This is the reality -- Right now the American people are feeling an inordinate amount of anger, much of which I think masks fear. Unfortunately the fallout from a Deep Recession is still with us . . . all of us. Republicans have exploited the more general angst which started during the final years of the Clinton administration. And it went on from there.
Just before the new millenium there was the Y2K scare. The Supreme Court annointed George W. Bush as President in 2000. Then came 9/11/01, the first attack on the homeland, and then the first major war of aggression by the U.S. in Iraq. Republicans started the fearmongering after 9/11. As it turns out, the first 8 years of the 21st century were made worse by poor leadership. This opinion piece explains: "Presidential scholars: Bush is the worst president of the modern era, bottom five of all time#;" it is from Think Progress (7/1/10). Republicans started the fearmongering after 9/11. Democrats took control of Congress in 2006, but it was not enough.
Fast forward to 2008 -- A Democrat, Barack Obama, was elected President. And the Republicans have been made crazy by that reality ever since. Their strategy became anything they could do to see that the Democrats failed, in the White House and in Congress. Part of the craziness has been a marked Republican shift to the fringes of the Right, including the religious right. Much of that rhetoric is fear-driven. For example, "GOP leaders let demagogues set tone, lawmaker says#," is a recent story from Yahoo! News (7/9/10). In the same vein, "God smote me down,* is a great post by my good web friend "betmo," who writes at Life's Journey (6/28/10). She said about it, "Best I could do under the circumstances." Outrageousness has become the new normal.
We thought we had heard everything -- Each new news week brings another set of head-bangers. The most recent fearmongering centers on the current big budget deficits. But the Republican solutions have not been marked by rationality or fairness. A high ranking Republican leader illustrates: "Jon Kyl: Extend Bush Tax Cuts For Wealthy Even If They Add To Deficit#," is linked from the Huffington Post (7/13/10). And Republican leaders regularly distort the facts. For example, this headline, "Michael Steele causes uproar with Afghan remarks#," is from Yahoo! News (7/2/10). And the outrageousness of the fearmongering and lies seems to know no limits.
We need not be surprised -- Right Wing Nuts abound. One turned up recently that makes us just shake our heads: "GOP candidate: Obama taking away your chance to find God#," is a piece from The Raw Story (7/13/10). My regular contributor Jon, who sends me all the links marked with a hashmark (#), often includes exasperated comments. Jon said this in connection with the previous link. "Can you believe this BS? The rethugs will say anything!" Also, this headline came to my Email: "Doctor testing drug to ‘prevent’ lesbianism, interest in ‘male careers’#," is from The Raw Story (6/30/10). Jon's comment: "This sounds just like what Hitler and his henchmen did to the Jews. Disgusting. She should lose her license!" Republican anger and fear are not pretty things to watch, as more and more of us who are "different" seem to pose threats to Right Wingers. However, not every Republican is a Right Winger, thank goodness.
Occasionally a member of the GOP actually surprises us -- "Fox legal analyst: Bush should have been indicted#," is a post from The Raw Story (7/12/10). Rationality can reside in the corners of craziness. I will end today's rant on this upbeat note.
Hat tip to my regular contributor, Jon for all his wonderful links.
Just before the new millenium there was the Y2K scare. The Supreme Court annointed George W. Bush as President in 2000. Then came 9/11/01, the first attack on the homeland, and then the first major war of aggression by the U.S. in Iraq. Republicans started the fearmongering after 9/11. As it turns out, the first 8 years of the 21st century were made worse by poor leadership. This opinion piece explains: "Presidential scholars: Bush is the worst president of the modern era, bottom five of all time#;" it is from Think Progress (7/1/10). Republicans started the fearmongering after 9/11. Democrats took control of Congress in 2006, but it was not enough.
Fast forward to 2008 -- A Democrat, Barack Obama, was elected President. And the Republicans have been made crazy by that reality ever since. Their strategy became anything they could do to see that the Democrats failed, in the White House and in Congress. Part of the craziness has been a marked Republican shift to the fringes of the Right, including the religious right. Much of that rhetoric is fear-driven. For example, "GOP leaders let demagogues set tone, lawmaker says#," is a recent story from Yahoo! News (7/9/10). In the same vein, "God smote me down,* is a great post by my good web friend "betmo," who writes at Life's Journey (6/28/10). She said about it, "Best I could do under the circumstances." Outrageousness has become the new normal.
We thought we had heard everything -- Each new news week brings another set of head-bangers. The most recent fearmongering centers on the current big budget deficits. But the Republican solutions have not been marked by rationality or fairness. A high ranking Republican leader illustrates: "Jon Kyl: Extend Bush Tax Cuts For Wealthy Even If They Add To Deficit#," is linked from the Huffington Post (7/13/10). And Republican leaders regularly distort the facts. For example, this headline, "Michael Steele causes uproar with Afghan remarks#," is from Yahoo! News (7/2/10). And the outrageousness of the fearmongering and lies seems to know no limits.
We need not be surprised -- Right Wing Nuts abound. One turned up recently that makes us just shake our heads: "GOP candidate: Obama taking away your chance to find God#," is a piece from The Raw Story (7/13/10). My regular contributor Jon, who sends me all the links marked with a hashmark (#), often includes exasperated comments. Jon said this in connection with the previous link. "Can you believe this BS? The rethugs will say anything!" Also, this headline came to my Email: "Doctor testing drug to ‘prevent’ lesbianism, interest in ‘male careers’#," is from The Raw Story (6/30/10). Jon's comment: "This sounds just like what Hitler and his henchmen did to the Jews. Disgusting. She should lose her license!" Republican anger and fear are not pretty things to watch, as more and more of us who are "different" seem to pose threats to Right Wingers. However, not every Republican is a Right Winger, thank goodness.
Occasionally a member of the GOP actually surprises us -- "Fox legal analyst: Bush should have been indicted#," is a post from The Raw Story (7/12/10). Rationality can reside in the corners of craziness. I will end today's rant on this upbeat note.
Hat tip to my regular contributor, Jon for all his wonderful links.
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