Scott Rettberg » politics

Right On, America!

Scott — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 19:21:44 +0000

I just wanted to allow myself an exclamation mark to celebrate the first USA national election in a long time that I’m pleased with. I didn’t vote in this one, since I’m no longer sure what state I can vote in, but I’m sure glad that my fellow Americans made the choices they did. Look at all them blue states! And goodbye Rummy! Au revoir! I just heard that the architect of the worst quagmire the USA has managed to get bogged down in since Vietnam has put on his sailing shoes and hit the road. Now would be a great time for Bush to join in on the resignation trend. Geez, just when I thought it was wise to relocate to other shores, America gets it mojo back. I’m getting homesick, my country is turning into a democracy again.

State of the Union: the violent are trying to take the earth

Scott — Mon, 20 Feb 2006 03:39:26 +0000

Just for kicks, I attempted to summarize/narrate the 2006 State of the Union Address over iChat with Nick Monfort while I watched it on television, as he was writing some kind of interactive fiction program instead of taking in the important annual national narrative.

the violent are trying to take the earth
but we love our planet and we will keep it
trying
you listening to W?
) nope
) I’m trying to do serious IF work here
fishious attackers battlefield own shores no honor in retreat
9:20 PM
the UNITED STATES WILL NOT RETREAT FROM THE WORLD
Hell Yeah!
we saved liberty in Europe, and faced down an evil umpire

we’re on the offensive!
Hoowee
difference between helpful criticism and defeatism
9:25 PM
in the base of the pass
vital mission
) this is better than the SOTU drinking game
) particularly since I’m drinking, too
uniform sacrifices fear
desert heat
roadside bomb
costs/stakes
letter from a dead soldier
honor to die for my country
dead soldier’s mom and dad standing proud
proud of their dead son who wrote that letter so well
grateful to the fallen
thanks guys
sacrifices
OFFENSIVE AGAINST TERROR
hell yeah!
) calm calm
rule of law accountable institutions
Egypt, Palestine
Democracy
Up yours Hamas
You gotta change
9:30 PM
Saudi Arabia still love you man
liberty
Iran
hostage
clerical elite
REGIME
come to an end
defying world
nooclear
nooclear weapons
Merica rally the world
now a personal note to you Iranians
looking forward to FREE IRAN
take the offensive
) no way
spreading hope
disease
compassion abroad
) next you’re going to say SEA OF FIRE and WIPE OFF THE MAP
HIV/AIDS, malaria, genocide, slavery, poverty, corruption, despair, drug trade
education of girls
conscience of our country
and so on period
NOW FOR MORE OFFENSIVE ON TERRORISM
here at home
good going guys thanks hound dog
deserve tools PATRIOT ACT
reauthorize
conspiracy
listening on the phone
9:35 PM
pursuing international communications
authority, I got the authority
Terrorist Surveillance Program
HOOOOWEE! Hound-dog!
principles willing to act
values gave us birth
) what?
freedom is on the march
long war with a determined enemy
protect our country
support our troops
FREEDOM!!!
build prosperity
healthy vigorous economy growing faster than some other countries’
American people
envy of the world
feed people spheres
wallowing off our conomy
immigrants good
set out a better path
jobs
) feed people spheres?
) that actually sounds interesting
that’s what he said man
9:40 PM
four years of uninterrupted economic growth?
I didn’t know that was going on
I sort of thought the economy sucked
ok just tax cuts
make em permanenet
every year we’ve cut the budget of non-Security spending
all that other crap, we’re getting rid of it
special interest projects
give me the line item veto
baby boomers turn 60
Bush and Clinton
same age
Congress gotta do what I want it to do!
Save Social Security
rising costs of entitlements
problem not going away
sort of like my war machine
get problem solved across the aisle come on
keep Merica petitive
9:45 PM
Buy American
nobody can be the American Worker
keeping Merica petitive
orderly secure borders
guest worker program
keeping Merica petitive
health care
We’re meeting our responsibility
give me medical liability reform
people can’t be suing their doctors come on
break addiction
to oil
through technology
Energy
hydrogen cars
make a shit load of ethanol
9:50 PM
reduce reliance on middle-eastern oil
keep Merica petitive
human talent and creativity
American Competitiveness Initiative
) too bad, merica.com is registered
math and science
nanotechnology
soopercomputing
research in public private sectors
tell kids to take more math and science
) OH YEAH!
we’re doing great things with No Child Left Behind
) YOU GO GEORGE!
smarter kids
we’ll show the world
compassionate, hopeful nation
a quiet transformation
a life of personal responsibility
is a life of fulfillment
9:55 PM
people still have concerns
gay marriage
suffering caused by diseases
we’ll prove the pessimists wrong
my new members on the bench
Hound Dog Alito!
Jimbo Roberts!
Props to Sandra Day O’Connor, cya
hopeful society
PROHIBIT HUMAN CLONING
HUMAN ANIMAL HYBRIDS
human body a gift from creator
should not be harvested
everybody got a pledge to serve society
character of Merica
caring adults changing lives of children
encourage young people to stay in school
rather than selling crack
10:00 PM
New Orleans
we’re doing just fine in New Orleans
but we’re going to turn it into a Republican stronghold
with good golf courses
hopeful society
HIV/AIDs nod to the African Americans
HIV tests in African American churches
ideological conflict we did nothing to invite
human action
Lincoln/slavery, King/racism, Me/terrorism
history written in courage
FREEDOMed
optimistic faithful
GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!
) w00t

Bush is still a lying, warmongering, pig idiot

Scott — Mon, 19 Dec 2005 03:06:27 +0000

I watched George Bush’s speech tonight. He was speaking to me directly, as one of the people who were opposed to his war on I Rock. He acknowledged that mistakes were made, although he fell considerably short of admiting that he was lying through his teeth about the WMD. He then left me only two choices: victory or dee feet. I appreciate that he is able to reduce things to kindergarten level for us. Victory somehow involves domestic spying, setting up CIA operatives whose husbands don’t agree with you, throwing out the Geneva convention, setting up secret prisons and torturing people, and the like. What dee feet involves is unclear. If it has anything to do with impeachment, I’m all for it.

Gay Marriage Issue Resolved

Scott — Thu, 04 Nov 2004 05:29:00 +0000

I'll miss the pagentry of all those gay weddings, but I'm behind Bush. Although I voted against him, after the election we once again become one nation, and so I'm now a Bush-backer, and I've come to a personal decision. Because there are so many wounds, because we are so split, so divided as a nation, I have come to a firm resolution. In the interests of bi-partisanship, I can offer a concession. I will not marry a gay man in the states of Ohio, Kentucky, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, Oklahoma or Utah. Not even in Michigan. In fact, because the people have spoken, I will not marry a gay man anywhere. I will not even marry a gay man in New Jersey, nor will I appoint a gay man to a position of security in my homeland in exchange for certain unmentionable favors. I will however continue to ignore any issue of real substance, such as the general distress of the economy, a slippery slide away from the civil liberties promised by an extremely liberal and clearly outdated “bill of rights,” a hemorrhaging deficit, and an ever-expanding stack of bodies resulting from a war I can't logically justify. Some things should be kept in the closet. Let the healing begin.

I Can't Sleep, Can't Stop Thinking About Ohio, Ohio, Ohio

Scott — Wed, 03 Nov 2004 17:39:00 +0000

I've got to be at school for precepting day at 9AM tomorrow but I can't sleep until I know about OHIO. Cuyahoga County, come on, Cuyahoga County. It hasn't been a great election so far. Republicans maintain their majority in the Senate and the House (or gain), and the map is about as polarized as you can get it. But hey, they're gonna do Stem Cell research in California. Superman would proud. Superman, where are you now? Fly on out to Cuyahoga County. Oh, that's right, he's dead. Help! Someone, anyone. Spiderman?

I'm also cheering for my own personal index of states where I've lived. My native Illinois has done me proud. Obama suggests that some kind of future might be possible for democracy in the U.S. regardless of whatever damage this election does to us. Just look at that margin for Kerry. And New Jersey? Battleground state, my behind. Jersey did us proud. My only remaining concerns in my personal index? Iowa, where I attended Coe College (trending Kerry). Wisconsin, where I lived for nine glorious months in Madison before grad school (record turnout, trending Kerry, way to go Wisconsin). And last but not least, OHIO, where I did my Ph.D. Come on, OHIO. Please, please, buckeyes, whatever, don't let me down. Let's make that whole personal index blue.

Must . . . win . . . OHIO.

Must . . . sleep.

I'm guessing nightmares about the Supreme Court will leave me with spooky eyes tomorrow morning.

Ohio

Scott — Wed, 03 Nov 2004 06:30:00 +0000

I knew I left Ohio for a reason.

Ok, Bush won, fair and square, his first unquestionably legitimate election as President. The evangelicals and the hawks and the millionaires will have their golden slumbers tonight. We're stuck with him and four more years of an even more deeply entrenched conservatism, and probably decades of a conservative court. Forget the balance of power. So much for all that hope. This is where we live now. Welcome back to life in terror.

Go Vote, Right Now

Scott — Tue, 02 Nov 2004 15:39:00 +0000

It's Election Day. If you haven't voted yet, what are you doing reading my blog? Go vote for Kerry/Edwards, or go vote for the status quo. As a special incentive, if you go vote, you may access, read, and print the last installment of Implementation, which we have released today, Election Day 2004, exclusively to American voters (and international readers). Those of you who have not voted are not permitted to read the last installment today. On the honor system, of course.

Bush Motorcade Spotted on I-95

Scott — Fri, 08 Oct 2004 02:04:00 +0000

You can imagine my surprise. While I didn't see the President himself, this sure looks like the type of vehicle they might use to cart him around.

Hard Work

Scott — Fri, 01 Oct 2004 23:15:00 +0000

Harry Shearer offers this musical tribute to one of George Bush's debate mantras: It's Hard Work being the President of the United States of America.

VOTE!!!

Scott — Fri, 01 Oct 2004 03:04:00 +0000

VOTE!!! This is the mother of all elections. I'm proud of the Stockton students, most of whom report that they've registered to vote, and I'm proud of the faculty who've manned the registration table for the last two weeks. Today, I noticed that they moved the registration table from a respectable distance from the cafeteria to the front door, and that one of the two faculty members at the table today was asking every single person to enter the cafeteria if they had registered. When I asked students in my night class if they had registered, only one or two didn't raise a hand. Whether you're a Democrat, a Green, an Independent, or a Plutocrat bent on redistributing the wages of the poor to the wealthy and cashiering American lives on the altar of freedom, it's your turn to exercise your franchise. VOTE!!!. Registration ends Saturday. The election is Nov. 2nd.