Sunday, February 7, 2010

A FESTIVAL OF FANATICAL RAGE

There is a huge amount of anger, dissatisfaction, and fear out in the country these days. Much of it is justified. But a large amount of it is misdirected and unjustified. That has become increasingly apparent with the rise of the socially and economically ultra-conservative Tea Party movement which started this summer and culminated this past weekend in a convention in Nashville, TN.

Like fire-and-brimstone preachers of yesteryear, various speakers and participants aggressively voiced their discontent at the current state of the country. But much of what they had to say was hateful, ignorant, irrational, and actually destructive to American values.


Many of these people feel great uncertainty about this country's future. They see our government as wasteful, too big, inefficient, and attempting to exert too much control over our businesses and personal lives. These are legitimate concerns to a degree, but certainly not to the degree this crowd is concerned with. Government IS big, and it IS wasteful. Especially the roughly 219 congressional Republicans who have been doing nothing productive for needy citizens over the past year and have instead filibustered, stonewalled, and blocked legislation while still collecting their hefty $174,000 salaries and benefit packages at our expense. Nice work if you can get it: sit around and waste time and still get paid nicely for it. But aside from that, government bureaus and agencies DO have areas of logjam and overlap, and this does need to be corrected. Government has also ventured into business affairs to an unprecedented degree this past year. But I maintain this "intrusion" was overdue, done responsibly, and wholly justified. For our government took the unprecedented step of bailing out our largest banks and two of our largest automakers with billions of taxpayer dollars. This intervention was wholly necessary and saved our economy from total collapse. There are loud voices in this movement which proclaim that President Obama is a socialist or a communist and that he and his Democratic Party have implemented socialism into our government and economy. That is patent nonsense. After years and years of deregulatory moves pressed for and implemented by conservative Republicans and peaking during the preceding Bush-Cheney years, our financial markets got way off track and descended into a practice of speculation which caused our severe recession. This practice also brought about the rip-off of $4 per gallon gasoline we all suffered through in 2008. Had Obama and his party not used the government to clean house and make some much-needed regulatory changes, we would have slipped into a second Great Depression for certain. Yes, Obama demanded the resignation of the CEO of General Motors. So what? It was a good and necessary move which, along with bailout money, helped save the company! At no point has the President put all of the banking or automotive industries' executives and employees on the public payroll or attempted to micro-manage their individual affairs. Instead, like any good investor, the President invested OUR cash in these enterprises and simply demanded a return on that investment. That's CAPITALISM, tea-partiers, NOT socialism. So this claim of his being a socialist agenda is thoroughly inaccurate and insane. As for the oft-voiced Tea Party complaint that Obama is burying us in debt, that taxes should be cut across the board, and that government spending must be slashed NOW, that is a dangerously impractical demand at this time. In 1937, after 4 years of increased government spending on jobs and public improvements during the Great Depression, liberal then-President FDR heeded conservative Republican advice and cut government spending on these social programs. The effect was instantaneous and disastrous. The economy slid backward for two years and only began to climb again when government-funded arms programs for warring European nations started. YOU CANNOT REDUCE GOVERNMENT SPENDING ON JOBS AND SOCIAL PROGRAMS IN THE MIDDLE OF A SEVERE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN. AT TIMES LIKE THAT (NOW), GOVERNMENT SPENDING MUST INCREASE!


I feel sorry for some of the Tea Party enthusiasts I have seen. A large number of them are good, average, everyday citizens who have never before become involved in any type of political activity. The pity I feel for them is that they have been moved to demonstrate because of clever manipulation and fear by truly sinister forces in today's far right ultra-conservative Republican Party. This is no longer the party of Eisenhower's, Nixon's, or Reagan's era. Today's GOP came to fruition in 1994, with Newt Gingrich's gimmicky "Contract ON America" (sic). It is uncompromising, unyielding, and dedicated to total control of all branches of our government. It is obsessed with gaining and maintaining this control by any means necessary. Everything it does is done strictly for its own perceived political gain. It can and does lie, cheat, and steal in its pursuit of power. It lies to get us into an unnecessary war for profit and plunder (Iraq). It steals elections (2000 and, arguably, 2004). It manufactures blatant lies about political opponents (John Kerry's THREE Purple Hearts having been unwarranted; President Obama is "different" because he was raised for a time outside this country, had a Muslim father [making him immediately suspect] and an "odd" Arabic middle name of Hussein [reinforcing that suspect aura]; therefore the President's agenda is radical, dangerous, and, well, "socialist." That is why we see posters of Obama with communist hammer and sickle, and other posters comparing him to Hitler. This campaign of lies was abundant last summer during the GOP-backed-and-encouraged town hall shoutdowns of Democratic congresspersons regarding health care reform, where many innocent seniors were scared into believing that the President had "death panels" which would spell out their doom, that grandma would be "thrown under the bus" if government-run health care were enacted, and on and on and on. The President has been under steady, constant assault on all aspects of his presidency since day one. He has been accused of "palling around with terrorists" and his very handling of national security and foreign policy matters has been repeatedly characterized as weak and ineffectual. Those of us in the know, of course, have seen that exactly the opposite has been the case. The example of the "underwear bomber" sits as a perfect example. Using proven FBI interrogation methods instead of Bush-Cheney era torture techniques, this current would-be prisoner has yielded an unprecedented amount of actionable intelligence. But the liz and Dick Cheneys, Kit Bonds, and Mitch McConnells of the GOP still publicly lie in trying to cultivate this false image of Obama being weak on national security and terrorism. It is, plain and simple, treasonous fostering of insurrection fostered by repeated lies. To the under and badly informed, is it any wonder that they are terrified and honestly believe that the President's policies are not working and are harmful to the nation?

Former Representative Tom Tancredo (R-CO) and former Governor Sarah Palin (R-AK) both spoke at this Tea Party event, and both did their best to perpetrate the big conservative Republican lie about the President being weak and his agenda being out of touch with and dangerous to everyday people. In Tancredo's case, he appealed to paranoidal nativist instincts by repeating the utterly ridiculous GOP "Birther" claim that Obama was not even born in this country and is therefore unqualified for the office he holds. Tancredo also made the equally preposterous and racist claim that Obama gained office on the strength of votes from "people who could not even spell the word 'vote' or say it in English." He then called for the implementation of a literacy test for elections, even though such tests were banned by the Voting Rights Act of 1964 in response to old literacy tests having been used to keep blacks from voting in the South. The fact that Sarah Palin even was asked to address the convention at all is a great example of how dishonest and lacking in credibility these conservatives have become. For Sarah Palin has little in common with fiscally-responsible, cash-strapped average ordinary Americans, even though she loves to portray herself as one. First of all, she and her family live high off the hog up in Alaska, not modestly. Secondly, 3000 newly-released pages of emails during her governorship reveal her attempt to disguise the installation and use of a tanning bed as something to be paid for with state funds, and her attempt to have the state pay for her daughter Willow's flight to be present at a bill-signing. Hardly the actions of a concerned, fiscally-responsible public servant. Realistically, the actions of a deceitful, hypocritical, self-obsessed, vain publicity-seeker whose only real agenda is herself. In short, as a supposed spokesperson for this movement, Sarah Palin is an out and out fraud.

Yes, while this weekend's Tea Party convention was designed to appear as though it were of, for, and by ordinary fed-up and concerned citizens, it was actually a for-profit event staged by and for the benefit of corrupt, corporate America and the equally corrupt, corporate, conservative Republican Party. Tea Party Nation, a for-profit venture, was the main instigator, with help from Tea Party Patriots, who has ties to ultra-conservative former Republican congressman Dick Armey's huge advertising/lobbying group Freedom Works. Rather than a gathering of legitimate, concerned citizens, this was a festival of fanatical rage: hate for the President, hate for immigrants, hate for liberals and progressives, and hate for our government itself. But this is a seriously misdirected rage. Instead of hating the President and our government, which are both attempting to provide jobs, market safeguards, fairer taxation, and needed benefits and services for our population, these Tea Party enthusiasts should rightfully be turning their rage and action toward the ultra-conservative Republican Party and its corporate backers who are using and manipulating the tea partiers like a two-bit whore, for the benefit of the GOP and concentrated capital alone. It is our job as progressives to expose this sordid and cynical Republican effort for what it is: a gigantic hoax. For these Republicans and corporatists, through employing obstructionism and stirring up anti-government groups like the Tea Party movement with unfounded lies, are destroying our democracy.

20 comments:

Cirze said...

And they feel far too much certainty over their prejudices and political knowledge.

Thanks, friend.

S

Many of these people feel great uncertainty about this country's future.
_______________

Oso said...

"a festival of fanatical rage"

Just about sums it up right there Jack.Well written and from the heart,as always.

mud_rake said...

Jack- you covered it all well! I don't pity the teabaggers because they know what they are doing and it is my opinion that nearly all feign hate of government when they really mean hate of blacks in America.

"Government" to them means spending their tax dollars of "them." Pure and simple bigotry mixed in with narcissism.

Jack Jodell said...

Suzan,
Such seems to always be the case with the ignorant and ill-informed. The more cock-sure they are about something, the more mistaken they are. Thank YOU, my friend!
---------------
Thanks, Oso. It is most disturbing to see these types venting their rage at the wrong people. It only hurts them and everyone else, as well.
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mud_rake,
That is a very astute observation and I thank you for it. I still pity these people, though, only because when one has such irrational blind hatred, it is always a sign of deep self-loathing and insecurity as well.
---------------
Thanks, Marion.

Joe "Truth 101" Kelly said...

You know Jack. I've been on the receiving end of some angry comments regarding my "combative?" blogging style recently.


I gave thought to trying to adopt a more civil and accomodating attitude but after reading your post, I was reminded just why I'm angry at the republicans. The party was hijacked by corporatist thugs that care not one bit about Working Americans. Only their wealthy donors.


Screw these people. They're hypocritical, lying thugs.


If you don't mind Jack, can I link this post to my next one.

Max's Dad said...

Great article, Jack. You nailed it again. I don't know what motivates these folks, but whatever it is, it scares me from a purely human standpoint. What is it inside them that is so bitter?

Holte Ender said...

I hope a million people read this post Jack, and a million more next week.

Satyavati devi dasi said...

This was tremendous.

It frightens me to see how the right manipulates people with fear and paranoia, and turns the truth into a full-blown kinked up Mobius strip to do it.

The fact that such outrageous lies can be told by right wing leadership and that people believe them and actually will act on them is terrifying.

The vast majority of the people who call Obama a 'socialist' or a 'Marxist' have no accurate, concrete concept of what those terms mean. They have for all intents and purposes lost their actual meaning in favour of becoming emotionally loaded pejoratives that represent the epitome of evil.

The lack of real knowledge is stunning. The irresponsibility of those in conservative leadership in fostering and perpetuating this emotionally-based misinformation is heinous.

Commander Zaius said...

A large number of them are good, average, everyday citizens who have never before become involved in any type of political activity.

The only part I disagree with is the above. While I know some honorable conservatives who speak of legitimate concerns about President Obama's policies. The Tea Baggers I know are an ignorant lot that wallow in conspiracies and false assumptions that only serve innate hatreds and racism.

Jack Jodell said...

Truth101,
It's hard to be civil to those supporting those doing unconscionable things when you yourself have a conscience. I, too, try to maintain civility, but it is becoming more difficult every day in the face of bigotry and vicious lying. You may certainly link this to your next post. I am happy you have found it relevant and meaningful.
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Max's Dad,
Thank you. I wish I had the answer to your question, but the only thing I can figure is that some people are simply born miserable and are incaple of grasping or dealing with the truth.
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Thank you, Holte Ender. I do too, but most of all, I hope these teabaggers will get a clue and come to their senses---but I know that's unrealistic.
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Satyavati devi dasi,
Thank you for your visit and your comment. You are always welcome here. There is something about the conservative state of mind, regardless of country or historical era, that has so many of them be ruled by and utilize fear of the new and unexplored as a tool to maintain the status quo or even turn the clock back. In this country, these same elements have lashed out against progressives and liberals for nearly 80 years, and they will always do so. They are wrong, of course, and historical pattern proves this. They gain a limited amount of traction for a time but are invariably engulfed by the onrushing tide of necessary, inevitable change. But their opposition to this change creates victims and is wholly unnecessary. And you are correct about their stunning lack of knowledge. Their fear paralyzes them from having an open mind and making rational judgments.
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Beach Bum,
Your distinction between legitimate conservatives and teabaggers is valid. But I would characterize a number of the teabaggers as otherwise solid citizens who genuinely love and are concerned about their country that have become whipped into an irresponsible, self-centered frenzy by virtue of being fed outrageously lies. And, of course, a number of them are indeed hateful racists, too.

SJ said...

Dude, -Jack may I call you "dude?"

Dude, you are my aspirin.

Thanks for the righteous indignation, my headaches all gone man.
-SJ

Jack Jodell said...

SJ,
You, sir, may call me whatever you like at any time. Thank you, and I hope we BOTH continue to give the misguided far-right massive migraines! :-)

Marc McDonald said...

One thing that really cracked me up about Palin's remarks at the Tea Bagger convention was her prescription for fixing the nation's banks.
Palin said we need LESS regulation of banks. Indeed, she claimed that too much regulation is what caused the financial sector crisis.
Truly creepy, frightening stuff.

Oso said...

Marc,
Too much regulation!
Wow.Is she really that stupid, or do her keepers know the audience is that stupid?

Marc McDonald said...

Hi, Oso,
re:
>>Is she really that stupid, or do
>>her keepers know the audience is
>>that stupid?

Probably both!
Still, I wouldn't count out Palin in 2012. If she runs (and I think she will), she'll almost certainly win the GOP primary.
If the nation in 2012 is still in an economic crisis (and I think it could well be), people will reflexively vote out the incumbent.
Bush handed off a poison pill of a disastrous economy to Obama. No matter what Obama does, the crisis is so great that I doubt there's much he could do (even if the GOP wasn't ferociously opposing everything he does).
Are enough Americans stupid enough to vote for Palin? Yes, I fear they are. A lot of people these days vote for the personality, not on the issues.
At least IMHO.

Jack Jodell said...

Marc and Oso,
I consider Palin to be a very real threat. The hard core, corporatist, authoritarian far-rightr types who spoon feed her the verbal diarrhea she spits out will do ANYTHING to regain full power. And you're right, Marc: there are millions of voters who vote on appearances rather than brains or substance, and they're the ones who went for W and are prepared to go for Palin in a big way. Her election as President could very well destroy this country in a myriad of ways.

Kentucky Rain said...

What disturbs me is whatever the baggers and the more mainstream pols are doing, seems to be working. The numbers on the Right go up and the numbers on the Left go down. The more the nutters scream, insult, obstruct and lie the better off they are politically. I don't understand it.

Great post Jack. Thanks.

Jack Jodell said...

MadMike,
I not only don't understand it, but I don't like it, either. Of course, when it comes to poll numbers, it always boils down to who is conducting the poll. If it's Fox News, the Wall Street Journal, or USA Today, the mainstream corporate media, et al, you know the results are questionable...

TomCat said...

Jack, this is a magnificent piece. I love the way oour articles have been dovetailing of late.

As much as we tend to make fun of trhe teabaggers, we need to remind ourselves that they are the biggest victims of all.

Jack Jodell said...

TomCat,
Thank you, my good man. And you're absolutely right: the teabaggers are being played for suckjers by the wealthy elite and their brainwashed and bought-out members of Congress.