Today, I open with a quote:

Alexander Tyler's
‘The Cycle of Democracy’

A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves money from the public treasure. From that moment on the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most money from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy followed by a dictatorship.

The average age of the world's great civilizations has been two hundred years.These nations have progressed through the following sequence: from bondage to spiritual faith, from spiritual faith to great courage, from courage to liberty, from liberty to abundance, from abundance to selfishness, from selfishness to complacency from complacency to apathy, from apathy to dependency, from dependency back to bondage.

Tyler was a 18th century historian/economist who wrote ‘The Cycle of Democracy’ in 1778. This quote is the central thesis from his work.

See if you can tell where we are in the cycle. Maybe reading this will help: A Kind of Fascism Is Replacing Our Democracy. When I read articles like this one, it hurts the most. I guess I have always kind of believed in what I was taught in hisotry class, you know, a government of, by, and for the people,... we hold these truths to be self-evident ... life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Then, slowly, over the last 20 years of my life, to have that ideal shattered is very disconcerting. As I have come into the light and have seen the truth of American history, there are many things about which we have been lied to over the years: All political assassinations in our history, Pearl Harbor, the U2 spyplane incident, the USS Liberty, Vietnam, Watergate, Iran-Contra, 9/11, and now the war in Iraq, just to name a few. Not a pretty picture.

Well, as the title infers, are you silent? If you are, you must agree with what is happening, as we head from apathy to dependency--and you know where we go from there.

More death: U.S. soldier, Iraqi interpreter die in ambush. I believe in addition to this four more soldiers died over the weekend. For the actual number, go here: Iraq Coalition Casualty Count

I have a few words about this story: Taliban fighters return to ambush coalition forces. This story tells of how the Taliban was able to regroup in Pakistan. Now, I want you to look at a few lines from the pResident's first SOTU speech in January of 2002:

Thanks to the work of our law enforcement officials and coalition partners, hundreds of terrorists have been arrested. Yet, tens of thousands of trained terrorists are still at large. These enemies view the entire world as a battlefield, and we must pursue them wherever they are. (Applause.) So long as training camps operate, so long as nations harbor terrorists, freedom is at risk. And America and our allies must not, and will not, allow it. (Applause.)...

[then later]

My hope is that all nations will heed our call, and eliminate the terrorist parasites who threaten their countries and our own. Many nations are acting forcefully. Pakistan is now cracking down on terror, and I admire the strong leadership of President Musharraf. (Applause.)

But some governments will be timid in the face of terror. And make no mistake about it: If they do not act, America will. (Applause.)

Can you believe that?! Pakistan allows the Taliban to regroup, and they are attacking our soldiers again. Fifteen of the 19 highjackers reportedly came from Saudi Arabia (0 from Iraq). Why are we allowing Pakistan to harbor our enemy and not going after them?! He said we would not allow this! Where is the press on this?! We treat Musharaf like he's one of our best allies. Am I the only one who sees the hypocrisy in this? I guess Musharraf has not become expendable yet.

Wolfowitz made this statement today while in Iraq:

"I think all foreigners should stop interfering in the internal affairs of Iraq," said Wolfowitz, who is touring the country to meet U.S. troops and Iraqi officials.

Here is the rest of the story, Wolfowitz Warns Iraq's Neighbors Not to Interfere. I have no comment--yet.

The Bush connection to PNAC, Like Father, Like Son.

Howard Dean has a few questions for Bush, President Bush Must Set the Niger-Uranium Story Straight.

Common Dreams has many good stories linked over the past few days. I recommend going there and looking around.

No mention of Pakistan. Remember Afghanistan was already liberated. Bush warns Iran and Syria. It's time for regime change in America!
- posted by Mom/Dad @ 8:32 AM