Thursday, July 20, 2006

Saying it doesn't make it true

Mr. President:

This morning I watched you address the NAACP. It was an inspiring speech. I wonder though, "Where is the substance behind the rhetoric?"

Let's start out with one of your favorite topics, ownership. This is the right to build wealth, own a home, and pass that wealth along to future generations. In America today, 90% of the wealth is owned by 1% of the population; most of the rest is in the hands of the next nine percent. When personal debt is subtracted from real personal assets, the figures are terrifying. The truth is, the majority of Americans are lucky if their balance sheet is only zero, and a large percentage owe more than they own. The sad fact is, money follows money. In New Orleans today, as the city is rebuilding, money is funneling in to rebuild the commercial and tourist centers, areas owned by the investor class. Who is doing this rebuilding? Large corporate construction companies, who are bringing in large numbers of immigrant workers to do "jobs Americans won't do." Where does this leave the poor black population, many of whom lived in the homes they inherited from their parents? They are in cities far away, on welfare, while their homes rot, never to be rebuilt. Those who do return, to try and rebuild, are constrained by authorities from doing so.

Let's go next to education. You talked movingly of visiting a junior high school, where the principal lamented that his 9th grade students couldn't read. You spoke of the need to revitalize our educational system. The truth is, universal mandatory public education has destroyed our school system. The schools are so full of cretinous thugs, with no desire to learn, that serious students aren't able to thrive. Educators have no choice but to enroll them year after year until they can legally drop out and by then it is too late for the rest. It is difficult to motivate students in an atmosphere where drugs, violence, theft, and vandalism are so prevalent.

It bothers me that you feel empowered to talk about the inadequacy of our educational system. As far as I can determine, you can barely read or write. You attended the best schools in the country with an attitude of surly contempt. The fact that you are a drooling moron has not stopped you from becoming a multimillionaire and the President of the United States. Have you thought about the kind of message that sends to the boys smoking crack behind the gym?

Let's move along now to the Voting Rights Act. You spoke of looking forward to signing the renewal of this landmark document. A significant faction of your party continues to try and neuter many of its provisions. Ethnic minorities continue to vote in disproportionately small numbers. The reason for this is not apathy. In many parts of the nation blacks are still actively discouraged from voting or participating in the political process. They are purged from voter registration lists and intimidated at the polls. Electoral fraud, that's stuffing the ballot boxes, if you can't figure it out, remains common in many areas. Your own ascent to the Presidency is not free from well-documented charges of multiple electoral irregularities.

It's a good thing that you went to the NAACP convention. I'm proud of you for doing it, and I'm proud of them for giving you a civil reception. Spouting a lot of rosy-scenario propaganda, though, doesn't help anyone or fool anyone. Civil discourse begins with the truth, and the truth needs to begin with the guy who holds all the marbles -- and that's you. I realize that my discourse with you is not civil and that it never will be. You're a punk, the lowest form of American manhood. Every aspect of your existence is an affront to our proud American tradition. You are a draft dodger, a drug user, a financial insider, and a nose-picking dimwit from an aristocapitalist family who masquerades as a man of the people. Patriotism and religious piety are the clothes with which you hide your true aspect. America has often produced leaders who rose to greatness in the crucible of crisis, while you melt into the base metal from which you are formed. Your actions are not even principled enough to be called treason. They are the self-serving posturing of an unworthy scion.

'Bye for now. Remember, stop after that second drink!

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