Alan J. Olive – 9/5/06

This page was last updated on September 5, 2006.

Divide and conquer works fine; Alan J. Olive; Beaver County Times; September 5, 2006.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“Readers’ letters to the editor seem to be equally divided between for or against President Bush and Vice President Cheney, reflecting media coverage across our nation.”

[RWC] “Letters to the editor” and “media coverage” are “equally divided between for or against President Bush and Vice President Cheney?” Excuse me. I can’t stop laughing.

I’d like to see Mr. Olive demonstrate President Bush gets equivalent amounts of negative and positive “media coverage.”

I’d also like to know which edition of the Times contains an equivalent number of anti- and pro-Bush letters to the editor. Perhaps he uses Tom Finch’s eyes. If you recall, in 2005 Mr. Finch referred to it as “Republican Propaganda Day” when there were two letters that didn’t bash Republicans.

“The opinion polls point out an ongoing, overwhelming majority against the Bush-Cheney actions and the direction our lives have taken in a few short years.”

[RWC] Forgive me when I’m skeptical of people who write about an “overwhelming majority” without providing the actual numbers. A few years ago, state Rep. Vincent Biancucci (D-15) claimed Pennsylvanians “overwhelmingly” elected Gov. Rendell, with 53% of the vote. I don’t know about you, but when an election is only 3% away from a tie, that’s not overwhelming to me.

“In the face of the obvious and evident disregard for the people’s opinion and the truth, the administration moves on as untouchable and unanswerable to the majority of Americans. Divide and conquer works just fine.”

[RWC] We don’t elect representatives to conduct opinion polls to tell them how to govern.

“Untouchable and unanswerable?” Dude, President Bush ran for reelection and “the majority of Americans” reelected him.

An apparent liberal – whose chief tactic is grouping people and then pitting the groups against each other – writes about “Divide and conquer.” This is a hoot.

“Six years of Bush-Cheney have brought us hyper-inflated costs for life’s basic necessities. To those who carry ‘Impeach Bush’ posters, imagine that happening and Cheney being elevated to the presidency, a truly horrible possibility to ponder.”

[RWC] I hate to break the news to Mr. Olive, but it is not the government’s role to control prices. In any case, you’ll note Mr. Olive didn’t list what he considers “life’s basic necessities” and provide the “hyper-inflated costs.”

Mr. Olive also didn’t describe why “Cheney being elevated to the presidency [would be] a truly horrible possibility to ponder.”

“Where are our third- and fourth-party candidates to offer hope and justice to the near-retiring baby boomer generation? Republicrats are attempting to maintain the status quo in the near elections.”

[RWC] Note Mr. Olive doesn’t describe what he considers “hope and justice.” I’m a mid-50s “Boomer” and I have no problem with my definition of hope and justice.

“Defense of Bush-Cheney actions lack an acknowledgement of the truth for whatever reason. To repeatedly use fear of terrorism to increase the erosion of our treasury and of our social progression are treasonable offenses. The Bush-Cheney corporate crowd has turned against the American people, whether you choose to believe or care about it or not.”

[RWC] If we disagree with Mr. Olive’s assessment of President Bush and VP Cheney, we have our heads buried in the sand and/or we can’t distinguish between lies and truth.

Mr. Olive doesn’t seem to understand what constitutes “treasonable offenses.”

What is “erosion … of our social progression?”

Mr. Olive, if you going to write, “The Bush-Cheney corporate crowd has turned against the American people,” at least provide some concrete examples and supporting evidence.