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You are here: Home / Politics / The Culture of Life: Fill in the Blanks

The Culture of Life: Fill in the Blanks

by Michael D.|  November 22, 20072:13 pm| 43 Comments

This post is in: Politics, Republican Stupidity, The War on Your Neighbor, aka the War on Drugs, War

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Ben Domenech gives thanks for President Bush:

But as it stands, we have to acknowledge one truth about President Bush: taken as a whole, his presidency has marked more achievements for the culture of life than any that came before it.

Let’s see:

– Number of dead Americans military personnel: 3874 and counting
– Number of dead Iraqi civilians: Hundreds of thousands. No need to put down a number because it will likely change in the few minutes it take me to finish writing this post.

Those two are easy to find. Here are some numbers I would like to see:

  • Number of dead in the drug war since Bush took office: ???
  • Number of Africans who’ve died of AIDS because administration “abstinence only” funding policies have strict limits on who can receive funding: ???
  • Number of abortions by teenage mothers who weren’t taught the proper use of birth control because of “abstinence only” policies: ???
  • Number of people Governor Bush allowed to be executed in Texas: ???
  • Number of children who may get sick and die because the president thinks they’re too rich for health insurance: ???

Feel free to fill in the blanks, or to add your own numbers to the list.

Update: Oh, and don’t forget this one – Number of people who had no chance of ever having a life who Bush and his supporters tried to keep “alive” for no other reason than to make a political statement: 1 (that I know of. And I don’t think I need to provide a link.)

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Reader Interactions

43Comments

  1. 1.

    capelza

    November 22, 2007 at 2:19 pm

    But..but…he interupted his vacation to fly back to Washington to sign the Schiavo bill…and..and he held a press conference using Snowflake babies as props… (I wonder what kind of countertops their parents have.)

  2. 2.

    Michael D.

    November 22, 2007 at 2:23 pm

    capelza: you and I were on the same page during your comment and my update!

  3. 3.

    John Cole

    November 22, 2007 at 2:31 pm

    While I don’t necessarily think it is fair to blame Bush personally for all these things, I do find the notion that Bush has done a lot for the culture of life crowd to be laughable. Hell, they probably wouldn’t even vote for him again.

  4. 4.

    Jim Schimpf

    November 22, 2007 at 2:37 pm

    You forgot New Orleans…..

  5. 5.

    Longhairedweirdo

    November 22, 2007 at 2:40 pm

    The Schiavo fiasco will always go down in my memory as the nastiest bit of grandstanding ever. The Bush boys are executives; they know the role of the courts, and they knew that the courts had ruled properly, and knew *why* the courts made the decisions they did (to wit: the court did its best to determine what *Terri’s* desires were, and found she would refuse medical treatment to a clear and convincing standard). The agency of the state whose entire purpose is to handle disputes of this nature had gone through all proper work to ensure that her rights were carried out.

    In the end, there are many people who believe that over twenty good, sound justices completely disregarded clear points of the law, and let a woman die… in part because the Bush boys were more interested in scoring political points than in being good leaders. They both valued their political aspirations more than they valued the systems they were in charge of.

  6. 6.

    cleek

    November 22, 2007 at 2:41 pm

    number tortured to death ?
    number of innocents tortured to death ?

  7. 7.

    Michael D.

    November 22, 2007 at 2:41 pm

    While I don’t necessarily think it is fair to blame Bush personally for all these things

    I personally hold all governors and presidents accountable for the death penalty.

    I hold Bush accountable for placing restrictions on funding for AIDS prevention in Africa

    I personally hold the federal government responsible for the drug war. And I only asked how many people were killed since Bush came to office. Lots of people killed during the Clinton presidency too.

    I consider Bush’s abstinence only policies to be responsible for abortions given to people who never has access to proper education.

    I consider Bush partly responsible for the failure of Healthcare, but only partly. Moreso since he vetoed SCHIP.

  8. 8.

    Nylund

    November 22, 2007 at 2:46 pm

    Don’t forget about the number of people who died in a terrorist attack because he ignored intelligence briefings in favor of clearing brush in Texas during the summer of 2001.

    Also don’t forget that had his administration had any skill in responding to natural disasters, there might be a few less names on the list of Katrina victims.

    All in all, it is fair to say that because this man became president, for all the reasons listed in this post and in the comments, there are literally thousands upon thousands of dead people who might otherwise have lived to see today.

  9. 9.

    Michael D.

    November 22, 2007 at 2:49 pm

    Don’t forget about the number of people who died in a terrorist attack because he ignored intelligence briefings in favor of clearing brush in Texas during the summer of 2001.

    Sorry, I will never fault Bush for that.

  10. 10.

    craigie

    November 22, 2007 at 2:49 pm

    Taking Clear Skies and Healthy Forests as examples, it’s pretty clear that the current GOP lives in Opposite World. So for Culture of Life, we have Killed Lots of People.

    Of course, in Culture of Life world, only zygotes are people – everyone else can fuck off. And die.

  11. 11.

    Dug Jay

    November 22, 2007 at 2:52 pm

    I understand that there is an old rule that bloggers are supposed to adhere to, one that appears to have been ignored with this particular post…One does not blog while drunk and/or stoned.

  12. 12.

    Psycheout

    November 22, 2007 at 2:54 pm

    Number of Africans who’ve died of AIDS because administration “abstinence only” funding policies have strict limits on who can receive funding: ???

    Number of cases of AIDS exaggerated by the WHO? 7,000,000.

  13. 13.

    Psycheout

    November 22, 2007 at 2:56 pm

    Number of children murdered by abortion in America since the beginning of the liberation of Iraq? 6,050,532 (and counting).

  14. 14.

    Psycheout

    November 22, 2007 at 2:57 pm

    Number of children who may get sick and die because their parents are too cheap or too stupid to buy health insurance: ???

  15. 15.

    Michael D.

    November 22, 2007 at 3:00 pm

    One does not blog while drunk and/or stoned.

    The rule also applies to commenters. Go watch your game now.

  16. 16.

    capelza

    November 22, 2007 at 3:01 pm

    At the risk of getting all tinfoil hat (which i will then use to top the crown of pork I am making…) I do believe in my darkest self that someone in the Bush admin did know that something was going to happen (Ashcroft no longer flying public carriers really bothers me) and did not do everything in their power to stop what they thought might be just enough collateral damage to ramp up the Iraq invasion that the neo-cons so wanted for years.

    That what occurred was beyond the scope of their imagining is another story…a horrific one.

    But like I said, only in my darkest self. The admin was wqarned from day one that something was up. But that they would even consider letting it happen would be beyond the pale…even for them. I hope.

  17. 17.

    Psycheout

    November 22, 2007 at 3:02 pm

    Lots of people killed during the Clinton presidency too.

    See Foster, Vince.

    Don’t forget all the people killed while Clinton was boss Governor of Arkansas.

    And the blame for 9/11 can be placed directly on the shoulders of the Clinton Administration. He ignored terrorism during his entire tenure, especially towards the end when he was playing pat-a-cake with a chubby intern.

  18. 18.

    jcricket

    November 22, 2007 at 3:15 pm

    Really? Mr. HomeSchoolie McPlagiarism is going to give anyone a lecture on anything? Fuck that.

    I hold Bush accountable for placing restrictions on funding for AIDS prevention in Africa

    Don’t forget things like the number of children Bush’s policies have doomed to lives of squalor and disease due to the same policies preventing real family planning from being taught. And the increased adult female death due to birth-relate complications from same policies. That goes for America too.

    Snarkliy, don’t forget the ongoing embryo-holocaust (400,000+ embryos/year tossed in IVF clinics).

    The fucksticks that believe Republicans stand for the life in any meaningful way deserve zero respect. They deserve to be mocked, scorned and shamed at every instance, for ruining our national discourse and hurting real people around the world with their inanity.

  19. 19.

    capelza

    November 22, 2007 at 3:20 pm

    jcricket..

    “the inanity of evil”

  20. 20.

    Mike

    November 22, 2007 at 3:23 pm

    I wonder who Domenech stole that column from.

  21. 21.

    cleek

    November 22, 2007 at 3:38 pm

    See Foster, Vince.

    fer fuck’s sake, man, give it a rest already.

  22. 22.

    Chet Scoville

    November 22, 2007 at 3:39 pm

    children murdered by abortion in America

    Number of those who were “saved” by any effort of either the Bush Administration or the Republican Congress: Zero.

  23. 23.

    TenguPhule

    November 22, 2007 at 3:40 pm

    Number of *cells* *discarded* by *fertility* *clinics* in America since the beginning of the liberation of Iraq? arguably a lot more then the number composing Psycheout’s brain.

    Corrected.

    If the Anti-abortion crowd really cared, they’d raise the cells they defend instead of killing them after birth.

  24. 24.

    TenguPhule

    November 22, 2007 at 3:41 pm

    Hell, they probably wouldn’t even vote for him again.

    John, the Wingnuts will vote for whoever they’re told to vote for and like it.

  25. 25.

    A different Matt

    November 22, 2007 at 3:51 pm

    Has anyone seen “The Departed?” Jack Nicholson has a great quote when he’s sitting down with Leonardo diCaprio trying to figure out who’s the double agent and Leonardo wonders who has the motive to act as a double agent, Jack replies “motive – who has the stomach to do what I do” not a real quote)…Leonardo says something… prompting Jack to say,

    A lot of peole had to die for me to be me.

    that’s Bush’s legacy – a lot of people had to die for Bush to be Bush.

  26. 26.

    jake

    November 22, 2007 at 3:54 pm

    To Bush, protecting the “Culture of Life,” means once it’s to big to contain in a petri dish, he could give a fuck.

    Number of Afghanis killed since we went in to catch Osama bin Laden ???

    Number of people killed by AQ operatives because we failed to catch Osama bin Laden (AQI excluded, get off my case) ???

    Number of people who face starvation because Bush wants to gut Meals on Wheels ???

  27. 27.

    jake

    November 22, 2007 at 3:55 pm

    “too” big.

  28. 28.

    markg

    November 22, 2007 at 4:38 pm

    Don’t forget to count:
    Number of innocent sheepherders and the like sold to American forces and then tortured to death, or disappeared, since Bush started his “war on terror.”

    Number of constitutional rights stomped to death in the mud during the same time period.

  29. 29.

    demimondian

    November 22, 2007 at 4:52 pm

    None of you really, understands, do you?

    Bush has potentiated more lives. But it’s really a zero sum game, so, in order to allow for more lives later on, he and his administration needed to allow a few to be shortened. It’s all going to even out in the end, and he’s going to be seen as a hero.

  30. 30.

    jcricket

    November 22, 2007 at 5:12 pm

    “the inanity of evil”

    I’m really beginning to think there’s something to the whole “Wingers say something Tancredo-esque” strategy concept. They’re not really evil, but they say such extreme things because they actually think it’ll happen, but because it paints their position as the extreme one, and anything to the left of it more “moderate” – despite the previously “moderate” position being pretty extreme.

    I wonder if that’s what right-wing blogs and bloviators are doing. Yeoman’s work for moving the debate farther and farther to the right.

    Compare the left/right divide in our country to, for example, France. No one (not even on the right) would think of touching the protected amount of vacation, 35 hour work week, universal healthcare. Their “right” is to the left of Hillary, basically.

    I think at this point the fire-breathing wing of the Republican party has reached self-sustaining status, though. So I’m not sure the Republicans could “put out the fire” (so to speak) if they even wanted to.

    We’ll see how they react to big election losses in 2008. My bet is “we weren’t conservative enough” is the rallying cry for the most part. Anyone who says “Hey guys, I think we’re a little to the right of Hitler now… and it’s not working” will be forced to leave the party (a la John Cole).

  31. 31.

    jcricket

    November 22, 2007 at 5:25 pm

    It’s all going to even out in the end, and he’s going to be seen as a hero.

    I’ve been told that studies show standing too close to Powerline can cause brain tumors.

  32. 32.

    jnfr

    November 22, 2007 at 5:44 pm

    Culture of life? Enough said.

  33. 33.

    The Other Steve

    November 22, 2007 at 6:29 pm

    We also must credit President Bush for the Culture of Plagarism.

  34. 34.

    zifnab

    November 22, 2007 at 8:25 pm

    Ugh. Do we have to just talk about lives taken? How about lives ruined? Bush’s “Money for rich people” economic policy has given us negative savings rates, salary stagnation, and off-shoring of hundreds of thousands of US jobs in exchange for record insurance prices, a dollar hitting all new lows, and all those quality Chinese imports.

    Thank your Republican politicians.

  35. 35.

    caustics

    November 22, 2007 at 8:49 pm

    Ben Domenech gives thanks for President Bush

    Sadly, I now have to resort to an onion router to glimpse current RedState hijinks. So far I’ve gathered that:

    * Huckabee is the new Ron Paul.
    * The same small core group of hillbilly lawyers and two-bit Professional Republican drone types continue to hold sway.

    *Ben Domenech is still a pathetic douchebag.

  36. 36.

    RSA

    November 22, 2007 at 10:13 pm

    a dollar hitting all new lows

    It’s sad how the dollar has lost 20% of its value against the money of “old Europe” since Bush took office, isn’t it? Even the British pound is kicking our asses.

  37. 37.

    Pb

    November 22, 2007 at 11:20 pm

    I only asked how many people were killed since Bush came to office

    Counting foreign civilians who wouldn’t have died otherwise? I’m sure it’s over a million by now.

  38. 38.

    Psycheout

    November 23, 2007 at 12:00 am

    I’m really beginning to think

    Congratulations, lib. That’s the first step to becoming a conservative.

  39. 39.

    TenguPhule

    November 23, 2007 at 1:43 am

    That’s the first step to becoming a *former* conservative.

    Corrected.

  40. 40.

    Jon Swift

    November 23, 2007 at 3:51 am

    I hope that President Bush and everyone enjoyed their Thankstaking holiday.

  41. 41.

    garyb50

    November 23, 2007 at 8:59 am

    We ran out of gravy yesterday & I blame Bush.

  42. 42.

    LiberalTarian

    November 24, 2007 at 6:27 pm

    Like hell we can’t blame GW Bush for 9/11. Did he fly the planes? No, but he did nothing, nothing to deal with the crisis when he was warned about it. Warned, and he had no response other than hiding like a damn rabbit on 9/11.

    I have every reason to hold GW Bush personally accountable for 9/11. He had the resources, the intelligence and anything else he needed to find those people and stop them. What he did not have was the will and desire. Stop buying that bullshit about how he didn’t know when and where–they were warned and they did nothing.

    And, how about all those dead and dying first-responders and people who lived next to the World Trade Center site who believed Bush’s asbestos industry crony who told them they didn’t need to take any special precautions cleaning up that dust? It’s called depraved indifference to tell those kinds of lies.

    For the next thousand years people will think of GW Bush when they try to think of words to described botched leadership, corruption, and theft of public resources. “Culture of Life” is as Orwellian as you can get, so good ol’ Red State can STFU.

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