False Patriotism/False Patriot

The GOP has a public face that stands for economic growth, solid energy policy and peace. They took a surplus from Clinton, turned it into the biggest deficit on record – while keeping everyone looking the other way with a financial shell game; took a legitimate threat and turned it into a failed imperial war – all while ignoring the real underlying threat; and had an energy policy that encouraged – and basically rewarded – over-consumption and irresponsible energy use – and when the quails came home to roost – tried to blame that on the “market.”

The Bush/Cheney years have now cost us more – in lives, money, confidence and our standing in the world – as the 9/11 attack has. McCain was basically a cheerleader for this policy. This wasn’t Reagan’s principled approach (whether or not I agreed with the principle), but instead a financial grab on the American people hiding behind jingoism and false patriotism.

The problem is that real patriots died in Iraq because of these falsehoods; real patriots are losing their life savings because of these falsehood; and real patriots cannot find jobs because of these falsehoods. But as long as the GOP (or Party of God – wait, isn’t that what Hezbollah means?) waives the flag in our faces, they seem to get carte blanch when screwing us from the other end.

Angry? You bet. I’m angry because of the false patriotism offered by McCain/Palin (note that I am not refuting McCain’s war hero status – but instead his “Country First” falsehood – the only apparent thing is that the country will be screwed first). I’m angry because people seem to be drinking this like Jim Jones’ Kool-Aid. And I’m angry because it’s my country, too, and I hate seeing it torn apart by these folks.

The Teflon Party

I realized this morning that the Republicans are doing their best to become the “teflon party,” blaming all of the country’s woes on the Democrats. While in normal times, this can be viewed as normal politics, this time around, with the two crises that we’ve seen this year – oil and the economy – this really needs to stop.

George W. Bush was a man who was supposed to understand oil. The Republicans were a party that was supposed to bring economic security and stability to our land. Both failed miserably.

During the recent oil run-up, with a President and Vice President who are supposedly expert in natural resources, we were blindsided by a near 100% run up in the price of crude oil. The culprit according to them? The “market.”

During the even more recent economic crisis, with a President and Vice President who are supposed to be of the party of economic growth, we were blindsided by what is beginning to look like a depression. The culprit according to them? Two years of a non-Republican majority in congress. What about the prior six years? The years that turned a surplus into a record deficit? Where is the mea culpa?

Lately, they’ve been quiet about Iraq and Afghanistan. Why? Because the party of security has clearly screwed that up, too. Peace? Hah. Afghanistan is in flames – and if anyone convinces you that Iraq’s thousand-year old conflict will be resolved by a few more months of the surge – I’ve got a bridge to nowhere to sell you. Again, abject failure.

And where has John McCain been on this? Oil? The answer is “drill baby drill” – maybe we can put off the crisis for our kids. The economy? Nowhere – with nothing – a hollow call for more regulation. And Iraq? Well – please define “victory” to me – and how we’re going to get there – and don’t forget Afghanistan!