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Watching James Baker on his book tour, I couldn’t help but notice how many times he talked about Hizb’allah as the “Party of God”. In the same interview, he glowed over the GOP. I started thinking about how the GOP is convinced it is the “Party of God”. What’s the difference between the two groups, and what might be some good clues to determine if someone is or isn’t in the “Party of God”?

I was watching TV the other day when something bothered me. The former Secretary of State James Baker III was chatting away on the PBS Charlie Rose Show, speaking about Lebanon and Hezbollah. The more he talked, the more it bothered me. I’ve been aware for some time of the Iraq Study Group he heads up and their recommendations to help save President Bush’s backside , so I was listening without the respect I used to have for the man. I listened for his unspoken agenda. When old politicians from previous administrations start showing up in Washington on a regular basis, you should sit up and take notice. In his case, he wasn’t there to sell his recommendations for the Iraq Study Group ; he was peddling a new book he’s written .

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Either way, as I said, when old warhorse politicians start flooding Washington , it’s best to pay attention. Baker isn’t the only one to have surfaced in recent times to the eyes of the mainstream press – Henry Kissinger is back as well. I’m doubtful it’s for tea and cookies at the White House; you don’t get in there without a donation or an idea that will bail you out of trouble. In this case, both men are advising Bush #43 on war – as if he needs help in how to stay in the arena and get more innocent soldiers killed. That’s what the Pentagon’s budget shortcuts are for – how else can they afford substandard body armor and vulnerable Hummers? “Err…according to the budget, we can’t afford any more phosphorus weapons, but we’ve decided to give you roman candles to light things up instead!” “From bad to worse!” is their standing motto.

The more I watch politicians – formally retired and those who do nothing and act retired – the stranger the thoughts become. I sat there and watched the interview, hearing a passing reference to the “Party of God”, and then it really hit me:

What’s the difference between Hezbollah and the Neo-conservative Republicans, who both claim to be the “Party of God”?

I can’t tell you how I sunk down into the chair and felt like a world-class idiot for not having spotted that connection sooner. How many other evangelical Christian republicans are in the same boat, floating down the river in Egypt : denial. Are evangelicals naturally blind to such connections? The Bible teaches us God has blinded Israel for a season, so it possible He has blinded evangelicals, too? Rule number one: all things are possible with God.

The question hung in the air like the scent of my mom’s cooking . At least with a charcoal dinner, you can open the windows and doors and air out the house, but when that odor is the bad smell of politics, no amount of Lysol air freshener will cover the stench.

Finding myself sentenced to hell, my options are rather limited. I can scream, but no one listens to me anyway. I could throw myself out of a window to my death, but no one’s ever died from being flung out a one-story house before. Or I could whip up an article like this.

Hezbollah, Hizb’allah, and Hizbollah – no matter how you spell it, the political platform the group was founded on remains the same: liberation from Israeli occupation in Lebanon . The translation “Hezbollah” is “Party of God”, which is well known amongst most people who have even the most basic knowledge of this terrorist group. Keep in mind the old saying: “One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter” before you pass judgment because it’s so easy to blindly brand groups based upon what the State Department wants us to think. Remember, these guys have approximately 3,000 public relations firms carefully conditioning the American public with every single planned word.

I do realize Hezbollah does have an earned history of bloodshed, and I’m not going to go all liberal on you with some sort of tripe like “they are misunderstood and are a product of a bad upbringing in a rough area during war.” Actions are deliberate and chosen, but I will admit there are always going to be pawns used in any movement. I do remember the bombing of the US Marine base in Beirut . Hezbollah also hit the American embassy twice in Beirut – once in April of 1983 and in September of 1984. If you look at their recent activities, they’re no darling child in the stunt they pulled by kidnapping Israeli soldiers.

Then again, the United States government has its own flaws in terms of senseless bloodshed. How many times in Iraq and Afghanistan, for example, have there been “Oops!!” strikes, later to be revealed the intelligence used was wrong? Only a few days ago, Pakistani officials bombed a school, based on faulty US intelligence . When blood runs red, it doesn’t matter if it’s a terrorist strike or an “Oops!” strike – the blood still needs to washed from the scene.

Here lies one difference between the two parties: the United States likes to attack from 30,000 feet, or we get someone else to do it for us – like Israel , when it’s convenient. Hizb’allah guerrillas, on the other hand, at least have the stones to suicide bomb you up close and personal. For these guys, it’s no “video game”. I’m not advocating either technique as both are reprehensible and revolting.

Then there’s the generosity factor. It has been widely reported Hizb’allah has been giving Lebanese survivors $12,000 cash for their destroyed homes . Some critics have said Iran ’s footing the bill, while others claim Hizb’allah or their Iranian backers have been busy cranking out counterfeit bills and ripping off the recipients. There’s also been numerous stories about how Iran is “stealing” from its own people in order to be viewed as a hero for supporting Hizb’allah and Lebanon .

If you compare this to the United States , it gets rather intriguing. I’m in line for my $12,000, but since I’m not rich, well connected, and receiving a tax break, well…I can wait in the same spot until I drop dead. It’s not going to happen. The “little people” of this economy that actually do the work basically got shafted on the income tax reduction , while the wealthy friends of Bush made out extremely well. I used to believe the line, “the wealthy pay more taxes, so they should get more back!”, but the truth is with all their tax shelters and loopholes, they’re barely paying anything to begin with. Who hasn’t read a story about a large corporation who paid almost nothing in taxes, and then got a tax refund thanks to those escape clauses?

The fact is, this government takes and takes and takes, forgetting they work for us, not us for them! We are looking down two financial disasters in this country, and the mainstream media consistently is looking the other way and playing dumb. Last year there was a twenty-three page report released on a public website with no publicity. Why is this noteworthy? The Federal Reserve released a document that claims the United States is racing towards bankruptcy. I don’t know about you, but to me, that’s kind of an important thing to mention. The second barrel of the same gun we should be bracing for is a $1.35 TRILLION minimum tax bomb , which will impact approximately 20 million families with increased taxes, and only a few politicians up for re-election have the intestinal fortitude to mention we’re heading for this disaster.

If I had to choose between $1.35 trillion in additional taxes, plus a total bankruptcy of this country thanks to piss poor economic policies, or Iran …? I’d have to sit and think about that one for quite awhile. At first blush, I think Iran and Hizb’allah might be cheaper.

The other thought that gets me is at least Hizb’allah is trying to project they care – that means something. Not a lot, but something is better than nothing. If you feel you’re not alone and the government, or a slice of it is at least trying to help you stand in the face of hard times, then it’s not so bad.

The Bush Administration, however, has been exceptionally generous to their friends already in high places, while kicking the “middle/low class dog” around for fun. The best examples of “caring” I can come up with: the Katrina response, and the change in bankruptcy laws.

Katrina, we’ve heard ad nausem, was unlike any disaster we’ve ever experienced, but the cronyism within this administration allowed it to happen because these people make unqualified dog catchers appear to be Nobel laureates. You put stupid people in, you get stupid responses out. It’s the GIGO principle at work: “garbage in, garbage out”. At every turn, the federal government was sitting on its hands, inactive, inattentive, and fourteen months later, still exhibiting gross incompetence. They left people stranded, hungry, and desperate. When they got their acts together, they threw cash at the problem to such a degree, the debit card statements on the cards showed purchases of jewelry, pornography, sex change operations, divorce lawyer fees, and trips. Over one billion dollars was wasted on fraudulent claims, but our government’s “doing the best it can”. Where do I sign up for my slice of that pie?

The economy under the administration has been atrocious and polls seem to confirm it , while so many talking heads recite reports and try to tell us exactly how “robust” it is . Tell me, please, why so many Americans are out of work and why fifty-four percent of the nation’s residents believe the “middle class dream” is impossible to obtain ?

Once your unemployment runs out, you are no longer counted as “unemployed”, so the official figures the government reports are always lower. This has created an unfortunate reality: bankruptcies are up – or, they used to be before Bush made it even harder on decimated families who have lost everything. The new bankruptcy laws are making it very hard on the average American, who has waved their jobs good bye, thanks to President Bush encouraging all our “low paying jobs” to head east. Strange that physicians, surgeons and lawyers are also seeing their jobs heading in that direction, too, since those aren’t considered “low paying” positions.

When you outsource the country’s ability to earn a living, bankruptcy is your only option. Once your credit is destroyed, there’s an alarming trend in this country by employers only making it worse: conditionally hiring and then rescinding the offer. I personally have experienced this phenomenon of bluntly being informed, “…because you can’t manage your own finances, you are viewed as irresponsible at best, but you’re a higher theft risk, apt to steal to make ends meet.” What a catch-22! No employer will hire me because I’m a “thief”, but I can’t clear up my credit issue without income. How did I get in this mess? I am a two-time loser; I watched two jobs sail off to India .

If you look at the price of the filing fees, they have increased at least $200, and in some states, the filing fees have doubled. Most debtors are ordered to pay back a higher percentage, plus enroll in credit counseling courses many cannot afford. If you don’t have a job, no way to pay the increased costs to file, and you go in without representation because lawyer fees are untouchable, you put yourself at further disadvantage.

“And answering, Jesus said to him, ‘Simon, I have something to say to you.’ And he said, ‘Teacher, speak.’”

“’There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. The one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And they having nothing to pay, he freely forgave both. Then which of them do you say will love him most?’”

“And answering, Simon said, ‘I suppose that one to whom he forgave most.’”

“ And He said to him, ‘You have judged rightly.’” (Luke 7:40-43)

I’m far from being a Biblical scholar, but I suspect the bankruptcy laws that favor the companies who have heavily contributed the to “Team Bush” and the GOP seem to go against the spirit of forgiving at least once. This wasn’t very “Christian” of you, Mr. President. I would like to know how the Senate and House “Christians” resolve engaging in usury (charging interest and fees), which is expressly prohibited by the Bible. If you’re supporting the companies and allowing them to do it, aren’t your hands just as dirty as if you had done it yourself? You didn’t speak out against it.

I recall “W” himself had at least one failed company that was bailed out . It would’ve gone under if George H.W. Bush wasn’t president at the time and there was serious quid pro quo going on ; everyone but “Shrub” lost money, which is odd. When the ship sinks, usually everyone gets wet. What is good for the goose obviously isn’t good for the gander.

I have to give this one to Hizb’allah, too. You may not agree with their platform of anger and violence, but they get style points for not kicking the little guy in the “family jewels” when he’s down and out, and they consistently remain more loyal to the people. You certainly cannot say that of the Republicans these days!

Here’s another little interesting comparison sure to make your hair hurt. Nasrallah was quoted as saying, “We did not think, even 1 per cent, that the capture would lead to a war at this time and of this magnitude. You ask me, if I had known on July 11 . . . that the operation would lead to such a war, would I do it? I say no, absolutely not.” I think the man was lacking in critical foresight considering past incursions and violations usually lead to a bloody nose and a black eye from Israel, but even in the face of a stupid action, the man actually sounds sorry, which is a rare quality.

When you compare Nasrallah and Bush in the category of “stupid things I should not have done”…oh, there aren’t enough trees to kill to write it down. I’ll be kind and focus on one: Iraq. How many times has this administration lied to the American public? If you were to measure one lie equals one step on a pedometer, you probably could’ve walked around the world a few times. Being in power means never having to say you’re sorry – or wrong. How many times did we hear, “Saddam has weapons of mass destruction , and he gave aid and comfort to the 9/11 terrorists ”? If I were handing those pack of lies to my Mom, she would’ve poured gallons of soap in my mouth and used an SOS pad to scrub it clean.

The sad fact is, Bush waited to tell the truth only after years of reporting had proved the administration wrong. He waited until his back was up against the wall – namely, when the Senate Intelligence report came out and told the truth in September.

What’s most disturbing is the President tried to squash it until after the midterm elections, in a desperate attempt to hold power in the House and Senate. It’s no different that the results of Baker’s Iraq Study Group – those recommendations were turned in a month ago, but won’t be released until after the elections .

Then if that wasn’t embarrassing enough, the National Intelligence Estimate report for 2006 was leaked and confirmed just how right the American public is to be distrusting and angry: all the intelligence agencies unanimously said our presence was not deterring, but increasing terrorist activities. The President came out swinging and screaming, claiming it was taken out of context , and forced to “cherry pick” which pages to release to minimize the damage.

Nasrallah had the stones to admit he was wrong, and admirably, did it right away. He didn’t lie, obfuscate, or hide behind anyone or anything. He was upfront about his mistake – which is good sign. There were no special prosecutors, no official inquiries, and no circling of the wagons; he took responsibility.

The Republican Party has repeatedly spent the last five years lying, covering up, and shooting down requests for internal investigations. It’s sad to say, but how many scandals are going on right now? There’s two possible House Page sex stories, a few stories of infidelity, a few of spousal abuse, one father-daughter FBI raid, and a guilty verdict on at least one tied to Jack Abramoff. Those are the most notable, but here’s a current scorecard of all the GOP scandals .

Nasrallah also has something Bush can only dream of: a high confidence rating among the people – not just in Lebanon, but all over the Arab and Muslim world. Osama Q. Public loves this man for standing up and fighting for what they believe is a perceived injustice. President Bush, on the other hand, has been hovering around a disapproval rating of sixty-five percent of the public, and the House and Senate are approximately at an eighty-six percent disapproval rating. Why? For being the worst rubber-stamping, do-nothing, corrupt lap dogs in political history, that’s why!

It’s a knee jerk reaction by most Americans – we hear Nasrallah speak about “Allah” this and “Allah” that, and we cringe and paint him with the “crazy fundamentalist” brush. We hear Bush talk about going on a “ crusade ”, and the whole world sat up in absolute horror . “He didn’t just say that…did he?!” Yup, he did.

For the Republicans to be the “ Party of God ”, the party and the leader must be Christians. Unfortunately, there is too much proof President Bush and the Republicans in Washington are not born again.

You do not swear at reporters , give them the middle finger , or approach their table and call them a “ f*cking son of a b*tch ” in front of their small children and wait a decade to apologize for it. You do not endorse torture , strip America down into a police state by dismantling Constitutionally guaranteed rights, use presidential signing statements to put yourself above the law, or refer to the Constitution as a “ G*d damned piece of paper ”. Your do not advocate using non lethal weapons on American citizens who are exercising their right to protest or have the DHS take down names and pass them on to the Pentagon to be investigated as dissidents and security threats. You do not retroactively enact laws to protect yourself and others from prosecution of potential war crimes. You do not lie , obfuscate , create and infect the general population with propaganda , or cost the taxpayers billions to shamelessly hide secrets and discourage Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuits to uncover illegal activities. You do not steamroll policies through that make Americans appear to have no character , especially when the country is fully against you and your measures.

I’m sorry, but based on Republican actions and the doctrine of, “…you will know them by their fruit”, GOP, you are anything BUT the “Party of God”.

Here’s a hint for the Republicans: God does not take sides, especially with corrupt folk. Whoever told you God backs you…needs to run to the nearest Bible believing church, slide in on his/her knees at ninety miles an hour, and start confessing and repenting to the point it makes Jack Abramoff look like a saint. The damage you have done to the faith is incalculable, and yet you still have the audacity to point and shake your fingers at Islam and screech and howl about their “fanatics”.

There’s one more clear indication the Republicans are not born again: when we come to Christ, we are given a new heart, and we are instructed to put off the "old man". If the words and deeds of this party and its leaders are of the "new man", exactly how evil and corrupt were they before coming to the knowledge of Jesus? I’m horrified just trying to imagine the way they used to be!

Here’s a hint for the Republicans: God does not take sides, especially with corrupt folk. Whoever told you God backs you…needs to run to the nearest Bible believing church, slide in on his/her knees at ninety miles an hour, and start confessing and repenting to the point it makes Jack Abramoff look like a saint. The damage you have done to the faith is incalculable, and yet you still have the audacity to point and shake your fingers at Islam and screech and howl about their “fanatics”.

Republicans, it is clear you haven’t looked in the mirror in a very long time.  People are supposed to be able to see the light of Christ in us.  When I look at the collective "YOU", all I see is a great Satanic work in progress. 

Other quazen.com articles by this writer can be found here , relijournal.com articles here , and picable.com images here . If you enjoyed this article, consider digging it with others.