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!

How Hitler Came to Power… And Why Sarah Palin is so Dangerous

As I watched Sarah Palin in the debate, it struck me that I might, once again, be watching history repeat itself.  Where many saw a blank stare, I saw a calculating, devious and ultimately dangerous person.  As someone with a Jewish heritage (and who is a child of a holocaust survivor), I did a little more research.  The result was chilling…

Hitler came to power through parliamentary maneuvering.  He was the leader of an ideologically pure, conservative group (the National Socialists or Nazi Party) who strove to appeal to farmers, war veterans and the middle class.  They promised a better life while maintaining a hard-core, lock-step ideology.  He ascended to the chancellor’s role (a high-level, but not top-level, political office) and then quickly consolidated power with his core followers.

Sarah Palin appears on a similar path.  Her core supporters are ideologues – fundamentalists who use what they must to get to their heaven – including the Jews.  She has had at least one too many Freudian slips about being in charge (the Palin-McCain ticket, the “Cheney” Vice-Presidential comment and several other comments that have been occasionally mocked).

This is a politician, supported by a core, motivated group of extremists – a group who has proven its ability to use whatever it can to reach its goals.  This is a politician with a dangerous world view – myopic, uninterested, uneducated, and militaristic.  This is a politician whose core support comes from people who have learned to hate – and have no problem with the mental gymnastics required to call that hate “love.”  Folks, please read between the lines!

Hitler didn’t start at the top – he just positioned himself close enough to the top to consolidated power.  Palin is looking to do the same thing – supported by her group of fundamentalist extremists.  She puts forth an image that is sugary sweet, but hides a viper’s bite.  Palin – who will probably become president if elected VP – has the potential and desire to be the next Hitler – don’t let that happen.

In the 30’s, I’m sure even plenty of Jews voted for Hitler.  He was young, dynamic, attractive and inspirational.  He also killed 6,000,000 of us and millions of others – all because of his ideology of purity and national salvation.  Under her folksy facade, Sarah Palin understands that she will need the support of people who don’t scratch the surface – be they Christians, Jews, Muslims, African Americans, Asians or Hispanics, to put herself in the very same position, with respect to our government, that Hitler did with respect to his.

Folks, please look beneath the surface.  For people from a similar tradition, don’t be blinded by her “support for Israel.”  The evangelical movement has long supported Israel – they need our backs to climb on to reach their heaven.  The real question is whether these people, so convinced that the End Times are upon us, will use the tools of true political power to speed our way to them.  In that event, Israel – and the rest of the world, free or not, will burn.  This is why she is so very dangerous.

We, as free people, need to stop this train BEFORE it leaves the station.  Had Hitler not ascended to the Chancellory, he could have been stopped – well before millions had to perish at his hand.  History teaches us lessons – but it is our job to hear them.  Learn the lesson – and don’t let Sarah Palin ascend to the Vice Presidency.

GOP Ticket Split over Condom Use

This was a headline within the LA TImes today – referring to a story that little miss sarah had apparently supported, eee gads, condom education.  

Now, after I stopped laughing, I thought that it would be good to rearrange the headine (and slightly modify it)… now it should say:
“GOP Ticket’s Condom Splits During Use”
oh… and by the way, what is Trig short for?  Trigger?

Track and Trigger… sounds like they watched one too many episodes of the Lone Ranger or Gunsmoke…

The Trailer Trash VP

OK… Sarah Palin’s kid is pregnant… Trigger couldn’t be her kid – why, because she’s already knocked up!

Oh, wait, weren’t these folks from Juneau the same folks who hated the movie Juno?

Palin can just govern from the double-wide… as she drives all all to hell in a handbasket.

Face it, Jesus isn’t going to save us from this comedy of errors.