Different Planet?

New WaPo - ABC poll shows Bush in lead. Okay, I can buy that, but as to the 'why', I am having a hard time wrapping my head 'round this one.

WASHINGTON (AFP) - President George W. Bush has overtaken his Democratic rival John Kerry by a 48-43 percent margin, as Americans rate Iraq and the war on terrorism more important than the economy and jobs, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll.

I must be living on a different planet. Iraq is an illegal action, having NOTHING to do with terrorism. Yet it's costing thousands of lives and hundreds of billions of dollars.

Terrorism? WTF?

People still buy into the pressing of the fear button. Damn sad. Pavlov's pooches had a leg up on these polled people.

I like Larry C. Johnson, former CIA analyst and deputy director of the State Department's Office of Counterterrorism's take:

"I call the color-coded system the 'terrorism mood ring.' Security isn't green, yellow and purple. This is a public relations ploy, run by people who are making decisions on security who don't really know what they're doing. They make statements that aren't backed up by any real data or empirical evidence. It's faith-based security.

"They continue to insist that this is the greatest threat we've ever faced, and that's just ludicrous. I don't want to minimize the terrible losses of 9/11, and we have to take the terror threat seriously. But let's be real: We've heard the likes of Gen. [Richard] Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, say that terrorism is the greatest threat we've faced perhaps since the Civil War. Are you kidding me? There were more than a half million deaths in that war. There were nuclear missiles pointed at us by the Soviet Union during the Cold War that could've incinerated millions instantly. Terrorists on their best day can't kill millions."

Who in their right mind - that has a working knowledge of the material - thinks Iraq was/is a good idea? Illegal wars built on lies are what the 'American people' want? Not this American.

Terrorism? Johnson nails it. Now, how do we get Joe and Josephine six-pack to put down their remote controls and learn enough about the real threat of terror, and Bush's mis-steps, to be able to make an informed decision? An informed voter is the GOP's worst nightmare.

Wake Da F*** Up, America!