Friday, July 29, 2011

CONGRESSIONAL HYSTERIA

The democrats' keening over the debt ceiling debate has reached such a fever pitch that the sound is rapidly reaching dog-whistle decibels.  It's quite amazing, really. 

First was President Obama's warning to seniors that if he doesn't get the plan he wants, Gramma doesn't get her check (baseless fear mongering, at best).  Ah, the Chicago way.  As Capone said, you can get much father with a kind word and a gun than you can with just a kind word alone.  (so whatever happened to that "lockbox", if there's no money for checks, Mr. President?) 

Then came allegations that republicans are hoping for a default, which they can then somehow blame on President Obama (I'm not really clear on how that happens considering how well he polls against republicans on this issue but, like most things liberal, it requires a certain amount of blind faith, so just go with it).  Unfortunately, there are Tea Party members who don't want to raise the ceiling because they think either it is possible to avert surpassing the ceiling with spending cuts alone or that there won't be a default even if we pass the deadline.  Both of these notions are wishful thinking.  Period.  Something must be done, and it must be something that can pass BOTH houses of Congress, including the democratic majority in the Senate.  House Tea Partiers need to hold their noses and pass the Boehner bill and put it firmly in Harry Reid's court.  Once it passes the House, it's up to Reid to either table it or vote it down, and then he can deal with the fallout.  If, by some miracle it lands on Obama's desk, keep in mind that although the spending cuts are much smaller than hoped for, the tax increases Obama demanded aren't there at all and the ceiling increase is just as low as the cuts are; that's a win.  This bill will buy Congress six more months to debate real solutions, hopefully including entitlement reform and some seriously meaty cuts. 

Attempts have been made to play the race card in the debt wars, too - surprise!  But that's not the only fun we've been having with our calmer, gentler, less reactionary members on the left side of the aisle.  The Boehner plan, with its limited increase, would require another ceiling hike over the holidays, so of course the democrats have jumped on that one, too, claiming republicans hate Christmas or something stupid like that.  Speaking of gross exaggerations, check out these charts, which rebut the liberal argument that this debt crisis lies solely at the feet of the eeeevil Bush.  Just look at those numbers - nauseating, isn't it? 

Of course, DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman-Shultz (or Debbie Downer, as I prefer) deserves a paragraph of her own for her unhinged, grossly false accusations.  How false?  Even liberal media are taking her to task on her lies.  From her accusations of Republicans hating women, seniors, and God only knows who else, to her allegations that republicans want to "literally drag us back to Jim Crow" (I'm not sure she knows what 'literally' means) or "throw us to the wolves", she's a real piece of work.  In fact, her rhetoric is so unhinged that, even as DNC chief, she isn't getting the kind of media play she was just a few short weeks ago.  My hometown newspaper, the Orlando Sentinel (hardly a conservative rag - we call it the "Slantinel"), even called her an embarrassment to her party.  Ouch!  The one thing I will say in favor of Wasserman-Shultz is that she was willing to do what no other democrat would - take ownership of the economy in the name of President Obama and the democrats.  Good on ya, Debbie.  (unfortunately, she thinks that's a good thing, because she thinks the economy is 'turning around'.  It seems high office does not necessarily denote high IQ)

But the pièce de résistance in this tour de force of hysteria comes from the one and only Queen Nan.  Ms Pelosi is sounding a bit, well.....unhinged (via Gretawire):

“What we’re trying to do is save the world from the Republican budget,” she said. “We’re trying to save life on this planet as we know it today.”

Good gracious.  Somebody needs a Xanax, stat!  Obviously clear heads are not prevailing if our Penelope Pitstop of the Hill is running around, arms flailing, shouting "Hey-elp!  Hey-elp!"  Sorry, Nanny P., Chugga-Boom and the Anthill Gang aren't members of Congress and they won't be riding to our rescue (although it does seem like Dick Dastardly has taken up residence in the White House and his good buddy Mutley is currently running the Senate).

It really seems all the democrats have to offer is demagoguery and derision.  Well okay then, guys - fair enough.  If you insist, the republican bills stink on ice and should never see the light of day.  Happy now?  Okay then, so WHERE'S YOUR PLAN????!

Quite frankly, put up or shut up.  Or better yet, both.

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Monday, July 4, 2011

PATRIOTISM AND PARADES

Happy 235th birthday, America!

Harvard University published a report last week on a study regarding the politics of the Fourth of July.  The results aren't very startling, really.  It starts off by confirming that republicans tend to be more patriotic than democrats.  This shouldn't be a revelation to anyone - after all, democrats are the party that vowed, just two short years ago, to fundamentally transform America.  We won't even get into the apology tour some on the left felt was required to atone for America's first world superpower status and overall general awesomeness.  The point is, if you love something, you love it for what it is, where it came from and where it's going.  You don't dismantle it to build something else in it's place. 

The study went on to show that children who are, shall we say, 'exposed' to Independence Day celebrations and parades have a higher chance of growing up into patriotic Americans, and even *gasp* republicans (via the Huffington Post):

According to their research, attending one rain-free July 4 celebration before the age of 18 increases the likelihood that children will identify as Republican by two percent and increases the likelihood that they will vote for a Republican candidate by the time they turn 40 by four percent. It also increases the likelihood that young attendees will vote in elections by 0.9 percent and boosts the chances that they'll make political campaign contributions by three percent, the study claims.
But wait, there's more:


The study finds no evidence that attending July 4 celebrations results in an increased likelihood of identifying as a Democrat.

Move over, Christmas - when do you think the 'War on Independence Day' will begin?

This study is no surprise.  It is nearly impossible to hear the story of our founding, the men and ideas that joined together to create something bigger than themselves - something truly great - and not fall in love with this country.  

The sorry state of our schools is a frequent topic of discussion on this blog.  A recent study that shows our children are aggregiously underserved when it comes to American History and civics education in our public schools.  Whatever the reason for the deficit, the Harvard study shows us that we have a way to alleviate it on a grassroots level.  The underlying point of the study, at least to me, isn't the creation of republicans, it's the creation of future patriotic citizens, whatever their political stripe.  ].

So take your kids to a parade today.  Pack a picnic and find a good place to watch fireworks.  And while you're waiting for the festivities to begin, talk to your kids about the meaning of the day.  It isn't just about BBQ and sparklers, it's about the birth of a nation.  It's about brave men of principle standing up to the status quo (and risking their lives to do so) in a quest for something better for all. Stir their patriotic souls and help them fall in love with this great country.   It will stay with them for a lifetime.

Have a happy and safe Fourth of July.

Happy 235th birthday, America!

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