THE CHAIR IS A BETTER CANDIDATE
Clint Eastwood's speech to an empty chair has been the big talk on the Internet today. The chair was supposed to represent President Obama.
I think the chair could play another role. The chair would probably be a more substantial candidate than Willard Romney. At least the chair won't flip-flop on every major policy position. And the chair isn't likely to eviscerate the social safety net. The Chair in 2012.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Talking to Chairs
LIKE TALKING TO A CHAIR
Sometimes when people feel they aren't getting through to someone they will say something like, "It was like talking to the wall." In Clint Eastwood's case, it was furniture instead. Maybe that's appropriate because Willard Romney is the personification of "wooden."
Sometimes when people feel they aren't getting through to someone they will say something like, "It was like talking to the wall." In Clint Eastwood's case, it was furniture instead. Maybe that's appropriate because Willard Romney is the personification of "wooden."
Republican Undead
THE PASTY WHITE UNDEAD
I haven't bothered to watch the coronation of Willard Romney at the Republican National Convention. It would be a little like reading a novel where you already know the ending. In this case, it would be like reading a very bad novel and knowing the ending.
Watching Republicans is little like watching a bread factory. There are all those white pasty elitist faces. There's a fair mix of homophobia, misogyny, immigrant bashing, racism, and snobbery thrown in, but the predominant feeling is watching pasty white elitists pretending to be alive when they are really the undead.
I haven't bothered to watch the coronation of Willard Romney at the Republican National Convention. It would be a little like reading a novel where you already know the ending. In this case, it would be like reading a very bad novel and knowing the ending.
Watching Republicans is little like watching a bread factory. There are all those white pasty elitist faces. There's a fair mix of homophobia, misogyny, immigrant bashing, racism, and snobbery thrown in, but the predominant feeling is watching pasty white elitists pretending to be alive when they are really the undead.
No Honor Among Thieves
NO HONOR AMONG THIEVES
I think all politicians lie. That has been true historically and continues into present times. Lies in the past usually contained grandiose promises about what the politician, if given power, would do for the little guy. It was the "chicken in every pot" type of lie.
Governments also lie. An argument can sometimes be made that lies are sometimes justified. For example, if it's an issue of national security and telling the truth would jeopardize national security, then a lie has some moral basis.
But now we have the team of Romney-Ryan who take lying and falsehood to an unprecedented level. Willard Romney shamelessly lies and his new sidekick Paul Ryan seems disposed to follow Willard's example. The Republican Party has reached lower and lower on the morality scale. At one time there were Republicans who actually condemned the unconstitutional and illegal acts of President Richard Nixon. Today's Republicans probably don't think Nixon went far enough in his illegality because hanging on to power to all that matters.
The one thing you can say about Willard Romney is that he will never be accused, as FDR was, as being a "traitor to his class." Willard is unabashed in his devotion to the top 1% and the policies that have created a chasm of inequality in the United States. He has no love for the planet because addressing global warming harms the lifestyles and profits of the people at the top. He doesn't care about ending wars because wars are good business too.
I think all politicians lie. That has been true historically and continues into present times. Lies in the past usually contained grandiose promises about what the politician, if given power, would do for the little guy. It was the "chicken in every pot" type of lie.
Governments also lie. An argument can sometimes be made that lies are sometimes justified. For example, if it's an issue of national security and telling the truth would jeopardize national security, then a lie has some moral basis.
But now we have the team of Romney-Ryan who take lying and falsehood to an unprecedented level. Willard Romney shamelessly lies and his new sidekick Paul Ryan seems disposed to follow Willard's example. The Republican Party has reached lower and lower on the morality scale. At one time there were Republicans who actually condemned the unconstitutional and illegal acts of President Richard Nixon. Today's Republicans probably don't think Nixon went far enough in his illegality because hanging on to power to all that matters.
The one thing you can say about Willard Romney is that he will never be accused, as FDR was, as being a "traitor to his class." Willard is unabashed in his devotion to the top 1% and the policies that have created a chasm of inequality in the United States. He has no love for the planet because addressing global warming harms the lifestyles and profits of the people at the top. He doesn't care about ending wars because wars are good business too.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
THE REPUBLICAN CLOWN CAR
The Internet is ablaze with stories about the Republican candidate Todd Akin, who is running for the Senate in Missouri. Akin made the totally obscene and ridiculous assertion that women do not get pregnant from "legitimate rape." I don't know what the distinction is between legitimate rape and illegitimate rape, but rape is a despicable crime no matter what guise it appears in: violent, date, statutory, incest. The God Mr. Akin worships evidently approves of rape because people like him always like to talk about the "sanctity of life" and "God's will."
The Republican clown car just keeps 'a coming. The horns are blaring and the red noses are aglow and the lights are flashing and the car is careening around on two wheels. I have never liked Republicans, but they are finding ways to take dislike to absolute hatred. They are doing everything in their power to give everything to the wealthy white elites, to destroy even an already weak social services system, to suppress votes, to give polluters carte blanche to destroy the environment, to demonize gay and transgender people, and destroy constitutional provisions against an alliance of government and religion. The clown car might be funny, but the implications are horrifying. We don't need to fight the Taliban in Afghanistan because we already have our own version here at home.
The Internet is ablaze with stories about the Republican candidate Todd Akin, who is running for the Senate in Missouri. Akin made the totally obscene and ridiculous assertion that women do not get pregnant from "legitimate rape." I don't know what the distinction is between legitimate rape and illegitimate rape, but rape is a despicable crime no matter what guise it appears in: violent, date, statutory, incest. The God Mr. Akin worships evidently approves of rape because people like him always like to talk about the "sanctity of life" and "God's will."
The Republican clown car just keeps 'a coming. The horns are blaring and the red noses are aglow and the lights are flashing and the car is careening around on two wheels. I have never liked Republicans, but they are finding ways to take dislike to absolute hatred. They are doing everything in their power to give everything to the wealthy white elites, to destroy even an already weak social services system, to suppress votes, to give polluters carte blanche to destroy the environment, to demonize gay and transgender people, and destroy constitutional provisions against an alliance of government and religion. The clown car might be funny, but the implications are horrifying. We don't need to fight the Taliban in Afghanistan because we already have our own version here at home.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)