Take your pick

Young bikini-clad carjacker
fails to rob RV dealer, who
refuses to believe she has a gun.

Take your pick, either Republicans are totally dishonest or totally stupid, or perhaps both. It is confusing, at least to me. Take the “Birthers,” for example, After days, even weeks, of claiming that Obama was not really born in the U.S., when it came to a vote even the most extreme nutcases, like Bachman, voted that he was. So what was that all about? It would appear they didn’t really believe what they were saying for so long, so why were they saying it? This topic became such an embarrassment for them even Rush, that great fat platter of greasy drug-fed know-nothingness had to give it up.

But the birther conspiracy pales into insignificance compared to the latest conspiracy making the round of the right. The claim that Obama’s health care reform is really designed to kill old people. This idea is apparently everywhere on right wing programs (I don’t know this first hand as I never watch any of their idiotic blather). If they truly believe this they are unutterably stupid. If they don’t believe it they are unutterably dishonest.

It is also perfectly obvious that for the most part they have no idea what they are talking about. It’s like the woman Obama quoted who was warning him about his socialism who ended with the statement, “don’t touch my medicare.” In the U.S. we have Medicare and Medicaid, universal elementary school public education, fine Veteran Administration health care, a public postal service, all kinds of agricultural and other subsidies, and so on, all “socialistic.” Even so, they continue to complain about the possibility that Obama may be trying (horrors) to introduce socialism to the U.S.. Again, if they understand what they are talking about their incessant criticism is dishonest, and if they don’t they are just plain stupid, or again, maybe both.

More importantly, when it comes to universal health care, they are even worse. Some 70 plus percent of the U.S. population is dissatisfied with the status quo and want to see meaningful change. For a large percentage of these people they would prefer a single-payer system, but failing that, at least a public option. So Republicans, with the aid of the so-called “Blue dog Democrats” are opposing not only single-payer (which has not even seriously been considered), but also a public option. As these plans have been studied for years by experts on such topics, and as it is perfectly clear what the facts are, the opposition to universal care is either dishonest or stupid, or both. In this case I opt for dishonest because I know those who oppose any change are being paid off by the Insurance and Pharmaceutical giants who are reaping obscene profits from the current dysfunctional situation. In other words, these corporations and individuals are willing to cause some 47 million of their fellow citizens who do not have any health care, plus even many who do have health care, to continue to suffer and go into bankruptcy in return for bribes. Welcome to the U.S. political system, in all its glorious corruption.

I was amused to see somewhere today that some group (I don’t know who or what it was) wanted people to comment on Sarah Palin, but emphasized they only wanted positive comments. This led one blogger wit to reply, “I am absolutely positive she is a moron.” Personally I believe she is a moron. I also find I am living in fear because of the Palin phenomenon. As she apparently continues to have a following, and as we continue to hear she might be a contender for the Republican nomination for President, I am frightened, knowing there are people that gullible and/or stupid who have the vote. I mean, that George W. Bush could have been elected President was ridiculous enough, the thought of Sarah Palin is really scary (especially coming so closely on the heels of Bush). I guess some people just never learn (which in itself is frightening, when it comes to governing).

Then there is the case of Sonia Sotomayor. Republicans (almost all of them) are going to vote against her for the Supreme Court. Their grounds for doing so are either dishonest or stupid. Sotomayor has a record of 1400 opinions that have been studied carefully. Those who have done this have said there is no record of discrimination whatsoever. She has been highly recommended by the American Bar Association, it is common knowledge that she will be confirmed, but Republicans are going to vote against her. For reasons, they quote (again and again and again) a comment she once made in a speech where she suggested Latino women might (in some contexts) made better decisions that white men. To object to her on this basis is not only deliberately manufacturing a reason, it is dishonest. They also object to her because they think (they do not know) that she might be somewhat against guns. Again, this is no genuine reason to oppose her, just a petty dishonest excuse. They will vote against her because (1) she is a Latino, and (2) she is a woman. They cannot bring themselves to confess they are both racists and sexists, although it is perfectly clear from their questions during the hearings, and now their excuses, that is the case.

LKBIQ:
It's hard to decide if TV makes morons out of everyone or if it mirrors Americans who really are morons to begin with.
Martin Mull

TILT:
Hummingbirds are the only species of bird that can fly backwards.