Smears and dirty politics not extremism is tearing up our country
ByNov 17 2009
We hear complaints about the Republican Party turning to extremism and Obama supposedly being on either a leftist extremist or and an in-between bungler. But in Europe some have well thought out extreme positions without smearing each other up.
Lately in this country most politics is pouring perfume on what you like and bad tastes and odors on what you don’t. In NY a pro-choice Republican had to face phony ads that looked like she put out, shrilling overstating her positions. Instead of noting that it made the Democrat win, I wish some would call for the dirty trickster to be punished or at least fined.
It’s not easy to know what Rush Limbaugh stands for because, instead of stating it, he spends his time putting bad odors and tastes and generally smearing what he doesn’t like.
A few people who actually still state what they believe like Michael Moore, Mike Huckabee, and Sarah Palin, and they leave themselves venerable to being doused with bad odors and tastes. People lose their jobs for speaking their views like Marc Lamont Hill, who was canned from Fox News, and Van Jones by Obama in part because of their support of controversial on and off again death row inmate Mumia abu-Jamal. I am not even cheering Lou Dobb’s being fired by CNN as much as I abhor his views.
In foreign policy in Afghanistan sub-tribalism is important. The US’s most reliable allie against the Taliban is what is left of the Afghan Communist party, while the US continues to boycott Cuba to the determent of the US economy. So domestic politics is interfering with the US’s ability to conduct a rational foreign policy.
Cuban-Americans of all stripes condemned and signed a petition condemning the death threats against Cuban-American performers who were thinking of attending a peace concert in Cuba. It would be wonderful if somehow Sarah Palin would condemn the dirty tricks in NY, and the bury Obama next to Kennedy posters, and Michael More defend Sarah Palan’s right to express her views. Sarah Palin, Vance Jones and Marc Lamont Hill are in trouble for presenting a firm partisan position. Partisanship is part of the solution not the problem if partisans can bring themselves to defend those who disagree, their right to state their opinion as well.
Stimulating comments to a similar post,
http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/14631#comments
RichardKanePA.blogspot.com
Excellent commentary Richard. We all need to search for what we believe is right and honorable when we support our candidates. But we must recognize the power of the pulpit.
We all learn from each other how to best express our opinions but we dare not oppose the churches. The power behind our Gods will take the vote since our candidates are all over the place on their campaign promises.
The appeal of Governor Huckabee is his plain honesty. I walked away from the church when I saw the hypocrisy before WW2. If the good Governor would only ask the American people to do what they consider the right actions, our government would not have to fill the void with legislation. He is the one candidate I would love to sit down and go over all the actions of the white house. But I fear his allegiance to Jesus Christ over and above the U.S. Constitution, will do him in to many Americans.
Sarah Palin has had every opportunity to express her opinions and they come out as silly whipped cream. If she ever gets a chance to run and possibly win she will bend to the extreme religious right. Again the fear of social legislation scares the hell out of me.
Sandy
I vote we place everything aside but the health of America.
Stop allowing media cover for liars/half truth, and tear the curtain away.
If the turkey tastes like crap then the cook didn’t have clean hands to begin with.
Richard perfume has little effect when gunpowder or the saber is the threat.
Alas, reasons people either run, or stand to defend those who’s power is a derivative of the unregulated distribution of of lies fail me.
Be this perfume or complacency?
If truth is the property of all to perceive as seen fit, what has happened to olfactory senses?