I’m back from spring break, where I spent some quality time on our fine socialist highway system. Also, since traveling internationally, I’ve been enjoying our socialist water quality standards and our socialist sewer systems. Of course, I’m using the term "socialist" the way it is commonly used these days, to mean anything that is in any way connected to the government.
What happened while I was away? Health insurance reform was passed. Death threats were issued. Glenn Beck went ballistic because John Lewis acted like a civil rights activist. He must have missed the history lesson where John Lewis got his head busted open for … being a civil rights activist.
So, I missed some history and also missed some more of the same.
But I’ve definitely not been feeling very bloggy lately. I’m about as down on our democracy as I was when we invaded Iraq. I’m depressed that it is so easy to spread so much fear and so many lies. And I’m depressed that it works so well. Yes, a weakened version of healthcare passed, but look at how much effort it took. When a plan that is more conservative than Richard Nixon’s is believed by so many people to be some kind Marxist plot, I just have to sigh.
At least Obama has a sense of humor about it. Watch him below make fun of the crazy that so many people have been peddling. Sometimes, I just love that guy.
Thursday, April 01, 2010
Did I Miss Anything?
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6 comments:
That had to be the most unproffesional and sarcastic speech I have ever heard a president make. Health care views aside, do people here really view this as a model presentation?
You should be happy Bob. You will soon be able to get health care insurance, even though you have tried so hard not to get it. That's the great thing about government programs -- they guarantee certain rights regardless of a person's ideology.
Bob,
I am trying to think of a generous way to put this. But that is a pile of crap. Unprofessional? Please. Look at this: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/28/opinion/28rich.html
I heard Shields and Brooks tonight refer to Obama's speech to the troops in Afghanistan as one of his best. I'll have to look it up. If nothing else, Obama is a brilliant writer and speaker and I have to love him for that alone. He is inspiring.
I've been contemplating what is, I think, the "Obama Doctrine," if you will. He nurtures and incorporates the opposition in a way I've never before seen a politician do. I wish I had this ability, to draw in and utilize and welcome Robert's (and my conservative relatives') views instead of just opposing them.
Not sure I can do that, so I truly admire this in the man.
Ok, I have difficulty understanding how the following comments are nurturing and uniting, but perhpas everyone here can explain to me why this comment from the democratic party is welcoming to me.
"But if you think these vile two-bit wing-nuts are just gonna slink back into whatever century they crawled out from now that health care reform is the law, think again."
From http://dccc.org/blog/archives/fire_her
Bob, James Carville is definitely not welcoming, he plays politics for keeps (which is kinda funny, considering he sleeps with one of those two bit wing-nuts, but whatever).
I think it is interesting to see how the conversation is shaped by perspective-I kind of enjoy Obama's sarcasm, and love to see a politician human enough to tease a little bit, but I acknowledge that he's preaching to the choir.
Dan, I'm not sure I think that the anger about this bill is particularly more dramatic than the anger right before the election-the sense of loss for 'what makes America different' is powerful thing, and I understand why people find the liberal agenda threatening. Now, I do think this arises out of a mis-reading of history-that is, I agree that this bill is to the right of Nixon's, that tax rates are still at historically low levels and America will flourish if they go up dramatically, and that the free market really isn't what makes/made America different or great, but I can see why it gets to people who read history differently.
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