A while ago, I opined that the Bush Administration should be called "Fear and Loathing, Inc." It seems obvious to me that fear of a terrorist attack (aka, ignorant fear of brown people of any religion or nationality) and loathing of others (aka, "Fuck you! I've got mine and you don't deserve any help because I got mine all by myself!") are the only reasons people still think Bush is doing a good job these days.
Unfortunately, far too many Americans, while not thinking of themselves as conservatives, have still been infected with Reagan pseudo-libertarianism, which is the "loathing" part of the equation. Ronnie was a great brainwasher, and took the commendable idea of American independence and bastardized it into the idea that the government "is the problem".
This idea, that government is not meant to help anyone but is only meant to defend us from attack, is completely and totally antithetical to everything the Founders of our country wanted our government to be. Don't believe me? Well, don't take my word for it. Take theirs.
Unfortunately, far too many Americans, while not thinking of themselves as conservatives, have still been infected with Reagan pseudo-libertarianism, which is the "loathing" part of the equation. Ronnie was a great brainwasher, and took the commendable idea of American independence and bastardized it into the idea that the government "is the problem".
This idea, that government is not meant to help anyone but is only meant to defend us from attack, is completely and totally antithetical to everything the Founders of our country wanted our government to be. Don't believe me? Well, don't take my word for it. Take theirs.
We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish Justice, ensure Domestic Tranquillity, provide for the Common Defense, promote the General Welfare and secure the blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution, for the United States of America.
--The Preamble to the United States Constitution
The Founders of our country knew that government should be established to create a better world for all Americans. Not Republicans, not Democrats (they didn't even have political parties in those days); but for all citizens.
As Rachel Maddow said about the Minneapolis bridge collapse on Keith Olbermann's show Friday night: "There aren't Republican bridges and Democratic bridges." When we say "Fuck you! I've got mine!", we're really saying "Fuck you!" to the ideals on which this country was founded.
That's a crying shame.
As Rachel Maddow said about the Minneapolis bridge collapse on Keith Olbermann's show Friday night: "There aren't Republican bridges and Democratic bridges." When we say "Fuck you! I've got mine!", we're really saying "Fuck you!" to the ideals on which this country was founded.
That's a crying shame.
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