On Politics
I know, I know. Everyone is talking about politics, including me. But if you can't talk about politics a mere two months before a presidential election, when can you?
The lovely and talented dgm (aren't her and her husband just too damn cute in that picture?) asked me in the comments on a previous post, "The Republicans don't have a monopoly on hypocrisy. Politics is rife with hypocrisy and rhetoric. That's how the game is played. This surprises you?" She went on to say that she isn't trying to bait me, but was curious as to why I am suddenly working myself up into such a lather.
Well, to be honest, I often work myself up in a political lather, I just tend not to do it here. In fact, since Bush has been president, I've found myself quite sudsy more often than not.
I have always been very political, talking politics is a regular occurrence both here at my home and a tradition with my extended family at holidays and parties. I have very deeply held beliefs, and I get extremely annoyed when people cannot pull their heads out of their asses.
See how logical and levelheaded I am?
Seriously, I have come to hate the Republican party with every fiber of my being. I understand that politics is all about getting elected, I am far from naive on that front. All politicians flip-flop at one point or another. I mean, they are human, right? I don't expect them to be perfect. I guess you could say that my problem is with the electorate moreso than the politicians themselves.
The more I see the Republican party in action, I have come to see them as the party of hate. The party of narrow-mindedness. The party of outright lies paraded around as God's given truth.
Hate gays? Republicans are just the ticket! Oh, except Vice President Cheney's daughter. She's fine. Actually, let's just not talk about her, OK?
Hate other religions? Republican is the way to go! It's the Bible, baby! God's Word. Uh, except never mind about the Old Testament, seeing as how it's about the Jews being the chosen people. Ah heck, we'll just ignore the parts that we don't like!
Hate the "liberal" media? Republicans cry about liberal bias in the media, but have no problem when FOX news and their affiliates spout off. Because you see, it's only the truth when it's on FOX. Everyone else is a commie socalist elite.
John McCain, he's our man! Except back in 2000, when we did all that we could to smear him, demean his civil and military service, and lie about his adopted daughter by calling her illegitimate. But remember, families are off limits!
Hate big government and government spending? Re-pub-li-can! Well let's completely ignore the fact that under the Bush administration, the government actually grew bigger and got more intrusive! But wait, it can intrude all it wants on the issues we want it to, like what a woman can do with her own body. But hands off my taxes to help children below the poverty line to get healthcare! Oh, and did the Bush administration spend like a bunch of crazy Democrats! Spent like crazy to the tune of every man, woman, and child in the US owing $31,000 each to erase the deficit. And that was before the Fannie/Freddie bailout! Didn't we have a budget surplus going into the Bush administration? Shhhh....
The outright refusal to see reality, the hypocrisy, the flat-out two faced lying and the people who are either fooling themselves into believing it or are too stupid to know the difference have worked me up into a lather indeed. Where have our nation's critical thinking skills gone?
It is said we get the government we deserve. Well, I don't deserve another four years of Republican crap, and neither does my son.
I truly believe that if John McCain is elected, Rome, which is already pretty much right up on the precipice, has no chance of remaining intact.
The lovely and talented dgm (aren't her and her husband just too damn cute in that picture?) asked me in the comments on a previous post, "The Republicans don't have a monopoly on hypocrisy. Politics is rife with hypocrisy and rhetoric. That's how the game is played. This surprises you?" She went on to say that she isn't trying to bait me, but was curious as to why I am suddenly working myself up into such a lather.
Well, to be honest, I often work myself up in a political lather, I just tend not to do it here. In fact, since Bush has been president, I've found myself quite sudsy more often than not.
I have always been very political, talking politics is a regular occurrence both here at my home and a tradition with my extended family at holidays and parties. I have very deeply held beliefs, and I get extremely annoyed when people cannot pull their heads out of their asses.
See how logical and levelheaded I am?
Seriously, I have come to hate the Republican party with every fiber of my being. I understand that politics is all about getting elected, I am far from naive on that front. All politicians flip-flop at one point or another. I mean, they are human, right? I don't expect them to be perfect. I guess you could say that my problem is with the electorate moreso than the politicians themselves.
The more I see the Republican party in action, I have come to see them as the party of hate. The party of narrow-mindedness. The party of outright lies paraded around as God's given truth.
Hate gays? Republicans are just the ticket! Oh, except Vice President Cheney's daughter. She's fine. Actually, let's just not talk about her, OK?
Hate other religions? Republican is the way to go! It's the Bible, baby! God's Word. Uh, except never mind about the Old Testament, seeing as how it's about the Jews being the chosen people. Ah heck, we'll just ignore the parts that we don't like!
Hate the "liberal" media? Republicans cry about liberal bias in the media, but have no problem when FOX news and their affiliates spout off. Because you see, it's only the truth when it's on FOX. Everyone else is a commie socalist elite.
John McCain, he's our man! Except back in 2000, when we did all that we could to smear him, demean his civil and military service, and lie about his adopted daughter by calling her illegitimate. But remember, families are off limits!
Hate big government and government spending? Re-pub-li-can! Well let's completely ignore the fact that under the Bush administration, the government actually grew bigger and got more intrusive! But wait, it can intrude all it wants on the issues we want it to, like what a woman can do with her own body. But hands off my taxes to help children below the poverty line to get healthcare! Oh, and did the Bush administration spend like a bunch of crazy Democrats! Spent like crazy to the tune of every man, woman, and child in the US owing $31,000 each to erase the deficit. And that was before the Fannie/Freddie bailout! Didn't we have a budget surplus going into the Bush administration? Shhhh....
The outright refusal to see reality, the hypocrisy, the flat-out two faced lying and the people who are either fooling themselves into believing it or are too stupid to know the difference have worked me up into a lather indeed. Where have our nation's critical thinking skills gone?
It is said we get the government we deserve. Well, I don't deserve another four years of Republican crap, and neither does my son.
I truly believe that if John McCain is elected, Rome, which is already pretty much right up on the precipice, has no chance of remaining intact.
Comments
I need to send you around to some of these fool Hillary fans who are talking about voting for McCain, presumably to teach Obama a lesson.
First of all, I think you are wrong to assume that the Republican party is peopled entirely with the moral majority types. That is a faction in the party, but it is by no means the party itself.
I do see where you're coming from, honestly, but I gotta say the Republicans do not have a monopoly on hypocrisy. I'm a cynic or a skeptic, no doubt. I have spent my share of time in the Beltway and around politics and politicians and their aides and party hacks, and so I am not disappointed or surprised at this. Think Bill Clinton didn't disappoint his party by "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" or signing on to welfare reform or getting a blow job from an intern young enough to be his daughter? Plenty of Dems felt betrayed by and disappointed in him, including a lot of women who spent their careers fighting against sexual harassment in the workplace.
The reality is, a sitting president is somewhat limited in what laws are passed. Congress makes the laws (and the Dems are the ones with a majority in the house). Yes, the pres gets veto power, but will always use it strategically.
I think you need to separate "the party" from individuals who vote for a candidate in the party. To say that the Republicans are the party of hate--AND I AM NOT A REPUBLICAN AND WILL NOT BE VOTING FOR THE REPUBLICANS--unfairly characterizes plenty of kind, decent, hardworking and compassionate people who, like you, believe that they are in the right. Haters come in all shapes and sizes and political parties, but their existence doesn't mean that everyone in that party is also a hater. Go to any political (and lately, non-political) blog these days and you will find plenty of venom spewed against either candidate. (You yourself use the word "hate" when you describe the Republican party.) Come on now, let's not be h8rs.
Can we still be friends?
To deny that this type of person comprises the bulk of the voting bloc of the party is to deny reality. Whether it was that way when they orginally that way when they signed up, it is that way now. What I described are some of the main planks of the platform.
So, I assume that if you are a Republican, you agree with the platform.
And if you agree with the platform, then yes, I have some issues.
Maybe it isn't exactly hate, I have a really hard time with people who vote with blinders on.
I can be friends with anyone, just don't expect me to like your viewpoint!
I also can admit that I was disappointed in Bill Clinton. Republicans tend to stick by their people, right or wrong. This would explain the 28% of people who still think that Bush is doing a great job.
It is entirely possible that McCain is simply paying lip service to the Republican electorate simply to get into office, and will then go back to being the reformer that he used to be.
BTW, I, too live with an elephant.
And, here's how all over the place politics has gotten. My hubby and I will be canceling each other out on voting day. Not unusual but whatever.
My FIL, who votes Republican for mostly economic reasons and doesn't particularly care much about some of the other stuff, is voting Democrat because of my hubby (and YOU KNOW the reason for it)....strange things happen in politics but I have to agree with one of the earlier commenters, Republicans haven't cornered the market on hypocrisy, as I have observed here from my cozy seat as one of those upstart Libertarians, there's whackjobs on both ends of the spectrum.
(PS: not calling you a whackjob, lol)
(PSS: definitely don't think Bush has been doing a swell job)