Am I wrong..?

[enlightenment]

Apparently a large number of people gathered in Washington.

Their motive? To protest against the health care reforms that Obama promised.

Of course, they are entirely entitled to express their feelings, through public protest, but I really question what is at the heart of the matter.

Is it really Obama's policies that they resent so much?

Or is it the fact, deny it that they might, that they just cannot tolerate a man of colour(sic), as President?

I would love to say, 100%, that it is policy alone, and that the American people are too switched on for any kind of racialist thinking.

But from what I read, and read between the lines, on many forums, there is definitely a feeling that some would find reason to criticise him,no matter what. Because he is non white.

If that does form the basis of resentment, then it is a poor reflection of the US 2009, imho..

 

[China Cat Sunflower]

It's interesting how the GOP can turn out the fringies in support of positions which benefit fat cats and large corporations at the expense of their own self interest.

Chris

 

[citizenzen]

It's interesting how the GOP can turn out the fringies in support of positions which benefit fat cats and large corporations at the expense of their own self interest.

Amen. Just listen to the woman who's husband works 2.5 jobs and doesn't have insurance...

[youtube]PcRr5xA-K80[/youtube]

 

[Netti-Netti]

It's interesting how the GOP can turn out the fringies in support of positions which benefit fat cats and large corporations at the expense of their own self interest.

Ideology is more important than human welfare and quality of life, isn't it?

 

[Netti-Netti]

Apparently a large number of people gathered in Washington.

Their motive? To protest against the health care reforms that Obama promised.

I thought the contention was government spending. So where were they when GW Bush arranged for bank mergers that were financed with tax funds?

And where were they when GW Bush decided to spend billions on a tragically misguided war of choice in Iraq?

If that does form the basis of resentment, then it is a poor reflection of the US 2009, imho.

It doesn't have to be racial. I think the idea is to delegitimitize Obama because he's a Democrat. Opposing his policies is the most obvious route.

 

[wil]

Well, when we protested the war it wasn't because Bush was white...

And while I know the racism is showing up I don't know if it is here.

To the majority of the Republicans and especially the tea party gang health reform Obama style is simply socialism and goes against their grain.

 

[citizenzen]

Well, when we protested the war it wasn't because Bush was white...

With Bush, we protested a policy (war) that was going to hurt people.

Teabaggers, on the other hand, protest a policy that is going to help people.

Go figure.

 

[China Cat Sunflower]

I think that there are a number of currents converging in these protests. Surely there is a large undercurrent of latent racism, but that's not all that's going on. While the political rhetoric of "smaller government" is thin cover for the interests of entities who benefit from reduced social, environmental, and financial oversight, there is a legitimate, almost innate sense among Americans of all strata and stripe that government, left unchecked, inherently becomes bloated, inefficient, self rather than public serving, and riddled with fraud, waste and abuse. This innate distrust of government is deeply ingrained in the American psyche. It is indeed part of our sense of what makes one a patriot. Consider:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

People have been whipped into a frenzy and their legitimate frustrations have been turned to politically useful motivations by political operatives who have no real concern for patriotism or the the well being of citizens at large. And, a lot of people, most people really, are kinda ill informed and...dumb. That doesn't help.

Chris

 

[wil]

With Bush, we protested a policy (war) that was going to hurt people.

Teabaggers, on the other hand, protest a policy that is going to help people.

Go figure.

That's the difference between the basic ideologies.

Republicans feel they went to war to protect the world from terrorists and make the world and the capitalist economic machine safe to grow. They feel that encouraging each person to pay their own bills, including insurance will assist them to be better members of society and increase their self esteem.

They feel the dem's methods are an admission that we aren't worthy, that we need help with everything, like dependent children.

Democrats feel if we balanced society...made us all middle class by robin hiood methods we'd improve as a society. And they are now questioning Obama on his war policies as well, they want out of Iraq and Afghanistan.

 

[seattlegal]

Democrats feel if we balanced society...made us all middle class by robin hiood methods we'd improve as a society.

I can see how this could naturally lead to projections of racism onto those who don't agree with their methods.

They feel the dem's methods are an admission that we aren't worthy, that we need help with everything, like dependent children.

Wouldn't that make everyone (except the policymakers) "lower class?"

 

[Netti-Netti]

To the majority of the Republicans and especially the tea party gang health reform Obama style is simply socialism and goes against their grain.

Hi Wil, Just wanted tho share this info:

61 percent of Republicans favor increased spending for child health are.
Poll: Most Want War Funding Cut And Favor Children’s Health Care Expansion | The Moderate Voice

Likewise, 61 percent of Republicans favor “Starting a new federal health insurance plan that individuals could purchase if they can’t afford private plans offered to them.”
http://assets.bizjournals.com/cms_media/denver/pdf/HealthPoll082509.pdf


It seems the majority of Republicans are for "socialized" medicine.

 

[Netti-Netti]

This innate distrust of government is deeply ingrained in the American psyche. It is indeed part of our sense of what makes one a patriot. Consider:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.
​

I hope this is not too cynical, but I suspect a majority of Americans never give these things any thought, nor do they see bloat as "despotic" - especially if they are government/military employees or if their business is dependent on government/military contracts.

Btw, wasn't the issue that the colonists didn't like being taxed by the Brits?

 

[China Cat Sunflower]

I hope this is not too cynical, but I suspect a majority of Americans never give these things any thought, nor do they see bloat as "despotic" - especially if they are government/military employees or if their business is dependent on government/military contracts.

Agreed.

Btw, wasn't the issue that the colonists didn't like being taxed by the Brits?

Without representation.

Chris

 

[China Cat Sunflower]

That's the difference between the basic ideologies.

Republicans feel they went to war to protect the world from terrorists and make the world and the capitalist economic machine safe to grow. They feel that encouraging each person to pay their own bills, including insurance will assist them to be better members of society and increase their self esteem.

They feel the dem's methods are an admission that we aren't worthy, that we need help with everything, like dependent children.

Democrats feel if we balanced society...made us all middle class by robin hiood methods we'd improve as a society. And they are now questioning Obama on his war policies as well, they want out of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Caricaturization.

Chris

 

[China Cat Sunflower]

A family of four making fifty thousand or less pays next to nothing in Federal income tax. So when the GOP says they want to lower taxes, what are they talking about? Sales tax? Cigarette tax? No, they're talking about cutting taxes for the wealthy and large corporations. Wages for working people have been flat for the last twenty five years thanks to "conservative" policies which benefit those who are already fat rich. That's called "increasing productivity", which is a fancy way of saying they get more work out of us for the same or lower wages. Now that predatory lenders have been allowed to strip us clean while driving the cost of housing through the roof regular folks have no money left to spend. That's what's really destroying the consumer economy. You can't erode workers wages for twenty five years and expect to maintain a tax base or a decent consumer economy. That's the legacy of Reaganomics. So how do we fix that without shifting some of the burden onto those who made out big time while the rest of us, the majority of us had our legs cut out from under us financially by skyrocketing medical,food, and energy costs which outstripped our greatly reduced earning potential?

Chris

 

[Tao_Equus]

A new anthem for the Christian Right ?

[youtube]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KV44Lf7LLYo&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/KV44Lf7LLYo&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/youtube]

 

[enlightenment]

To the majority of the Republicans and especially the tea party gang health reform Obama style is simply socialism and goes against their grain.

I post on this other forum. Mostly Neo Con Americans. Not very intelligent one's. Anyway, it is almost comical. Obama has been called (on there), an 'anti semite' , 'anti white', a 'Nazi', a 'communist', and a 'fascist'. They just throw these terms around like confetti.

 

[enlightenment]

And where were they when GW Bush decided to spend billions on a tragically misguided war of choice in Iraq?
.

Supporting it.

And they still do, to this day.

They will NEVER admit that it was immoral and wrong.

Never.