George Bush, The Space Shuttle, The 2000 Elections...

[Alex]

George Bush, The Space Shuttle, The 2000 Elections...Let's Analyze each and note a disturbing trend.

In the 2000 election, former secretary of state, George Schultz, demanded the state of Florida's vote NOT BE RECOUNTED, because there was no time to do so.

During the Space Shuttle's last flight, the discussion of the missing foam was discussed several times during the flight, but life-threatening issues were dismissed, perhaps because there were no other options available to NASA???

During the current IRAQ fracas, we hear over and over that we tried to have a diplomatic solution, even though our plans for war have never wavered.

The key issue in all of these scenarios is the word "conviction". I remember a speech George Bush Jr. gave where he thrust out his chest, puffed up his cheeks, and said that "conviction = greatness." (Unless you are the bad guys, then conviction = fascism and fanaticism)

In each scenario, the decision-maker was "convinced" they had the right agenda, and proceeded on that premise striving for the result they wanted. Not exactly a democratic path, but definitely a path.

Lets review our three scenarios. The 2000 election. The premise that even one statewide recount would delay the result long enough to hinder the incoming president's ability to lead is soooo outrageously flawed and patently false as to be an act of treason.

No vote can ever be considered valid if the recount of that vote is deemed impossible. This basic democratic process was
hijacked by the Republicans in the 2000 elections.

Lets talk about the space shuttle. Either NASA knew the space shuttle was going to disintegrate on re-entry, or they chose to believe all would be well simply because they had no other option. The issue was discussed several times during the Shuttle flight, yeet in the end, it all came down to "let's see what happens". This kind of thinking is the most dangerous of all.

And then there is the Iraq war to come. Can any negotiation be deemed a negotiation if the negotiators hear the footsteps of soldiers in the streets? For Bush and Colin Powell to say negotiations were tried is ridiculous if they kept pushing for a war even as negotiations were going on. Not just pushing, but rushing to war!

All 3 situations point to the same conclusion, believe what you believe, then never back down. I find that a recipe for disaster.

[SHATOUSHKA]

i agree.

but to the extent that each form of 'conviction'
was solely motivated by an I camoflagued by a WE.

[Alex]

I would say the "I"is the spokesperson, but generally there is a small core group that the spokesperson speaks for.