One of the American Choices we make periodically and must always have up for review is the one that relates to who is in charge of and manages our military resource.

We are reaching what ought to be the end-times of having to pay for our shallow civic behavior as voters who failed to fully consider the qualifications of our elected leaders. But we are not, we will pay for our stupidity for years to come.

The American Choice is to never again be casual nor shallow about why we support the election of specific leaders.

Personally, although having a concern for the circumstances in America and across its borders that draw those willing to work cheaply to this country, immigration reform is not any predominant reason for casting a ballot in support of and immigration-reforming candidate.

Personally, although concerned about public morality in an ethical sense of the highest good of all concerned, moralizing the population based on literal-minded evangelical Christian shallow theology is the least of my priorities and why I refuse to cast a ballot for a born-again religious stampeder.

Personally, although concerned about the massive public need for universal health coverage and overriding the self-serving hypocrisy of corporate medicine and it’s co-conspiring partners, corporate pharmacy and insurance, I would not cast a ballot in support of a universal health care promiser running for President based on a single concern for reformation of public health care alone.

Whoever we elect must have demonstrated experiential knowledge and not just an ability to speak about American foreign policy and military matters.

We absolutely must have the wisdom of someone who has served out there where there has been action.

… someone who is not just a muscle-flexor, saber-rattling cheap-talk personality with god talk, pretend patriotism and slick haircuts but no substance,

but someone who has seen blood flow for needless reasons and regretted it ...

… someone who has seen cities and villages destroyed or ruined by blind military tactics

… and who understands what really happens when generals and admirals belittle collateral damage …

… someone who understands that intellectual advisors within his administration bearing theories based on book-learning, pseudo-academic gurus, think tanks and the notion of historical precedents are kept on a very short leash

… If the candidate posturing as presidential material cannot convince me of that kind of wisdom connected to avoiding an imperialism that ignores, demeans and totally devalues the lives of non-Americans everywhere else, then my vote goes elsewhere.

Candidates who speak casually in support of Guantanamo, torture, random and unjustified human incarceration with no ability to appeal for redress should NOT EVER BE CONSIDERED PRESIDENTIAL MATERIAL.

Criminal leadership may have but America has never made a collective choice for those absolutely horrific and shameful values. Our leaders can never again be given an electoral approval without passing the muster of social and global responsibility and accountability.

Try as they might, George Bush and Dick Cheney will go down in history as the absolute poorest American Presidency ever

… As having done the greatest global harm ever

… As the American politicians most deserving of impeachment proceeds …

… ever in our history.

© Arthur Ruger 2007