Over the last couple of days I have been witness to one of those continuing conversations that can only occur in the one dimensional space that is the internet. You know the kind-that actually go back and forth reasonably well-until the zealot shows up. The zealot of course being that young guy, who hasn’t experienced much of life yet-but is sure he can tell someone 40 years older than him, how the world works and how fucked up he is. ( This is a true story-as Foggy is my witness!).
Now the proper thing to do, would have been to hit the delete key and go have a sandwich. But like a moth to the flame-because its about my favorite subject to attack- the tea party loons, I jumped in.
And now after two days, I can now definitely can confirm that-if these men are any example-our university system is in decline big time.
I’ve learned that:
The Interstate Highway system is unconstitutional. Really? ( How fucked in the head is that?)
Secession for Texas would be just fine because it would cut Texan’s taxes. Now mind you-how they are going to make good the hole left by the departure of the state’s biggest employer ( The US government) was blithely ignored. Same too with how Texas would pay for all the things that go with being an independent country-like an Army or an Air Force.
Madison and the Federalist Papers are Holy Writ. Any other historical commentaries are not worth the paper they are printed on. Oh, and those other 54 guys who signed the Constitution? Just strap hangers for James Madison. Never knew that before.
Judicial review and the power of the Supreme Court to strike down laws as unconstitutional is heresy. Same thing seems to be true with the idea of Judicial Precedent. Wow! Think of the money we could save not having to send lawyers to law school or electing or appointing judges! ( Unless it is striking down a law they didn’t like).
Re: Judicial review: Justice Marshall was a power hungry ego-maniac. ( I must have been sick the day they taught that in Constitutional Law class).
If you believe in a progressive income tax-you are automatically a socialist. Ergo, that great defender of imperialism and American Exceptionalism,Theodore Roosevelt, was nothing but Karl Marx in disguise. Wow. Who knew?
We’ve not crossed the barrier of Godwin’s law yet. But we have established a corollary hypothesis. If you defend raising tax revenue, or stick up for poor people who need health care-you will immediately and rather strongly be labeled a socialist. ( Even if you a practicing physician of 45 years experience and have forgotten more about insurance law than most of these pikers will ever know).
Any taxation is theft-there is no such thing as common contribution for the greater good.
Income inequality does not exist in this country. If a guy is rich, and if the top 1% have 40% of the nation’s net worth-it is because they deserve it more. Trying to regulate complex transactions for the purposes of protecting investors is an abomination against man and God.
There is nothing wrong with throwing 1 million people out of work-if it means the unions will get fucked in the process. (REALLY? How can anyone be that heartless and stupid?)
China is a better country than America because……..wait for it…………..” they have a better environment for business because there is no minimum wage, no labor laws, no EPA. no endangered toads, no Social Security and Medicare employer ‘contributions’ and no SEC. It’s the wild west over there, not unlike the US during the nineteenth century. We’re in decline because of a fat and lazy workforce, shrinking producing population, unchecked illegal immigration, and government strangulation by regulation.” ( That’s a keeper. I suspect the author of that statement has never set foot in China, nor has he seen the headlines that occur almost weekly regarding dead Chinese miners, flooded Chinese towns, poor villagers, Chinese killed in train wrecks, or killed by food poisoning, and corrupt Chinese officials-but other than that, Mrs Kennedy, the place is a true paradise.)
Liberals don’t honestly believe anything in their hearts, they are always after something.
Greed is good, its natural, and its the grease that keeps the wheels of commerce turning. Unrestrained greed that causes people to lose 20-50% of the value of their 401K’s? That’s even better.
And of course, the usual Randian “truths” are thrown in their for good measure:Fannie and Freddie caused the housing crisis, the Community Reinvestment act was never a well intentioned to get more people into housing, Clinton was the source of deregulation-not Bush. And his actions were in no way responsible for the lax enforcement of US banking laws. The wars had nothing to do with the problems with the economy or the deficit. ( All factual evidence to the contrary).
Oh, and here is another keeper: ” If Bush and Congress had done nothing about the financial crises when it hit-the recession would be over now and it would be growth city.” ( paraphrase of a much longer-but equally stupid sentiment.)
And of course the overriding truth-the holy of holies-IT IS ALL OBAMA’S FAULT. A Congress filled with unreasonable men and women, elected by an increasingly stupid or apathetic electorate ( where 50% can’t even be bothered to vote) had not a damn thing to do with the problems we now face.
I write about this for one particular reason: if what you read above does not frighten you to your very core-that so many people could be so insane at the same time-then you are just utterly fucking blind.
This is sad. These people really believe these things. They believe it, like they believe the sun will come up tomorrow. They have no doubts whatsoever-even when presented with facts that prove them wrong. To borrow a line from John Cole’s place: “How do you have a sensible policy debate with people who reject basic facts? It’s like trying to debate members of a cargo cult- the modern GOP carry the crosses but have no idea what it means to be Christian. They talk about free markets, but have no understanding of economics. Just say deregulate and tax cuts a lot, and MAGIC WILL HAPPEN. The cargo cult analogy is closer than many of us are comfortable admitting, and our media has decided to just cover their eyes and pretend that it’s just two sides of the same coin. It’s crazy.”
Second, for me at least, it exposes a really ugly truth about out tea swilling, so called “friends”; what I think is most disturbing about the tea party, is that, under the guise of patriotism-they have been enabled to take truly morally reprehensible ideas, things that 10 years ago no one would have had the gall to utter-and main streamed them. Fuck over Grandma? Sure-she was asking for it, that’s what she gets for being a moocher and collecting her Social Security. Ask the rich to pay their fair share? Goddamn Socialist. Thief! Class warfare! Robbing from the rich to give to welfare mommas in Cadillacs. ( Never mind that today’s welfare queens wear 3000 dollar Brooks Brothers suits and run investment banks).
It also proves why Fox Noise is so effective. Spout the same lies over and over again, and ensure you have a blond with big tits and a nice ass on the screen-and people will think its true. ( Candy Crowley need not apply to Fox News).
And yet, these same people will go to church on Sunday, pat them selves on the back and congratulate themselves on what good followers of Christ they are. And they wonder why I have my doubts about the fairness of the Gospel. Where does it say in the Sermon on the Mount, “Fuck the poor”? I must have missed that verse.
And people wonder, why I am pining to go back overseas. If this doesn’t answer your question-you lost the ball after kickoff.