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Perhaps it is true that no empire can last forever.
Perhaps it is true that inevitably a state rots from within.
Perhaps.
Perhaps my perspective is not long enough.
Perhaps.
All I do know is that my heart is as heavy as solid iron. I am but a step from weeping in frustration and defeat.
I cannot understand what insanity has captivated an insignificant number of people such that they are prepared to see the country either descend to chaos or to punish the least able among us by leaving them paupers, fit only for the workhouse or death.
It may be pure indifferent ignorance liberally coated in self-interest and the defiant claim that “I got mine, and I worked for it, and I just don’t care about you. It’s YOUR problem.” It may be a diabolical agenda that we are not privy yet to: “We will guarantee that you will be the plantation foreman Jeff, just help us destroy this democracy of the weak.”
In any case, we are spiraling into a hopeless morass of destruction. How to negotiate with insane people? The answer seems at this point that we accept a reprieve of utter destruction now, in exchange for having it later. That is what the TeaNutz© seem to be offering. They will stand on the prow of the sinking ship of state screaming their “no taxes” until the sea swallows them up.
Why?
It seems because their hatred of this president is greater than anything rational people can surmise. They fear they cannot live with another four years, and they fear if he gains anything, that will happen. The fact that they destroy the country in the process, well that now seems acceptable collateral damage.
We can assure them that they can live through another four years of course. We did. But of course, they will not see it that way. Bush’s debt-ceiling raises, his reductions in revenue, his unpaid for wars of choice, and his silly and expensive drug prescription extravaganzas are somehow different.
People who are used to doing business in Washington, like John Boehner, figured that once in Washington these intellectual midgets could be controlled. But Boehner has proven no more capable of dealing with insane and ill-informed jackasses than Democrats are. He appears most often as a man caught in the headlights, being pushed and carried along on a wave of caucus madness that he neither understands nor can speak to.
He struts forth and engages, deals and finagles in ways that his predecessors always did, only to be bluntly informed that “we will not deal.” Tail between his legs, he retreats, engineers another lie and tries to appear “still in control.” He is not.
The young and upcoming (they think) cubs growl as they manuever for position. Cantor and King, Walsh and West, they all prod and poke their TeaNutz© into line. Each, even the most docile and quiet are given their mike time to crow about economic matters they have no real understanding of. They spend their evening before memorizing the prepared talking points. “Just ignore questions you don’t understand, and go back to bullet points. You’ll do fine.”
exhilarating times. Talking to national audiences when just a few months ago, you were barbering at the local shop or pushing life insurance. Wined and dined by the rich lobbyists who smirk and giggle behind their backs about their “backward” ways, they thrill to the excitement and the seeming power that is but a finger tip away.So they think.
Notice that whatever rational Republican remain are deathly quiet? Not a word from them. They are shamed, deep in their heart, yet they STILL would rather put their own re-election first rather than save the country. There is no courage out there, on either side. No George Washington for us. Only sad hulks of human beings who have found a good living working in the beltway.
A pox on all their houses.
There are times, waking in the middle of the night when clarity comes. When you can feel what must be going through the minds of those who do try. I have not been happy with this President on a number of occasions, yet I know that he is trying with all his heart to do right. My heart goes out to him. Rational thinking cannot overcome insane ignorance, especially when even semi-moderate Republicans would rather succumb to crazy than slap it down–after all, taking down this President remains the insane FIRST order of business.
First order of business? Can you believe that?
I was really ready to call it a day with politics this morning. But then I heard Michele Bachmann, and I was reminded that there are people engaged in the process that really want to talk about important issues of the day.
Did you hear? In her White House, there will be no teleprompters! Now that is change I can get behind.
Damn them all.
** I e-mailed weenie Chuck Grassley, my GOP senator. Boehner’s congressional phones and email server have crashed utterly. You can let him know what you think at Twitter at @SpeakerBoehner. Whether rational protest affects these jackasses is anybody’s guess.
Existential Ennui 