Does Politics Belong in Music?

Damn right it does.

Neil Young's latest CD, "Living with War", was written and recorded in 9 days (that's including a 100 person chorus singing "America the Beautiful"). The CD is available online, in it's entirety, FOR FREE. Oh and by the way, everyone that worked on "Living with War" was union. The Canadian that penned "Ohio" is back with avengence. And I for one can't wait. I mean with songs like "Shock and Awe", "Looking for a Leader", and "Let's Impeach the President" what's not to like. Neil is not alone in his dissent. Check out country legend Merle Haggard's "Rebuild America First". And I'm no Pink fan, but her "Dear Mr. President" is a solid, hard biting song that tells the liar in chief that he "don't know nothin' bout 'hard work'".

We've all heard, and continue to hear, the protest songs of the sixties. We find ourselves in a similar position lately, and the arts are starting to catch up. Whether it's Rolling Stone's latest cover story, a movie about a reality show president, or the latest venture of George Clooney, politics seems to be infiltrating our "Don't Worry Be Happy" apathy. Of course there's plenty of fluff out there, and you can't even rely on the news to give the news (most of the time). These pieces of artistic activism are welcome, and I think indicative of a society that is awakening to realize they have been bamboozled into thinking the president and his minions were honest, would keep us safe, or at least gave a shit about the common United States citizen and not just their CEO, "ownership society".

How much do I know?
To talk outta turn
You might say that I'm Young
You might say I'm unlearned
Well there's one thing I know
Though I'm younger than you
That even Jesus would never forgive what you do.
-Bob Dylan "Masters of War"

Scotty No Longer Here Captain.

Scott Mclellan will be leaving after a couple of "transition" weeks, and in more important news the great satan, karl rove, will get out of policy making and focus back on politics , watch out Democrats the snake's head is about to be back at full strength. All part of the bolten shake up to boost the president's pathetic numbers. But it's not really much of a "shake up" at all. It's more like a reshuffling of the same old faces.

Who can you believe?

I was planning on writing about the Actual grave, gathering, and unique threat of Global Warming, and the way Our government currently on the subject so they and their friends can sell the most possible oil and maintain their status atop the Fortune 500 while telling us they have to raise gas prices. But alas, this wasn't the slow news week I had expected.

First, there was Tom Delay's announcement that he was resigning from Congress (yes the Indicted "hammer" was still a Congressman) for what he claims are political reasons. The man thrice chastised by the Ethics Committee says that he is quitting to save his seat for the reds in November. Granted, there is a satisfaction in knowing that he feels the situation is that dire for the reds come election time, but if you believe his story I got one about a governor that resigned simply because he was gay. Delay's former deputy chief of staff, Tony C. Rudy, pleaded guilty on March 30th (five days before Delay's announcement) to conspiring with Jack Abramoff. With his guilty plea, Rudy joins former Delay press secretary, Michael Scanlon, and Jack Abramoff, who have already pleaded guilty. Thus, bringing the "bug man" ever closer to having to pay for all those plane trips and golf games that bought his support.

But who can you believe nowadays. Early readings of the "Gospel according to Judas" inform us that it was Jesus that told Judas to betray him, to fulfill his prophecy and eventually his soul. It would be like a sitting president telling a vice president's chief of staff it was ok to leak carefully "cherry picked" information because it smeared a critic and promoted that president's political policy and rush to war. You will be shunned by the Nation, but do this for me. OK, maybe it's a loosely fitting analogy, but it turns out that happened, too. According to Scooter Libby, the president of the United States gave him permission to leak information about the identity of a CIA operative, during war time, to the press. No wonder this president is sitting at a 36% approval rating. Maybe next this administration will preach on why countries should not be building a nuCLEar arsenal while looking to increase Our own "mushroom cloud" "weapons of mass destruction", which are already by far greater in number and strength than the rest of the world. Oh wait that is happening, too.

One last bit of bad news for bush's criminal turned "Christian", evolution hating base, it seems as though scientists have found a link from fish to land animal, a keystone to evolution. A fossil fish with leg like appendages. I wonder if it's anything like my old pet, Wada?

Exterminated!!!

Tom Delay (alias the Bug Man, and The Hammer) has thrown in the towel. A Politcal Death by corruption and arrogance. Is he a sign of things to come? Like Card's resignation may lead to Snow, McClellan, or Rumsfeld. Actually Delay may be more like Norton's "Get out before the Abramoff trial kicks you out" resignation, not that Abrahoff was the only corruption connected to Delay.

Hey reds! THE LIBERALS TOOK DOWN ONE OF YOUR LEADERS! Deal with it!

Conspiracy or Coincidence?

Being a skeptic, I'm not usually one for "conspiracy theories", though some do raise very interesting questions. But what are the motives behind New York City officials releasing the recordings of dispatchers from September 11, 2001, as well as the coinciding timing of the 60 minutes where bin laden's "ex-bodyguard", with no further evidence, retells what osama told us in a recording months ago, adding "When Sheik Osama promises something, he does it". These reminders of fear seem to be coming at an interesting time. Is it just a coincidence that presidential poll numbers have yet to rebound (even with the new open press conference format) and the Pentagon has agreed to release "all" of its Abu Ghraib photos and videos while we were all remembering 9/11 again.

I will never forget what I saw and felt the day the Twin Towers fell across the river from me. This administration has consistenetly used this day for their own political gain. But like I said I am a skeptic.