thanks, tim_x

[chronovore]

Comments

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but everyone knows that Eisenhower was a fucking liberal tool of the Democratic Pa...oh. Wait.

[chronovore.livejournal.com]

EXACTAMUNDO.

[nattotastic.livejournal.com]

Intriguing. I remember reading a column a few months ago where the columnist basically said, "if Eisenhower could see what's transpired in this country since Reagan, and especially since Dubya, he'd be thoroughly pissed off." in reference to the US buildup of the military industrial complex and our relatively cavalier attitude in exporting arms coupled with our half-effort at stopping proliferation. Eisenhower, being able to see first-hand the military-industrial complex that sprang up in response to WW2, was in a very good position to warn the American people. Greed, as usual, overcame good sense.

History shows that no-one seems to pay attention to farewell addresses anyway. Just ask George Washington. :)

[ego-assassin.livejournal.com]

History shows that no-one seems to pay attention to farewell addresses anyway.

That's unfortunate because it seems to be when our leaders are at their best; when they are no longer beholden to the vested interests that paved their way to power. They can speak their minds, with the benefit of their experiences in office and tell it like it IS.

But yes, as human beings we are often incapable of listening to the voice of experience. We have to muddle through as usual and experience it for ourselves.

[chronovore.livejournal.com]

Historically that may be true, but anymore you've got Bush and Reagan, where the ex-Presidents transitioned from "leader" to "speaker," and marketed their previous position and remaining influence to various groups... so the idea that "anything goes" is probably not in the forefront of their minds. They've got to maintain the vestiges of power and authority as a matter of their own brand, regardless of the damage done by privatizing and personal profiteering at the expense of the worth of the office.

Christ, that was a mouthful.

[chronovore.livejournal.com]

I've known about the Eisenhower warning for many years, and have been consistently convinced that Eisenhower would be appalled and disgusted at Cheney's role in public office, and his own [string of expletives deleted] willingness to engage in all manner of trickery just to avoid to possibility of answering questions about his actions, let alone facing the consequences of them.

"Military industrial complex"? Thy /name/ is Cheney.

[ego-assassin.livejournal.com]

There is a song called "The End Of Days(pt. 2)" on Ministry's latest(?) album, "The Last Sucker", in which they repeat the entire farewell address. It's quite moving and, 47 years on, has the ring of prophecy to it.