"SMOKE AND MIRRORS"
HUBGRAM
May 21, 2006
News and Views
Smoke and Mirrors At the Highest Level?
Americans have been polarized by the Immigrant issues. And this issue has occupied the headlines now for weeks.
And that is good news at least for some: The occupants of the White House.
Questions prompt questions. We might ask:
While the Immigration Issue has exploded, why now? Why has this sudden interest in the border problem defused all other discussion of issues?
Why are people so polarized about Immigration when they seem willing to settle over the War, unemployment, “off-shoring,” poisoning of the environment, escalating gasoline prices, corruption at the highest levels, eavesdropping and on and on?
Despite the fact that voters on both sides of the issue have vociferously defended their positions, the Latino question has completely snuffed out discussion on everything else. Among the most hotly contested debates center on whether the Latinos who have crossed the border illegally should be granted amnesty? That is the bottom line.
Collateral issues abound: Should those who are illegally here be accorded the same rights as those who have painstakingly abided by the law? Should our borders be protected by the National Guard? Or is that a violation of Posse Comitatus? Should we build a wall to prevent still others from crossing illegally? Is Vincente Fox right? Do we really do have an obligation to our neighbors south of the border? All issues that have Americans spewing forth invective as never before.
Nevertheless, while this issue is a major issue, is it more important than all of the other issues that have been swept aside? And interestingly enough hasn’t this debate been a godsend to the White House occupants under siege? And could it have been orchestrated for the purpose of diverting attention from more smoldering issues?
In fact, since this hype began, we’ve heard little about eavesdropping investigations, “leaks,” money laundering, manipulation, illegal gifts to Congressmen and women, influence peddling and all other forms of corruption and dishonesty at the highest levels of government—a far cry from the promise of A Contract With America, Newt Gingrich’s promise to the American people about what would happen when Republicans took office.
In short, the Republicans couldn’t have had it better under the circumstances which nevertheless forces us to posit the question as to whether the entire Mexican problem being raised right now was a sophisticated set piece orchestrated by a White House under fire. Were we deliberately “conned” in order to refocus the debate away from the sins and misdemeanors of a White House under intense media scrutiny?
On might immediately dismiss such an argument if we didn’t have chapter and verse on such tactics propagated by the likes of Donald Segretti, Lee Atwater, Dick Armey and Newt Gingrich and an army of others who would resort to any strategy to make Republicans look good at the expense of Democrats—who were accused of everything from excelling in the Black Arts to the Great Flood!
In view of what happened, it is not out of line to suspect the Republican Juggernaut of virtually any and all tactics to remove attention from themselves during these days when Bush’s poll numbers are falling faster than grand-ma’s chest when her bra gives out.
Whatever the reason, the greater the focus on the border, the less the focus on the White House’s troubles.
Perhaps this is giving the White House too much credit, but probably keeping themselves off camera right now is probably the greatest thing that could have happened to a government under attack from every quarter and allows the White House time to rebuild its arguments and regain support from its loyalist minions.
It remains to be seen as we enter a new hurricane season, mid-term elections, and increasing challenges both here and abroad, whether the Mexican issue will be just the forerunner of an explosion of feeling from the American people who refuse to be put off any longer by smoke screens.
Les Aaron .
May 21, 2006
News and Views
Smoke and Mirrors At the Highest Level?
Americans have been polarized by the Immigrant issues. And this issue has occupied the headlines now for weeks.
And that is good news at least for some: The occupants of the White House.
Questions prompt questions. We might ask:
While the Immigration Issue has exploded, why now? Why has this sudden interest in the border problem defused all other discussion of issues?
Why are people so polarized about Immigration when they seem willing to settle over the War, unemployment, “off-shoring,” poisoning of the environment, escalating gasoline prices, corruption at the highest levels, eavesdropping and on and on?
Despite the fact that voters on both sides of the issue have vociferously defended their positions, the Latino question has completely snuffed out discussion on everything else. Among the most hotly contested debates center on whether the Latinos who have crossed the border illegally should be granted amnesty? That is the bottom line.
Collateral issues abound: Should those who are illegally here be accorded the same rights as those who have painstakingly abided by the law? Should our borders be protected by the National Guard? Or is that a violation of Posse Comitatus? Should we build a wall to prevent still others from crossing illegally? Is Vincente Fox right? Do we really do have an obligation to our neighbors south of the border? All issues that have Americans spewing forth invective as never before.
Nevertheless, while this issue is a major issue, is it more important than all of the other issues that have been swept aside? And interestingly enough hasn’t this debate been a godsend to the White House occupants under siege? And could it have been orchestrated for the purpose of diverting attention from more smoldering issues?
In fact, since this hype began, we’ve heard little about eavesdropping investigations, “leaks,” money laundering, manipulation, illegal gifts to Congressmen and women, influence peddling and all other forms of corruption and dishonesty at the highest levels of government—a far cry from the promise of A Contract With America, Newt Gingrich’s promise to the American people about what would happen when Republicans took office.
In short, the Republicans couldn’t have had it better under the circumstances which nevertheless forces us to posit the question as to whether the entire Mexican problem being raised right now was a sophisticated set piece orchestrated by a White House under fire. Were we deliberately “conned” in order to refocus the debate away from the sins and misdemeanors of a White House under intense media scrutiny?
On might immediately dismiss such an argument if we didn’t have chapter and verse on such tactics propagated by the likes of Donald Segretti, Lee Atwater, Dick Armey and Newt Gingrich and an army of others who would resort to any strategy to make Republicans look good at the expense of Democrats—who were accused of everything from excelling in the Black Arts to the Great Flood!
In view of what happened, it is not out of line to suspect the Republican Juggernaut of virtually any and all tactics to remove attention from themselves during these days when Bush’s poll numbers are falling faster than grand-ma’s chest when her bra gives out.
Whatever the reason, the greater the focus on the border, the less the focus on the White House’s troubles.
Perhaps this is giving the White House too much credit, but probably keeping themselves off camera right now is probably the greatest thing that could have happened to a government under attack from every quarter and allows the White House time to rebuild its arguments and regain support from its loyalist minions.
It remains to be seen as we enter a new hurricane season, mid-term elections, and increasing challenges both here and abroad, whether the Mexican issue will be just the forerunner of an explosion of feeling from the American people who refuse to be put off any longer by smoke screens.
Les Aaron .
posted by The Armchair Curmudgeon at 3:18 PM
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