Bald Politics

I’ve saved up some thoughts on the political season. Many who know me understand my predisposition to think on politics. It is a second skin for me. And no, I’m not a republican or democrat in the strictest of terms. I’ve spent more years as a republican than a democrat, and even then one cannot predict my support on an issue. And no I am not a libertarian – I doubt anyone has a clear definition of one of those, so I’m not one of that pack!

No, I am an optimist. I think our nation, our people, are capable of doing great things most of the time. However, it requires we keep our thinking caps on so we are dealing with reality and facts; not idle fears and raging prejudices. We are so much better than that. And yes, both political parties can have truth on their side, it’s just a matter of timing.

Meanwhile I think we ought to give thought to ridding ourselves of political parties. They seek power over others rather than truth and justice. So why bother with untrustworthy agendas? Let’s just pay attention to the details and the issues that matter.

I’ve collected some quotes I think might help us with this task:

1. From Samuel-Warde.com:

“Jobs Program

1.      Filibuster American Jobs Act

2.      Stonewall monetary stimulus

3.      Threaten a debt default

4.      Cut discretionary spending in the debt ceiling

5.      Cut discretionary spending in the budget deal

6.      Blame unemployment on Obama

7.      Win 2012 election”

The republican strategy has been clear for some time. They used this same thinking during the Clinton White House; they prepared the way during the Bush White House. Now it is in full use.

Manipulation. Don’t fix problems. Blame whoever is handy. Don’t cooperate with our collegial form of government. Just obstruct. Then say it’s the other guy’s fault.

How dumb do they think American voters are? Are you going to let them get away with this? Huh?

2. John Steinbeck:

“Socialism never took root in America because the poor there see themselves not as an exploited proletariat but as temporarily embarrassed millionaires.”

Interesting thought isn’t it? With an open society we can ‘see’ ourselves as rich and powerful. We don’t need others to make it happen. We don’t need a manipulative ideology to live life. We just need our own brain, creativity and access to resources to make it happen. The system is just fine. It’s the denizens who capture control from time to time who are the problem.  Come to think of it, that idea pertains to political parties.

Let’s get rid of them. We don’t need the crutch. We can work together just fine. But first let’s make sure obstructionists are out of the way!

3. Howard Zinn:

You are saying our problem is civil disobedience, but that is not our problem.

Our problem is civil obedience.

Our problem is the numbers of people all over the world who have obeyed the dictates of the leaders of their government and have gone to war, and millions have been killed because of this obedience.

Our problem is that people are obedient all over the world in the face of poverty and starvation and stupidity, and war and cruelty.

Our problem is that people are obedient while the jails are full of petty thieves, and all the while the grand thieves are running the country.

That’s our problem.”

We went to war in Granada. We went to war in Panama. Ditto Korea and Viet Nam. And also Iraq. When do we learn that ‘leaders’ do not always tell the truth in these matters? And if they are telling the truth as best they can, are they correct in fact and judgment? George W wasn’t in the latter two wars; it raises question in the former.

Zinn has a solid complaint. Our obedience needs to be well earned. It is not about persuasion. It is about logic. When will we know enough (study hard!) so we can make independent judgments on these matters? Having political parties around to do our thinking for us makes us weak and tempting prey.

4. From the Internet, anonymous:

“Republicans insist that tax cuts for the wealthy stimulate the economy.

70% of our nation’s wealth is owned by just 10% of all Americans.

With all that money laying around, if the rich were going to fix the economy on their own, they already would have!

Face the facts. Republicans can’t.”

I believe the science of economics has already denuded the republicans on this point. The rich claim to be the risk takers of our nation. In reality it is the government that has taken the risk, and we taxpayers have paid the bill. The rich need to be taking on new risk if our problems are to be repaired. If they don’t wish to do so, then we shall tax them and use that funding source to take on the problems.  See how simple that is?

5. Bill Maher:

“If conservatives get to call universal healthcare ‘socialized medicine’ then I get to call private for-profit healthcare “soulless, vampire bastards making money off human pain.”

God Bless Bill Maher! Conservatives and republicans are not the only ones who have license to label things. The rest of us can too. Perhaps we should get there first next time? How about the dissolute republicans? They take but cannot give?  I kind of like the ring of that phrase.

6. Anonymous from the Internet:

“Simple question: should the republican governors who are refusing to implement the Affordable Care Act lose their tax-payer funded health insurance?”

Simple justice, folks. If health care programs paid for by the government is so bad, then the elected officials benefitting from the programs should be removed from the programs’ coverage. Ditto for retirement benefits. If Congress is so upset over Social Security, here are two things they need to do immediately:

a.       Remove themselves as beneficiaries;

b.      Stop borrowing from the trust fund’s balances.

Another variation on the to-do list: Congress ought to live on the retirement benefits from Social Security not some bloated program designed by them for their own benefit. If it is good enough for Americans in general, then they ought to be satisfied with those benefits, too.

Final comment: Pay attention to who is making a good faith effort to fix problems and spread the credit to those who collaborate in the fix. All others should be ignored.  That should earn democrats your vote in 2012. Republicans have failed this test for many, many years. Shame on them.

July 19, 2012