Does it make you happy to think that you are exercising your right to assembly and press? It makes me happy. But, for not the same reasons. I am sure many of you are familiar with the first amendment and the rights every person has as an American to speak their mind to their government. That is what the government in a representative democracy/republic is set up for. It derives its power from the people. And, if the people do not agree with its programs they have the right to say so. The exercising of such right is as American as....well, anything American. America is defined by its mixture of opinion and culture, and all opinions are welcome. If you want to protest abortions, corporations, taxes, oil, government spending, gay marriage, euthanasia, elections, nuclear proliferation, animal testing, biological warfare, Israel, Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan and everything in between, you have the right.
With that said....I will voice my opinion.
A theme in my blogs have been that is necessary, to form an argument, to do your research. This means independent research using sources that are nonpartisan on major issues. Yes, things like abortion and euthanasia are ethical dilemmas and must be debated openly using sound ethical means. Pictures of half aborted babies and "life" stories of someone embracing their child as a teenager are not ethically sound arguments. Neither is defining "life" at an arbitrary point. But, that's for later. This post is for the teabaggers, birthers and health care rabble rousers. I understand that you are the constituency of congressmen/women who oppose Obama's health care and are generally opposed to his policies on various issues. I can understand that you take the information your congressmen give you as fact, and make conclusions from it. I can't blame you for believing bullshit, if you are told its gods truth.
But, do yourself a favor and do your own research. No, not from the Huffington Post or the American Enterprise Institute. Go to the CBO, EPA or DOE, which produce research and facts with numbers. Don't immediately trust the point that the Waxman Markey Bill will cost the average household thousands of dollars in energy costs per year. Go to the CBO, a nonpartisan government body, and find out the truth, or that it will cost about 145-170/yr per household. You responsibility as Americans is to be skeptical about politics. Politics are rarely about facts. Politics is about relativism. Relativism is majority rule, which, according to the Federalist papers, a government with political parties avoids such things.
Next, do yourself a favor, and do not listen to talk show radio, or punditry. I will give you some examples:
1. Glenn Beck - His antics are beyond belief. He is a snake oil salesman. Some of his recent shenanigans have been:
-The "War Room" - to illustrate scenarios that "will never happen" but that he thinks we should "get ready for." These include the DOW trading at 2200, government ownership of all banks and a werewolf Congress (oops...that was a Stephen Colbert thing). He even had a nutjob economist on who said "All Major cities will look like Calcutta."
RESULT: Institute fear into people that the Obama administration is going to make the country fail. Fear causes irrationality, kinda like when you think Obama will take your guns, institute abortions and euthanize your grandmother. It makes people want to hoard guns and shoot abortion doctors...ehem (too soon?)
-"I just love my country...and I fear for it." - Beck broke down on his show, with a big American flag in the background. It was a reaction to the belief that Obama is a fascist...or socialist...or...oh god, the tune keeps changing. Anyways, this background crapola is not new. He once had fiery rioters and scenes of destruction, just to jazz up his point. Thanks Beck.
RESULT: See above RESULT.
-Nancy Pelosi and the Cup of Wine - Even so recently, Beck mocked Madame Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He had someone dressed up as her, and then he gave that person wine. He then slipped a joke that he had put poison in it. Good stuff, Beck. Like my last statement, people who watch your show will take you seriously in this little joke of yours.
2. Sean Hannity - The other half of Hannity and Gollum (what...Colmes does look like Gollum):
-The Tree of Liberty - He made a segment about the tree of liberty with the apples of Commerce, Security and Finance (I think). He even had a graphic for the tree. Then he named off various Obama plans and watched as the apples fell...into...the CRATE OF SOCIALISM!!! Dum, Dum, Dum!!!! He even had a little graphic of an apple crate with a hammer and sickle. This, again, is paranoia inducing bullshit that will be taken all-too-seriously.
3. Rush Limbaugh - This racist, bigot, anti-semetic, fat piece of horse shit is a poster child for retroactive abortions. But, he makes a lot of money, stirs up nationalism and appeals to simple minded folk, so he has many listeners:
-Michael J Fox and Parkinson's - Way back when, Limbaugh made fun of Michael Fox for touting liberal ideals. That's all fine and well, except for the fact that he did something unbelievably offensive. He made fun of Fox's Parkinson's disease by faking seizures and calling him a faker. I can't even describe the stupidity, offensiveness and assholishness of his remark. You have to sink so low as to make fun of someone who is disabled? I'm sorry I don't make fun of you for being a fatass, pill addicted asshole to has to fly across the world to get an illegal supply of viagra. Fuck off.
-The Hitler remarks - Recently, Limbaugh has related Obama to Hitler. He had a list of things that made him like Hitler. Of course! Obama is Hitler! Its so obvious! Nope. Just like my boss told the LaRouche PAC people, comparing Obama to Hitler ruins your argument (and makes people question your sanity) right off. Obama does not want to create a master race, wipe all minorities out using lethal methods or control the country with Iron will and extreme nationalism. In fact, he is trying his best to get out of the car and bank business. Limbaugh, being a center of attention, as he tries to be, is using nationalistic rhetoric, false statements and polarizing imagery to stir up the masses...kinda like Hitler...oops. Just joking, Rush. But, seriously, giving this man a soapbox is dangerous.
-Obama's failure - Rush said, oh so many months ago, that the President's failure would be good for America. Since when did it become patriotic to want the President to fail? Wasn't just a little bit ago, when people like Rush said it was Unpatriotic to protest President Bush, like many anti-war protesters did? Now, suddenly when your not playing for the winning team anymore, you become a hypocrite. Also, now that security includes "right wing extremists" its okay to question Homeland Security, when during the Bush administration it was given free reign and lauded for its ability. Wake up, Rush! It was Bush who instituted that idea!
4. Joe the Plumber - Joe the plumber as a news correspondent is just wrong. He is inarticulate, a squawk box for right wing punditry and is not even a licensed plumber. He should stay a plumber. I know he is a symbol for the "working man" and the "average American." I saw him being interviewed by Sean Hannity, and it ended up being, like the Sotomayor hearing, a giant right wing jerkfest. After talking to each other about DHS targeting of average Americans who love their country (right, Timothy McVeigh loved his country when he blew up Oklahoma City Fed building with Children inside) and some exchanges of "God Bless America," they effectively turned a good town hall setting into a circle jerk. If he is the Average American, then I must be Albert Einstein.
My point is this...think for yourself. I have a Republican friend who I hold in the highest regard. She does her research and stakes her claims. She wants transparency and change, which is great. Her points are well argued, and though I disagree on some, I respect her. She has even convinced me to change my viewpoint on some issues like taxes, classical economics and nuclear energy. Don't go out and throw tea away (talk about useless spending and a wrongly interpreted historical event) or heckle government health care when you depend on it. Most of the people against "socialized universal" health care, depend on government health care for their medicare. I agree with many points, including all the pork in the stimulus bill, the toothless Waxman Markey Bill and that a government run health care will be inefficient, because the government is too big and full of red tape to be able to properly administer health care.
Do your research, come back and have spirited discussions...ideally over some good beer. Beer is always a good conversation starter (not a reference to the "beer summit").
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