I've attempted many times to write something about the state of the Republican party, and the current conservative movement. Something in the nature of the nuts taking over the nuthouse, religious fringe hijacking the party, or angry dumb mobs (read: Tea Party) shouting down what little is left of reasonable discourse in politics.
I simply can't find the words. I'm too emotionally involved in this. I'm too outraged and upset to be playful with words. It's probably true that this will come and go. Like all events that seem too great to get over, too apocalyptic, it will eventually pass. I can accept that likelyhood.
However, it's not just that it's a bad thing for the country. It's not just that it's bad for governance during a recession. It's not just - incorrect or imprudent. It's vile. Truly vile. What these people are is simply repulsive. Everytime I think about casting my thoughts into words on the subject, I can only shake in impotent rage over these wretches. These subhumans. These pathetic excuses for human beings that make up the conservative "base", that apparently has the ear of leadership.
Here's a clip from the last debate, where viewers booed a gay service member who submitted a video question to Rick Santorum.
You don't boo a service member. Period. At least not if you're a person who claims to "support the troops".
Santorum proceeds to answer the question by lying and saying that the repeal of DADT is an endorsement of homosexual misbehavior on duty. The lies are stacking up so fast among these people that it's impossible to stay above it. It's a triumph of untruth. The lesson being learned is that if you tell as many audacious lies as possible, and never apologize, you can create an alternate reality for at least a quarter of the population. And you'll make an additional 50% of the population at least give pause to seriously consider your lies.
If I could I would punish these people. Obviously I can't do that. What I can do is refuse to give this group, or anyone who chooses to associate under the same banner (Romney and Huntsman included), the time of day. I want them out of politics. I want them off of TV. I frankly want them out of my country, but I'd settle for being exiled from decent society...
KNOW HATE
Yeah, they suck.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure things are a ton better on the other side, but they're a little better.
I'm still conservative, but this party is cow-towing only to the stupid and the sheep.
So screw'em.
On a side note, it shows poor taste to boo that guy and his question, but I've no problem, in general, with booing a soldier.
Soldiers do an important job, but they bleed the same blood as us (just more often because unlike us they're not cowards). We put them on too high a pedestal most of the time.
"Soldiers do an important job, but they bleed the same blood as us (just more often because unlike us they're not cowards). We put them on too high a pedestal most of the time. "
ReplyDeleteAgreed, we do. However, most wouldn't boo someone submitting a question anyway. If that's bad taste, then it's certainly unacceptable to boo someone who has willingly put themself in danger for the greater good.
"I'm not sure things are a ton better on the other side, but they're a little better."
This pisses me off. No democrats aren't great. No, I don't think carte blanche liberalism and support of the democratic party will save America. HOWEVER - it's cynical in the extreme to put the two in the same category, the same ballpark.
Liberals, in my opinion, went too far in calling GW Bush incompentent (from the start) last decade. However, the GOP has been openly and deliberately misrepresenting the truth since the Obama took office, and skewing every act, no matter how moderate into a "socialist" attempt to destroy america. They're agenda is openly and nakedly partisan. Mitch McConnell just publicly stated that the goal of the GOP Senate for the next year is to keep Obama from getting a 2nd term. That is unprecidented partisanship and irresponsible citizenship.
If liberals took a bold step over the line in 2000, the GOP took an sprint, which hasn't yet stopped. Part of the problem is the kind of position that you're taking that this is some species of "business as usual" in politics. They're all crooks and liars, right? Same shit different day. When you take an attitude like that, calling someone like Sarah Palin a liar, simply doesn't have the impact it should since we all know that politicians are liars. We've been told that since childhood.
No, this is something above and apart and wholely different from typical Democratic bumbling and liberal pandering.
You're probably right.
ReplyDeleteI, from an extremely bias perspective, would describe things to say that Democrats are wrong, Republicans are liars.
I also consider myself a conservative. I stand with the (former) principle of conservativism, which I would sum up as:
ReplyDelete1. Total control is impossible, and the power wielded by authorities is unpredictable, inconsistent and inefficient.
2. Therefore, be cautious about what responsibilities you allow the government to take on, whether domestic (economic, social) or foreign (nation building), and accept that not all problems can be solved by the law.
But that's not really the principle anymore. Instead, there's a very specific set of policy doctrines which you either accept, or be labeled a liberal or a RINO.
I also would agree that there's a lot to debate in the Democrat's agenda. It's certainly not perfect, and my dissent against the GOP doesn't equal assent for the Democrats. However, disputing the Democratic agenda would be like an oncologist talking about a fluctuation in LDL cholesterol while ignoring the cancer filling the patient's scrotum and spreading to the lymph nodes.
There's an infuriating trend in moderate conservatives to criticise to Obama over "not handling the situation" with Congress properly, as a way of deflecting attention away from the real problem, and avoiding the uncomfortable situation of having to call out their own party over it's madness. That's a bullshit justification. It's just plain cowardice.
Like I said, I'd prefer to call myself a conservative, but they won't have me. And I'm not going to patiently wait for reason to return, keeping my mouth shut all the while. If that makes me a liberal, then I'll have to make myself comfortable with that. It's hard for me not to be sympathetic to the democrats when I watch them repeatedly make offers to compromise, and getting the door slammed in their face over and over. They are making a reasonable attempt to govern, using their own philosophy (however flawed) as a guide. The opposition, on the other hand, is incapable of governing. Their base demands nothing but 100% submission to "conservative" "principles", and GOP politicians are spineless pussies, quivering in fear that they'll be ousted at the next election for being RINOs.
Our republic is falling into the hands of madmen and demagogues. And all of this falls within the legal bounds of legitimate politics in America. I prefer what I cannot have. I prefer the Roman solution, where we stand up, grasp the sword in our own hands and RUN THESE MANIACS TO THE TARPEIAN ROCK!
"On a side note, it shows poor taste to boo that guy and his question, but I've no problem, in general, with booing a soldier."
ReplyDeleteIt would be perfectly fine to boo that soldier if he had said, "Say, I don't think the Nazi's policies were so bad, what do you think?" The soldier in the video essentially asked a question about tolerating gay people and those worthless bigots decided to boo him.
That gay soldier is putting his life on the line for them and the thanks he gets is a big old helping of SCREW YOU! No, it is not okay to boo this soldier. Not for this reason.
Sorry Matt I disagree.
ReplyDeleteIt shows bad taste. A lack of civility. It's not nice to be sure. But isn't that what said soldiers are fighting for? (more on that in a moment)
Also, that dude was serving in Iraq so he's at considerable more risk than some, but this weird reverence for people in the military is beyond me.
That marine that got the medal of honor? Hero. Others like him? Heroes.
The Sgt. running the supply depot in Topeka, Kansas? Not a hero.
I'm not taking away from depot guy's service. I'm sure he's a good soldier. Does what he's told, might even be brave if the chance arose, but if it doesn't, he's not a hero.
They're also not all over there "for us" as we want to believe. It's a job. A job that takes balls and deserves some respect, but not this worship that sets them above being booed or criticized the same as anyone else.
Respect, but not worship.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your criticisms, in and of themselves, John. We've talked many times about that "army strong" worship of the military BS. But I think the criticism is out of place in this context.
I'm not calling this guy a hero, or saying that he should be worshipped. But the guy deserves the benefit of the doubt, simply because he's performing a public service. People don't join military for the money. They do it, at least in part, because they want to serve the public. Even the supply guy in Topeka.
Now, in my book, public service is always respectable, even if it's just picking up trash. And this guy was giving respect to the audience, he wasn't speaking rudely or out of turn. So, he did not deserve to be booed.
I'm not saying they shouldn't be allowed to be booed, to be sure. Free country. But it's definately evidence that they're pieces of shit with no manners, and no character. How you treat your enemy matters. Courtesy is important, especially in an adversarial situation. If they don't share that view, and can't even give pause for a guy in Iraq then I think it shows what we're dealing with. Mooks. Bugs. Scum.