Perhaps I live in a fantasy world. It’s a world where the things I consider essential are pretty simple:
- A reliable food supply
- Clean, drinkable water
- Access to affordable quality health care
- A healthy, sustainable environment for me and all living things to live in
- Unpolluted air to breathe
- Access to a good, free education
I’m sure there are others but these are a good start. Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN) lives in a different world. In his world, a healthy, sustainable environment to live in and access to affordable quality health care are not “essential”. What does he, in his world, see as “essential”? Well, here, let’s let him speak for himself:
“I would suggest we put aside the health care debate until next year, the same way we put cap and trade and climate change and talk now about the essentials: the war and money.”
Excuse me. I need a moment to cry.
After eight years of warring in Afghanistan (I refuse to call it “the war in Afghanistan for the same reason I refuse to speak of “the war in Iraq” – these aren’t wars in my opinion), it appears that the GOP members of Congress suddenly woke up and realized that there’s warring going on over there. Ranking minority member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senator Lugar’s history on this topic seems to be primarily to vote for us to go into Afghanistan in the beginning, to continue to pour money into our operation there and to vote against establishing “a special committee of the Senate to investigate the awarding and carrying out of contracts to conduct activities in Afghanistan and Iraq and to fight the war on terrorism.”
Throw money at it, don’t question how the money is spent, and then pretty much forget about it, eh, Senator?
Well, now he and some of his GOP colleagues in the Senate are suddenly very interested in Afghanistan. Enough so that they need to put discussions on non-essential items like global climate change and health care reform in this country completely on hold while we all focus on Afghanistan.
Here’s the full quote:
“The war is terribly important. Jobs and our economy are terribly important. So this may be an audacious suggestion, but I would suggest we put aside the health care debate until next year, the same way we put cap and trade and climate change and talk now about the essentials, the war and money.”
Well-played, sir. You had virtually nothing of import to say about our warring in Afghanistan for eight years but, now that the Democrats are making head-way in enacting health care reform and passing legislation that will help reduce global climate change while investing in a clean energy economy, you suddenly need to drop everything and turn your attention to it. Not that you personally will have much to do with what goes on over there. I guess it’s just too much for your Senatorial head to have to think about Afghanistan and do your job at the same time.
As far as what you consider “essential”, how dare you suggest that “money and war” are ESSENTIAL?! More essential than health care reform? You show your true colors with that comment, Senator, and it reveals a black soul. Just for a moment there, I do believe we saw you for who you really are.
For shame, Senator. For shame.
I’m just sayin’…
