Another New Day
Another new day
Our country has made history. We have elected the most liberal president that we have ever had in history or is he just an empty suit? We have begged for higher taxes, for a government and judicial system that wants to run our lives, …we have chosen a president who is a master of rhetoric and beautiful hollow words. On this new day of hope, we now can look forward to a new day with a president who believes in partial birth abortion, a promise that we will be cared for from cradle to grave and money flowing in the streets- from “Wall street to Main Street” (what ever that means). I think that we have elected Santa Claus. It is almost Christmas, I guess this is our “New American Dream.” Belva
8 comments:
Belva, you're being too polite. I think it's even worse than that. This is a man who has all his life sought out and surrounded himself with the worse kind of the radical element. He is comfortable with them - but worse, they are comfortable with him. His opposition in the election challenged him on this by questioning his judgment; however, it's not a question of judgment. It's a question of who he is. The radical element is comfortable with him because they trust his judgment and have a similar vision for this nation and the world.
He does remind me of Santa Claus- taking all the credit when it is the hard working dad slaving to pay for the whim of the ungrateful children. Ho Ho Ho.
what is the radical element???
And why are we so afraid of it?
These words, liberal, conservative, do they mean anything? really, anymore can you classify these talking heads on TV as Conservative or Liberal. Can this possibly mean anything to real people.
Bush, known as conservative by corporate media has done little to CONSERVE our industrial and natural resources. He doesn't want to conserve oil in Alaska or southern Utah. He doesn't want to conserve central Idaho's roadless areas. He doesn't conserve our taxpayers money. He spends it on foreign wars and both Bush and Obama agreed to give $800 billion dollars to Wall Street, a system that evidently isn't working.
I am not sure what "most 'liberal' president ever is supposed to mean or is at all accurate. IN fact our current president, Bush, has spent more money on his wars in Iraq and Afghanistan than has ever been spent on any war ever. This is quite radical to me.
Bush and CO. liberally spent our money and money borrowed in our names totaling over $3 trillion. Three trillion dollars! You could say he's the most liberal and radical president of all time. He still liberally spends on foreign wars and the debt gets larger. Who will be paying this back?
So please explain what you mean when using such loaded words like CONSERVATIVE, LIBERAL, RADICAL, and be aware of how such language controls the way we process information that may otherwise be presented to us though unbiased means.
Interesting comments and perspective Eric. I will follow up with a few more words which have been used derogatorily during the campaign (I know there are others on both sides of politics as well). One relates to the use of the word “Socialist” as if it is an evil term that will bring down America. In reference to this, the idea of “spreading the wealth” was used as if it was a very bad thing for America. In addition a potential health system in which all could possibly have health care was placed in a context of “Socialism.” There was a strong message put forward from one side of politics that these approaches - would bring us into the dreaded “Socialism!”
Regarding the bizarre comments on "spreading the wealth" all I can say is wow! Of note we already have a progressive tax system, as some of you may recall...the more you make, the more you pay and this has served to spread the wealth in a number of ways. (hey that almost rhymes...) I do like the fact, however, that these tax percentages have been brought down to more manageable levels over the last thirty years...but to a point. And also those that own houses are able to lower their taxes significantly as well through write-offs of interest (something we couldn’t do when we were in Australia)...
However I believe very strongly that we do need to run "socialized" systems in this country (our USA)...We already have many in place. This includes: police, fire, public education (includes primary up to university), military, public roads and freeways, public transportation, national parks, forest service, social security, medicare and medicaid, public funded scientific research, regulatory bodies, subsidies, NASA, state parks, city parks, access to beaches, many services for people with disabilities, bike and walking trails, water systems including dams and other water ways, the Peace Corps, sewage systems, many energy generating facilities, even prisons (the public ones - the private ones are funded normally by our tax dollars, however), also public museums, public libraries, pools, playing fields and public art galleries to name a just a few (I am sure more can be put forward as examples of socialized approaches in America). Also, it can be noted that many of these have “user pays” attached or are subsidized in other ways, but most we pay for as a society, as a community, and/or through various levels of government.
So if "Socialism" is such a bad word (some in the campaign even said the dreaded word “communism”), why are we currently (and have been for many many years) doing it in so many important areas in America on local, regional, state and national levels?
I agree Eric, we need to be careful how we use words...My dad used to say “words don’t have meaning, people have meaning.” So when we use words, we need to be careful that they mean things that we value and are not used to control, manipulate or influence others away from their “intended” meaning.
Thank you Harold,
Popular use of the word socialism is a very good example of what my lit class would call a 'language game.'
Fear based words, or words that conjure emotional response, are used as 'verbal ammunition' to shoot down ideas. Verbal ammunition turns the attention from subject matter to emotional responses tied into such words. Words like ( but not limited to )Communism, Socialism, Freedom, Terrorism, Insurgents, Liberal, Conservative, Radical, Left wing, Right Wing etc.
These words mean completely different things when taken out of context, and each individual may have completely unique associated concepts.
Popular media has used such language to divide and classify people, ideas, and behavior.
Please don't ever call me a liberal
These classifications divides us, tear us apart as a country and as a globe. Creating an illusion that we have enemies. Perhaps dissecting what we are saying would reveal that most of us value; life, happiness, peace, and prosperity for our community. It is only communication problems, bureaucracy, and grudges that seem to stifle our countries' ability to function as a healthy and well balanced society WHERE HARD WORK AND CREATIVE BRILLIANCE PAYS OFF, and every one has a place to cook dinner and doesn't need to spend their retirement on hospital bills.
I love you all,
eric
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