Conservative Indignation For A False Truth

You know I see, and occasionally get, e-mails from my friends and family on the Right with one constant overriding theme. It boils down to this, an intense anger that those who work, are subsidising those who don't, won't, or cannot. I also find it amusing that these people scream the loudest when a Democrat occupies the White House, especially a black one. Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Food Stamps, Welfare, Unemployment Insurance, and Disabilities are not distinguished. They are for a group of people who play the system, don't want to work, won't work, don't deserve help, or otherwise should be left to their own demise according to the choices they have made in life. They have an "individual responsibility" to take care of themselves, without picking the pocket of people who work hard and pay their taxes.

Are there abuses in this system? yes. Is it as widespread as the Right would have you believe? maybe.  The question I raise is where is this same rabid indignation when the Pentagon pays $300 for a wrench? Or when Big Oil makes 25+ Billion dollars over a 3 month period, and still gets government subsidies? Or billions are wasted on defense contracts for weapons systems that don't work?  Massive tax cuts are sustained for the rich, while the middle class is dying. These abuses are just as wide spread, just as common, and just as substantially wasteful. The money for all these things comes from the same U.S. Treasury. So why are individuals in need singled out for the harshest treatment? and where is all this righteous indignation when a Republican is in the White House? These abuses are long standing, and know no political allegiance. Does that make them right? Of course not, but this is the system our government, both Democrats and Republicans, have created. You can't fight the rich, or the corporations, or the Military Industrial Complex, but the individual is ripe for consternation.

I'll bet you the majority of these screamers on the Right are people who are well off, and have forgotten what it's like to struggle to make ends meet, or never had that problem in their own individual life experience. They worked hard to be where they are, and don't want others threatening their prosperity. How is the waste of billions in defense contracts less offensive than the unemployed, disabled, or elderly that game the system? Surely not all of these people are frauds? At least some of these people are being helped, why is demonizing these people in need, such an attractive target? Think back to your own individual experience? Did someone help you at one point in your life to get you started? A parent, a friend, a relative? Did you come from the middle class, or upper middle class? If so, should those who did not enjoy the same advantages you had suffer because they were born poor, or a minority, or just into a cycle of poverty that they had no control over?

These people who incite such anger, do they fit a specific stereotype? Did you come to these preconceived notions on your own, or were you raised and taught these things? What is so special about your situation that gives you permission to judge these people? Now this really gets conservatives pissed because their opinions have been burned into their heads as facts. I see it every day, just look around for yourself, all driven by individual prejudice, stereotypes, and a notion of do they look or act a certain way? How do I know all this? Because I was raised just like this, with all the stereotypes, prejudice, and preconceived notions the Right cries about everyday. Even today I struggle sometimes with these same prejudices, but at least I recognize it, and am working to overcome it. I don't want praise for that, I want people who were raised like me to understand nobody knows any one persons individual experience, and nobody has the right to judge anybody else unless they have walked a mile in their shoes. Whatever your experience, you can't justify hate and bigotry no matter what you think, what you were taught, or what you believe. There is no passage in the Bible to protect it, no article in the Constitution to legitimize it, no way to make your OPINIONS the TRUTH.

End Of July Electoral Update

As July ends the electoral map has several changes, still with no toss-ups. Dark Red Romney has a lead above 5%, Pink Romney has a lead below 5%, Dark Blue Obama has a lead over 5%, Light Blue Obama has a lead below 5%. The changes this post are as follows:

Wisconsin has moved to +5% for Obama, as has Ohio, which is big! New Hampshire dropped to -5% for Obama. Missouri has moved to +5% for Romney. The leads in North Carolina and Florida are less than 1% respectively.

As always 270 is the magic number. I apologize, while some states solidified and one faded, the map remains unchanged. I had Virginia in Romney's column last time by mistake, corrected Obama's lead has increased as shown. This total is accurate.

Barack Obama                         Mitt Romney

332                                            206

 

Despite the withering barrage of negative ads by both sides, President Obama seems to be doing better than Romney on the ad front. However, Romney's latest tactics have been to cherry pick a certain sentence out of one of the President's speeches, and place it in an ad out of context. Very easy to do, but a lie non-the-less. Check it out below.

 

 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/#48361131

 

Regardless of what Mitt Romney tries to do, the fact is the electoral map is still strongly in the President's favor in the states that count.

 

Romney's main problem continues to be his lack of character, and the continued appearance he will do or say anything to become President. His trip overseas to bolster his foreign policy "ideals" started with a giant insult to Great Britain just hours before they were to begin hosting the 2012 London Olympic Games. He questioned the ability of London to pull off the games despite serious misgivings about security, and the people of London specifically. Way to begin an overseas trip, with insults and misgivings about your host. What did he think they wouldn't notice? Of course the British media struck back with ferocity, thus overshadowing the rest of his trip to England.

 

Then he was off to Israel to kiss some butt, and weave some homespun neo-conservative saber rattling over Iran, straight from the desk of John Bolton. Currently Romney's chief foreign policy advisor, and former U.N. Ambassador under George W. Bush. You know, if you want somebody who had stellar foreign policy George W. is my first choice. Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, and especially Bolton, never knew a war they didn't like. As things wind down in Afghanistan, I guess it's time to crank up the fear machine over Iran. God knows America isn't truly defending our freedom unless we're dropping bombs on someone somewhere.

 

In any event, Romney still has a lot of work to do, and just a little over 3 months to do it. His path is difficult, but not out of reach. His V.P. pick is said to be more boring than he is, if that's possible? ROMNEY - PET ROCK 2012.  The Conventions, and the debates, are going to seal this deal. The Republicans are up first in Tampa at the end of August, and they need to pull a rabbit out of the hat; but first they need to find a hat!