WHO ARE WE KIDDING HERE, AMERICA TRYING TO EXPORT DEMOCRACY?
Whenever I hear the talking point that we are trying to establish a carbon copy of our political system in Iraq or Afghanistan I cringe. Not only is it a bogus argument because in the long run only people can chose to be governed by the system they deem appropriate; but also because here in America, and this is my opinion, democracy is but a fleeting illusion.
Not going into many details and facts I will say that special interests, the big corporations and some individuals like the Koch brothers and Murdoch have incredible power and influence that far exceeds those of the general population that votes.
I become equally agitated whenever I see us sending “observers” to monitor election fraud in
some country holding elections when we can’t have a clean, transparent election ourselves…2000 is but a good example and the tortuous and expensive trek that are the primaries and the actual election campaign where money spent on negative ads and the deliberate manipulation from both political parties make it impossible for any electorate to make a clear choice.
But I can’t ignore my own insecurities about where we are heading as a country. I am particularly concerned that a significant number of people have been sold on the idea that “GOVERNMENT IS TOO BIG” and that “GOVERNMENT IS THE PROBLEM”. The alternatives are alarming because presently government is as big as it needs to be in keeping with our status as the world’s only superpower…and that government being the problem only applies when government is in the hands of Republicans; and we have seen this time and time again…every time there is a Republican administration we see our debt skyrocket and the economy become sluggish…no exceptions.
But to hear these people you would think that the only use they have for government and its role is to legislate morality and to meddle in our private affairs by patrolling our sexual behavior in our very own bedrooms. This is also known as the hypocritical CULTURE WARS.
The Republicans have a lot of people convinced that there is an actual CLASS WARFARE going on when in reality what we have been driven into is a WELFARE STATE for the very rich and the corporations…if it is a class war then the poor and the middle class have already been defeated by the lobbyists and special interests of the very rich and the corporations.
That is why I am so indignant when I hear Republicans suggest that we should privatize Social Security. There are many Wall Street yahoos salivating over the prospect…they even have a clear and comprehensive plan to make us part with our hard earned dollars…there will be fees, and penalties and at the end there will be one massive Wall Street Stock Market crash that will erase billions of the contributor’s funds.
So, go ahead and vote Republican come this November; it is your money and it is your country you will be fucking up.