But now, rather than intellectually deconstruct the issue and examine it, it’s easier to scream COMMUNISM! without any knowledge of what Communism really is, or bellow out SOSHULUSM! without any knowledge of what exactly that political theory is.

It isn’t about reason, political discourse, discussion, debate, and examination at all any more. It’s more about catch phrases, misunderstood concepts, sound bites, and talking heads.

And it’s really disappointing.

As far as the “Tea Bag” party goes, I find it interesting that they choose to refer to themselves by a term that nowadays refers to placing one’s testicles on the forehead of another person, usually by force.

It’s very hard to take them seriously, or even think that they aren’t trying to do politically exactly what the name is.

Hold the American electorate down and rub their sweaty balls on the foreheads of the American people.

They invoke the names of the Founding Fathers, but actually have little to no knowledge of the men behind the carefully crafted images. Do I think Thomas Jefferson and the other Founding Fathers would support Universal Health Care? Since ALL MEN are created EQUAL, and they believed in the right to LIFE, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, how could they not? Shouldn’t everyone have the opportunity for equal care? Do they not have the right to life, a happy life?

Man, I could go on and on and on.

And you can probably see why I’m not really considered a Republican any more, even though the majority of my political beliefs haven’t changed since the mid-80′s.

If this were only a matter of a few right wing pundits shitting into the discourse, that would be one thing. But these lies have worked their way down to the citizen level and are here to stay. Try having a “rational”, “honest” debate in a web forum about climate change, sometime – 95% of the time, it can’t be done. No matter how many facts or studies or logical arguments you throw at them, they’ve got bluster, sophistry, illogic, and talking points at the ready. I’m not debating Glen Beck, but I might as well be. Which is why I’m done being nice and finished thinking that both sides are equally noble or equally culpable in this mess that we’re in. They’re not, and this myth of false equivalency is what keeps real change from occurring. It’s what causes people to think that Obama is equally responsible for the recessions and bailout. The charlatans that got us into this mess deserve any of the ridicule and venom directed their way.

That said, I am a bit uneasy at the absolute dearth of varied opinions here. Unless someone is going to explicate the reasoning that drives the majority of the right, this is little more than a political circle jerk. Once you start assuming that the other guy is either crazy or malicious, you’ve closed off your mind to rational debate. I’m particular struck by the line by Jody and malachi about Republicans being the “true villains”. That doesn’t seem to be very open to other opinions.

The best suggestion I can offer is to not get blinded by TV personalities. Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly, Sarah Palin… these are popular figures whose lives revolve more around the media than the government. Think of them like the hippies of the 70s, but for the right rather than the left. Sure, they are wildly popular, and their words motivate countless blind followers despite the fact that they are penned out of nothing more than a desire for fame or money, but I don’t think that we should throw out all of conservative ideology simply because a few idiots decide to go for style over substance.

T-Willard brought it up with the “Republican party I used to be part of”. The conservative ideology there (things like small government, “fair” taxation, and a strong military) do make sense, even if liberals don’t agree with them. Real political discourse is examining those ideas, debating them and looking at different points of views. Be wary that you don’t just become an O’Reilly of the left.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m disappointed in Obama and the Dems and I’m proud that my side is critiquing their pick way earlier than conservatives began to toss Bush under the bus (’06 or later). But that being said, we should never lose track of which party the true villains reside in.

Wealthy elites with an overdeveloped sense of grievance have manipulating libertarian/populist useful idiots into making sure the pyramid scheme that is American capitalism keeps the money flowing in one direction. To do that, they need a broke, uneducated workforce. Mexicans are getting too big a political hot potato to just keep importing, so they’re working on breaking the middle class. If something starts to bubble to the surface that looks like the country as a whole might benefit, all they need to do is shriek “SOSHULISM!” or “FUCK YOU AL GORE!” and the usual jeering mobs will jump in front of the Fox cameras, wearing tricorn hats adorned with teabags and brandishing poorly spelled placards equating Obama with Hitler, Bin Laden, Stepin Fetchit, or some combination thereof, all the while shrieking spittle-flecked slogans about how the Declaration of Independence tells them it’s their God-given right to oust the darkie from their White House by force.

Plutocrats manipulating useful idiots. The lot of ‘em.

captcha health care comment: doctors buck

Now it’s all about clamping down and being intolerant, ignorant, bigoted, and jumping up and down wrapped in a flag and screaming patriotism at the top of their lungs like a retarded gibbon.

All the while sucking like a fat leech at the country they claim to serve, who’s government service isn’t for the benefit of anyone but them.

Palin’s the perfect brain dead spokesperson for the new “Republican Party”, brainless, ignorant and willfully so, easily led and uncaring about history or motives, vain, petty, and ultimately out for number one.

Screw the Republican party, and all the wanna-be fascists and greedy bastards who claim they only want what’s best for the country.

All you have to do is give up essential liberties, freedoms fought and paid for in blood, and mindlessly follow along.

Bitter? Yeah.