Why the hell isn't it a Democrat making a speech in strong defense of the principles of WikiLeaks?
It's a rhetorical question. I know the answer: the Third Rail in American politics is not Social Security; the Third Rail has become anything that threatens huge corporate profits, and, in extension, the American Empire.
Democrats are showing that they are almost (being kind here) as complicit as Republicans in working, not for the American people, but for our Corporate Overlords.
WikiLeaks mission of governmental and corporate transparency is creating a hysterical reaction from our Congressional corporate servants of both parties. Heaven forbid the world's plebes look behind the curtain of ever increasing secrecy by our governments.
It is a breath of fresh air to hear the truth spoken, no matter who speaks it. In recent days I find it interesting --and really sad --that hope-inspiring truth is coming from non-Democrats.
Yesterday we were treated to Bernie Sanders (I) excellent tour de force that tore apart the foundations of the tax cut deal that Obama struck with the GOP.
On December 9, 2010 we had a US Representative give a status quo smashing speech questioning our governments overreaction to WikiLeaks:
Number 1: Do the America People deserve know the truth regarding the ongoing wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen?
Number 2: Could a larger question be how can an army private access so much secret information?
Number 3: Why is the hostility mostly directed at Assange, the publisher, and not at our governments failure to protect classified information?
Number 4: Are we getting our moneys worth of the 80 Billion dollars per year spent on intelligence gathering?
Number 5: Which has resulted in the greatest number of deaths: lying us into war or Wikileaks revelations or the release of the Pentagon Papers?
Number 6: If Assange can be convicted of a crime for publishing information that he did not steal, what does this say about the future of the first amendment and the independence of the internet?
Number 7: Could it be that the real reason for the near universal attacks on Wikileaks is more about secretly maintaining a seriously flawed foreign policy of empire than it is about national security?
Number 8: Is there not a huge difference between releasing secret information to help the enemy in a time of declared war, which is treason, and the releasing of information to expose our government lies that promote secret wars, death and corruption?
Number 9: Was it not once considered patriotic to stand up to our government when it is wrong?
It's worth clicking through to read his entire speech. Yes, yes, yes, Ron Paul is a Constitutionalist of convenience (re separation of church and state), and a Libertarian of convenience (re his stance on abortion) but he has a few good ideas. And I wish some of his ideas could have come from Democrats.
For example, who here would disagree with these snips, also from his speech:
Losing our grip on our empire is not welcomed by the neoconservatives in charge.
There is now more information confirming that Saudi Arabia is a principal supporter and financier of al Qaeda, and that this should set off alarm bells since we guarantee its Sharia-run government. This emphasizes even more the fact that no al Qaeda existed in Iraq before 9/11, and yet we went to war against Iraq based on the lie that it did.
[...]
Just as with the Vietnam War, the Iraq War was based on lies... Any information which challenges the official propaganda for the war in the Middle East is unwelcome by the administration and the supporters of these unnecessary wars.
Few are interested in understanding the relationship of our foreign policy and our presence in the Middle East to the threat of terrorism. Revealing the real nature and goal of our presence in so many Muslim countries is a threat to our empire, and any revelation of this truth is highly resented by those in charge.
For the record, I am not a Ron Paul apologist or supporter. I am an ardent supporter of the truth -- from whoever's mouth it is uttered.
And what I want to know is, why aren't more Democrats making speeches like this?