When I was a realtor, I worked for my clients. I was fiercely loyal. Occasionally, I found myself in a position where the other client's realtor made an error on a contract and I took advantage of that for my client's benefit. Oh, yeah, I knew what the other realtor meant to do and I knew what was routine in those situations, but this was a contract and those were my clients so I was unyielding. No, I did not privately go to the other realtor and warn them. I just realized their error and took it to my client and pointed out our advantage. I was ruthless.
I questioned myself on these decisions, and each time, my answer was: I am working for my client. They have trusted me to support their interests and that is what I must do. Even if the contract was a dual agency - even if my own office was representing both sides of the contract, I fought tooth and nail against an associate, if necessary, for my client's legal rights.
Ok, so, yeah. I did not win any popularity contests in my office or with other agents for this stance. But I did what I thought was right - considering the circumstance. It was not pretty, but it was the choice I made.
In the same vein, I believe the congressional GOP are holding firm for what they believe is right; I think they even believe their actions are moral. Their actions in the last four years, and especially in the last two years, have been appalling to those of us who want to see America grow and prosper - who want to build up our infrastructure, to honor and support our veterans, who wish for equality for all Americans. We have watched in dismay as America took an unprecedented economic blow when the GOP refused to "write the check" to pay for the debt that two wars and inconceivably low taxes for the wealthy had caused. The price to America of not paying that bill on time is immeasurable.
Why do I feel they have been doing what they feel is morally and legally right? Because I am afraid the GOP and the rest of this country do not agree on who their client is. To me, it would seem that, this being a country that professes to have a government "of the people, by the people, and for the people", it would follow that our congress would be working for all Americans. It seems, however, that the GOP congress, who, like the Dem congress, are mostly comprised of America's elite upper class, believe they are working for their own peers - working to hold that balance of power. They are not just holding it, mind you, but even as I fiercely and ruthlessly fought for my clients' interests at every turn, so the GOP is ruthlessly and fiercely fighting for "their own", and balance has been trampled and lost in the fray. Congressional Democrats, altho also comprised of mainly the very wealthy, do not share this view to the same extent because the very nature of their party's platform is to be more socially conscious.
The GOP perceive Democrats as the enemy. No longer are Dems their associates, working together in the same agency, for the same client. The Dems are working for the American people. The GOP are working to control the American people for their client, the mega wealthy. And even though they work in the same agency with the dems, they will never back down on any issue as long as their perceived client does not want them to. To be fair, now Dems perceive the GOP as the enemy. Where once the two parties were merely "esteemed adversaries", the battle line is now drawn and no one is having any fun here.
Certainly, the American people are not having any fun. This is no longer "how politics work". This is a system turned in on itself. America is on a collision course and we must stop the madness.
I hope that, should Obama be re-elected, and he will, unless the GOP manages to commit fraud at the polls, some sort of sanity can be restored in our political system. Yes, I did say I believe they are doing what they feel is morally right for their client. Yes, I believe they are committing fraud. I think that the GOP feels that lying, cheating, stealing for their client, the mega wealthy, is justified "for the greater good". Something about their belief system seems to give them the perceived moral grounds to justify their actions. Once they put themselves in a place of being more worthy than the average American, the disparity follows.
In Romney's "47%" speech, the one where he was speaking to his peers, he made it clear who he would be working for. Bush (W) gave a similar speech to an elite group when he was campaigning and he spoke mockingly of the growing rich/poor ratio and assured his audience laughingly that they were gonna keep things moving that way. And they did. Wow, did they ever.
The GOP got the bit in their teeth when Bush was in office. The massive surge of America's wealth into the coffers of the elite was intoxicating. The turbo-charged power of the government! Oh, yeah, I know the GOP screams small government - but they do this whilst wielding a mighty fist, controlling the American public, rendering us at the mercy of the corporate powers, usurping our civil rights. Ok, so that was amazing. A little trickle down theory BS, a couple of ill-conceived and tragic wars, taking the 9-11 tragedy and using it as fear-driven leverage and yeah. That was a huge coup. What a mess. When the dust settled, here we were with less environmental protections than in 30 years, a massive disparity in wealth, and a new loss of personal freedom in the name of security. And we were on the brink of total economic collapse.
Then along came Obama. He was determined to be a president for all the people. Now, this is where we are gonna talk about race and bigotry. America electing a Black president really stirred that shit up. Oh, yeah, it did. Look I know we all "only drank two beers" but somehow, America got drunk and stupid on the backlash of that situation. Whether openly hostile, downright monstrously nasty, mildly bothered, thrilled, proud, or astonished, Americans noticed.
To be fair, I will say that most (ok, about half of) Americans work at being unprejudiced. But the very fact we work at it shows it is an issue. Check out another situation: A recent study shows that a woman working in the field of science, applying for a job will be turned down in favor of a man with less qualification. That woman, while a student in that field will be graded one full grade lower for the same work as a man. That is, unless her professor is a woman, in which case, she will be graded even more harshly. Now, if you ask people "do you feel men are more qualified in science than women, based on gender alone?" The answer will usually be "Certainly not. Why, that is preposterous". And yet, those are the facts. So yeah, we try to be unprejudiced - but we've got a long way to go, baby.
From the moment Obama was elected, people started attacking him in a way I have never seen before. Yeah, I have seen it get ugly. And crazy. The way the GOP went after Clinton was mind boggling. First we had Whitewater.... it was never ending. But the way "hip and cool" people attacked Obama was just astonishing. And the ones who did not attack him just looked away.
Whether at the front of the pack, leading the attack or whether swept along in the pack fever, or whether politely averting our eyes whilst our president, a good man, a wise man (a lot wiser now, I dare say), a brave man, an intelligent man, a great man, was treated in really a horrid manner, we are all complicit. If we did not stand up and say "Hey, that just ain't reasonable or fair or cool", we took part. I remember when Hillary announced her candidacy and a good friend came to visit. This man prides himself on respecting the Native American values. He is generous. I had always respected him. And I still do on some levels. But he came to visit us and sat in my home, scorching Hillary, roasting her on the spit of his hatred and prejudice. He even called her the "C" word. My husband joined in (altho he would not go to that "C" place, for heaven's sake) and I left the room, appalled. I did not speak up. I utterly failed her, I failed my gender. I failed at human decency.
Later, when a woman I have known for 30 years spoke of her scorn and contempt for Hillary, I did speak up. She went on at length about how unqualified Clinton was. I asked her if she had in fact, ever listened to Hillary speak. The answer was no. I asked her if she was aware of Hillary's actual positions. She said no. As it turned out she hated Hillary for the same reasons many Americans did: 1) Bill cheated on her and she did not leave him 2) She was not thin or young and 3) She lacked a penis.
Ok, I threw that last one, the elephant in the room, in there. Yeah, we have a pecking order in America. If you are a woman and not young and thin, or a man and not White, or if you dare to be caught DIF (Doing anything but hiding under your bed If Fat) then you, let's face it, are gonna get pecked. Our apathy, our disdain, our contempt, our attitude toward anyone "different" who reaches out and does something exceptional is tangible.
In the same way that we turned on Hillary, Americans stood back and allowed the ugly specter of bigotry to rear it's head and weaken our country after the 2008 election. We did not bother to hear what the man really said. We did not question the accusations. In fact, we left the room - and allowed our government to be taken over by the Tea Party-infiltrated GOP in 2010 - No qualification necessary to be elected to Congress that term other than bigotry and hatred. Our leaders had a new goal -"taking back America" (from that Black guy) and if they had to take down America to get him, then so be it.
Obama is pretty darn resilient, and this brave pioneer, the veritable Jackie Robinson of American politics is still standing. Now, if the GOP will just get out of the way, then he can continue to do the things this country needs.
That, though, getting the GOP to get out of the way is a tall order. The power and glory the GOP felt in the Bush years, the insane greed that has swept over the one percent. Yeah, that is tough to turn around. But Obama did that. And the backlash has been terrifying.
You guessed it: Here I go on another comparison. Ever cut down a locust tree? That thing immediately sends out suckers for 35-40 feet in every direction. Those things grow like the vines in a nightmare fairy tale. You have to keep rooting them out, tearing them out, hacking them out. They just keep on coming. For years. But eventually, if you keep at it, they subside.
We need to stop averting our eyes while people attack our leader. We need to stop drifting into the fray as a result of pack fever. We need to start helping him hack out the roots of corruption in our system and make America stronger, better, safer, more prosperous, healthier - for all of the American people. And for the sake of the world.
No, I do not think Democrats are blameless in the current mess. But as Barney Frank says about the two parties and the current situation, "We're not perfect, but they're nuts".
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Growing a Party
The Green Party likes to complain loudly and often, and in inappropriate settings, that they were banned from the major presidential debates, that they qualified by registering in enough states to have a possibility of winning enough electoral votes. However, that is not the only criteria. They must also be polling in 5 major polls with at least 15% popularity - for good reason. That reason being - without this rule, anyone could go register across the nation and then force her way into those debates. A madhouse would ensue and the American people would learn even less about the candidates who might actually win. We might, however, have the makings of a new reality series.
No, it's not easy getting in the door, or for that matter, to the debate floor - and I am sorry that the Green Party is struggling with this. Perhaps they need to re-think their method of addressing the situation. As long as they are acting like angry, disruptive protestors, they are not winning me over. I doubt they are winning the American public over. It makes me wonder what their true motive is - to make a statement or to hold an office. Walking into the political arena of this country and saying "Hey, I know, we will be the new leaders" just ain't gonna cut it. First they need to learn how to be team players. That is how life works.
Jill Stein and her followers have the right to their opinions and it's supposedly a free country. That does not give her the right to circumvent the debate rules. If she wants to change those rules, I bet there is a better way than getting arrested for blocking traffic. It is not like it was a human rights issue. Or perhaps it was: The right of the American people to try to learn who, among the actual contenders, they agree with on the issues. There were other debates for nearly two years prior to that one where Dr. Stein made her scene and she had plenty of opportunity to get her message out. The trouble is, she needs more money and supporters to effectively do that. "Cheating" by hogging the show at the debate, to me, was in very poor form Again - she needs to work her way into the position she desires - respectfully. Is she running for President or for Occupier? She needs to choose one.
I know the Green Party has been around for a while. In fact, it has a "hippie dippie, leftist" reputation to live down - or perhaps just polish up - before any Green Party candidate has a chance of being elected president. I'm pretty sure Dr. Stein's recent antics are not solid steps in that direction. I will say that losing the political party name "Green-Rainbow" was a good step. Can you just imagine the Marlboro man moseying up to the polls thinking to himself "Yeah, I reckon I will just vote a straight 'Green Rainbow' ticket"?
As a person with the "hippie" name "Oak Leaf" I am saying these things not out of prejudice against "hippies" (God, I sure hope so, anyway), but out of sisterly tough love - hey, people - if you want respect, act respectfully.
No, it's not easy getting in the door, or for that matter, to the debate floor - and I am sorry that the Green Party is struggling with this. Perhaps they need to re-think their method of addressing the situation. As long as they are acting like angry, disruptive protestors, they are not winning me over. I doubt they are winning the American public over. It makes me wonder what their true motive is - to make a statement or to hold an office. Walking into the political arena of this country and saying "Hey, I know, we will be the new leaders" just ain't gonna cut it. First they need to learn how to be team players. That is how life works.
Jill Stein and her followers have the right to their opinions and it's supposedly a free country. That does not give her the right to circumvent the debate rules. If she wants to change those rules, I bet there is a better way than getting arrested for blocking traffic. It is not like it was a human rights issue. Or perhaps it was: The right of the American people to try to learn who, among the actual contenders, they agree with on the issues. There were other debates for nearly two years prior to that one where Dr. Stein made her scene and she had plenty of opportunity to get her message out. The trouble is, she needs more money and supporters to effectively do that. "Cheating" by hogging the show at the debate, to me, was in very poor form Again - she needs to work her way into the position she desires - respectfully. Is she running for President or for Occupier? She needs to choose one.
I know the Green Party has been around for a while. In fact, it has a "hippie dippie, leftist" reputation to live down - or perhaps just polish up - before any Green Party candidate has a chance of being elected president. I'm pretty sure Dr. Stein's recent antics are not solid steps in that direction. I will say that losing the political party name "Green-Rainbow" was a good step. Can you just imagine the Marlboro man moseying up to the polls thinking to himself "Yeah, I reckon I will just vote a straight 'Green Rainbow' ticket"?
As a person with the "hippie" name "Oak Leaf" I am saying these things not out of prejudice against "hippies" (God, I sure hope so, anyway), but out of sisterly tough love - hey, people - if you want respect, act respectfully.
Insult to Injury
I feel insulted by Mitt Romney.
I have been doing a little research on the guy and it appears he actually is an intelligent man (unless, like his business, tax and political endeavors, he also cheated at education). It seems he was valedictorian of his college graduating class. Also, clearly, he has enough savvy (or, one could argue, cutthroat nature) to pile up massive amounts of money. For the sake of argument, lets give the man these two qualities: Intelligence. Business savvy.
So - here is what chaps my ass: Romney's entire campaign has been based on the premise "tell a lie often enough and people will believe it" with a huge dollop of "keep moving around and they cannot land a swing" thrown in.
Today I was viewing an article about Romney's various distortions and I am not sure whether the man is simply a pathological liar or whether he has so little respect for the American people that he is confident that enough voters will blindly embrace his blatant lies and vote against the guy he is portraying Obama to be.
Who is that guy? Oh, you know, anti-American, inept in every way, with "failed policies, failed policies, failed policies" bwaaak! Polly wanna cracker. Yeah, and so much more..... there is the soundly debunked "apology tour" claim - which I see scarily deliberately ignorant people ranting about daily.
When not spewing bald face lies about Obama, Mitt is busy painting an ever-changing picture of his own magnificent beneficence. Oh, yeah, he is gonna create 12 million jobs. How? Oh, that is a secret, ya know. Actually, economists seem to agree that if Romney does nothing, 12 million jobs will be created as a result of Obama's stimulus and other efforts - despite the massive obstruction we have endured at the hands of the GOP in congress.
Where was I? Oh, yeah, lessee, 12 million jobs, lower taxes for all (even tho taxes are amazingly low for all now - and virtually non-existent for the mega rich). Yeah, lower taxes, that sounds good. Lower taxes, more wars, more jobs, lower deficit. How? Now, June, don't you worry your pretty little head over that. Mitt will discuss that with the right people at the right time and handle it.
The incredible urge to lie seems to outweigh any perceived need for such. For instance, when introduced by Wolf Blitzer during the Republican debate, Romney came up with "I am Mitt Romney and yes, Wolf, that is my first name too." Uh, yeah - no. Yeah, it is a small thing, but it shows yet again that the man just makes stuff up as he goes along. The reason the guy keeps making so many gaffes is because of his desperate need to manipulate and sway people. He can not seem to turn that off. In fact, he has so much disregard for the facts that one has to wonder how he could possibly be qualified for such a serious job as President of the United States.
Mitt Romney is a showman - and really, a damned poor one. But he has a few things on his side. One is the ignorance (largely contrived) and fear and bigotry of many of his supporters. So here is an intelligent man - capable of doing at least business in a successful way (if success is measured by piling up all the marbles by any means possible, thus rendering the actual game short lived because no one will continue to be able to play. But hey, we gave him "business savvy" in the beginning, so - onward). Instead of running for the highest office in this country as that - as an intelligent man with business savvy, he is running as "More White and therefore more American than that other guy", as "Mr Magic" who can do all these wonderful tricks that defy logic - "Trust me". Yes, he is running as "I stand by what I said, whatever it was" and throughout his campaign, he is running FROM actually giving any details - details of his plans, details of his tax history. He is running from answering basic policy questions. It is the most evasive, deceitful, hate provoking (I am referring the dog whistle tactics) intelligence insulting campaign I have ever seen.
Yes, insulting. And even as the right wing's would be leader can not stop himself from lying at every turn, even for no good reason, similarly, he can apparently not stop himself from continuing the very actions that have hurt America deep in it's core - and that is the looting of American businesses.
Mitt Romney is like a pirate. He sails around the country finding companies that are rich and vital, boards them, kills off the crew, ships the equipment to a place where he can use it outside the arm of American law and morals, and stashes all the loot. Whenever possible, he gets the good ol' US government to help fund this enterprise. And even now, whilst running as the guy who cares so deeply about the American people, Romney is dismantling yet another profitable company, rendering 170 more Americans jobless.
Yeah, Mitt is so ruthless that he simply can not pause in his piracy for the sake of appearance whilst selling himself as "Mr. Magnanimous". Or is it that he is just so damn sure Americans are too gullible to notice?
I have been doing a little research on the guy and it appears he actually is an intelligent man (unless, like his business, tax and political endeavors, he also cheated at education). It seems he was valedictorian of his college graduating class. Also, clearly, he has enough savvy (or, one could argue, cutthroat nature) to pile up massive amounts of money. For the sake of argument, lets give the man these two qualities: Intelligence. Business savvy.
So - here is what chaps my ass: Romney's entire campaign has been based on the premise "tell a lie often enough and people will believe it" with a huge dollop of "keep moving around and they cannot land a swing" thrown in.
Today I was viewing an article about Romney's various distortions and I am not sure whether the man is simply a pathological liar or whether he has so little respect for the American people that he is confident that enough voters will blindly embrace his blatant lies and vote against the guy he is portraying Obama to be.
Who is that guy? Oh, you know, anti-American, inept in every way, with "failed policies, failed policies, failed policies" bwaaak! Polly wanna cracker. Yeah, and so much more..... there is the soundly debunked "apology tour" claim - which I see scarily deliberately ignorant people ranting about daily.
When not spewing bald face lies about Obama, Mitt is busy painting an ever-changing picture of his own magnificent beneficence. Oh, yeah, he is gonna create 12 million jobs. How? Oh, that is a secret, ya know. Actually, economists seem to agree that if Romney does nothing, 12 million jobs will be created as a result of Obama's stimulus and other efforts - despite the massive obstruction we have endured at the hands of the GOP in congress.
Where was I? Oh, yeah, lessee, 12 million jobs, lower taxes for all (even tho taxes are amazingly low for all now - and virtually non-existent for the mega rich). Yeah, lower taxes, that sounds good. Lower taxes, more wars, more jobs, lower deficit. How? Now, June, don't you worry your pretty little head over that. Mitt will discuss that with the right people at the right time and handle it.
The incredible urge to lie seems to outweigh any perceived need for such. For instance, when introduced by Wolf Blitzer during the Republican debate, Romney came up with "I am Mitt Romney and yes, Wolf, that is my first name too." Uh, yeah - no. Yeah, it is a small thing, but it shows yet again that the man just makes stuff up as he goes along. The reason the guy keeps making so many gaffes is because of his desperate need to manipulate and sway people. He can not seem to turn that off. In fact, he has so much disregard for the facts that one has to wonder how he could possibly be qualified for such a serious job as President of the United States.
Mitt Romney is a showman - and really, a damned poor one. But he has a few things on his side. One is the ignorance (largely contrived) and fear and bigotry of many of his supporters. So here is an intelligent man - capable of doing at least business in a successful way (if success is measured by piling up all the marbles by any means possible, thus rendering the actual game short lived because no one will continue to be able to play. But hey, we gave him "business savvy" in the beginning, so - onward). Instead of running for the highest office in this country as that - as an intelligent man with business savvy, he is running as "More White and therefore more American than that other guy", as "Mr Magic" who can do all these wonderful tricks that defy logic - "Trust me". Yes, he is running as "I stand by what I said, whatever it was" and throughout his campaign, he is running FROM actually giving any details - details of his plans, details of his tax history. He is running from answering basic policy questions. It is the most evasive, deceitful, hate provoking (I am referring the dog whistle tactics) intelligence insulting campaign I have ever seen.
Yes, insulting. And even as the right wing's would be leader can not stop himself from lying at every turn, even for no good reason, similarly, he can apparently not stop himself from continuing the very actions that have hurt America deep in it's core - and that is the looting of American businesses.
Mitt Romney is like a pirate. He sails around the country finding companies that are rich and vital, boards them, kills off the crew, ships the equipment to a place where he can use it outside the arm of American law and morals, and stashes all the loot. Whenever possible, he gets the good ol' US government to help fund this enterprise. And even now, whilst running as the guy who cares so deeply about the American people, Romney is dismantling yet another profitable company, rendering 170 more Americans jobless.
Yeah, Mitt is so ruthless that he simply can not pause in his piracy for the sake of appearance whilst selling himself as "Mr. Magnanimous". Or is it that he is just so damn sure Americans are too gullible to notice?
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