Thursday, October 20, 2011

A Disturbing Trend

I've been watching the Republican debates.

No, I'm not changing parties. I'm still a bleeding heart Democrat. But I want to see what Obama will be up against in the 2012 election. From what I can see, not much.

Tim Pawlenty dropped out early.

Newt Gringrich hasn't yet figured out that he's merely a has-been hypocrite.

John Huntsman is probably the most qualified of the entire group to be the Republican nominee, but he won't. He hasn't risen above 5% in the polls because he's far too educated, experienced and reasonable and the poor guy refuses to pander to the tea party crowd.

Rick Santorum is the homophobic whiner of the group. He thinks Google is ruining his reputation, complains that debate moderators don't give him enough time and believes he is the victim of liberal persecution.

Michelle Bachmann is the professional tea party panderer so she was flying high in the polls a few weeks ago, then tanked big time. It's no wonder, considering her complete ignorance and that voice that makes you reach for the mute button.

Then it was Rick Perry. Oh. My. God. What I noticed first was his posture: shoulders forced back and rigid, chest puffed out, arms slightly bent, upper body slightly leaning forward. He reminds me of a 3-year-old boy who's pissed off at his big brother and assumes the "fight position." Then he opens his mouth and what comes out is frat boy bravado framed with a George W. Bush sneer. He's completely out of his league, but he's not smart enough to know it.

Ron Paul. At 76, this man just gets meaner every year. You have to wonder why a person who hates government so much would spend over 20 years in Congress. Ron Paul is the candidate who advocated doing nothing to save an uninsured comatose man, allowing him to die without medical intervention (a position cheered by the audience). And, by the way, Ron Paul is Ron Paul, M.D. ~ a healthcare professional who took the Hippocratic Oath to do no harm.

Mitt Romney. Is this his second or third time around the Republican presidential candidate block? You know who he is don't you? He's the guy who tries to convince us that corporations are people. He's also the candidate who advocates foreclosure-orama for the wealthiest among us. When asked how he would help the housing and foreclosure problems in the U.S., he replied, "...don't try to stop the foreclosure process. Let it run its course and hit the bottom, allow investors to buy the homes, put renters in them, then fix the homes up and let it turn around and come back up." The guy has nice hair and a great smile, but zero compassion.

Herman Cain, the pizza mogul, is the big man on campus this week. It doesn't seem to matter that he is completely ignorant of foreign policy and economic theory, tea partiers love him and his 9-9-9 tax plan. His rail against the poor and unemployed, "Don't blame Wall Street, don’t blame the big banks. If you don’t have a job and you’re not rich, blame yourself," drew raucous applause from the audience.

In one of the last three debates, questions via You-tube were submitted to the candidates. One question in particular came from a gay soldier currently serving in Afghanistan who asked about the repeal of DADT and if the candidates would attempt to circumvent it. As the Republican audience booed the soldier and his question, all the candidates remained silent. Shameful.

Joe Scarborough, the host of Morning Joe on MSNBC and former Congressman said a couple of days ago that he doesn't even recognize the Republican party any more because it is so far right.

I have to agree, but I think there is something more dangerous underlying the trend moving to the far, far right. Hate. Simple unadulterated hate for anything or anyone who is not white, straight and employed; hate of the powerless; hate for those who live in poverty; hate for those who are sick and uninsured; hate for those who love someone of the same sex; even hate for those who struggle to make ends meet, to go school to make a life for themselves. It has become mainstream to hate and blame, and audiences cheer and applaud those candidates who are gleefully willing to attack and berate anyone outside the wingnut mold. They've booed gay soldiers, cried for the death of the uninsured and vilified the poor.

We're moving backwards, and it's scary.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

What serious minded, rational human being would ever entertain a Rick Perry?

Terri said...

Or any of them, for that matter. They are all just a bunch of clowns whose presence diminishes the seriousness of the Presidency. IMHO

Anonymous said...

Agreed. It's just with Rick Perry I imagine the slow road to insanity I'd take if I had to listen to that voice for 4 years.

bandit said...

Glad to see your in-consistent misquoting Paul. You should go to work for MSM.

wv: laming

Terri said...

I didn't quote Ron Paul, but here's what he said, "That’s what freedom is all about, taking your own risks.....Our neighbors, our friends, our churches would do it." [take care of the man] He also said that hospitals never turn anyone away. That is a flat-out lie. Hospitals turn people away all the time if they don't have insurance and by the time they get to a hospital that will treat the uninsured and indigent, it's often too late.

IMHO, Ron Paul is a bigger wackjob than Michelle Bachmann because he mean and heartless.