Okay, I love this country; let's get that out of the way first. While we’ve gotten a lot wrong – slavery, the treatment of Native Americans, stealing Texas from Mexico, not to mention Hawaii from the Hawaiians -- we’ve gotten a lot right – even if we’re still struggling with that concept of liberty and justice for all.
But the current political climate has me wondering how well this democracy thing is working out.
These are uneasy times and the political polarization in Washington seems to be holding our (and it is our) government hostage. Maybe it's just me, but I get the feeling that the opposition wouldn't approve Mom or apple pie if Obama spoke in favor of them. Like Rush Limbaugh, the opposition wants Obama to fail. It is their prime directive, their avowed objective. And if it means paralyzing the government, well, they're okay with that.
Of course spending can't keep exceeding revenue; yes, there will have to be sacrifices. But not all on one side. What ever happened to compromise?
I know, I'm looking at this through the eyes of a liberal -- maybe that's why I can't understand what would be wrong with things like eliminating the tax loopholes on corporate jets. Or why the very wealthiest shouldn't pay higher taxes before we start cutting Medicare and Social Security and education. Some of those very wealthiest being executives who profited by government bailouts.
It's hard to celebrate Independence Day when government seems to have ground to a halt, sabotaged by a bunch of politicians who have fully earned the title "The Party of NO.' May their fireworks fizzle and their ice cream melt.
We'll be celebrating in a quiet way here at home -- keeping an eye on Silverbell, the Jersey girl whose calf in due any day now, and hoping all the time that a miracle will happen and all the flags and rhetoric and patriotic speeches will remind these folks in Congress that their first loyalty should be to the United States of America -- not to their party nor to the corporations that fund them.
27 comments:
For us Europeans Obama is a blessing and a welcome new leader after the destructive policy of the two Bushes !
God bless America!
Have a great day. I'm sure Obama came to office with good intentions, but...
We're watching 'The Kennedys' over here, just now. Even with artistic licence stripped away, I'm reminded of something my grandfather used to say, "we don't know the half of it, and if we did, we wouldn't sleep at night."
Have a wonderful 4th!
I love your forthrightness, Vicki!
Happy 4 Th!
About Sisteron: I think you find my last picture"stunning" because the landscape joins the river( La Durance ) and the mountains (Les Alpes)
Would that I could make this 20pt font:
HEAR! HEAR!
There is what we know and what we don't... and greed on top of it...
Happy Fourth!
Yes. Just yes. I find myself so afraid to bring up any kind of political discussion anywhere because it so quickly degenerates into name-calling and accusations. I would love to see a resurgence of reasoned discussion, but I'm certainly not holding my breath waiting for it.
On another note, may I link to your article in WNC on Facebook? I didn't want to do it without making sure you were okay with it.
Happy Fourth! We're going kayaking!
well said...and i agree vicki...i went there on mine for the day as well...i doubt obama lasts another term though i am somewhat scared of who is next....the deadlock may have set in in our country for a while...heading over to the school to slip through the fence and watch the fireworks with the fam...
Sure thing, Karen!.
And I'm jumping over to waystation, Brian, to see what you said.
I try to stay away from anything political for the reasons Karen mentioned. This morning my husband mentioned my post and I said, "Oh, yeah, my rant."
And he said "That's no rant -- you want to hear a rant, j\ust let me get going..."
So maybe it was a mini-rant -- sometimes I do have to mention the very annoying elephant in the room.
You said it all perfectly, Vicki. What mess....maybe on December 21, 2012, we'll all be transformed into the matriarchal side and benevolence and compassion will reign...you think?
Love your Red, White and Blue!
Elora
Wonderful post this morning Vicki. Love your red, white and blue too!
Enjoy your 4th of July.
Thank you, Vicki, for stating that so well. Somehow, we have got to get back to remembering that we are all Americans, and that playing politics isn't what our governmental system is all about. We need leaders, not political game players.
I couldn't agree with you more Vicki. It's a sad state of affairs that this country is in. Great post. Hope the Jersey Girls are doing fine.
I agree whole-heartedly, Vicki. I remember after the mid-term elections, one of those who had won (can't remember who) said their top priority was making sure Obama didn't get a second term. Their TOP priority. What about working on fixing the economy, creating jobs, ending the wars, etc? So very sad, and even sadder still that in the end, it at least in part boils down to racism.
I have to agree, Susan, that it's likely that racism plays a large part in this.
Vicki, you said it so well! My thoughts exactly. I can't understand the shortsighted policies of the right. Can they not see what they're doing or do they not care? I'm not sure which is worse, but it's clear neither is good for the future. This current situation is extortion. Excellent post!
Just as an aside, I checked to see whether SHORTSIGHTED was one word or two, and this was the first usage example from Merriam-Webster
1.shortsighted politicians who only care about how they do in the next election
Thanks Vicki, let's remember that a revolution was necessary for us to start this contry, people willing to fight and die for their ideals. We've let the politicians move into the areana, and as voters (assuming we all vote) we've lost our powers to a bunch of ...(expletives deleted)power-mongers (is that a word?) who don't have absolute power, but act like they do. We don't feel as if we have any powers anymore, and those we elected sure don't represent us. (My mini-rant number 2 for the day.)
Vicki, a wholehearted brava to you. I was reluctant to be so forthright on my new blog, though I'm moving in that direction. We have to tell it straight. This county's in trouble. Our govenment has been high-jacked, and it's time for people like us to begin saying as much. Using our gifts as writers and artists to do so. If we do it right, we can carry folks with us. And time is short.
Vicki, you are definitely not alone. You have said much of what I was thinking when I posted my blog today, but I had just delivered a sermon there a couple of days back on spay and neuter and shied away from more preaching. I'm glad you picked up the slack. But you may have noticed the storm clouds gathering around my American flag photo! Jim
Hi Vicki, I came by to wish you a Happy 4th, but having read your post, I see that you are struggling with your administrations policies. Its the old story of government, the road to the top is paved with good intentions. Loved your colours. Enjoy your day. Big hugs, Margie.
I'm no politician but across this side of the pond, it all looks so confusing. Obama seems such a blessed relief (to me) after the Bushes, and everyone was so pleased when he was elected so it's hard to see what's gone wrong. But it's much the same here. Even with a coalition it doesn't seem like people can pull together. I wish I knew the answers.
Vicki, I feel the same way, but I just couldn't find the words. Thank you for articulating some of my thoughts so eloquently.
Amen blogger buddy. Amen!
Excellent post. Yes, we can hope.
Brava! --Mario
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