John R. “Randy” Kuhl Jr. Isn’t Kewl - Just Another Bush Lap-Dog

Note: This post is guest authored by: Trashing the Kool Aid.

The Olean Times Herald has demonstrated yet again that they are mere puppets controlled by the long strings of Karl Rove, the genius architect behind the republican marketing machine. A recent article in the Olean Times Herald, “Randy” Kuhl, our local representative in the House of Representatives, follows classic war time marketing strategy in discussing his recent trip to Iraq. Randy was quoted in the article as saying Iraq shouldn’t be an election issue proving that he is always one to do what he’s told. Randy is out spreading the latest republican marketing script. The Olean Times Herald of course makes this front-page news, more proof that this paper loves to amplify “quality” republican propaganda.

As much as we love to point fingers at “Randy” for following Karl Roves marketing plan, you really to question the motives of the Olean Times Herald staff when August 3, 2006 CNN’s major news stories is the Senate Armed Services Committee hearingSenate Armed Services Committee hearing. This hearing noted repeatedly on the how bad things are in Iraq, yet the next day the Olean Times Herald their front-page markets the exact opposite idea? The Olean Times Herald article quotes Randy as remarking on his conversations with the troops, the troops felt the American Public wasn’t getting the full story: there are good things happening in Iraq too. 6 months ago the republican latest war marketing tool tried to use this angle to gain support. Ironically, a couple of days later, a CBS reporter was seriously wounded in an attack while covering a “good news story.” Of course there’s the usual Republican photo op: Randy with a couple of soldiers - a classic war time marketing tactic. The Olean Times Herald is showing its bias by running this story on the front-page. This article read more like a political advertisement, not objective, non-biased news.

General John Abizaid testified at a recent Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, “I believe that the sectarian violence is probably as bad as I’ve seen it, in Baghdad in particular, and that if not stopped it is possible that Iraq could move toward civil war.” Of course Randy, who claims to have his finger on the pulse of the Iraq war, claims just the opposite. It makes you wonder whose pulse Randy’s taking, my money is on Karl Rove’s. Randy concludes that “We’ve seen a decline in violence against our troops while there has been an increase in sectarian violence between radical Sunni and Shiites factions.” General John Abizaid has concluded that more people are being killed in Iraq then ever, yet according to Randy, “things are improving.” He says the “U.S. is reallocating troops to Baghdad to help Iraqi security forces sweep the city and disarm the radical groups.” At the Senate Arms Committee hearing, Senator McCain says: “What I worry about is we’re playing a game of whack-a-mole,” which directly conflicts with Randy’s half truths.

You can be sure there are plenty of lobbyist tied to the American Military Complex that reward lap-dogs like Randy. The lap-dog’s do not worry about how many people get killed or the area’s economic or structural devastation, all they care about is spending our tax dollars on Military hardware. Wave the flag, get a couple of photo ops with the troops and it’s like hitting the media lottery. One has to marvel at the just how low the Republican propaganda machine will sink. Randy could care less that part of his job is upholding the Constitution, he acts like the checks and balances are messy things that are limiting the war profiteering he’s hoping to cash in on. That’s what makes Randy a true lap-dog of George Bush, aka “The Decider”: Randy will do or say whatever he’s told.

Randy’s other republican propaganda echoed in the article was that the war in Iraq shouldn’t be an election issue. Maybe he should look at what’s happening in Connecticut and ask Joe Lieberman about how the Iraq war is affecting political campaigns. The Iraq war could turn out to be the defining moment for the next generation of democrats. Simply stating that something is not an issue does not mean it does not exist. Just like it was during the Korean War and Vietnam, war defines politics. Randy is using the ingenious marketing strategy utilized for the last 6 years: make broad statements regardless of the facts keep repeating them until every one believes it.

Newspapers seem to be in a transition period, giving politicians free front-page advertising space instead of reporting factual news. If I had a subscription to the Olean Times Herald, I would cancel it. Why would anyone subscribe to Karl Roves personal toilet paper? It is the responsibility of the Olean Times Herald to verify statements and provide the facts even if they conflict with each other. Then the reader has a choice as to who they believe.

Normally I wouldn’t pay to much attention to what this joke of a newspaper writes. When two self-proclaimed authorities on the war conflict within days of each other it’s hard not to notice. The blogsphere is full of blogs that wonder how anyone that has failed as miserably as “The Decider” still has a pole rating of 30%. This is a classic example; local paper repeatedly enables Republican marketing of a Republican candidate. Hence people are spoon feed a steady stream of Republican marketing propaganda, The American Military Complex that Eisenhower warned us about gets another lap-dog. Democracy, and constituent viewpoints lose, the American Military Complex and Halliburton wins. Randy Kewl and the Olean Times Herald a true Republican dream team, for the American Military Complex and Karl Rove.

Technorati tags: Randy Kuhl, Kuhl, John R. Kuhl, Olean Times Herald, Senate Arms Committee , republican, Bush, democrat, the decider, lap-dog

Add comment August 10th, 2006

Why Quote Kerry? Another Post Traumatic Nightmare

As a favorite fellow blogger, Eric Simonson, points out:

There’s a word for this kind of stuffy arrogance. Haughtiness? Somnolent pretention? Self-assured pomposity? Yes, that’s it. Pompous. That is, in a word, the reason why Kerry lost the election in 2004.

Unfortunately, non-Bush fans have to be represented by an arrogant prig as Kerry. I would much rather have Clinton as an icon to mimic my ideals and represent me in the global socio-economic arena, personal bad choices not withstanding. Even Hillary has to be a better choice of voice than Kerry (cough, sputter, and spit).

The best thing about Kerry was that his wife had some steel basket-balls in her pants when it came to the media. At least she stood up for herself and her personal beliefs. Kerry is like a half-dead press secretary that can barely read. Everytime he tries to interpret statistics or dains to give “victory” speeches that he has not earned, I cannot blame the fundamentalists for hating non-Bush fans. All I hear when he takes the stage is: “woulda, shoulda, coulda, if only, wah, wah, wah, America, wah, wah, wah.” If that is the best the non-Bush fan’s can find, then we may have to resolve ourselves to a dictatorship regime now.

So quote Kerry if you must, but there are some non-Bush fans that do not echo his sentiments, or his rather non-sensical rhetoric. Enough of this post-traumatic nightmare where the only choice is between a fanatic and a boob. Is there no one of any party that can represent the average citizen that just wants to live and let live?

Technorati tags: Kerry, voting, citizens, America, choice, republican, Bush, Clinton, Hillary

4 comments July 25th, 2006

Shock and Awe - US Political Nightmares and the Media

The audacity of politicians, the media that sensationalizes it, and civilian complacency.

It is astonishing how effective the White House is when they roll out the spin machine. I wonder if the current administration has a savant hidden in the basement. Someone they keep under lock and key that they use every time they need a “get out of jail free” card. The spin machine is not a new invention (watch “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” starring Jimmy Stewart) and every president in history has utilized its power when cornered. Who knew the spin machine could operate 24/7. Maybe there is a new spin machine… in the basement with the savant perhaps. I can only conclude there is a political genius at the White House that upon demand can provide a catchy phrase that will linger in the civilian subconscious far longer than any tedious facts will.

There has to be a list somewhere of the audacity of the current regime. No matter what you believe about the Clinton/Lewinski scandal, the personal nature of Clinton’s guffaws cannot be compared to the constant barrage of bureaucratic BS we now deal with constantly. With the price of gas, college, and the state of the job market these days it is easy to be complacent with political agenda’s. Our everyday lives get in the way of our social and ethical responsibilities as a citizen of the United States. Part of the problem has to be that there is so much going on, it is hard to choose where to start. Let’s start at the beginning.

HEADLINE: FLORIDA GIVES VICTORY TO GORE BUSH!

We were shocked to see the media trump the free (cough) election process. We were awed by the audacity of politicians that refused to sign a petition for a recount. The spin machine worked overtime to “unify” the nation and move on with everyday business (it’s only four years). Then we as a “unified” nation succumbed to tyranny.

HEADLINE: TERRORIST STRIKE THE US - PATRIOT ACT NEEDED!

Shocking attacks from a country few citizens could point to on a map. At the height of raw emotions, the savant in the White House basement whispered the fatal blow to the constitution, and the PATRIOT Act was born. While I don’t think the administration has used the PATRIOT Act to its fullest potential, the threat is there: we are no longer protected by the Constitution. We were awed by the political audacity that rendered any one that opposes the PATRIOT Act as – how clever is this – “unpatriotic.” The media smoothed things over with the idea that this would only affect terrorists. And “we the people” willingly and without a fight, walked into a virtual prison (security without freedom).

I won’t take the time to discuss the events of September 11, 2001. That would take several articles and I will save that for another time, possibly closer to its 5th anniversary.

HEADLINE: IRAQ HAS WMD A TYRANT IN CHARGE!

Seething with anger at the lack of retaliation for the September 11 attacks, our military is unleashed on a sovereign nation that has never threatened the United States. The audacity of our government to use the military as personal oil mercenaries stuns us all. The media is quick to change the tune: “MISSION: FREE ELECTIONS IN IRAQ.” Astonishing considering that over 60% of eligible voters in the US do not think voting worthy of their time, yet we will enforce this idealistic convention on other sovereign nations and rid them of their evil dictators. No, not every nation with an evil dictator - just those with oil. The media is there to placate us with the idea that if we leave Iraq now, we will leave the country worse than when we first arrived. The general public does not dwell on the idea that we have destabilized a sovereign nation. Apathy abounds.

These are just the highlights up to March 20, 2003. Stay tuned for more “Shock and Awe” which will digest the US Security Alert System, the 2004 election, Cindy Sheenan, Katrina, the 9/11 widows, big brother and our treasonous media.

Technorati tags: apathy, Shock and Awe, Vote, Security, September 11, Patriot Act, Mission Accomplished, Iraq+War

1 comment July 19th, 2006