Liberal Lament

The current situation in Madison, Wisconsin is a microcosm - or emblematic -- of the larger cultural-political conflict being waged on the public on a larger stage. The Wisconsin governor is not only insisting on dramatic wage, pension and health care concessions from public employees -- he's also bent on revoking their collective bargaining ability. He apparently has not talked to them, doesn't want to and just wants them to roll over.

This strikes me as similar to the attitude dominating the right wing in Washington and in states across country. They are not interested in discussions with opponents, they are not interested in compromise. They are, instead, more interested in burying their fellow citizens; in vilifying their character (and patriotism) in denying them any democratic rights to negotiate. How ironic they hold themselves us as such staunch defenders of American democracy when so often their agenda is to limit it for anyone who doesn't adhere to their world view.

Speaking of the Paranoid

Per that last entry about the emptiness of the right's agenda and its domination by bizarre paranoid fantasies; today Harold Myerson had an editorial in the Washington Post on the very subject -- Land of the Paranoid. This is especially relevant as it comes on the heels of the Tuscon shooting which, despite their denials, is a direct result of this kind of demonizing and polarizing ranting.

The Vapid Right

Two columns recently together offered a wonderful illustration of what's so seriously wrong with the Republican party -- especially as dominated by the delusional right wing. Steven Pearlstein in the The Washington Post on Jan 6 published Let's Kill This GOP Canard in which he wonderfully itemizes the complete lack of common sense, financial and employment sense, public health sense, and even decency that animates what passes for Republican policy. He notes that much of the intransigence smacks of McCarthy era redbaiting and "rather than contributing to the political dialogue, it is a substitute for serious discussion. And the fact that it continues unabated suggests that Republicans are not ready to compromise or to govern." The reason for that disposition was wonderfully described by E.J. Dionne in The Post on the same day with "Conservative Advice for a Congress of Professors," in which he observes that the Republican leadership (and especially their grassroots) is animated by abstractions; idealized theories that are worshiped with no practical value. As Dionne says, "Their rhetoric is nearly devoid of talk about solving practical problems - how to improve our health care, education and transportation systems, or how to create more middle-class jobs. Instead, we hear about things we can't touch or see or feel, about highly general principles divorced from their impact on everyday life." We hear the same old canards....cut taxes (even while ignoring ballooning deficits), cut spending, tort reform as a remedy for health care. There seems to be a complete and overriding denial of anything that is inconvenient or conflicts with the ideology -- whether it is factually based or not. The Speaker, unbelievably, adheres to this notion the America has the best health care system in the world, when in fact it repeatedly rates below at least a dozen other countries and at double the cost! The best we can hope for is that their rhetoric is pandering to their base (as insulting as that is) who rally to fantasies of an idealized past that never existed and paranoid demonizing of enemies who they need "to take our country back from." If that's the case, maybe there's hope that there's some rationality lurking under the vapid surface.

"Exceptionalism?"

Apparently the new mantra of the Right and Republican leadership - that America is somehow morally and even spiritually special or "chosen" among nations and peoples. What the hell does that mean?

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Bitter Revenge

Like many "moderate progressives" I've always been hopeful that moderates would prevail in both parties to work toward a consensus on some major issues. But it's become increasingly clear that the Republican party has been captured and dominated by extremists who not only won't cooperate, but who are dedicated to destroying the "other side". A complete scorched earth policy. Never mind our own legitimate rights and voices in the process. While I might have normally agreed with other moderates that Nancy Pelosi should step aside, I've come to believe that like the school yard bully, the Right will never appreciate our rights until they are smacked in the face with a 2x4. We can play obstructionist "hell no" just as well as they can. And Pelosi is talented enough to do it - and we should demand it of her. The country clearly needs consensus, but we can not be run over by bullies.

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Myopic Self-Destruction

An accurate description of the paranoia that underlies the GOP crusade on immigration:

Why the GOP really wants to alter the 14th Amendment
By Harold Meyerson
Wednesday, August 11, 2010; A17
As Lindsey Graham and his fellow Republicans explain it, their sudden turn against conferring citizenship on anyone born in the United States was prompted by the mortal threat of "anchor babies" -- the children of foreigners who scurry to the States just in time to give birth to U.S. citizens.

The Republican war on the 14th Amendment's citizenship clause is indeed directed at a mortal threat -- but not to the American nation. It is the threat that Latino voting poses to the Republican Party....
READ THE WHOLE PIECE HERE

Why I'm Rooting for the Teabaggers!

Direct from a well respected conservative, Michael Gerson, on the risks the conservative nutjobs pose to the Republicans (or ultimate benefits to Democrats):

For the GOP, a risky wave to ride or turn back

By Michael Gerson
Friday, July 9, 2010; A19

The Republican Party is ascendant, emboldened -- and on the verge of debilitating mistakes.

There is little doubt about Republican ascendance. In June 2008, Democrats enjoyed a nearly 20-point lead in the generic congressional ballot; today they are behind. Approval for President Obama among independents has fallen below 40 percent for the first time in his presidency. Vice President Biden recently protested that he saw no "grand debacle" coming in November for Democrats, thereby giving a name to Democratic fears. A debacle seems precisely what's in store.

But the problem with political waves is that they generate misleading momentum and exaggerated ideological confidence. Parties tend to interpret shapeless public discontent as the endorsement of their fondest ambitions. Obama mistook his election as a mandate for the pent-up liberalism of his party. Some Republican activists are intent on a similar but worse mistake.

The Republican wave carries along a group that strikes a faux revolutionary pose. "Our Founding Fathers," says Nevada Republican Senate candidate Sharron Angle, "they put that Second Amendment in there for a good reason, and that was for the people to protect themselves against a tyrannical government. And in fact, Thomas Jefferson said it's good for a country to have a revolution every 20 years. I hope that's not where we're going, but you know, if this Congress keeps going the way it is, people are really looking toward those Second Amendment remedies."

For the whole piece.... - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/08/AR2010070804274.html