Volvo with a gun rack

As I read through some of the debate dialog, from Republican hopefuls to the Senate Resolution, an old memory of Robin Williams' voice put a smile, albeit a weak one, on my face. "Compassionate conservative? That's like a Volvo with a gun rack."

Back in the day, 'compassionate conservative' was an actual term, a tongue-in-cheek way of noting certain right wingers un-right wing affinity for government sponsored social organizations and subsidies. It was a snide remark back then, descriptive of few. Now, it's damn near ludicrous and imaginary.

At last weeks debate, Wolf Blitzer from CNN posed a question to Ron Paul about a hypothetical 30 year old man with no health insurance who had fallen very ill. In order to survive he would need 6 months in the ICU. Should, he asked, "we just let him die?" Before Ron Paul could answer, several Tea Partiers in the crowd yelled, "Yeah!" followed by cheers, jeers and applause. Ummmmmm...

Let me put it this way, if I beat the ever loving shit out of you, not kill you (because then I know we'd go with death penalty), but just beat you to the point where you need a fingerprint to prove it's actually you - society should pay for me to sit in jail, get three meals a day, learn how to shank and become a drug dealer, but you, you, the victim - society should let you either die in a gutter or, pay medical bills for the rest of your life...

Hmmmm - justice?

Now, let me go ahead and say that I don't think this country could EVER become a socialist nation. It's simply not in our DNA. However, I do think that a socialized republic is a lofty but ultimately attainable goal. That is of course, if we can get up off our asses and do something about it. But that's another soap box I'm not getting up on right now.

Right wingers seem to think that simply by cutting down government, everything from the market to humanity will even itself out to its best full potential. For fucks sake people - I mean, come on! Daniel Foster actually wrote in the NationalReview.com that the best way for people to get through tough times is to lean on family, friends and the church, not government. OK - well let's say all your friends and family are shit poor too - and the church? Oh, blow it out your ass Foster. The only thing the church is good for in times of need is to remind you how fucked you are by having to pay taxes they skirt because of some guy nailed to a pair of sticks.

Wanna know what I see here in downtown LA? On the average day, just going out for simple errands: walk to the bank, post office, coffee shop, the car - I see on average 20 homeless people. Wanna know what else I see? I see people outside of government subsidized missions and homeless shelters, waiting in line for food and blankets. Guess whose stoop is empty? The church.

It sounds nice and philanthropic but this utopia where a band of family, friends and make believe deities is always there with the right amount of cash, love and guidance just isn't fucking reality. Forgive me for entering into the realm of depressive realism, but reality blows sometimes.

That being said, reality can blow a lot less with a buffer against the harsh, biting winds of bad times. That buffer is called a government for the people, by the people and of the people. A government that works on behalf of the people it governs. It does not sit, laissez-faire while its people beg each other for loose change and a hand out. However, it does not hand out needlessly or without self interest. Interestingly enough, when a well formed government acts in its own self interest, that self interest is your self interest - hahaha, wow! Follow along with me for a second...

It creates and maintains a system of give and take. You put in an appropriate amount of your earnings knowing that should you need that buffer, it's there for you. You realize that when you go into the hospital or when you send your kids to school, it's your money that's paying for it, but also that of your friends, family and neighbours (not the church tho - they don't pay dick). You can feel proud and ironically, free, knowing that you are part of a strong, people drive system, working for the people, by the people. It is a colossal behemoth of human ingenuity and drive - progressively moving forward without leaving everyone behind. It cares without coddling. It sets up rules and regulations based on the interests of many, not the prized few. It takes into account well being, not accounts. And in so doing, it has a healthy account, both monetarily and in the hearts and minds of those it governs.

Sounds Utopian? Probably. But these tenets are tenets taken from the ideas and dreams of the founding of this country. If the constitutionalists behind people like Ron Paul really wanna feel patriotic, consider stepping outside the confines of bottom lines and extremist propaganda.

There's no such thing as a free market that works. There's no such thing as a non-existent government that works. And there's no such thing as a free people under either.

Drop your extremist ideologies, and come see what the center feels like. I promise, if you look back at our country's history - it looks pretty damn healthy, happy, successful, and...free.

Spare the Rod

I've never hit a child. Well, when I was a kid, I hit other kids, but that doesn't count - I wasn't trying to discipline them, I was just trying to show how angry I was when words fell short. Using violence as a form of discipline is silly. However, using apathy is just as silly.
With as many peace signs couched within my closet, on patches, shirts, pins, even underwear, I must say, it appears that yet again, words are falling short. It's time to step up, stop spoiling with apathetic nonchalantness and get in there - to set 'em straight, and to raise...a country.
Compared to other countries in this world, we are in fact still children. And christ, do we act like it too. In case you missed it due to your own soap operas, or really, anything else news worthy, government has once again shown us how exceedingly difficult it is for them to act like adults.
The story: Congress is due back in session on Wednesday September 7th. A Republican Presidential Debate is scheduled for that evening. Obama needs to make his highly anticipated address to Congress regarding the economy and plans for growth. He wanted to do it on the 7th. Boehner said "No." And no, I'm not paraphrasing, he just literally wrote back, "No." He then asked if the President could reconsider for the following evening.
And mind you, all of this is going public, each response and counter-offer, like some high school banter over saved seats and flirt fests. If only it were that trivial. These are our FUCKING REPRESENTATIVES!!! They hold in their power all of our futures, the lives of our kids, our friends, and family. For fucks sake!
In the end, Obama agreed to give his speech on the 8th but not until considerable damage had been done.
This has never happened before! Historians note that in effect, the president asking to speak before Congress is mostly a formality and to anyone's knowledge, has NEVER been refused. It is customarily handled by the respective offices, until now, without issue.
Now, those respective offices continue to comment and banter as to whose fault it was - who didn't check up with who - who failed to appreciate the necessity of the others event - who this, who that - blah blah blah blah blahdy blahdy blah!
As I read through various articles, I felt as though I had been asked to read through badly written teenage screenplays.
As citizens hoped that a recess back to their homes would knock some sense into Congress - well, bummer - not so.
Clearly we're in for more of the same - and with issues on the table such as oh, the economy, a juvenile tangent is the last thing we need.
And yet, there is no change on the horizon. Would different faces equal different fates, or would they just echo the ideological verbage of a broken two-faced system?
You tell me.
Is it not time to step up and bring the bitching some action? Take this conversation out of our heads and into fruition? It is clear that our "oh just ignore them" policy is not working.
They are spoiled on their own gluttonous indifference to serious issues - waving the American flag as if they had the slightest fucking clue what it stands for - not the corporate cash in your wallet buddy!
Spare the work, spoil the foreman - if we don't act up, they don't act on our behalf. Pretty simple.
Eric Hoffer wrote in his book, The True Believer, that men of words are not men of action. And that men of action fail to see the sense in men of words - hence why revolutions and coups are often so disorganized and violent.
I'd really love to prove him wrong.

Couldn't we get some educated men of action out there? That's what I'm working towards-that's what we should all be working towards: Think. React. Do Something.