective is indeed
achieved. Long-time readers of mine know just how much I like to write “what the Democrats must do” columns. Well, here’s
another one. Some of these tasks are those of all of the Democratic
constituencies, some for just one to three. We will consider the tasks
serially.
On Iraq:
As I have discussed in this space and on BuzzFlash a number of times now, it is becoming evermore clear that the Georgite goal in Iraq is the creation of Permanent War, for
that it is the only route to the establishment of the Permanent Republican
Presidency. Others are picking up that theme as well. As far as
Iraq is concerned, Bush cares not a wit about that nation itself or the Iraqi
people themselves. What he does care about is the ongoing American
presence in Iraq, the ongoing violence in Iraq, yes the creation of new
potential terrorists in Iraq, the creation of a new branch of something that
labels itself "Al Qaeda in Iraq" even if bin Laden's base is somewhere
in the territory of the U.S. "ally" Pakistan. The reason Bush will
not negotiate with anybody, much less the Democrats, on any plan for Iraq
withdrawal is that for Bush, withdrawal is simply not on the table.
And so, to ensure the PRP, it is vital that none of the
Democratic constituencies, especially the Presidential candidates, raise this
as an issue. Further, it is vital that the Presidential candidates (with
the exception of Kucinich and Richardson) must present positions on Iraq that
are nuanced, not black-and-white. They must surely not talk about
immediate withdrawal. They must surely not talk about any “third way,”
neither stay forever or precipitously withdraw (see my
TPJ column No. 159). Doing so will accomplish two things. It will
cause vast numbers of potential anti-Iraq War voters to say “see, there is
really no difference between the two parties” and just not go to the polls, and
it will virtually ensure the entry of a third party, immediate withdrawal,
candidate. Just what Rove wants.
On George Bush
One could write volumes on George Bush (and I have, in this
space and several others). But it is vital to ensure the PRP for the
Democratic commentator/analysts to persist in the delusion that Bush is being
delusional about Iraq or anything else. He ain’t (see my TPJ column No. 160). He knows
exactly what the reality is and he persists in his policies precisely because
he likes what he sees and wants it. But, heavens, we must never say that
and attack him directly. No let’s just persist in calling him a raving
lunatic.
The Constitution and the Assault Upon It
This is an issue that all of the Democratic constituencies
must avoid at all costs, and with a few brave exceptions here and there among
the left-wing commentators, the rank-and-file, and Senators Leahy and Reid,
most of them do. “Can’t win an election” on those issues, many say.
Well, as you know, in my view this is the number one issue facing the country,
even more important than Iraq. We had better figure out ways to bring it
into the campaign, for as a sign in my dentist’s office says about your teeth: “if
you don’t take care of your teeth, they will just go disappear.” Under
the Georgites, the Constitution, described by the
Head George as “just a scrap of paper,” is doing a fantastic disappearing act.
For the past three months or so, I have been calling this
the “F___ You Presidency.” Nothing is any of the Congresses’ business, or
the people’s business for that matter. Congress says “do this.” The President says “F___ You.” And given our
non-parliamentary system (which latter also has its own severe limitations when
taken over by someone like George Bush, e.g., Margaret Thatcher), there is
little Congress can do. But for the direct violations (e.g. of Article VI
on torture, the warrantless searches, the violations of prisoners rights), the
Signing Statements, the Executive Orders, and etc., we must be sure not to
frame them in terms that show the people how they can negatively affect
everyday life in this county, and thus make these major campaign issues,
blaming Bush. No, we must continue to blame the Democratic Congress.
Further on Attacking the Democratic Congress
To help ensure the PRP our commentators/analysts must act
and write as if when ignored like they are, Congress can actually can buck Bush
on the major issues, when he knows so well how to use the powers, real and
made-up-with-no-recourse, of his office. It is also vital for our side to
continue to present the position that “we elected THE Democrats to do A, B, and
C,” as if, A) for the Congress we voted on lists as they do in Israel, not 435
separate Congressional and 33/34 at-a-time Senate seats, B) there were
presently a national “Democratic Position” on the major policy issues, to which
all Democratic Congresspeople adhere, C) that the
Democratic Party is not, as it always been, a coalition, and D) that we are
lucky to have ended the Republican grip on Congress so that at least it can
investigate (even if nothing much comes of such investigations now) and we have
a sounding board in Washington.
No, if we are going to ensure that PRP, we must continue to
attack those Congressional Democrats who don’t fully agree with us and make
them the principal enemy, not George W. Bush. Bush and the Georgites have massively expanded the Executive Branch
powers, on their own authority, and have a near stranglehold on the Federal
courts. So, who needs Congress? But let’s blame Congress for that,
not Bush. That’s a sure winner for the PRP.
The Big Lie Technique
Under Rove’s tutelage, Bush and the Georgites, have become past
masters at the Big Lie Technique (see Bush’s speech on Iraq and comparing it
with Vietnam to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Aug. 22, 2007). Using
Permanent Fear and Permanent War they may well, in one way or another,
establish Republican control of the Executive Branch for as far as the eye can
presently see. For example, there is the total dyslogic of the President saying that the nation needs him and the Republican Party
(except for its own weaklings) to protect it against al Qaeda at the same time
that he is saying that al Qaeda is now as strong or stronger than it was on
9/11. And on whose watch did that occur and for what reasons (like the War on
Iraq)? But logic doesn't apply when Goebbelsian Propaganda is your archetype, as it is for Rove et al. And heaven help
our side if none but one Presidential candidate (Kucinich) ever points that
out. Heaven help us, all of our constituencies, if we ever Attack on
Defense (see my TPJ column No. 149). Doing that just wouldn’t be right.
And doing it would significantly decrease the chances for success of Rove’s PRP
campaign. We couldn’t have that, now could we?
There is a counter to The Big Lie Technique. It’s called The
Big Truth Technique. But using it requires that positions be taken that
are not nuanced, not on-the-one-hand-this-on-the-other-hand-that, not
unequivocal, like the positions taken by the Big Lie technique with the only
difference being that they are true. Nah, couldn’t
have that, now could we? Why if we did, our side might actually be able
to win the Presidency in 2008. Of course, if we don’t, without the
Executive Branch, even with a Democratic Congress, things are going to get even
worse for ourselves, our nation, and the world.
But heavens to Betsy, we cannot focus on the single most important task facing
the Democrats at all levels in 2008: wresting the Presidency from the Georgites. Nah, we couldn’t have that, now could we?