As I peruse the spectrum of political -economic news I continue to be mystified at how an extremist political party - that's so far right it's barely two phases from the Nazi Fascists - can command nearly half of poll approval for its standard bearer. I am, of course, writing about today's GOP (which many have said would regard Eisenhower, former Sen. Everett Dirksen and Bush Sr. ..aka....'41'...as "socialists") and Mitt Romney - who now appears to be worth more than $250 million, possibly as much as $500 billion....all made by dispatching at least 2 million jobs overseas.
Why do I regard this party as extremist?
1) They have essentially driven all moderates away, with Olympia Snowe (ME) being among the last Senators to leave by the next session.
2) Their policies are extremist at the core, hearkening back to the most radical Right policies espoused by a similar clique (States' Rights Parties) in the 1960s (including destruction or privatization of all government social programs). However, at that time the American people were educated and informed enough to keep these radicals at bay, marginalized. They were more laughing stocks than anything else!
3) Their demographic support as well as policies have aligned ever more with the former Confederate South and made them a proto-Confederate party. This is also reflected in their policy emphasis: indiscriminate regulation of guns, hyper-morality that seeks to control female sexuality and childbearing, removing economic choices and a consistent no-tax policy which is mated to 'every man for hisself'.
4) The roots of the current Right extremist GOP, have been traced back to Nazi influence (by author Russ Bellant, in his book, 'Old Nazis, the New Right and the Republican Party', 1991) in which he documents the insertion of affiliated Nazi S.S. groups from Latvia, the Ukraine into the Republican Heritage Groups Council in the 1980s. Many of Bellant's conjectures on associations, groups - apart from establishing direct ties of former S.S. affiliates to the GOP, were substantiated in the Newsweek article ('The Right Wing Web', February 22, 1999, p.34). This was especially in regards to the connections of the Regnery Press and its propagandizing.
Meanwhile, on today's 'Up- With Chris Hayes' (MSNBC), there appeared American Enterprise Institute Fellow Norman Ornstein, who is also the co-author of the book, 'It's Even Worse Than It Looks: How the American Constitutional System Collided With The New Politics of Extremism', with Thomas E. Mann.
The authors cogently argue in their book that the ongoing American political paralysis and dysfunction is largely due to the transformation of the Republican Party to an extremist force that is "dismissive of the legitimacy of its political opposition". Hence, bipartisan cooperation is impossible when one side consistently operates exclusively in its own political interests and eschews any 'give' - as the Repubs have on raising revenue via taxes, opting to hold to a Grover Norquist 'no tax' pledge.
On Hayes' program, Ornstein reiterated these points and cited example after example of the Republican extremism and opposition since Obama's election. This intransigence carried over from the initial stimulus (which only one reep voted with) to the Obama Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act (which now polls show 56% of Americans saying Republicans ought to cease atacking and move on) to the Obama Jobs bill - which a GOP killing 2 years ago is one major reason our unemployment remains at 8.2%.
Ornstein then went one step further: he noted that if Mitt Romney is elected, the GOP has every intention of going forward with most of Paul Ryan's budget plan. This plan will immediately pave the way for a $7 trillion tax cut for the big money wonders - top 1%- as it guts Medicare, Medicaid and social programs. If the GOOPers also increase military funding by up to 25%, Ornstein believes they will take almost the entire lot (given to the military) from food stamps, Medicaid (including for seniors with Alzheimers or other long term health issues) as well as government regulatory agencies.....especially the EPA and FDA.
In other words, we can expect toxic pollutants to rain from the skies, causing numerous new cancers as our foods become lower in quality and E coli., salmonella, campylobacter and other infections spread like wildfire. Ornstein believes that by then, it may be too late to even get the cow back into the barn....and Americans may be permanently stuck with an inferior, poorly remunerated set of federal agencies that are no longer able to do their jobs and protect us from the nasties. So, look for pieces of roach legs in your peanut butter, flies' wings in your mayo or catsup, and mouse excrement floating around in your OJ...or milk.
Also look for the CDC's funding to likely be gutted to the point that when the next major pandemic commences, they'll be able to do little to stop it. When that next bout of Swine flu or Avian flu strikes...we may all be for the high jump.
Ornstein also predicts "many will be left in tatters" as the Romney -Ryan budget plans unfold, especially as they cut seniors off Medicaid for their Alzheimer's care..by either directly eliminating funding or more likely, making the spend down thresholds much more intractable.....say to qualify for Medicaid after exhausting the Medicare 30 days limit for chronic health care. Ornstein, as well as Hayes, then proceeded to bemoan how too many Americans continue to imbibe the Reich wing propaganda that most people on Medicaid are "moochers" or the "poor" - when up to half are seniors, "our dads, our grandparents".
Again, this shows the inability of the putative "People's party" - the Dems, to mount an offensive and do it effectively. Instead, look at them.....twirling about with their tongues tied over the sterile tax v. penalty debate to do with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. When they ought to have their miserable asses out on the hustings loudly touting its benefits, as well as saying' YES! It's a TAX ...and we need TAXES! Without those taxes forget your Medicare, Social Security or Medicaid....there'll be no money to pay for them or preserve them. So make up your minds, people, do you want a $400 yearly tax cut NOW, or future benefits in your old age?"
But as pathetic, hapless and hopeless as the Democrats are (by way of political combat), the voters still hold the keys to their future in their own hands. This is why I continue to disbelieve the polls that show a near dead heat between Romney and Obama. I don't believe Americans are that fucking stupid they would consciously and knowingly put these extremists in power...no matter how many grievances that they have against Obama! (And when I say "put these extremists in power" I also mean indirectly, say voting for Romney and thereby preventing even a fall back last defense - via Obama veto against insane GOP legislation- if the Ds lose both House and Senate.)
And believe me I have my grievances too, a long long list.....from remaining in that wasteland called Afghanistan, to signing that horrific National Defense Authorization Act, to putting a putz and weak dweeb like Panetta in charge of the Pentagon, to not being bold and pushing for the public option in his health reform or countermanding (by Executive Order) the National Archives' decision not to release the remaining JFK assassination files next year for the 50th anniversary, especially to do with George Joannides. But who knows, maybe Obama is terrified of Petraeus at the CIA. I don't know. I just know that lots of these policies and decisions piss the hell out of me. They make me wonder where the man of hope and change disappeared to.
But as miffed as I am, even outraged at some of Obama's decisions, does that mean I sit on my ass and refuse to vote this November or vote for Romney? FUCK NO!! Because I know the difference between enduring a cold and coming down with pneumonia. I know the difference between a mild stomach upset, and coming down with the worst E. coli infection....and kidney failure. I am totally aware of the difference between having at least one slice of the pie....and having NONE of it!
This is the choice others face, especially those of the coalition that voted Barack Obama in by 53-47% in 2008. Yes, you are disappointed, as I am, and we didn't get all the hopey -changey stuff we wanted. But folks, it's all on the line now, and as Norm Ornstein pointed out, we have to choose between a nation in "tatters" via being cast into the GOOper shit pit, OR one that at least has the potential to ensure more Americans live to see a better day.
The choice may not seem like a lot of difference, but you better fucking believe your sweet ass bippy, it IS!
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