I know many of you may have seen this story before now, but I just want to say a few words about the recent testimony former US Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona (2002-2006) gave at a hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Here are just a few highlights of what he had to say, in no particular order:
Told to mention Bush 3 times on every page of every speech he gave.
Told not to attend the Special Olympics because it was a prominent cause of the Kennedy family.
Told Global Warming was a “liberal cause.”
Not permitted to speak or issue reports about “stem cells, emergency contraception, sex education, or prison, mental and global health issues.”
Disclosed that a report on the serious damage caused by “second hand smoke” was delayed for years by political interference from the administration.
Was told by six former Surgeon Generals that the political interference he faced was far worse than any they had had to deal with.
Was asked to attend political briefings and speak in support of Republican candidates.
Said Bush administration made numerous important public health decisions based solely on political considerations.
It’s not just the Department of Justice. It’s not just the EPA. It’s not just NASA, or NOAA. It’s not just the Departments of Education, Interior, Commerce, Agriculture. It’s not just the Surgeon General. Or the FTC, FCC, FDA, SEC, EEOC, DEA, FBI, CIA, NSA, etc. Everything your government does or, more importantly, doesn’t do, is decided on the basis of political considerations. Everything. You can’t trust anyone in the Bush administration to act on behalf of the public good.
Not Colin Powell. Not Christie Todd Whitman. Not Robert Gates. Not Condoleezza Rice. Not Michael Chertoff. Not Tom Ridge. Not Porter Goss. Not Brownie.
Name almost any prominent person associated with the Bush administration over the past 7 years and they have been forced to issue statements on important topics of war, peace, public health, global warming, education policy, pollution, the economy, what have you, according to preconceived and predetermined political decisions emanating from the White House. In essence, they have all been, at one time or another, Karl Rove’s sock puppets.
This is why we are where we are. We have been living in a one party state, and that party has been the party of Karl Rove.
I call that dictatorship.
For those of us old enough to remember the USSR, this is all so incredibly ironic…
Bush’s Administration is Stalinist.
When the Patriot Act was passed, the first thought that came to my mind was a comparison with the USSR. Doesn’t appear to be too far off target either.
Since I don’t really watch any of the mainstream media outlets with great regularity, can anyone tell me how much play, if any, Carmona’s testimony received among our media elite? How much analysis on how pervasive this complete politicizing of all governmental departments is and how it might have impacted their effectiveness in a very negative way?
I have a pretty good idea.
I watched the video of Carmona and I have to say it was quite a reality check on just how bad things have been, and still are.
How can any rational, thinking person still have confidence in our government?
The Detroit Free Press reported on what he wasn’t allowed to do but one sentence made it sound as though previous Surgeon Generals had faced similar political restrictions, not that he’d been told that this administration was the worst.
Most of what I have seen in papers is the AP story. The statement in it that jumps out at me is highlighted below:
Until someone, anyone is willing to come forward and identify those responsible and blow the whistle, other than well after the fact (read: spineless Colin Powell), then everyone in this administration will skate. Carmona enabled them and covered for them the entire time he was a part of the administration. He is not to be admired for his testimony, he is to be scorned for his cowardice.
The system is dead, period. It’s time for something new. What we have now only serves the financial needs of the ruling class. It’s past the time for revolution in the streets. But wait, Dancing With The Stars is on as 9, so can the revolution start at 10?
How can one think of the class struggle when one is infected with happy feet?
Remember this from 2002…
President George W. Bush called John DiIulio “one of the most influential social entrepreneurs in America” when he appointed the University of Pennsylvania professor, author, historian, and domestic-affairs expert to head the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. He was the Bush administration’s big brain, controversial but deeply respected by Republicans and Democrats, academicians and policy players. The appointment was rightfully hailed: DiIulio provided gravity to national policy debates and launched the most innovative of President Bush’s campaign ideas–the faith-based initiative, which he managed until this past February, the last four months from Philadelphia.
“There is no precedent in any modern White House for what is going on in this one: a complete lack of a policy apparatus,” says DiIulio. “What you’ve got is everything–and I mean everything–being run by the political arm. It’s the reign of the Mayberry Machiavellis.”
He kept his honor.
Carmona did not quit. He’s just a whore.
Well..maybe off a little, but did anyone else notice Tony Snow’s flat forehead during his recent spate of interviews on CNN/NBC/ et.al. It looks like he had Botox injections..nothing moved above his eye brows.
That’s because nothing above his eyebrows has EVER worked properly.
Visible or otherwise.
Sorry, I have no sympathy for this clown. He was surgeon general for 2002-2006. Never, not even once, while in office did he raise any issues. And now that he has syphilis from Karl, he is whining and complaining: “THEY WERE BAD! THEY WERE NAUGHTY!! THey made me say BAD BAD THINGS.” Well, they didn’t make you say a fucking thing, you bozo whiner. You, Richard Carmona, said those things, and you, you whore, traded your honor and your integrity for a high office.
Well, too fucking bad. If you had quit, like others have, you would still have your honor. But you don’t. Like Colin Powell, you’re just another whore for Karl.
Right on, dataguy!