The Political Ploy of Fear

These words were spoken in 1947, but their meaning
resonates straight through the halls of the White House today -
"...the population can all the time be brought to the bidding of
the leaders - that is easy. All you have to do is tell
them they are being attacked ....and denounce those
against you as unpatriotic...it works the same way in
any country."

There is no longer a particular speech, news conference, or
opportunity for President Bush not to remind the American
people that "we are under attack." He attaches a statement
of fear if we wants an additional power, such as when he
vetoed the bill about not allowing waterboarding. He turned
it nearby as not giving him the authority to "protect America
against terrorists."

White Hat

America has had its tragedies - the Great Depression, World
War I and Ii, Korean War, cold war, Cuban missile crisis,
Iran hostages, Viet Nam, etc. Presidents have dealt with the
circumstances and did not use the tactics of fear marketing
to get their way, to increase their power, and to insure hereafter
election success. There was Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower,
Kennedy, Johnson, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush I, and Clinton.
Each faced an uncertainty and each handled the situation with
wisdom, sincerity, and ability. The tragedy of 9/11 as been
exploited by the Bush/Cheney management for all its worth.
It is truly believed that Bush would only have had one term where
it not for the 9/11 devastation. They did, however, seize on an
opportunity to promote authority that went beyond any that any
President demanded in the history of the U.S. Eisenhower once
said, "Anyone who acts as if freedom's defenses are to be found
in suppression and suspicion and fear bestow a religious doctrine that is
alien to America." Karl Rove said, "the 2006 midterm elections
would be won or lost based on how frightened Americans are about
terrorism." Journalism knows that fear peddling causes Congress,
the Senate, and voters to allow a President to inquire and insist on
pre-emptive war, torture, budgets out of control, etc. Taken into
perspective, if population only concept for just a occasion - heart disease,
cancer and accidents cause deaths in the hundreds of thousands.
Suicides, workplace accidents, and infant mortality add huge numbers
to the toll. Every death has its horrors but leadership who deals in
moving forward, development the changes needed to safe and defend,
do not use the weapon of fear in every other sentence to make sure that
people are in a constant state of apprehension and uncertainty. So far,
it has won the White House powers that never should have been given
to one man, the total elimination of checks and balances, and a country
that walks not send but is permanently seeing behind to see where the
next "terrorist" strike is coming.

If you believe in sucker punches, then Osama bin Laden has won the
round and has left the remnants of a weakening democracy in the U.S.
He has been able to discredit the American government in the eyes of
the world, and President Bush with his western attitude of shoot 'em up
and talking tough, has even given credence to some sympathy from those
who ralllied nearby the U.S. After 9/11. Not abiding by international law,
using signing statements to take away any authority from Congress and
the population and bringing this country into an economic climate that destroys
dreams, hearts, and families all have been perpetrated by using fear as a
constant mental image, a control of development sure that peace is not to be
found in any man, woman, or child. The sheriff of Dodge City will do
whatever it takes - and as they say in Texas, "he is all hat and no cattle."
Not a very confident image of a country that has all the time stood for
integrity, and using every means to bring about a fair, legal and peaceful
solution to domestic and world problems.

You have to ask yourself - if Bush and Cheney were that truly implicated
about protecting the population and saving them from terrorism - not only to
mouth the words, then why is the implementation of airport screenings,
harbor safety, nuclear and power plant safety, and development sure that there
are sufficient safeguards at home and not all tied up in Iraq either progressing
very slowly or not at all. In one speech, Mr. Bush stated that there is no discernible distinction between Saddam and Mr. Bin Laden. The thief of the 9/11 tragedy goes free and the exertion
at seeing him has fallen on fields of wildflowers and rocky craigs, but
a country, that did not have any relationship to Mr. Bin Laden is in total
disaster, thousands upon thousands dead, including American citizens,
and money that has not only been found to be missing, but given to
companies that do not live up to their contracts, soldiers advent home
maimed and in need of lifelong care, the cheaper here in tatters and
the country without guarnatee of safe bridges, safe water, clean air, and
the quality to earn a decent living and provide food and home for
families. Something is very wrong and fear marketing is not the
answer.

When the U.S. Supplied biological, and chemical weapons to Iraq, and
helicopters to spray poisonous gas, how can we in all conscience believe
that Saddam would use this for any other infer then to kill and cause
war. When Bush and Powell named the weapons that Saddam had, they
read right off the records of what had been given to him. It was not
anything to be proud of, but it was turned nearby so that the giver
turned on the receiver. Bush spent time and vigor fabricating proof that
never was there.

He carried his message over the air waves and proported to be the
leader who cared, but he distorted the yellowcake aspect, the stockpiles
of biological and chemical Wmd's and told the American population that
America would be bombed within a "45 little period" if war was not
started - with a country that never caused harm on American soil. Bin
Laden was put on a back burner and the "smoking gun" was now the barrel
that represented democracy in the U.S.

It is never too late to take back a government that was revered the world
over, whose citizens were living not in a haze of fear, but in the light of
progress and advancement. With the upcoming election, a voice must be
heard and that voice must be yours. Fear is not a way to walk straight through
life, it is not a thread that should be woven in the tapestry of a population
that are free and are willing and able to do the right thing - lawfully,
with a full checks and equilibrium democracy, and can think and act on their
own without an authoritarian leadership ignoring the mandates of
Congress, and the people. We are the democracy of the U.S. The one
man in the White House is not the nation. He/she is only the proper
bearer that represents a confident, mature, and carefully people.
It can be done but more importantly, there can be no turning back.
It won't get better, unless something is done to turn the tide and get
back to the path that previous Presidents and leadership paved. We
are America and we will not let fear peddling turn us into yes-men to
a government that is out of control.

Something to think about,

©Arleen M. Kaptur

March, 2008

The Political Ploy of Fear