Republican Hooligans and Fools

Good Morning Papamoka Bloggers! What do you guys make of the latest Republican demonstrations at town halls across America, so reminiscent of the Spring "Tea Parties" featuring hundreds of America's finest citizens? I know I'm getting very tired of today's juvenile Republican antics. Their love of democracy is only surpassed by their love of shouting and drowning out our individual right to congregate and debate.

They are making a big splash in the media, but they still look like a bunch of FOOLS! To suggest they're coming across as a productive opposition to a serious debate is laughable. I'm pretty sure ordinary citizens observing the health care debate from the sidelines consider them distractions - since despite what Republicans are saying in the media, most Americans do consider health care a serious issue that needs repair.

In my opinion, which of course is what this blog is all about, I see them as loud-mouthed bullies, pure and simple. They are no different then children who scream to make their point, pouting if they don't get their way. They may see themselves as a determined opposition who will drown out those they disagree with, but the rest of us see them as fools who refuse to sit down and discuss a very serious issue.

I'm pretty sure most Americans see them as irrational. Most of us are smart enough to realize they didn't shout over the past eight years or so when the Republicans were spending more than at any other time in history.

Where were they when the Republicans passed the last health care bills? Where were they when their own political party funneled hundreds of billions of government tax money into the hands of the pharmaceuticals (prescription drug benefits) and private health insurance companies (Medicare Plus) under George W. Bush and the Republicans? Why didn't they shout about spending then?

They were SILENT! SHEEP! OBEDIENT MORONS! The damn hypocrites. They have no credibility when it comes to lecturing us on how to spend tax dollars.

They're trying to shout-down a debate about health care - insurance - reform when most Americans want and need to talk about the issue. Republicans may feel empowered by the demonstrations (if you listen to Pat Robertson and others), but the rest of us only see a bunch of loud-mouthed fools trying to take away our microphones, or whatever else we need to make ourselves heard in this very important debate.

The bottom-line is that Republicans want to spend-spend-spend when they're in power, doing everything they can to help their own constituencies such as corporations, the wealthy and the military-industrial crowd, but do everything they can to shut down ANY spending when not in power.

It doesn't even seem to matter if we're trying to reform a system that is threatening America's ability to pay down past Republican debt, guarantee our competitive place in the world (other countries have affordable health care, giving them a competitive edge), and much more. They don't seem to care about those points. They just ignore those very important national security considerations.

Oh yes, and they - incredibly - have the gall to treat all government money as though it were their own. The really disgusting part is that we're trying to spend American money to save American lives, and they still object.

They won't object when it comes to spending money on weaponry, but will fight tooth and nail to prevent children and poorer Americans from being able to purchase affordable - reformed - health insurance. It's clear from the "debates" so far they are prepared to lie and lie and lie. They keep telling INCREDIBLE LIES!

They keep saying that Democrats are trying to take away your health insurance as it exists today (LIE!), kill your grandmother by recommending euthanasia (LIE!), bring about socialized medicine (LIE!), fund abortions (LIE!), and my favorite, suggest that poor people will be shipped to better neighborhood hospitals reminiscent of the busing scares decades ago.

It's clear the Republicans and their industry allies will stop at nothing to shut-down debate about health insurance reform. They will do everything they can to muddy the waters and make Americans fear change. They may be more Rovian, but by and large they are using the same basic tactics they used when trying to kill Social Security, Medicare and every other major program that helped civilize our great country. It's time people wise-up when it comes to Republicans.

The simple truth is the rest of us need to stay focused. Just like when we were in school, we cannot allow a few bullies to derail education, evolution and advancement for the rest of us. We need to use whatever means at our disposal to continue debate and get our message across that we voted for change and health care/insurance reform is one of the most important parts of that change.

We need to fight against their hooliganism. We need to treat Republican bullies the same way we treat angry children - either ignore them, and if they don't listen to reason, send them away.

Their screaming didn't work during the campaign at the McCain and Palin rallies, so hopefully it won't work now. My recommendation is to stand-up to them. I know I will. Don't allow them to silence our debate. It would be a crime to allow ourselves to be cowered by people who have no place in a modern, civilized political debate.

Whether it's a "tea partier," a "birther," a "deather," or whatever comes next (how about throwing furniture like in the picture), today's Republicans are looking more and more like a party for both hooligans and fools.

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

Palin and Gibson Interview

I give Sarah Palin some kudos for being on the softball hot seat with Charlie Gibson, or should I say Charles Gibson of ABC News. She was more Presidential than John McCain and in some aspects passed the litmus test that the Bush administration desires to live on to attack all nations that even look at us Americans in a condescending way. Rather than using diplomacy, government and inside channels to communicate, we should just condone bombing everyone with a heartbeat that does not agree with American lead policy in the Middle East. Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran… Catchy tune from John McCain’s lips to the MSM and bloggers pointing out his and her gaffes.

Somebody over at the archive of records needs to roll up the Constitution like a fireplace log and douse it with starter fuel. Light the match or Bic lighter and just set it on fire. Fear is winning out over common sense and if you honestly think John McCain is about change life here in America then good luck to you and $200 per barrel oil prices. While you are over zealous to support a candidate that does not support equal pay for equal work for woman then please insert a hundred dollar bill at the gas pump every single time you gas up your Camry, Chevy, Ford or Toyota.

Video Link



So when is ABC News and Charlie Gibson going to give Joe Biden equal time? He is after all the opposition party to this softball interview. If you asked me, it almost looked like Governor Palin was able to do some homework on every question. Joe Biden will not need the homework session because he has lived the issues from day one and fought through a Republican lead Congress that was against anything for the middle and lower classes of America. Biden and Obama have a much better voting record when it comes to Veterans than McCain alone and he is in fact the person we are voting for and not Sarah Palin! One little factoid on Prescedent Bush, he never used his veto pen till the Democrats took control of both houses of Congress. Not even once! And John McCain was in line with the sell out of America prior to that date. How can he honestly declare that he is a reformer now?

Sarah Palin did not face one tough question during the interwiew with Charles Gibson of ABC News and when she was presented with one she avoided the question with her response. Again, smoke and mirrors and tell you what the campaigns talking points are and not facing the issues we as Americans care about. If you want to buy some dish washing liquid then by all means vote for McCain and Palin. Facts and figures just wash away. If you want to buy a roof over your head for the next four years then you need to look closer at the candidate that is offering shelter from a government gone wrong the last eight years that Obama, Biden, Hillary Clinton, Bill Richardson, Bill Clinton, are actually presenting as change to America as it is.

One political party is telling you how good you have it as the little people as they fly their private jets home every weekend and the other is trying its damndest to tell you the truth and include you. Pick a political party full of millionaires or one full of people making $10, $12, 15$, 20$ and hour for a pay check every week that actually cares about you and your family. Common sense is not dead in America! Health insurance for all is nothing to a hundred millionaire like the McCain's, affordable higher education for your children is not a concern for any hundred millionaire, basic rights for woman and their own bodies is not an issue for hundred millionaires. It is very easy to sit in the box seats looking down on the little people when you do not have to face the day to day fears that most Americans face. Never!

That my friends is the difference in this election. One man wants to tell you who to be afraid of and the other is telling you how great we can be as a people. One man has every single high powered oil, gas, energy, pharmecutical and all of the rest of special interest Washington based lobbyist working on his staff and the other has refused their services all together. Who do you think is presenting change? One candidate is taking large donations from big oil into the millions of dollars and the other is not. One fact is sure, it isn't John McCain that is looking for change!

Papamoka