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Conspiracies
posted by Rob on 23 Feb 2008
I believe in a few things that might be called conspiracies, but since 'conspiracy' is usually meant as a criticism, I don't think of them in that way. A few examples might be corporations using underhand tactics to get laws changed in their favour, or US Republicans gerrymandering like crazy, or the CIA doing bad things in secret (which is almost their mission if you think about it). I think all of those things happen, I think they are underreported and I don't think that's a conspiracy, so much as 'getting away with it'.
On the other hand, I think men have landed on the moon. In some ways it would actually be cooler if the moon landings were faked - at least as a story. And even if you don't believe the conspiracy, you have to admit some of the evidence the conspiracists dig up is wonderfully tantalising. I'm more skeptical about Lee Harvey Oswald being a lone gunman. But the one I really get stuck on is 9/11. It seems next to impossible that it was an inside job, and fantastically unlikely that the administration turned a blind eye while real terrorists got on with it. On the other hand, there have been so many cover-ups, distortions and white-washes - so many weird facts that don't fit - that every now and then I find myself wondering: if it's not a conspiracy, then what is it? I'd love to know.
The main reason this question comes back to trouble me from time to time is this: the Republicans will lose the 2008 Presidential Election. They don't stand a chance. They might as well concede now. And they will lose control of the Senate too. They've already lost the House. So the Democrats will have a clean sweep and a popular mandate. The only thing that can save Republican politicians is a terrorist attack. Something which they would do anything to prevent. But talk about an incentive to screw up.
Comments: 1
Ah-ha, so you may think. My boyfriend and I have been moaning and fretting about this for a year.
Our country has swung so far to the right in the last fifteen years (and for twenty years before that, ever since Ford that pendulum has been moving ever quicker to the right) that some people, myself included, think that both of the major Democratic candidates are too much too soon. That is, 2/3 of the country wants anything but Bush, anything in the other direction, PLEASE, but I'm betting that a big percentage of that 2/3 are still too conservative for a black guy or a woman. I don't like putting it in those terms, of course, because I couldn't care less what color or gender my candidate is, but a lot of America does. We need more time to swing back toward center before we make for the left.
This is why I'm so upset that Giuliani dropped out. He may not have been the best candidate in the running, but he was so much closer to center than any of our other candidates at this time. I think he could have eased us back to a place where we could elect a black guy or a woman...next time.
My gut says McCain will win.
Posted by: KatharineC | February 25, 2008 02:15 PM