January 22, 2012 by David K. Sutton
It Is The Republicans Who Want To Fundamentally Change America
Set The Stage And Win Them Over
Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and many Republicans in congress make it a habit to label President Obama as a liberal, left-wing extremist who is trying to fundamentally change America. Romney, Gingrich, and other Republicans deliver line after line of nonsense and concocted accusations. They really do just make this stuff up. Every false accusation about Obama, or the elite media, or activist judges, or the poor, or black people, or – well, you get the point – ends with an eruption of cheers and applause from Republican proles that know nothing about Obama’s record or the issues, but are responding instead to the verbal slaying of a perceived common enemy.
“We are at war with Eastasia. We have always been at war with Eastasia.” – Nineteen Eighty-Four
Republican leaders know that this Republican audience doesn’t respond to nuance, details or facts. It requires something a bit more black and white with a healthy side serving of asshole to win them over. Right now Newt Gingrich is just the kind of asshole Republicans have been looking for. But Newt isn’t alone in his extremist assault on America. Republicans talk a good game when it comes to labeling Democrats or liberals as the extremists trying to fundamentally change America. I will show it is actually Republicans who want to change America into something very different from what most of us have experienced.
Anyone under 60 barely knows – if at all – an America without Medicare or Medicaid. You would be of fairly advanced age to remember a time before Social Security. But Republicans want to fundamentally change these programs and more. In fact, many of them would end these programs completely if offered the chance.
Now They Can Go In For The Kill
Now that the Republican proles “are at war with Eastasia” and trust the Republican leaders are on their side against a common enemy, these leaders can now move forward with what would have otherwise been a very unpopular agenda.
Let’s see what’s on the menu shall we?
Cut Back Or Kill Medicaid And Other Programs For The Poor
Since Republican leaders – who are typically members of the 1% – tell us that poor people are poor because they choose to be poor, then we must cut all government assistance programs. After all, if the government is going to supply you with food stamps so you can get nice and fat, why would you look for a job? Newt Gingrich puts it so eloquently when he says,
Really poor children in really poor neighborhoods have no habits of working and have nobody around them who works. So literally, they have no habit of showing up on Monday. They have no habit of staying all day. They have no habit of I do this and you give me cash – unless it’s illegal.
Cut Back, Kill Or Privatize Medicare
Since Republicans were so worried about “killing grandma” during the health care debate back in 2009 then it makes perfect sense to cut back and eventually kill Medicare as we know it, right? Of course, this is Republican logic after all.
Republicans say Medicare is a huge part of our financial problems in this country and they are correct. One thing I want to know is how they think Americans will be better off if we cut or kill Medicare and tell senior citizens that they are on their own. This isn’t a solution. The real solution is that we need Medicare for all.
Medicare, as enacted almost 50 years ago, was a novel idea. We as a society chose to protect people in their golden years. But there is a fatal flaw with Medicare. It’s a high risk pool. We know all seniors are going to need health care services and many times they need these services often. You fix this fatal flaw by extending Medicare to the entire country. Medicare for all would be a diverse risk pool that is ultimately sustainable long-term.
Unfortunately this is just too much thinking for Republicans. It’s so much easier to slash and cut your way through government service while pretending you are serving the people.
Cut Back, Kill Or Privatize Social Security
Did you hear, it’s a Ponzi scheme? Rick Perry says so. You know, the Texas Governor and colossal failure of a presidential candidate. Let’s see, Perry is how old? 61 years – Social Security has been around for how long? 77 years — Social Security must be the most successful Ponzi scheme in the history of Ponzi schemes. It has been around for Perry’s entire life plus 16 years. But you know what? I think what this means is:
- Social Security isn’t a Ponzi scheme
- Perry is an idiot
- Social Security has been “the most successful government program in the history of our country.” – to quote Senator Bernie Sanders
Ignore Overwhelming Scientific Evidence Of Climate Change – Interject ‘Science Isn’t Settled’ Opinion
I absolutely love this one. You have people who know nothing about climate science who think their opinion on climate science is just as valid as the educated and evidence-based conclusion of climate scientists who have dedicated their lives and careers to this topic. No, scientists don’t always get it right, that’s the nature of science, but you won’t find a more skeptical person than a scientist. These climate change deniers are not skeptics, they are simply deniers. Their conviction is not based in science it’s based in denial. Unfortunately most Republicans in congress subscribe to this mass denial.
So Who Are The Extremists In American Politics?
Republicans, you are the extremists because:
- you want to gut Medicare and Social Security when it polls at 70-80% approval
- you reject the science and interject an uninformed – or purposely misleading – opinion denying climate change when 98 out of 100 climate scientists say climate change is real and caused by human activity
- you blame poor people for being poor and believe if all government assistance is ended, people will prosper
It Is The Republicans Who Want To Fundamentally Change America
dks
–
