Thursday, August 30, 2012

It's not me, it's you

Wednesday night was a hot night for Republicans, literally and figuratively.
In hot and humid Tampa, they brought out the big gun slingers to talk about big gun issues.
Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney were officially named Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates. Condoleeza Rice took to the podium to talk foreign policy. Ryan took to the stage to tell you what Obama is doing wrong. Mike Huckabee urged social conservatives to follow Romney to the White House. The day before, Ann Romney and a handful of other female Republicans took to the stage to remind females that "we hear you." Tonight Romney will tell the nation that Obama's broken promises "gave way to disappointment and division."

Let me just go ahead and deconstruct a couple of these. If you're like me, your brain rejected the above statements with a heavy helping of common sense and historical context.
Article one.
Condoleeza Rice was secretary of state under George W. Bush.
In terms of foreign policy, Rice was a key player in the most embarrassingly backwards-thinking, trigger-happy and arrogant administration in many many years. The idea of her lecturing ANYONE on foreign policy would be laughable if it weren't for the screaming crowds of supporters. But let's not digress into emotional musings just yet...
Article two.
In his first public address as official VP nom, Ryan decided to spend his time, not laying out a plan, but continuing to bash Obama. From calling Obama the "greatest threat" to Medicare to placing all the blame on him for the downgrading of the US credit rating, Ryan acted more like an attack dog than a young, inspiring leader ready to take on the country's issues.
In debate, it wasn't enough to counter an argument just because. You had to not only provide evidence but offer up a better solution. Ryan did neither.
Granted, with the current two-party system of he-said/she-said politicking, I wouldn't expect him to.
The Democrats do the same thing. Lies are the preferred form of communication leading up to election day, while the issues remain shoved under a rug of widespread apathy and ideological loyalty.
It's odd that Ryan didn't bother pointing out some of Obama's actual presidential failures - like sentencing 6 whistle blowers - more than all other presidents combined - under the Espionage Act. Or signing NDAA which effectively allows for indefinite military detention. Or deploying over 4 times as many drones as Bush did when in office, to kill targets on various classified "kill lists." Oh and by the way, he's already started deploying surveillance drones in the good ole US of A.
Ryan didn't mention any of the countless other true stories that shed light on a less than successful presidency.
All I can say is - oo oo shiny!
The less you know about this, the more we can continue our useless banter over vaginas, prescription drugs and where Obama was born. That and the fact that practices such as these are not likely to change under any president. They are a reflection of the system as a whole. It's only such "surface issues" as abortion, marriage and which God you pray to that split along party lines.

In the interest of time, I'll skip over Huckabee's call to arms. Their class clashing tiffs back in '08 generated Huckabee quotes such as "pack it up and go back to Boston," and calling Romney "arrogant and presumptuous." Last night, he was all about thanking Obama for bringing him and Romney closer together, so that united, they could take on the evil Democrats in their fortress of deception.

In the end, why don't we all just thank Obama for giving us another total wasted televised political event?
I'm sure after the DNC, we can thank Romney for the same thing.
The blame game wrapped in a cuddly veil of don't-bother-telling-us-what-you'll-do-differently.
Rice standing resolute and claiming that Romney and Ryan "know what to do" when it comes to foreign policy. Ummm...what gave that away? Romney's recent trip to Europe?
I guess when you judge from the platform of her resume, anythings looking up. 
And maybe you could share with the class what it is that they know to do - could I see an outline?
If I am to go off of their campaigning, I'd assume it's the exact opposite of what Obama has done. I guess we'll find out if Obama gets the boot - it's like a cracker jack surprise - how exciting!

Granted, I also don't have the slightest clue what Obama will do to make his next term any better.
I hate to be so depressingly realistic but the picture really sums it up.
Either way, pardon my language, we're fucked.

Until we just turn around and walk away from this broken system, and demand one that digs to the bottom of this corporatized plutocracy, we're gonna keep getting a whole lot of this, leaving us with very little on the back end.
The only thing that will trickle down is disappointment and division. Well done Romney - you got that one half right.
The pomp and circumstance of these conventions, so proven by their content, is just that - pomp and circumstance - with no more substance than the Super PACs and financial supporters allow (about as much as the contents of a dieting model's lunch box).

In the interest of our interests, we should take more interest in the simmering slop beneath sky rocket interest rates and hand shaking, back door dealing corporate interest mates. 
Or if you're happy with where we lie, don't stand - let this all pass you by, swimming in real lies, too indoctrinated to realize - the truth as it floats by, smothered and beaten, spit out, never eaten - breathe in - mind that cough. Close your eyes - exhale all the worry that comes from you seeing - enjoy the ride.
But don't look so confused as they sit so amused, counting their cash flow, as we writhe in the under toe - of too long, too much - too little from us, and then too weak - to swim gainst the waterfall...



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