>"As a born-again he has assumed the mantle of Christian ideology."

I've met a couple of them in my lifetime and they have chosen it as a front to cleanse themselves of some inherant weakness or dirty deed that they did. They rarely are remorseful, usually only sneaky and manipulative. Criminals in jail often assume the mantle of the born-again Christian. I wouldn't want to have one living on my street.
Forgive me I insult any born-agains here (other then Ed), you didn't "get it right" the first time!

>"it looked as though the contractors and defense firms were able to influence the budgeting process."

ROTFLMAO!

>"The conservative republican defense contractor is a Carter/Reagan era phenomenon........a party "conversion" by most of the defense contractors who had watched their ledgers bleed red all over their offices."

So, they made sure they're not only standing at the trough now, but that they own it!

>"Donald Rumsfeld is the first Defense Secretary who has stood his ground against the military-industrial complex - and what thanks has he gotten? He tried, unsuccessfully, to kill Army weapon projects that were hopelessly outdated .The Joint Chiefs of Staff waged their own war against Rumsfeld and so far have won. Going to congress behind his back and putting payoffs over national need. Rumsfeld is Bush's man - and not a pawn of the military industrial complex. Yet, this important battle is glossed over and ignored by the media, who are part of the problem giving refuge to these contractors and Generals because they care not a whit about fiscal responsibility ."

Interesting view from the Pulpit.
Some people think we spend too much on weapons development as it is, especially Rumsfelds' personal choice for the new missile system. If anything, he's in bed with the contractors who want to develop it. They all have their contracts. Tell me it isn't true.
Fiscal responsibility.......LOL
We've seen how the managed the energy "crisis", now haven't we?
Fiscal responsibility?? Woo Hoo......THAT"S a new one on them!!
S&L's.......bogus projects, energy "distribution" ha ha ha ha

>"Yes, we can fear the ideologues and the "fascists," but it is much better to realize that it seems only the folks who say America deserved 9-11 and that the terrorists were the courageous folks, are the one's who see the fascists all around them."

Here's where you're WRONG SDAI. I see something similiar to "fascism"....call it what YOU like (you're so good at labels), but you're trying to lump me into someone who thinks we deserved 9-11 and that terrorists are "courageous" folks.
This where you take the debate out of line, and I can't but take it personally.
Or, you just had to utter something about "patriotism" that has nothing to do with what we're talking about here.

>What does that tell you about their looking glass distorted world view? When one applies the mirror principle to their fears and paranoia - it really tells us more about their pasts and unrequited desires.

I think YOU have a distorted world view, so there!
I have fears but very little paranoia, when I look in the mirror, I like what I see and the person that I am. You would probably call me a Marxist or a socialist and my loyalty to the US has yet to be confirmed.
Unrequited desires?
No, not tonight, not lately.
LOL

Give it UP SDAI!