As Dad Used to Say . . .

Yesterday, June 1, 2017 was a day that will live in infamy: the day upon which the President of the United States launched his personal effort to officially make America a second-rate nation. It just so happens that today, June 2, we are observing the "pre-launch" of our new, relocated, and improved website/blog. The K.F. Stone Weekly (which was originally called "Beating the Bushes") has been up and running since February 2, 2005, during which time we have posted nearly 675 essays. In honor of our "pre-launch" we are posting the very first, very brief essay from 64 months ago, entitled "As Dad Used to Say. . ."

In reading this essay, you will note a handful of parenthetic emendations. They are meant to prove the truth of that old saw which goes "The more things change, the more they remain the same."

And so, without further ado, forward into the past . . .

Dad used to say: "The gravest sin of all is treating me like a fool." Well, the Bushies (Trumpeters) commit that sin on a daily basis -- against all of us. Just how stupid and gullible do they think we are? Who in their right mind would attack a mountain of overdue bills by first going on a spending spree? Who but a fool would be concerned with rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic? Well, the Bush ('45) Administration's proposal for privatizing Social Security is just that. Making all the recent tax-cuts permanent is more of the same. Fudging facts (and here I'm being overly kind) and telling the American public that unless "fixed," the Social Security program is going to be totally bankrupt by (pick a year) is the height of arrogance.

And for what? Giving your friends and political allies short-term financial gains? Making the world safe for . . . safe for what? With each day's headlines, I am more and more reminded of the 1920's -- the era of Harding, Coolidge and Hoover -- three of the weakest, most politically inept men to ever occupy 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Unless we, the loyal opposition, mount a serious unified campaign in both 2006 (2018) and 2008 (2020), America is going to become a second-rate nation. It's time to begin beating the Bushes . . . (stumping the Trumps) . . .