bloody hell
Sep. 6th, 2008 11:16 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
veronica_richThere was a time I didn't care about anyone's political affiliation. That I could get along with anybody even if they supported a candidate I didn't. As an Independent, I looked for the best person (I admit I usually found who I thought was the best person on one side of the aisle more than the other, but that's not indicative of a preference; there was also a time not so many years ago I might have voted McCain).
That's not been the case these last several years. Yes, please look at my avatar; this reflects my feeling for George W. Bush. I have lived through several presidents now, and I can honestly say while some have pissed me off - sometimes for extended periods - none have enraged me and left me feeling as simultaneously hollow and full of bile as this man and his cronies. They are a bunch of thugs that have taken over not only the U.S. treasury for their personal pocketbook, but also their own party.
Of course, they had help. The Democrats - and members of their own party - who stood up to them you could lock in a room to bar them from voting, and it wouldn't make much of a dent in the overall count of Congress.
Don't make the mistake of lumping "neocons" in with all "Republicans." Yes, the latter allowed the former to dominate their party with empty rhetoric and ultra-eveangelical pandering to gain power in the post-Clinton years. It was the only way, frankly, to beat Clinton's apparent successor - campaign against his boss's sexual mores. I KNOW lifelong Republicans who are enthusiastically voting for Obama because they don't feel they can vote for their own party right now ... because they don't feel there are "Republicans" up for election, but instead, a bunch of neocon opportunists.
Don't make the mistake of thinking oilmen (or women) make your best politicians. It seems to me that the thinking goes "if there's an oilman in office, he'll keep an eye on the price of gas for me." It's more like "hey, I'm here - I can maneuver things so my private interests get padded, and I can let somebody else pay for the 'discovery' aspect of it." Johnson was into oil; the Bushes have been into oil and have ruled the presidency for most of the last almost-30 years. (See, I'm not partisan. All oilfolk should be barred from public office.)
And look what great shape we're in now. (And if you want to argue with me about this, Bring. It. On. I spent six of the last eight years scraping by month to month working three jobs concurrently with no health insurance because I was overqualified for the jobs I was actually working, while the jobs for which I was actually qualified (and not just in print media) and had experience and a degree went to people way too overqualified for those jobs, just so they had an illusion of job security and some health insurance. Back in the 1990s, when I had less experience, I actually had more job offers.)
There is no such thing as "liberal media." As a longtime member of "the media," I'm here to tell you it's a convenient myth up there with "tax-and-spend left-wingers" and "baby-killing liberals." Right-wing talk shows dominate the airwaves (what do liberals have? Al Franken? "The Daily Show" and Colbert? THEY'RE STAND-UP COMEDIANS. Though, they still ask better questions than most reporters anymore). Reporters and editors have not been challenging the establishment until about the last couple of years on much of anything; in fact, they've pretty much given Bush & Co. a free pass on just about anything they've wanted to do. Even the New York Times, long considered the most "liberal" paper around. Especially the New York Times. (Kind of like Congressional Democrats who haven't listened to their constituents.) As a longtime member of the media, you might be shocked how many political conservatives there are in this profession. Or maybe they've just all been my co-workers.
On that note, I would like to express my extreme anger that in a work-type setting, or when I'm going to cover something, I have found it's perfectly OK for some people to stand around and badmouthe them "librals," but others had better not say a word against God, George Bush, or anything defending one of them towelhead A-rabs. I've learned to keep my mouth shut (believe it or not) and watch and listen. It's amazing what falls out of people's mouths when you deliberately give no indication of disagreeing, just to keep the peace.
If you're a woman, or black, or Hispanic, and you're able to eat and live under shelter, or enjoy a 40-hour work week, or medical benefits (thanks to fights by unions against big business over a century ago), or you're old on Social Security and Medicare, or disabled and on SSI or Medicaid, or you're a single mother who gets some public assistance to help feed and doctor your kid - well, guess what? The God-fearing extreme conservatives probably didn't give it to you. Them goddamned no-good commie "librals" did.
Probably while they were kiling a baby or three. And taking your paycheck. Hmph.
And finally, on Sarah Palin: She's a liar. LIAR LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE. She told lies in her initial speech with McCain - lies that were disproven by actual records and past news reports. She's told lies since. She's asked the country to respect her daughter's "choice," yet seems perfectly willing to admit she'd take away yours and mine in a heartbeat. She's had questionable dealings with public employees that had nothing to do with their actual job performance. The Republicans LOVE to tout how "progressive" they are with a woman VP candidate.
Guess what? It's been done. LONG ago. The Democrats have had female candidates. The Democrats have had minority candidates. Get over yourselves. Hillary and Obama were weeded down by millions of voters in multiple elections; Palin was chosen by a handful of people as an admitted token to appeal to a particular demographic. Next time, pick something besides a babymaking ex-beauty queen, and I'll take your efforts seriously. As it is, as a feminist, I'm insulted that somebody thinks this should appeal to me. I want a woman who is intelligent and shows good common sense, not one who belongs on an NRA calendar with a bikini and an assault rifle. (No, in fact, that is NOT my assessment - that's Dad's, who as the father of two daughters, is thoroughly disgusted with his own party's lowered standards.)
And as for the Democrats? Quit standing around looking smug. I'm not happy with you, either. Had ALL the Democrats been doing their job six years ago, we wouldn't necessarily be at war. Had they done their job since, we might be OUT of war and more people might still be alive - and we might've saved some face with the rest of the world. Had they stuck to trying to find compromises benefitting the most people, instead of bowing and kissing Bush's ass most of the time, we might be a little better off than we are now. Had Clinton not signed NAFTA, things might be very different for us than they are now. Maybe.
This rant is about neocons, even if I have slipped into "Republican" or "conservative" where I shouldn't (although, I still credit our civil liberties and freedom of choice to liberals). Never think that if you're Republican that all us "librals" automatically think you're Horrible and Not Very Nice. I grew up with two staunch Republican parents and an extended Republican family (I am one of the very, VERY few liberals in the tree), and I have no hatred. But when my father is thinking of not voting at all and my mother is enthusiastically campaigning for Obama - something smells in your party.
Clean it out. Make me somebody once again who doesn't mind who my friends support in an election - who doesn't feel the only choice is between a reasonably intelligent human and the Spawn of Satan. And for God's sake, KICK THE BUSHES OUT FOR GOOD. You do, and I'll do what I can to keep that oilman (yes, he is) Gore from running again.
That's not been the case these last several years. Yes, please look at my avatar; this reflects my feeling for George W. Bush. I have lived through several presidents now, and I can honestly say while some have pissed me off - sometimes for extended periods - none have enraged me and left me feeling as simultaneously hollow and full of bile as this man and his cronies. They are a bunch of thugs that have taken over not only the U.S. treasury for their personal pocketbook, but also their own party.
Of course, they had help. The Democrats - and members of their own party - who stood up to them you could lock in a room to bar them from voting, and it wouldn't make much of a dent in the overall count of Congress.
Don't make the mistake of lumping "neocons" in with all "Republicans." Yes, the latter allowed the former to dominate their party with empty rhetoric and ultra-eveangelical pandering to gain power in the post-Clinton years. It was the only way, frankly, to beat Clinton's apparent successor - campaign against his boss's sexual mores. I KNOW lifelong Republicans who are enthusiastically voting for Obama because they don't feel they can vote for their own party right now ... because they don't feel there are "Republicans" up for election, but instead, a bunch of neocon opportunists.
Don't make the mistake of thinking oilmen (or women) make your best politicians. It seems to me that the thinking goes "if there's an oilman in office, he'll keep an eye on the price of gas for me." It's more like "hey, I'm here - I can maneuver things so my private interests get padded, and I can let somebody else pay for the 'discovery' aspect of it." Johnson was into oil; the Bushes have been into oil and have ruled the presidency for most of the last almost-30 years. (See, I'm not partisan. All oilfolk should be barred from public office.)
And look what great shape we're in now. (And if you want to argue with me about this, Bring. It. On. I spent six of the last eight years scraping by month to month working three jobs concurrently with no health insurance because I was overqualified for the jobs I was actually working, while the jobs for which I was actually qualified (and not just in print media) and had experience and a degree went to people way too overqualified for those jobs, just so they had an illusion of job security and some health insurance. Back in the 1990s, when I had less experience, I actually had more job offers.)
There is no such thing as "liberal media." As a longtime member of "the media," I'm here to tell you it's a convenient myth up there with "tax-and-spend left-wingers" and "baby-killing liberals." Right-wing talk shows dominate the airwaves (what do liberals have? Al Franken? "The Daily Show" and Colbert? THEY'RE STAND-UP COMEDIANS. Though, they still ask better questions than most reporters anymore). Reporters and editors have not been challenging the establishment until about the last couple of years on much of anything; in fact, they've pretty much given Bush & Co. a free pass on just about anything they've wanted to do. Even the New York Times, long considered the most "liberal" paper around. Especially the New York Times. (Kind of like Congressional Democrats who haven't listened to their constituents.) As a longtime member of the media, you might be shocked how many political conservatives there are in this profession. Or maybe they've just all been my co-workers.
On that note, I would like to express my extreme anger that in a work-type setting, or when I'm going to cover something, I have found it's perfectly OK for some people to stand around and badmouthe them "librals," but others had better not say a word against God, George Bush, or anything defending one of them towelhead A-rabs. I've learned to keep my mouth shut (believe it or not) and watch and listen. It's amazing what falls out of people's mouths when you deliberately give no indication of disagreeing, just to keep the peace.
If you're a woman, or black, or Hispanic, and you're able to eat and live under shelter, or enjoy a 40-hour work week, or medical benefits (thanks to fights by unions against big business over a century ago), or you're old on Social Security and Medicare, or disabled and on SSI or Medicaid, or you're a single mother who gets some public assistance to help feed and doctor your kid - well, guess what? The God-fearing extreme conservatives probably didn't give it to you. Them goddamned no-good commie "librals" did.
Probably while they were kiling a baby or three. And taking your paycheck. Hmph.
And finally, on Sarah Palin: She's a liar. LIAR LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE. She told lies in her initial speech with McCain - lies that were disproven by actual records and past news reports. She's told lies since. She's asked the country to respect her daughter's "choice," yet seems perfectly willing to admit she'd take away yours and mine in a heartbeat. She's had questionable dealings with public employees that had nothing to do with their actual job performance. The Republicans LOVE to tout how "progressive" they are with a woman VP candidate.
Guess what? It's been done. LONG ago. The Democrats have had female candidates. The Democrats have had minority candidates. Get over yourselves. Hillary and Obama were weeded down by millions of voters in multiple elections; Palin was chosen by a handful of people as an admitted token to appeal to a particular demographic. Next time, pick something besides a babymaking ex-beauty queen, and I'll take your efforts seriously. As it is, as a feminist, I'm insulted that somebody thinks this should appeal to me. I want a woman who is intelligent and shows good common sense, not one who belongs on an NRA calendar with a bikini and an assault rifle. (No, in fact, that is NOT my assessment - that's Dad's, who as the father of two daughters, is thoroughly disgusted with his own party's lowered standards.)
And as for the Democrats? Quit standing around looking smug. I'm not happy with you, either. Had ALL the Democrats been doing their job six years ago, we wouldn't necessarily be at war. Had they done their job since, we might be OUT of war and more people might still be alive - and we might've saved some face with the rest of the world. Had they stuck to trying to find compromises benefitting the most people, instead of bowing and kissing Bush's ass most of the time, we might be a little better off than we are now. Had Clinton not signed NAFTA, things might be very different for us than they are now. Maybe.
This rant is about neocons, even if I have slipped into "Republican" or "conservative" where I shouldn't (although, I still credit our civil liberties and freedom of choice to liberals). Never think that if you're Republican that all us "librals" automatically think you're Horrible and Not Very Nice. I grew up with two staunch Republican parents and an extended Republican family (I am one of the very, VERY few liberals in the tree), and I have no hatred. But when my father is thinking of not voting at all and my mother is enthusiastically campaigning for Obama - something smells in your party.
Clean it out. Make me somebody once again who doesn't mind who my friends support in an election - who doesn't feel the only choice is between a reasonably intelligent human and the Spawn of Satan. And for God's sake, KICK THE BUSHES OUT FOR GOOD. You do, and I'll do what I can to keep that oilman (yes, he is) Gore from running again.
