A Political Battle for Planet Earth (long, but well worth reading, imho)

[Wonk]

By Sam Parry
February 3, 2004

The U.S. news media may have trouble looking beyond the trivia of politics – from John Kerry’s wrinkles to Howard Dean’s arm-waving – but American voters seem tired of those distractions. Indeed, many now see the stakes in November as monumental: a choice between a world that cooperates on environmental, economic and security challenges versus one that promises endless war, deepening economic disparity and neglect of environmental dangers like global warming.

From the intensity of voter interest in the early Democratic presidential race, it appears “the Democratic base” as well as many political independents sense that what’s at stake may be nothing short of the future of the American democratic experiment and a healthy planet, possibly a last chance to avert catastrophe.

To these voters, Election 2004 is shaping up as a real-life Lord of the Rings’s “battle for middle earth.” Disparate groups – anti-war activists, “deficit hawks,” civil libertarians, union members, environmentalists and other traditional grassroots supporters of the Democratic Party – are trying to unite for one last, desperate battle against a political Sauron, represented by George W. Bush and a Republican administration that even Bush’s first Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill has concluded is detached from reality and a threat to the future.

From the beginning of the campaign, the “Democratic base” has been sending messages to the party leadership that stress the urgency of the moment.

(snip)

Like much else, this sense of urgency has been mischaracterized by the mainstream media and conservative pundits as an irrational hatred of Bush. Instead, the reaction of the Democratic base reflects a far more rational sense of foreboding. Bush and the neo-conservative ideologues who surround him appear to be putting in place a radically different kind of political system than what Americans have known, one that supplants facts and reasoned debate with bogus information and ideological rants, backed by punishments for those who dissent or simply disagree.

much more...
http://www.consortiumnews.com/2004/020304.html

Just a little reminder of what this is all about.

[TennesseeWalker]

1. In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.........

"The Battle for Middle Earth". Bush is Saruman, Cheney is Sauron....

[Taeger]

4. No

Pat Robertson is Sauron. Cheney is the hand of Sauron. Bush is the lord of the Ring Wraiths. I'd cast either Lieberman or Zell Miller as Saruman the old "wise" traitor.

Other Wraiths - Colin Powell, Christy Whitman, Tom Delay, Newt Gingrich, Dennis Hastert etc...

Stupid illeterate Ogre - Arnold Schwarzennegar(sp???)

Dennis Kucinich as Frodo bearing the ring (true Democracy) into the heart of Mount Doom despite incredible odds. His ever trusting companion is Willie Nelson as Sam Gamgee

Al Sharpton is Gollum. He'll tag along with Frodo till the end. He's well funded by Republican character assasins. He's there basically to screw up the quest.

Clark - Gandalf
Edwards - Aragorn (Aragorn is 86 years old and he doesn't look a day over 30 either)
Kerry - Legalos
Dean - Gimli (Comic relief ;-) )

Robert Byrd - TreeBeard "You should not be signing free trade agreements!!!!"

Jimmy Carter - Bilbo Baggins. Too old to do much but write.


Gephart - The Steward of Gondor who leaps to his death after he realizes he fucked everything up.

Tom Daschle - King of Rohan who was imprisoned under the spell of Saruman.

Clinton - Elrond. He sits back in Rivendell while everyone else does the fighting.

Hillary - Arwen. Yeah wouldn't you LOVE to see her smite Bush ;-)

Barney Frank - Tom Bombadil. Old Tom is the GAYEST character ever written.


Any other casting suggestions???

[kayob1]

2. Thanks for posting!

[glitch]

3. way back when the Parry writers helped me get it

Helped me through selection 2000. I even contributed to them, they need all the support they can get.
Another truly excellent article, thanks for posting.

[Wonk]

5. kick

[seventhson]

6. Thanks Wonk - An absolute must read and must pass along article

It puts into words what mpst of us here feel but in a way that is often very difficult to articulate because it is SO emotional.

Bush MAKES the citizens of America Mad.

He is the cruel new Nero snearing at the dying and smirking at the families of dead soldiers and 9-11 vicitms who demand answers and publicly doubting the patriotism of anyone who opposes him.

This is an incredible article. A keeper.

Thanks Wonl.

Now I know why you are called wonk

[Armstead]

7. kick