Bruce Golding is certainly embroiling himself and the Jamaica Labour Party in a mess over Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke. An interesting but frightening soap opera.
Golding’s involvement in the affair has lost him credibility with some of his most ardent non-political supporters. I mean those who are not getting a personal piece of the scarce resources… like those of the middle and upper classes who voted for him.
His confession was the final seal of condemnation as word coming to me is that even those who had hoped that Manatt was all a big misunderstanding, now feel badly duped.
The move to finally send the extradition order to the court is a surprise… probable. I guess this means that the high court was ruling against the government in its quest to find out if attorney general Dorothy Lightbourne had the right to deny the extradition order.
So now, the situation is either headed for lengthy legal delays and obfuscation, buying both Golding and Dudus time,… or Golding has worked out a deal with Dudus. The latter most likely.
Its obvious Dudus doesn’t want to do jail time anywhere, for obvious reasons. But also, no matter what Golding promises, his control on Tivoli would be jeopardised.
I believe that a multi-lateral deal with the US government has been worked out to ensure a lesser sentence in a ‘nice place’… Dudus might even become roommate with Bernie Madoff. Dudus is not that big a fish, and no US prosecutor wants go to trial when he can get a defendant to plead out. Since politics is involved, then Golding has offered something else to the US government… a pro-America vote in the UN for example. Perhaps some sort of support regarding US relations in the Caribbean (Cuba) and South America (Brasil, Venezuela, Bolivia).
It is instructive that Tavares-Finson (also a government senator), has resigned as Dudus’ lawyer. It signals a new tactic and perhaps an already worked out deal. Let’s see if Dudus waives his right to contest extradition.
But it is too late for Bruce. While he may hold on for the next few years, this issue is going to hang over him like an albatross… and I don’t even see him as party leader when next elections are called. He is not well-liked even in his own party and there are angry and ambitious men still with their eyes on power.
I think that the next few years are going to be very nervous for some people. What says you, Pearnell, Edmund?
But then who in the JLP has more scruples than Golding?
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Recently, I engaged in discussion with an animal rights activist (those demanding ethical treatment for farm animals killed for meat or bred for dairy products), telling him that I stopped eating meat 43 years ago. However when I told him I still ate cheese, he didn’t reserve his gross disapproval.
I pointed out that I have an aversion to most foods, because of a childhood experience that nearly killed me. It was not a religious or philosophical matter, but a psychological choice forced on me. I have a very limited palette and cheese just happens to be one of the foods that don’t make me nauseous. This he dismissed as an excuse.
I indicated that his approach was unhelpful because in essence, he risked alienating an ally… over a piece of cheese. This didn’t get through his numbskull and he ended up declaring that it would have been better if I ate meat.
This is the quintessential American extremist, demanding 110% support, not understanding that the world is not merely black and white. Such extremists are so self-righteously obsessed that logic, truth and common sense are merely obstacles to ignore.
It was the same attitude when I tangled with some gay rights activists advocating the ‘Boycott Jamaica’ campaign, even when Jamaica-based gays told them it was ill-advised. That they were willing to sacrifice Jamaican gays didn’t matter to them.
The point is that America has formed into camps of extremism, where compromise is not an option. 99.9% support is not good enough… it’s all or nothing.
The teaparty is one such movement and they have dragged the republicans down with them. There is no debating with them, for common sense is not an option.
This type of blinkered sight is layered even in the language and in sports. “My way or the highway” for example. In sports, the concept of a draw is unthinkable… there must be a winner and a loser.
This type of myopia was what helped to make America great, now it seems to be triggering their self-destruction. It is said attitude that creates sexual dual personality disorders in the republicans and the Christian right for example. That those who most harshly criticize and even head organisations against homosexuality, are in fact closet homosexuals themselves. They can’t compromise with themselves therefore they are torn into 2 opposing extremes.
But in the wider public, this peculiarity is tearing America apart as most Americans can’t hold a centrist position or view issues with common sense. And once you are not in full agreement, the fight gets nasty. Actually, this happens even in families and friendships. One disagreement and it ‘out the door’. Perhaps it wouldn’t be too bad if most people had a modicum of intelligence.
The present fad is to vote out incumbents… not poor serving incumbents, but all incumbents. That’s like throwing out the baby with the bathwater. And no one even vets the replacements. Florida’s Marco Rubio is one such example. The republicans and the teaparty are supporting him for the senate even after he had robbed the republican coffers.
All someone needs to attract political attention to themselves is to take up the ‘Vote them out’ chant. When you ask why, no intelligible answer is forthcoming.
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The word is that there will be a clean sweep of incumbents come November… but I don’t buy this. Furthermore, I don’t think that there will be a major backlash against the democrats.
That isn’t to say that I’m not concerned. Afterall this is America and the level of political intellect is abysmally low. You cannot tell with the American public.
Obama didn’t win the presidency solely on democratic votes. He had a substantial percentage of the so-called independent voters. Independent simply means ‘not registered’ to any political party, but it doesn’t mean that the thinking is independent or unaligned. It rarely is.
My concern is hearing several democrats and so-called independents stating, “I voted for Obama in ‘08 but I will vote against him in 2012”. This perplexes me. If you voted for him in ’08, there should have been a reason, and I’m presuming that’s because he was the better candidate with the better ideas.
Because Obama and the democrats have not been everything they promised I have no issues with people being disappointed and not voting for him again. Fair enough. But to switch your votes to republican? C’mon, really? If Obama solves world poverty, got peace for all times, and got Jesus’ blessing, you have already locked in your vote?
The fact is that the republicans have offered next to nothing to improve the financial or moral stability of the country. Rather, they are intent on turning the clock back.
They denounce the bailout to the financial sector, yet they kill legislation to regulate them and prevent further mishaps. They fight against the health care bill as instructed by the health insurance corporations, while their politicians are getting the best taxpayer-paid for health care. They support and refuse to regulate oil companies and further drilling even while the Gulf of Mexico is turning black.
Their politicians have never supported health protections for army families while they do support giving the soldiers bigger bombs. It is a sad fact that while a soldier is off fighting, his family is on food stamps. And if he is injured, bless the care he will be getting.
Their only policy is to say ‘No’ to everything, especially to people-based legislation.
They got us into eight straight years of misery and failure. They created the economic mess yet still offer no way out of it. They still want war and more war. They oppose every suggestion of regulating those corporations and industries that sink this country deeper into economic and moral mire.
The republicans have moved further right since the 08 elections, so really, what can it be that can cause anyone who voted for Obama in 08, to be seeking political sanctuary in the republican party? No, this is not a rhetorical question. I really want to know ‘cause I have no idea. My head cannot comprehend that level of stupidity.
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Which brings me to meaningless political catch-phrases. “Got to get our country back”. Back from where? Back to where? The stone ages?
“Smaller government”. Smaller than what?
“Less government in our lives” Ok. It’s not like government is providing lawn services. What would you take back? The military? Privatise war? Let the oil companies buy war against countries they want oil from. Haven’t you already done that with disastrous consequences? Foreign policy based on the highest bidder? Like Microsoft or McDonalds?
The police force? Get Blackwater to do that job instead? Have you not heard of New Orleans?
The fire services? So that only the rich can afford to put out their burning buildings? Roads, bridges and other infrastructure? Then who provides the safety standards for these bridges and who costs the construction? Some for-profit company?
And it is interesting while they talk about government intrusion, they support illegal wiretapping, intrusive security measures, and also want government to outlaw personal and family decisions like abortion, gay marriage, marijuana use for the chronically ill, and assisted suicide for terminal patients.
How big should government be? Why not divest the parks and recreation facilities… see how many will end up in poorer communities, if they are not paved over to construct expensive condos? Why not demolish the Grand Canyon to build a Disney park?
Think about it. With all the ripping off being done by the private sector, we should wish for more government control… not less. Idiots.
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