Guilty

Charlie Rangel is guilty of the ethics violations with which he is charged (and probably a lot more.) He ought to do the honorable and smart thing – resign. He won’t. He’ll bluster on and go down in flames.

Pakistan is guilty of everything they’re said to have done/are doing insofar as undermining our war in Afghanistan is concerned. They’re not going to change, not so long as they consider India to be their main threat. For us to continue to support the Paks in the face of decades of treachery on the assumption we need them is a short-term strategy that will come back to bite us in the ass.

Karzai and the Afghan government are guilty of the fraud and corruption that have been their modus operandi forever. We should accept the inevitable sooner rather than later and extricate ourselves from this deepening sinkhole.

The Republicans are guilty of using obstructionism to further their agenda, which is misguided and self-serving in the extreme. That the country and specifically the people whose interests they say they have at heart will suffer is of no concern to them. The only thing that matters is that they are elected in November.

The Democrats are guilty of stupidity in how they have squandered their ability to govern. They have managed to alienate the public both because of what they have done and not done. They’ve successfully implemented a lose-lose policy. And what matters to them? That they are elected in November.

For reasons I can’t fathom, Obama is guilty of doing what he said he’d do if elected and then managing his successes such that he is branded a failure. In the long-term history will validate his wisdom. In the near-term, the electorate in their dissatisfied and frustrated frame of mind will blame him for – everything.

The California legislature is guilty of incompetence because, what is it now? – the 20^th year in a row? – they can’t pass the budget on time.

The Catholic Church continues to be guilty of covering up their countless past and ongoing sins.

Corporations are guilty of putting profits before everything else. The non-corporate world is guilty of expecting it would or should be different. The basic operating principle among people everywhere is “What’s in it for me?” If you’ve got a problem with that, find another universe that suits you.

I’m guilty of looking for examples of guilt that validate my assumptions, presuppositions and point of view. And so are you.