WHY ALL THAT SECRECY?

WHY ALL THE SECRECY?

By Peter Fredson

August 2, 2005

We all know that secrecy is one of the hallmarks of the George W. Bush administration. We know that unusual steps are taken to prevent the public from finding out what decisions were made, how they were influenced, what actions were taken and who profited by them. We know that records are sealed so that inquiring minds cannot, for years, find out what stupidities have been perpetrated.

We suspect that this is done to prevent the public from realizing that the Bush people are thugs, cowardly fratboy cronies, out for a quick buck, and willing to sacrifice a democracy for the glory of fascist imperialism.

We suspect this is done so that the coming-together of Far Right strategists with old-time neo-conservative Republicans and the devious corporate executives into a loosely-woven conspiracy will be forgotten, or forgiven, by the manufactured pretexts for war at the welcomed 9/11 disaster which could be exploited to the hilt for maximum profit and glory.

Yes, the 9/11 tragedy came at a very good time, when Bush and his ilk were showing signs of jet-lag and failure in administering the country, and needed a distraction. Distractions and secrecy have done wonders for Bush.

At any time the economy is in the dumps Bush finds gays are dangerous to democracy, or that prayer is needed to reduce the enormous deficit, or that Terry Schiavo only needed a drink of water to make Jesus smile.

If that doesn’t work, then a good color coded color scheme will distract the public from the worries of elections or failing polls. Or, you can scare the hell out of the public any time you please. Just let the Black Angel of Death Condi mention “mushroom clouds’ and everyone will quake in their little beds. Then everything else can be hidden, at least for a time, under the veil of executive privilege.

Dick Cheney will never have to tell why he got energy lobbyists, the worst people in the world to help regulate energy, to advise him on legislation concerning energy. Bush will never have to tell what he promised his sponsors he would do for them in exchange for their cash and votes.

And, overall, wave the flag boys, wave the flag. Get your picture taken in front of flags, lots of flags, great big fluttering flags. Talk about not burning flags but don’t talk about burning infidels in their homes. Talk about the brave troops, not about the lies that sent them overseas. Talk about EVIL, not how you had eminent-domained some fine people out of a fair price for property and then sold it to become a millionaire.

Talk about morals, not about sending cruise-missiles to blast innocent Muslims out of their homes and lives. Yes, talk again about our brave boys but don’t say that you sent them to seize the oil wells for Dick Cheney’s corporations. That kind of talk is not good for politics, not good for money-raising, not good for votes. So talk about everything else.

Talk about the Ten Commandments of a barbarous people 2,000 years ago, talk about some savior and say he is coming back any day now, just around the corner, and that he is your good friend and advises you when to invade sovereign countries. Certainly a goodly percentage of gullible people will believe you.

Hold daily prayer meetings just before sending off another round of missiles, cannon fire, grenades, and mortars to blast infidels for Jesus.

Pronounce Days of Bible Reading which will solve all world problems, including your own failures (which you should never acknowledge.) Pronounce Days of Prayer, Weeks of Prayer, Months of Prayer, and your True Believers will shout Hallelujah in unison and forget the deficit, environmental degradation, Medicare, social security, pensions and a hundred other failures.

Anytime you get in trouble distract people with religious pronouncements or refer to Bill Clinton’s escapades. That’ll take their minds off your troubles. A good penis joke will drive a thousand televangelists to heights of oratory and deviate from any other national problems. An inch of nipple showing will distract from miles of troops killing Iraqis.

If that doesn’t work mention liberty, freedom, and democracy several hundred times. Mention that you have the ability to bring all those good things to the world if only foreigners will stop being so stubborn and bow to your gracious presence.

Mention that only you can stop terror, but never mention that you helped to start it and certainly are doing your part to continue provoking it. Mention several times daily that the war you started by lies is going smoothly, but may take another dozen years, or so, to finish.

Mention that you are gradually killing off the terrorists, but never mention that you are simultaneously creating a dozen more for every one you kill. And mention what a marvelous job Donald Rumsfeld is doing to bring peace and freedom to the world.

Mention the Twin Towers for the thousandth time, and the glorious heroics you displayed in trying to prevent the disaster, or the heroic actions you took immediately to prevent further harm by fleeing into a bunker. Or the glorious actions Dick Cheney took by fleeing into his bunker. Then wave the flag again, boys, wave the flag high. And mention our brave troops daily, hourly, whenever you get into trouble.

But don’t mention what Karl Rove and other cowardly war hawks are doing to their country or how they schemed to get you into office.

Yes, distractions have done wonders for Bush and his True Believer neo-con corporate friends and sponsors. Secrecy is a marvelous carpet under which to hide dirt. And lies are marvelous inventions by which to hide ugly deeds, at least temporarily, and allow Bush to strut, swagger, and smirk at public stupidity.