If it's not apparent to you, you're not paying attention. The republican agenda, and philosophy of most modern American conservatives, is based entirely in response to new deal democrats. Oooh they hate us sooo much. How dare we force hard working executives to give back to those free-loaders down on the line. That's why they pick the Sarah Palins when a women loses, and Michael Steele when a black man wins. And this response has created a party that is disgustingly disillusioned, and dangerous to a progressive future.
Modern conservative thought flies in the face of all established belief amongst the greatest thinkers in history, including the lord of the religion they claim to follow. Jesus, Buddha, Mohamed, and Confucius; all agree that the way to an enlightened society is to strive for something bigger than ourselves.
To believe their mindless babble a conservative must go to great lengths to justify their greed and heartlessness. Lindsay Graham hates earmarks but uses them frequently. Rush Limbaugh has been divorced twice but rails in defense of marriage's sanctity. Gay bashers are gay. And worthless bank executives foreclose on thousands of homes but coming running when the hammer's coming down on them.
They don't stand for personal responsibility. They just don't want to be responsible for YOU. They don't stand up for smaller government. They don't want government helping the poor. They think poor is by choice and they are certainly not giving up their hard-earned money to help out those bums on main street. And for all their professed patriotism, they sure do seem close to secession... again.
I fear your revolution, patriot. You revolt against the brotherhood of man. Your is a reformation against knowledge. Your cause is self-interest, and your enemy is the universal right to the pursuit of happiness.
To the conservative it is a sin for companies to sacrifice a little short term profit to provide a quality product at a decent price. That's disloyal to the shareholders. Teachers are only in it to put forth a liberal agenda. Artists create works for the money. And unions should shut up and take pay cuts when the companies going bad, but executives need us to stand up for their contracts when they run it into the ground. Oh, wait, most house republicans ended up voting to tax the contracts anyway.
The neocon transformers want us liberals to be their bogeyman. They want to scare you with stories of socialism. But we will not apologize for a literate society, a 70 year life span, a car in every garage, and highways from New York, to San Francisco, and even to Freedom, Ohio. We take pride in Universal Suffrage, and we relish in the scientific revolution. Liberal spending put a man on the moon and it will one day mine asteroids and explore deep space. And we will not back down from that.
The new administration is still in the process of filling positions and since the beginning, there has been problems with some major cabinet appointments as the nominees had withdrawn from considerations to avoid political challenges during the hearing process.
Lately, it appears to be the nominee CNN medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
It is evidenced in the following article;
Gupta won’t be next surgeon general
Neurosurgeon and TV Correspondent withdraws from Consideration
By Richard Alonso-Zaldivar, Associated Press - Thank you.
CNN medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta won’t be the next surgeon general, the Obama administration confirmed Thursday.
Gupta 39, a neurosurgeon with star appeal, was seen as President Barack Obama’s first pick for the job. He would have brought instant recognition to the office of surgeon general, a post that has lacked visibility since the days of C. Everett Koop during Ronald Reagan’s presidency.
An administration official said that Gupta had been under “serious consideration” but took himself out of the running because he wants to focus on his medical career and spend more time with his family.
“We know he will continue to serve and educate the public through his work with media and in the medical arena,” said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of nominations.
The official said there were no problems that would have disqualified Gupta, and it was his decision to withdraw.
The surgeon general is the nation’s doctor, and while the job doesn’t involve much policymaking responsibility, it’s a bully pulpit for promoting public health. Gupta could have helped Obama pitch his health care reform plan.
Initial reports in early January that Obama had approached Gupta about the job created a stir. The new president had not yet taken office. The chairman of the American Medical Association’s board said at the time it would be a boon to the government if Gupta accepted.
But Gupta would have had to give up a lucrative career. He hosts “House Call” on CNN, contributes reports to CBS News and writes a column for Time magazine. He also practices surgery at Atlanta’s Grady Memorial Hospital, which sees more than its share of trauma cases.
Political opposition had started to form.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, D-Mich., called Gupta inexperienced and circulated a letter urging Obama not to appoint him. Conyers is a leading supporter of health care reform that would create a government system similar to Canada’s and is particularly influential among liberals.
Gupta does have some Washington experience. During the Clinton administration, he served as a White House fellow and a special adviser to then-first lady Hillary Clinton.”
———————————————————————————————————————
Washington Hypocrisy:
Strangely enough, with recent appointees for high profile cabinet positions involving decision-making on International crisis affecting billions of lives around the globe “experience” didn’t seem to matter to the members of the hearing committee.
Some were sworn in with a mere formality hearing and they were aptly called by the media a shoe-in appointment.
Also, there was swift approval of nominees considered “controversial” with tax issues, conflict of interest notwithstanding the nation’s critical cabinet post supposedly being “unconstitutional.”
However, an administrative post with none or minimal policymaking responsibility as cited in the above article, aroused skepticism in the minds of certain members prompting them to an all out campaign against the adequately qualified and nationally as well as internationally prominent candidate with White House experience, reveals the true colors of Washington Politics.
Last fall, history was made for a reason. People of the human race overwhelmingly came together to convey a loud and clear message…
It is no longer the “red states” or the “blue states”, but it is the United States of America.
Apparently, like everything else it is being regarded a catchy campaign slogan rather than embracing and most importantly practicing to keep democracy alive.
Thank you.
Padmini Arhant
News reporters keep saying that America is a ‘center-right’ country and that the Democratic Congress should not pursue an aggressive agenda. Please don’t listen to them! These lies are being told by conservatives and being generously broadcast by the corporate media who don’t want liberal legislation.
Barack Obama ran on a progressive platform and the American people voted for him overwhelmingly! This is a clear mandate that voters want a progressive change in America.
We The People want an economic plan that creates new jobs and puts more money in the pockets of the middle class. No more bailouts for the people at the top who created this mess! (I personally think the Fed should be nationalized and we should go back to a tariff system. No more bad free trade deals!)
We The People want universal healthcare. (I personally support HR 676)
We The People want a sustainable energy plan. (If we would have just stuck to Jimmy Carter’s plan…)
We The People want a quick end to the Iraq war. (Let’s spend that money at home instead)
We The People want equality in America. (Repeal DOMA!)
We The People want our civil rights back. (Fix FISA!)
Let’s keep the pressure on! If we don’t act right away, the hope and excitement in America will turn to disappointment. If this happens, we may lose seats in 2010 and it will be downhill again from there.
It used to be that if a politician said something stupid, he or she could deny, deny, deny. In the age of YouTube, that is no longer true.
Now Rep. Robin Hayes (R-NC) just said something equally dumb. He said "liberals hate real Americans that work and accomplish and achieve and believe in God." After denying repeatedly that he had made the statement, an audio recording turned up and he was forced to say that, yes, he had made the statement after all. It will be interesting to see the increase in fund raising by Rep. Hayes' opponent, Larry Kissell.
Did you happen to catch Hardball on Friday, the 17th of October? A guest -- Rep. Michelle Bachman made some pretty offensive statements about America, Americans and members of Congress.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27243547#27243547
To all:
PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION TO CENSURE MS. BACHMANN
I urge you to use the form at the speaker of the house website and tell her what you think of Rep. Bachmann's despicable comments on Chris Matthews show yesterday:
Here is my letter, submitted using this form: http://speaker.house.gov/contact/
Dear Madam Speaker Pelosi,
Yesterday, I heard Michelle Bachmann, representative of Minnesota, make some of the most reprehensible and despicable remarks about our government and America on national television (Chris Matthews Hardball). Her rant about "anti-American" "liberals" in Congress and in our country -- as IF she had the final word on deciding just WHO is "American enough" -- could have been words uttered by Joe McCarthy -- a man who represents one of the lowest points in our country and our government. Michelle Bachmann (I won't give her the courtesy of a title, since I feel she is not deserving of it) spewed out demagogic, reckless, and unsubstantiated accusations about Congressmembers -- public attacks on the character or patriotism of political opponents that seem to be the main strategy of John McCain, Sarah Palin and quite a few other REPUBLICAN surrogates... including members of the House and Senate.
It is easy to flame the fires of hate and few were better at it than Joe McCarthy. Another famous "leader" said:
"...the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country."
Substitute "liberals" for "pacifists" and you have the essence of Ms. Bachman's statements. Who said that, you ask? Why, Hermann Göring - and the statements coming out of the Republican campaign resemble his type of remarks every day, from the rants at rallies of Sarah Palin and John McCain to the "robocalls" being made by the McCain campaign and the Republican Party in states like Minnesota, Pennsylvania, W. Virginia and other states. Some of these calls are about terrorism; some even use the vile "N" word, per this article on fivethirtyeight.com, made in a "fake Obama" voice as if Senator Obama were making the calls personally.
"Over in Indiana, PA and Northern Cambria, PA, volunteers fielded complaints of a massive wave of ugly robocalls both paid for by John McCain's campaign and those paid for by third parties. The third party call was interactive, and purported to be from Barack Obama himself. The call starts out reasonably, and then "Obama" asks what the listener thinks is the most important issue. Whatever the response, "Obama" then launches into a profane and crazed tirade using "n***er" and other shock language. From what we've seen, this IS the McCain ground campaign. Robocalls count as "touches" on voters, as do direct mail pieces such as this one. As David Plouffe said in today's fundraising letter to supporters, "These tactics are all that the McCain campaign and their allies have left."
"Over in Indiana, PA and Northern Cambria, PA, volunteers fielded complaints of a massive wave of ugly robocalls both paid for by John McCain's campaign and those paid for by third parties. The third party call was interactive, and purported to be from Barack Obama himself. The call starts out reasonably, and then "Obama" asks what the listener thinks is the most important issue. Whatever the response, "Obama" then launches into a profane and crazed tirade using "n***er" and other shock language.
From what we've seen, this IS the McCain ground campaign. Robocalls count as "touches" on voters, as do direct mail pieces such as this one. As David Plouffe said in today's fundraising letter to supporters, "These tactics are all that the McCain campaign and their allies have left."
As an American and a voter, I am appalled and I believe this woman deserves censure for her unfounded and defamatory accusations, on behalf of ALL AMERICANS, not just those in Minnesota.
www.stevecharing.blogspot.com
BRADLEY EFFECT? Nah. At this point in time during a national election it makes absolutely no sense for a McCain supporter to lie to pollsters and say that he/she is voting for Obama lest the interviewee will be viewed as a racist. All that does is inflate Obama's poll numbers and deflates team McCain's morale. There are many legitimate reasons to oppose Obama on experience and issues, and any opposition to him would be explained in those terms.Without question race will be an issue, but I believe that has already been embedded in existing poll results; folks don't need to shy away from their actual voting intentions.
The Bradley Effect MAY have been a factor in the NH primary when Obama was matched up against Hillary Clinton--a member of the same party--where he was leading the day before in the polls only to lose. But it should not rear its polls-twisting head on November 4 like it did in California back in 1982, and even if there actually were such an effect is under dispute.
LEVI STRESS. Out of the shadows of the McCain cocoon emerged Levi Johnston, the father-to-be of Sarah Palin's abstinence-averse daughter Bristol's child. He disclosed in an interview that he dropped out of high school to work in Alaska's oil fields presumably to help support the child if and when he gets hitched to Bristol.
What a shame! Here are the Palins--a million dollars in assets (oh how taxpayer-funded per diem when not traveling can add up!)--who couldn't give a little financial aid to at least allow the hockey stud dude to graduate from high school?A million bucks they have.
Doesn't sound like "Joe 6-pack" types to me. Palin's daughter may marry a high school dropout who didn't practice safe sex. A fine example they're setting for America's youth. Imagine if they were black how the stereotyping and insults would have been hurled at them.
GOTTA LOVE THE HATERS. As Palin and not as much recently, McCain, incited the crowds with fiery, hateful (and totally untrue) rhetoric about Obama's alleged "palling around" with terrorists. you can feel the vitriol just oozing from the yahoos present in the mob. Might as well get out the pitchforks and torches and chase Obama to a windmill. "Kill him." "Terrorist." "Off with his head." These are the so-called patriots who do not believe in a two-party system and would kill a fellow American because they disagree with them.
Included among them is that idiot woman in Minnesota who told McCain that she read Obama was Arab. I wonder who may have given her that impression.Many--not all--are bigots and haters. But the ones who are and are exorcised at Palin speeches hate Democrats, liberals, government, blacks, gays, Jews, immigrants, feminists, pro-choice folks, the media, etc. etc. etc. Tone it down extremists. Iran would welcome you
When did the word “Liberal” become a dirty word? I read articles in Letters to the Editor, and some people seem to think that merely labeling Obama as a “Liberal” ( insert shudder and gasps) is enough to make people not vote for him.
Well, I am a Liberal, I lean further toward things Liberals stand for: the common man, the American worker, labor unions’ right to exist, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, voting rights, and civil rights. The right of every person to be shown respect as a human being regardless of race, sexual orientation or religion. I believe in the individual’s right to decide how to live their life and what to do with their own body in their own privacy, and the right to access to medical and health care benefits, as do Liberals. I, as a Liberal, believe after working for 30 or 40 years and paying into a pension or 401K you have the right to collect a retirement. Liberals believe in fair taxes and expect fair taxes on the wealthy as well as the poor. We believe people don’t mind tax increases as long as they benefit all citizens and not just the top 10% of the wealthiest individuals and corporations. We believe tax cuts should be used judiciously and not just to win an election, but consider the current state of the country’s economy.
Liberals, myself included, believe in the right to voice an opinion, without fear of reprisal. We anticipate the hope to live in peace and not fear. We support policies that do not weigh our children, our grandchildren and our great-grandchildren with our irresponsible fiscal policies and lack of oversight, putting them deeper and deeper into debt. We value the opportunity to make a living wage, and being able to walk down the street without the fear of being shot.
Liberals espouse recognition of the value of education in our country and backing up that recognition by funding education for every child in America, as well as recognition of the value of our elderly and our obligations to our elders. Liberals talk about being willing to stop the discarding of the elderly into homes unfit for any human being, or relegate them to poverty and illness at the end of productive lives based on the mighty dollar. Liberals believe in the right to health care that does not force a choice between bankruptcy and medical care. The examples are legion, but if you want to know, talk to your neighbor.
The values Liberals hold I hold: love your neighbor as yourself, choose peace over war whenever possible, hold life (every life) in the highest esteem, empathy, understanding, trust, individual rights, and the respect for the opinions of others. None of us are less, for we are all intertwined and rooted in the same tree. That tree is the Tree of America, and it stands on the Planet Earth. Therefore, we Liberals think globally, trying to work with, rather than against our neighbors. Last of all, Liberals think for themselves and do not believe everything said to them from the pulpit or the soapbox. Instead they look for truth. As individuals we are not perfect, but we are not ashamed of our label either. I am proud to call myself a Liberal.
For Barack Obama's beliefs and stands on the issues see http://www.barackobama.com/issues/.
VOTE FOR CHANGE!! VOTE FOR A NEW AMERICA!! VOTE FOR AMERICAN VALUES! VOTE FOR OBAMA!!!
Red States, Heed My Warning!
by Scott Jacobson, Vanity Fair September 12, 2008, 12:08 AM
Every election year for the past decade, I have made the same threat: if my preferred candidate does not win, I will pack up my wife and children and three designer schnauzer-poodles and move to Canada. I have always made this threat in a loud tone of voice. I have often made it while standing in line at the Pottery Barn, for the appreciation of like-minded people buying linens. And I have always meant it, Jack. In 2000, I made it all the way to the Canadian border with family and schnoodles in tow before my wife reminded me I had not packed enough warm sweaters for a life in Canada. Guess you got lucky, America. In 2004, I actually arrived in Toronto and began the arduous process of starting anew far from the tyranny of a cretinous government in thrall to the backwards priorities of the Christian Right. That time I forgot the family and schnoodles. With some reluctance I doubled back. As this election season barrels towards its November reckoning, I’ve given much thought to what I will do if America disappoints me yet again and chooses to elect scary Bush/Cheney clones John McCain and Sarah Palin. I believe I’ve hit on an even better solution than uprooting my life and fleeing the country. If Democratic candidate Barack Obama does not win in November, I will organize a massive caravan of sensitive, intelligent liberal voters and forcibly colonize the Red States.
Oh, there will be objections. Some in the Red States will say you cannot just show up someplace you aren’t wanted, stake your claim and proceed to mold the established order of things to your liking. To them I will cock a quizzical eyebrow, smile indulgently and say, “Oh really? But isn’t that PRECISELY WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN IRAQ, A DISASTROUS WAR YOU DEFEND AND SUPPORT?” There will probably be other objections, too, but man, I hope that one comes up first.Step one will be to assemble the caravan. Night and day I will haunt Williams and Sonomas. I will flyer Priuses. I will hide in palm leaf hampers at The Container Store and pop out when I hear someone discussing “Fresh Air with Terry Gross.” I will assemble an army of graduate degree–holding, Good Magazine–subscribing, Kiva-donating, Feist-by-way-of-Starbucks-listening, cruelty-free deodorant–wearing, casually gay, table-scrap composting, Seventh Generation–wiping peace-lovers and together, tongue studs clacking merrily in time to our chants, we will march. What’s that, flag-waving middle manager in Muskogee with the 48-inch waist and “Bush Country” sticker on his Suburban? You feel self-conscious beside a hard-bodied aspiring actor from the East Village in an athletic-cut American Apparel tee? TOUGH. I’m sorry, dowdy hausfrau from Charlotte with the Jeff Gordon fixation, sympathy for Sarah Palin, and preference for making love while listening to Il Divo’s “Siempre”—is that whippet-thin, Gucci-clad media C.E.O. annoying you with her iPhone chatter? DEAL WITH IT. Picture this. The Tondorf family of Canton, Ohio, prepares for a night of family-style dining at their favorite all-you-can-eat smorgasbord. Little Tommy Tondorf pumps the volume on his Nickelback CD to psyche himself up for a sausage feast. Daddy Tondorf pats away lingering meat sweat from his lunch at Carl’s Jr. and dreams of bloody roast beef. Mama Tondorf cinches her billowing sweat pants and salivates quietly. But when the Tondorfs waddle with clean plates in hand towards the football field–length buffet, they’re in for a surprise. Gone will be the fried okra, mac ’n’ cheese with bacon chunks, and “smashed potatoes.” Nowhere to be found, the cheddar-drizzled meat nachos served on a sweaty kielbasa coil with fried chub medallions or whatever the hell those people eat. In their place: clean, delicious, macrobiotically prepared whole rice dishes, ladled by a sweet-natured vegan named Christopher. And the sundae bar? A stack of Tofutti Cuties. The Tondorfs will be so freaked they won’t even make it past that “Bless our President” bullcrap while saying grace. I might as well acknowledge a few more possible objections to my plan: That it denies the humanity of people whose beliefs differ from mine. That it’s short-sighted and facile. An overreaction. Cruel. That it succumbs to the same wedge-driving class paranoia used so effectively by Karl Rove himself. That schnoodles do not travel well and will make life in a Gypsy-style caravan unpleasant (mostly an objection from my wife). I appreciate these concerns, and will take them into consideration. Of course by “take into consideration,” I mean “ignore while torching a pile of NASCAR memorabilia on your front porch should you choose to elect John McCain.” Hear me, Red States. Before you pull the lever for the G.O.P. this November, I want you to ask yourselves a question. Can Blue State liberals make your lives a crazy-ass hell on earth of ridiculous mind-blowing proportions? Yes we can. Now if you’ll excuse me, Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me is on.
I've been doing some calling for the Obama campaign and had a very enjoyable conversation with a McCain supporter. With that said, I take issue with one of his remarks. He views himself a conservative and against abortion. Somehow, it seems that pro-choice advocates have and are being touted as pro-abortionists...not so! He did say, however, that in the case of rape or incest, then he would understand a woman having an abortion...so, isn't he really pro-choice? In addition, he stated that he would appreciate the opportunity to adopt one of these unwanted children...he'd like to see the government change regulation on adoptions.
Has anyone out there, who are pro-life, take the child being born into some of the situations into consideration? What it would mean to them being concieved out of incest or rape...
I am pro-choice...which means that I feel it's the women's right to choose...based on her circumstances...not the governments. I take the position that if a woman chooses to have an abortion, then that decision is between her and God. A forgiving God.
In addition, do I believe abortion should be used as a means of birth control...NO. Do I encourage abortions...NO! When I was 17 and pregnant, did I have an abortion...NO! I simply am PRO-CHOICE. Not Pro-abortion!!!
What are your thoughts?
I have been receiving e-mails from a list serve. I don't really want them, I'd rather discuss things via blog but that hasn't been happening and I am not tech savvy enough to have figured out what I should do differently yet. I will eventually, in the meantime here is a "cut-n-paste" of the e-mail and my reponse:
p.s.
I removed the person's last name in case they did not want it shown - I wasn't sure who sees this blog and who sees the list serve message and more importantly, how many. I did not want to expose this person to an audeince beyond what they were already aware of. I hope that is "kosher".
----- Original Message -----
From: Kurt
To: Whatcom County for Obama Sent: Sunday, September 07, 2008 10:04 AMSubject: [WhatcomCountyforObama]
Re: [wcd-d] two party system
Susan, I agreee with you, this is an extremely critical election and we need to do everything we can to make the results express our values. Vote for Democrats! As someone born in the early 1960's, I can definitely attest, and as someone who watches television (I like to think the more quality forms, Public affairs non-commercial) and has worked in "blue collar" work for nearly 25 years, todays "politi" is not my grandparents "politi". My grandparents voted for FDR as Democrats, owned a growing union plumbing business from 1946 until retirement in the 1980's, voted for Democrats, most, if not all of their lives. My grandfather (8th grade education, quite intelligent) voted for Ronald Reagan. I think he had become an independent voter toward the end of his life in the late 1980's. My cousins, who now own and operate a plumbing business under the same name using union plumbers, from all I know, are more apt to vote for Republicans or at the very least don't have a scrap of Democratic Party loyalty, which was definitely not the case when I was young. My parents and siblings have also noticed this phenomenon in our extended family. This is one family, in this case, mine, and it is anecdotal, yet the wall street article does not stand alone in it's assertion. This past week KCRW's "To the Point" took up the question of independent voters as part of the "undecideds" in this extremely important election year. You can listen this archived audio of the program. The segment pertaining independents is discussed in the last 20 minutes of broadcast. http://www.kcrw.com/media-player/mediaPlayer2.html?type=audio&id=tp080905after_the_conventionThis organization was represented in the broadcast, http://independentvoting.org/ So, given the likely reality that political parties are waning in certain terms, or at least the two major parties as we have known them are waning in certain terms, how do members of this party, The Democratic Party reach out to independents? Big question and it aint easy, when often what fundamentally defines an independent voter is their unwillingness to be a member of or probably more important vote based upon Party affiliation?I, for one, believe that Political parties offer a great deal to the individual voter and yet I definitely feel that I am a minority when I discuss politics with others. Am I alone, in this feeling, on this list?
Kurt
My response (well, really my response was, "hey, go look at my blog"):
Hello, No you are not alone! I know what you are talking about but I think because of Obama that voter apathy is at its lowest point ever. We can help change that even more. How? Well first let's look at the root of the problem ( in a very quick and superficial way!) from the perspective of Democrats/Liberals/Progressives (I really consider myself a Progressive and I think Obama is a Progressive candidate - Yeah!).
Democrats/Liberals seem to be apologizing for their policies. It was not Karl Rove who began to paint Liberals/Democrats with broad stroke charges of "elitism", "latte-sippin, pot-smokin, hippie-types". That started, well it really started with McCarthy, but Reagan was the one who really made Liberal bashing an art form. The real problem is that the Liberals/Democrats bought the hype. They did not fight back with any kind of heat. Why? Maybe they are afraid of losing what they have. I'm assuming that for many (at least people I know) it is because they felt guilty, they sold out, moved to the center, and bought their Mercedes Benz and they feel guilty. As well they should but that is the past and we have work to do now.
Here is what we should do. We should remember our Fathers, Grandfathers and Great-Grandfathers who fought fascism, who fought against the robber barons, who demanded fair treatment in the workplace and that all men should be treated equal in the eyes of the law. We should remember our Mothers, Grandmothers and Great-Grandmothers who fought for the right to vote, the right to decide what they could do with their own bodies, who went to work when America needed them and to this day are demanding fair pay and equality in the workplace. We should remember that the politics of "just folks" has always been this way. Liberal. Democratic. Progressive. And then we should remind everyone else!
Whenever I discuss political parties with any one who is capable of cognitive processing (most who listen to Rush Limbaugh and his ilk are often incapable of anything but mimicry or smashing things so I usually don't bother with them) I ask them what the Republican party has done for them - ever. I say, "Name five things - legislation, public policy, or tax/cut that the Republicans/Conservatives/...uh, Evangelicals (?) have put into place that have made your life as an American and our country better." They usually can't and whatever they do come up with is never really beneficial to America or even them personally they just never really thought about it before (it's kinda neat watching this realization creep across their face). Then I say, "Okay, name five things the Democrats/Liberals/Progressives have done to make your life better (sometimes they ask me this)" If they cannot name any or even if they can, I then say, "Well I can name way more than five things the Democrats/Liberals/Progressives have done to make America a better place and improve my life and your life! And I start down this list:
by Delaware Dem and it was written; Fri Oct 14, 2005 at 05:57:39 AM PDT
To be sure, the Democratic party is not perfect. Hey, politicians are politicians no matter what party they belong to they are basically used car dealers. "Hey there pretty lady! Howdja like to buy this gently used educational reform plan? You pay more in state taxes, your school gets no money, but, and here is the best part... your kid learns less! I like to call it; "No Child Left Behind" pretty catchy huh? Whaddya think? Is this plan great or is this plan great!?" I know, the Democrats didn't create "No Child Left Behind" (well, some of them helped) but they didn't exactly stop it either.
We have an opportunity to fundamentally change politics as usual with the Obama campaign though. We, as American citizens, can stand up and demand to be heard, demand action, refuse to listen to lies or half-truths and refuse to wait for the promises that politicians keep making. Hillary Clinton losing the party nomination was a warning salvo from the American people; We are paying attention to what you are doing, we don't like it, and we will not be deceived. I know I would never vote for another Clinton again and I certainly did not want to vote for a politician who supported and continues to support the war in Iraq while simultaneously allowing the true criminals involved in 9/11 to remain free and unpunished in Afghanistan (and most likely, the Arab Emirates).
I know the Republicans/Conservatives/Evangelicals(?) have done lots of great stuff too...if you have lots of money. It used to be the that the Republicans/Cons were fiscally conservative and a little bit of penny pinching is not such a bad thing for America. Now it seems as if they are only interested in making more money for those who are already wealthy. Now it seems as if Rep/Cons/Evangs. will go to any length to give more money to those at the top. Send our sons and daughters off to a war over oil profiteering, tax the middle class into poverty, deny our citizens affordable healthcare, a living wage, safe food, civil rights...when will it stop?
What happened to the decent people who were Rep/Cons like my Grandfather who fought in WWII? You know, before he passed away, he stopped voting because he was so disgusted with his party and how nasty they had become. He disliked the direction the likes of Newt Gingrich, Rush Limbaugh, and Pat Robertson were taking the party he had always voted with. I rarely agreed with my Grandfather's political ideology but I always thought he was a decent man who loved America and fought to uphold the ideals outlined in the Declaration of Independence and the laws of the Constitution. He would be heartbroken to see the way the Republican party has undercut these ideals and destroyed our most cherished rights. As a Veteran he would be angry to see the Geneva conventions ignored.
Anyway, I hope this is helpful to you the next time you are trying to explain the differences between the parties and/or the merits of the Dem/Liberal/Progressive "agenda". I have found that if you do not talk down to people (sometimes this is hard, that's why I avoid talking to Rush Limbaugh listeners!) and you give them the tools to find the information for themselves, they usually see reason. I almost always end with, "Hey, don't take my word for it - look it up for yourself! Go to the Encyclopedia Britannica or some other reliable source though, not Wiki or FOX News (ptuey! that's me spitting!) or some random blog" A good sense of humor goes a long way too. I like to say things like "Yeah, everybody knows how super sweet and generous giant corporations are, I'm sure they're the right kind of people to give tax cuts to. They'll probably pass the savings on to us...y'know...eventually. I'm sure the same companies that have outsourced American jobs to Chinese prisons are gonna look out for the interests and safety of American workers. Those CEO's of Exxon are probably talking about lowering the price of gas down to $1.50, due to their record breaking profits, right now as we speak!" If nothing else, it makes me laugh! I have managed to talk a couple of FOX News watching "Independents" (that's a label FOX News uses to brand itself and its "fair and balanced" audience- ironic no?) into serious Obama supporters. One friend, after doing some of her own digging, has gone from a talk radio enthusiast to practically a Pinko-Left-Leaning Liberal Democrat! She was pretty pissed when she discovered how badly she'd been played and lied to!
Remember, America's educational system is deplorable and has been for a long time, most people really have not learned about the depression, the New Deal, the Union struggle, Suffragettes, the Underground Railroad...arg! I can't go on! Most people under 50 know absolutely nothing about these things (quite a few over 50 too but not as many) and it is for the most part not their fault, they were not taught about American History in School, not really. Most people get a whirlwind tour of the greatest struggles of American History. I am constantly having to add important information that has been left out of my own child's history lessons. Martin Luther King is a comic book hero, nothing about all the other civil rights workers/movements or the fact that our own government was looking into ways of stopping them. One whole week in class about the civil rights movement; "There was this guy, and he had a dream, and now blacks have equality, the end." My kid has never even heard about Unions in school (funny when you consider the teacher's Union is second only to the Teamsters in bargaining power).
So be patient, you are filling in some gaps and having to break down long held misconceptions produced by sophisticated strategists. We don't have to always agree with each other but we do have to live and work together and the only way that will happen is with a little civil discourse. Sometimes you have to educate others by example, like Obama. Be calm, gracious, and kind but also be firm and persistent. Always call out bad behavior, lies, or major breaks in logic. The Democratic party has to be the better option, in every way. If we use the same smear tactics, subterfuge, fuzzy logic, and snotty rhetoric the Republican party is using how can we say we are the better choice? How can we say we are the party of change?
Keep the faith!
~Kenji7
In his acceptance speech for the Republican nomination for president, Senator John McCain summarized his primary philosophy of life, that all of us must fight for everything we have and hope to get, with country first. This followed a convention that promoted the world view that protecting, enriching, and growing the ranks of people like us is the duty of every American.
In a nutshell, this world view explains much of what has happened over the past eight years under ultra-conservative political domination: Military occupation and economic plundering of other countries, privatization of government, arbitrary detention and torture (of “others” who might pose a threat), domestic spying (finding the “others” among us), and environmental destruction (where the rest of Nature as simply a set of resources to be consumed). People who don't match their rigid definition of a “real American” as a Christian, heterosexual, economically productive Caucasian have been at best pitied, and at worst subjected to ridicule and restriction of opportunities to survive and thrive.
That many liberals choose to broaden the definition of “us” to include all of humanity (for some, even other species) is too much for ultra-conservatives to handle. They are lost in a world where “others” can't be easily identified and controlled; where behaviors rather than people are evil; and where survival depends more on cooperation than competition. Unfortunately for them, such a world is the one we currently live in, and pretending that it's something else can only lead to pain and suffering on a massive scale (as fundamentalists of other faiths and cultures continue to prove).
The “us versus them” attitude has had historical value. In small, relatively isolated groups, it has led to the evolution of different behavioral and physical attributes attuned to the unique environments where they reside. “Others” who did not have such attributes threatened the survival of the groups, which meant they either had to be assimilated, marginalized, or eliminated. As resources ran out and waste overcame them, groups needed to expand or die, which led to either conflict with occupants of areas they expanded into, or exploration and settlement of uninhabited areas that required a strong focus on taking risk for personal gain.
Most such groups have merged into larger communities with global reach (or are in the process of doing so). These larger communities are forced by common interest to cooperate with each other in an era where their actions can jeopardize the future of the entire human species. At the same time, our exponentially growing consumption of resources (such as fresh water, arable land, fossil fuel, precious metals, other species) and its attendant waste (pollution) is forcing our new global community to make the same choice its ancestors dealt with: expand or die. To expand, we will all need to work together as the problem is too big for any of us. If we choose to die, by complacency or mindless pursuit of self-interest, then competition will sadly become more valuable as resources run out and the environment gets more toxic.
Expansion cannot include the increased drilling and environmental exploitation that ultra-conservatives like John McCain champion. In fact, pursuing such a strategy will only make the problem worse, by adding waste and increasing the rate of depletion. What we must do instead is increase the amount of renewable resources we can use as fast as possible (and not using them any faster than they can regenerate) while limiting the amount of non-renewable resources that we use. We will need new non-renewable resources to be sure, but only to create and be able to use renewable ones. What this means immediately is that we must focus the majority of the world’s economic growth on developing our ability to use renewable energy, and reuse (or get more use out of) the products we make. What’s left of our growth should be spent acquiring more non-renewable resources to further this effort, without adding harmful waste; this may involve a serious and vigorous pursuit of the settlement of other worlds such as the Moon and Mars, a task well suited to those driven by competition and stressed by highly ordered and unavoidable social interaction.
"Finally he (Yoda) saw the truth.
This truth that he, the avatar of light, Supreme Master of the Jedi Order, the fiercest, most implacable, most devastatinggly powerful foe the darkness had ever known...
just -
didn't-
have it.
He'd never had it. He had lost before he started.
He had lost before he was born.
The Sith had changed. The Sith had grown, had adapted, had invested a thousand years' intensive study into every aspect of not only the Force but Jedi lore itself, in preparationh for exactly this day. The Sith had remade themselves.
They had become new.
While the Jedi -
The Jedi had spent that same millenium training to fight the last war."
(from "STAR WARS Episode III: Revenge of the Sith" by Matthew Stover"
The problem with labels, like 'conservative' and 'liberals' is that they leave little room for the individual or their uniqueness, while changing him/her into something generalised, superficial and without depth. Labels gradually come to stand for the person and their beliefs instead of being part of the person's perspective.
Labels might give a clearer indication of where we stand on our view of life, but no matter what labels we carry to describe our political or religious leanings, we are still humans under that cover, capable of all kinds of contradictory feelings, beliefs and emotions at any given time. Hence the flaw with any kind of labelling: it simply reduces the person to a low denominator which suggests no capacity to think or act in any way except under a superficial, predictable one.
Many people discount what others might say if they are from the 'opposition'. But for someone to dismiss what anyone says simply because of their political hue, instead of noting its relevance and contribution to any debate, shows a paucity of intellect and common sense. No one is all bad or all good based on a label, so the quicker we regard labels in their true contexts, more broad brushstrokes than finer detail, the more we'll appreciate the individual, the rich tapestry they weave and where they're coming from.
I would regard myself as firmly in the centre. Yet there are times when my views can be as extreme as any right wing person or as liberal as a left winger, depending on the issue involved, its effect on my life and my degree of commitment to it. That's the beauty of being human, no matter what we gravitate towards to reflect our values, we transcend all labels, especially when anything becomes life threatening .
Methinks we doth protest too much.
I'm all about protecting Senator Obama and promoting positivity and his real message and policies. I'm sick to death of the Republican attack machine, and I'm sure as hell going to do what I can to make sure this country doesn't collectively make the same aggregious mistakes made in 2000 and 2004. But I think we are becoming increasingly overreactive to the media CRAP and I'm afraid this might hurt us in the longrun. Please--if you've taken the time to read this far, please read the entire post. Humor me. Bear with me.
Are some liberals or progressive ideologues making too much of Obama's alleged flip-flops?
