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Monday, July 13, 2009

When In the Course of Human Events, It Becomes Necessary

Hello Papamoka Bloggers! Well, I attended another dinner over the weekend where a political debate broke out and the minority at the event offered the rest of us a political and sociological glimpse into just how unyielding America's Republicans are today.

We - Democrats - were trying to make our case that today's problems are too important to be ignored - the way they have been by the GOP (and Blue Dog Democrats) for decades, but we didn't go there. No matter how hard we tried to make our case for real reform where necessary - health care, energy, environment, finance and the rest - they would argue in fear of taxes. Of course, pointing out our historically low taxes didn't matter one bit.

Of course, the money their party already spent meant nothing to them - neither did the majority of the debt the GOP CREATED, to be brutally honest.

It was a tiresome experience. Though it seemed like a well-reasoned political evening where people actually listened to one another, the discussion went nowhere fast. Despite all our efforts, the Republicans that evening wouldn't give an inch. They wouldn't support us, the Democrats or Obama on any issue, or help solve any problem. They also offered us no solution of their own. They were hard-headed to the point of severe annoyance.

It's true, they didn't seem to think a plan was necessary. They said the GOP didn't need a plan, because everything would "work itself out the way it always did." Incredibly, that was their answer to everything. They refused to accept the idea that legislative, government policy and systemic changes always proceeded societal and economic development. It didn't matter, they wouldn't listen. To them, it was all Democratic BS!

They want their leaders to stop us from changing the status quo, no matter how scary the data is suggesting a very dark future for most Americans. No matter how serious, they didn't care. One minute they would acknowledge a crises (while defensively refusing to be blamed in any way), and the next minute they would be talking about how "real people and the market would work it out." That was their STUPID and INSANE answer to everything.

A Republican doctor at the event kept rambling on about how horrible health care is in the rest of the world, scaring all the other Republicans at the dinner to death. After prodding he acknowledged no real experience with those health systems. After being exposed to data showing otherwise by yours-truly, he still wouldn't give an inch. Any change was bad. I finally gave up.

I must admit, I left the evening depressed. If intelligent, civilized, politically-aware Americans cannot sit together and find common ground, then what does our future hold? We seem to come from two different Americas these days. One cares about the majority, while the other focuses on its own interests.

Looking back, and this might burn a few bridges, but my conclusion is that it's Republican individualism gone wild. They're simply selfish. They are determined to reject any change to help their fellow Americans, or even America itself, if it requires them to compromise their lifestyle in any way, or costs them any money. It's that simple.

That was my conclusion. Individual Republicans seem to be heavily invested in the status quo. The last thirty years since Reagan have given them most of what they wanted, primarily low taxes and minimal regulation. It doesn't matter if it doesn't work for most of us, as long as it helps them personally. They refuse to sacrifice anything for the greater good, or for a better future. They also seem unable to imagine a better world for some strange reason. It's as though they lack imagination.

They are refusing to help their nation compete and succeed. There's only one way to describe that position, and the word is unAmerican! We don't want to, but due to Bush and the Republicans (and those annoying Blue Dog Democrats), we Democrats know that sacrifices are now necessary. Whether it involves money or lifestyle changes, we must act now!

We Americans for America must fight their spurious claims of socialism, government waste, and their worst claim of all, Democratic corruption. If necessary, we must move forward without them.

If we cannot find common ground, let's ignore them and move on. President Obama needs to stop relying on phony bi-partisanship and focus on success. We cannot stand by and allow their personal greed to ruin what are legitimate attempts to reform our system.

If that calls on us to use the same dirty tactics of the GOP, by calling them unAmerican and unPatriotic, then let's do it. I don't necessarily believe it (thinking them ignorant instead), but if it works it may be worth a try.

We need to fight fire with fire. We need to show them how the "party of no" is trying to prevent access to affordable health care, clean domestic energy, guaranteed food and water safety, safe regulated financial markets, and a world without the threats of global warming and environmental catastrophe.

We also need to show them that instead of Republican lies and debt without end, we Democrats are trying to forge a healthy, effective, prosperous and financially sound America.

They may be willing to gamble with our children's future - and the planet's, but we are not. We are determined to change what isn't working. If our current crop of Democrats fail to deliver, I suggest we work hard (like we did to elect Obama) to defeat them, and install new ones. That's right, let's threaten to FIRE THEIR ASSES! That should scare them.

I say let's forget bi-partisanship, for it's a dead-end. Let's focus on real problems, real solutions, and finding corruption-free, fair politicians willing to deliver.

It's my new mantra! The Republicans are a waste of our time and energy. Let's force the Democrats to do their jobs. If they don't, let's fire them and find new Democrats. Let's stop playing games. It's time to create a better America for the majority of Americans. That's patriotism. That's what this nation was founded on, the "unalienable rights" of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" for ALL Americans. It is time. It has become necessary for WE THE PEOPLE to act.

Michael Boh
Papamoka's Left Coast Contributor
from Our Rants & Raves Blog

PS - What the minority Republicans and conservative Democrats don't realize is that most of us feel our leaders have turned their backs on us - ordinary hardworking Americans. Unless politicians focus more on WE THE PEOPLE and our concerns - instead of corporations and special interests - campaigns of change thwarted by the elite will ultimately give way to real revolution.

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9 Comments:

Blogger Conrad Strong said...

My experience has been much the same. You just can't sit and discuss the issues with the right-wingers because they have no interest whatsoever in finding common ground solutions. A bipartisan approach is a waste of time. I think almost all the intellectuals have left the Republican party. All of the conservatives that I know, voted for Obama in the last election. They despise compromise, despise moderates, despise educated people, despise historians and despise anything cultural. They are a party of bitter angry people who only care about themselves. It's absolutely true and incredibly sad for our nation! Great post and great blog!

12:50 AM  
Anonymous Frodo, patchin' up the crack said...

One half of what was written herein should be shared with the President. It is that good. You have eloquently stated the challenge we face confronting the other of the "two Americas."

Part Two disappointed Frodo.

"We do these things because they are hard. . ."

9:58 AM  
Blogger Michael Boh said...

Thank you Conrad and Frodo. Your disappointment is understood Frodo. Sorry, I will try to keep from stooping too low, as well as hold my spine before my next battle. :) MB

1:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Republicans have no voice in the media so maybe that's why. If you push back hard enough and purposefully ignore the will of the people the backlash will be greater.
You know like how the democrats have dumbed down the minorities so much they convinced them it's the big mean republicans who kept them down yet we all know it was the democrat party who were the slave owners and the ones who kept them down for 50 years because they convinced them they can't survive on their own.

12:34 PM  
Blogger Michael Boh said...

Wow Anon, I have no idea how to respond to that rant. You are obviously an artist when it comes to connecting the dots in the way you like them, regardless of accuracy. My suggestion is to do your homework. That may help. Right now you're bordering on the absurd.

5:54 PM  
Anonymous Infidel753 said...

The key is that when they say "the will of the people", they mean the will of the Nixonian "silent majority" which they think still exists out there somewhere, not the actual flesh-and-blood people who made their will known by the way they voted in 2006 and 2008.

No, Ms. Onymous, what convinced so many members of minority groups that their interests lie more with the Democrats was modern-day history like Lyndon Johnson having the guts to do the right thing and sign the civil rights act even though, as he said at the time, he knew it would cost the party votes in the South. What happened 150 years ago when both parties were vastly different isn't relevant to party affiliation today. The Republican party didn't start to go completely bonkers until after 1980. Guys like Goldwater would throw a fit if they could see what it's become.

2:30 PM  
Blogger B.J. said...

Michael:

I can add nothing.

I am torn between your mantra and Frodo's attempt at resolution.

Conrad Strong's comment added immensely to this discussion.

I am always thrilled with I-753's levelheaded comments.

Now, "Anon" if I had no more knowledge of what is going on in this country than you do, I would hide behind anonymity, too.

BJ

7:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"IMPEACH" It is illegal to intentionally bankrupt a country. Soros got indicted for it once. Look and he is still doing it.
WAKE UP PEOPLE!

9:58 AM  
Blogger Michael Boh said...

I am shocked the way these far-right Republicans are so concerned with bankruptcy all of a sudden. Where were they over the past forty years or so, smoking pot?

For God's sake, they impeached the one president (Clinton) who eliminated the deficit and reduced the debt.

Now they want to impeach Obama, another president who seeks to reduce the deficit and debt the only way possible - economic structural changes to health care and energy (our greatest costs).

My only conclusion is they are either an enigma (for the Republican readers, it means a person of puzzling or contradictory character) or extremely ignorant.

9:59 AM  

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