The Daily Sandwich

"We have to learn the lesson that intellectual honesty is fundamental for everything we cherish." -Sir Karl Popper

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Location: Boston, Massachusetts, United States

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Thursday, July 13, 2006

1,2,3,4, let's have a thumb war. Except with Iran instead of thumbs.

You know the drill. It all started back in the 2000 campaign with Bush's argument that a strong economy necessitates tax cuts. And a weak economy necessitates tax cuts. A surplus necessitates tax cuts, as does a deficit. Peacetime necessitates tax cuts, and so does war.

But the Professor Laffer Miracle Tonic approach hasn't been limited to economic policy. It's become standard operating procedure for the American right-wing, and functions like any other patent medicine show-- the lasting damage only becomes apparent after the shills have pocketed their cash and skipped town.

Although it hasn't been discussed much recently, it wasn't long ago that reporters were filing accounts of a White House licking its chops over a potential war with Iran. Sure, it would cost tens of billions of dollars, critically overextend the military, and further alienate the rest of the world-- but think of the poll ratings!

That respite from talk of war on a third front is over, and the Republican talking points have been reissued-- the GOP plan for peace in the Middle East is more war.

Fox's John Gibson: If you ever wondered whether it was worth all the trouble to keep Iran from getting a nuke, look at the news today. When Hezbollah attacks Israel-- or attacks anybody-- it is Iran that is really doing the attacking.

Get it? 'Anybody' could mean 'us.' Are ya scared yet? Huh? Are ya? Are ya?

Matt Drudge: Israel has information that Lebanese guerillas who captured two Israeli soldiers are trying to transfer them to Iran, the Foreign Ministry Spokesman said. Spokesman Mark Regev did not disclose the source of his information.

One unsupported assertion, one unsourced quote. And starting tomorrow, the inevitable wave of reactionary pundits and bloggers renewing their calls for "nukin' the ragheads" -- uhhh, I mean spreading Jeffersonian democracy. Just to be spiteful, I'll point out how ineptly clunky Drudge's writing is.