Talk:Fear society

Can't recall which blogspot I saw it at, but did see this week where Condoleezza Rice gave her word to keep the neocons out of the White House, or words to that effect, during this administration. Then, just like that !!!! she delivers a quote connected to the Weekly Standard, MEMRI, and Meyrav Wurmser. IF Condi gave her word to anybody, think that it must have been a whisper on the wind.

AI 01/20/05 14:33 EST

While looking over media comments about Bush's inaugural speech, came across this abstract:

"Bush also talked about extending freedom at home by building what he has dubbed an 'ownership society' where people, not government, have more control and say over their own lives. That's the philosophy driving Bush's desire to let workers put more of their earnings in private retirement accounts, perhaps the most contentious second-term goal that already has powerful opponents working against it on Capitol Hill.

"'We will widen the ownership of homes and businesses, retirement savings and health insurance — preparing our people for the challenges of life in a free society, Bush said. 'By making every citizen an agent of his or her own destiny, we will give our fellow Americans greater freedom from want and fear and make our society more prosperous and just and equal.'" [emphasis mine]

A moment please, while I clear my throat ... PREPARING ... preparing our people for the challenges of life in a free society ... Hmmmmm... thought Condi was talking about those in a fear society ... Ooops! My mistake, she was ... US. Got it now.

AI 01/20/05 14:53 EST

The Sharansky-Rice connection is by no means accidental ... nor the inclusion of Sharansky's verbage:

• Joel C. Rosenberg, "Two Great Dissidents. Natan Sharansky’s vision, and President Bush’s," National Review, November 19, 2004:

"When Natan Sharansky stepped into Condoleezza Rice's West Wing office at 11:15 last Thursday morning, he had no idea the national security advisor would soon be named the next secretary of state. He was just glad to see her holding a copy of his newly published book, The Case for Democracy.

"'I'm already half-way through your book,' Rice said. 'Do you know why I'm reading it?'

"Sharansky, a self-effacing man who spent nine years in KGB prisons (often in solitary confinement) before becoming the first political prisoner released by Mikhail Gorbachev, hoped it had to do with his brilliant analysis and polished prose.

"Rice smiled. 'I'm reading it because the president is reading it, and it's my job to know what the president is thinking.'

"A close friend of the president had sent over a copy several weeks earlier with a note urging him to take a close look. The president nearly polished it off during a weekend at Camp David, then suggested to Rice that she read it as well.

"For nearly 40 minutes, Rice engaged Sharansky — now an Israeli cabinet member — and co-author Ron Dermer, a former columnist with the Jerusalem Post, in a discussion over how best to help democracy take root in such hard soils as Iraq, Iran, and the West Bank and Gaza.

"At precisely 2 P.M., Sharansky and Dermer were ushered into the Oval Office for a private meeting with the president. They were scheduled for 45 minutes. They stayed for more than an hour. What the president told Sharansky was off the record. What Sharansky told the president was not. ......"

AI 01/21/05 04:01 EST