Suck it Up, Lefties
Cosseted in their urban enclaves and campus sanctuaries, lefties delude themselves that their vision of America is the "will of the people." If only it weren't for -- name your villain(s) -- Big Money, corporate media, right-wing subterfuge, et al., the Curtain would be pulled back, Truth would prevail and the people would turn to them for deliverance. Unfortunately the "people" are a lot more in tune with Sarah Palin's America than Dennis Kucinich's America.
Hey! Lefties. Get over it! There was no "realignment." Independents simply were fed up with George Bush.
First mistake, thinking independents all are smart, reasonable, sophisticated voters. Many are but just as many are "independents" because they're too politically lethargic to pay attention to the issues; so-called low information voters -- i.e. lard heads -- who are swayed by political winds on the left as well as the right.
And conservatism plays to the very worst instincts of these low information voters. What start out as legitimate conservative, if, to me, alarmingly frightening, constructs such as strict constructionism, economic libertarianism, neoconservative geopolitics, religious fundamentalism and insufficient government translate respectively and all too easily into racism, rapaciousness, jingoism, fanaticism and just plain meanness in lard-head world.
What so many on the left refuse to acknowledge is that America is a center-right country; compared to Europe and Canada, blatantly imperialistic, insistently religious, fervently anti-socialist and belligerently capitalistic. It's why Republicans feverishly can play to their base and for the most part not tick off independents. Democrats don't have the same luxury. They can't be as progressive as Republicans can be conservative and still successfully govern.
It's one thing for the left to press the White House on its agenda; its another to act like a bratty 12-year-old who didn't get the iPod Touch he demanded for Christmas. Sooooo instead taking their placards and stomping home to sulk they had best consider this: a guy in the White House with all the right instincts trying to straddle the chasm between progressive idealism and centrist reality or cons plundering the country's resources, exploiting the powerless, strangling the commons and distorting truth and justice. Many of us sat on our hands in 2000 because Clinton had not been sufficiently "pure" and unwittingly unleashed Cheney-Nation. I, for one, don't want to live in that country ever again.
Published by H. Martin Moore
Random musings and targeted rants by TampaBayWriter. Follow Moore's weekly columns at http://suncoastpasco.tbo.com/content/ list/news/opinion/ Click on "Affiliations" below. View profile
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8 Comments
Post a CommentThere's probably not 2 cents worth of difference in our political views. It's in the real world that guys like you drive me nuts. Reread the column without your left-wing blinkers on
Read comments from bottom to top.
Don't question the media or the government. Be glad you live in a country that erodes the lines between government and corporate sector, the Constitution, the environment, while killing millions of others in other countries". This isn't the "best hopes in decades". Foreign policy and some of the domestic policy is right there and beyond Bush years. Also, I never said more people are in tuned with Dennis Kuchinich. I don't see the majority of the United States in tuned to only Sarah Palin--period. Although I would like to see an actual poll between the two. If Sarah came out front, then does that mean the majority of the United States is in tuned with her over any other views? And what does that say about us, as human beings, if we view Palin as a voice of reason?
I do pay attention. But I'm confused why you think lefties (or anyone else for that matter) shouldn't get mad or demand accountability for the Afghanistan occupation, the Iraq occupation, Guantanamo (also Bagram) where people were tortured and 93-95% of those held were innocent and released. Rendition where the U.S. sends people to disappear at CIA black sites or allied countries to be tortured. ACORN, like the recent Shirley Sherrod, case was a complete lie done with editing. You also forgot to mention assassinations, UAV drones flying into Pakistan to bomb areas that kill civilians and prosecuting whistle-blowers who show our corrupt system. Some of the uproar isn't just going directly at Obama. It's going at our State Representatives as well who pass bills funding wars and all the violent counterparts they entail. I agree that it's wrong for people to beg Obama to be 2006-2008 campaign Obama, but rolling over isn't an option. "Shut-up" to me sounds like "be passive and obedient. Don
Michael, It's pretty obvious if you pay attention what lefties are complaining about but just for you, how about his positions, or lack thereof, on Afghanistan, Iraq, Guantanamo, rendition, Patriot Act, privacy rights, Don't Ask, Don't Tell, immigration reform, cap and trade, Acorn, Aides, transparency/politics as usual, health care public option, breaking up "too big to fail" banks, SCOTUS picks and a larger stimulus for starters? Aren't you paying attention? Obviously if you think more Americans view Dennis Kucinich more favorably than Sarah Palin, you're not. Latest polls show cons outnumber libs 2-1.
My point in the piece was that given the political reality that Obama is merely president and not philosopher-king he is doing about the best liberals can hope for. And if they insist on harping in this situation, they need to be told to shut-up before they screw up their best hope in decades.
Martin--you never answered my questions. I might be missing something, but it seems your article's vague in what it is you want people to shut-up about. You say that Lefties need to stop bashing Obama because they didn't get their way. And telling others to "shut-up" seems pretty childish.
Hi Martin- What specifically do you want the "Lefties" and "Obama-bashers" to "shut-up" about? What foreign policies, domestic policies, etc. are you referring to that "Lefties" need to stop complaining about and just deal with? And what makes you assume that people are more in tuned to Sarah Palin's views?
Thanks
You're right on the one hand that the Left is mad because what they wanted is not what this nation wants, but I have to question your characterization of conservatism - "And conservatism plays to the very worst instincts of these low information voters. What start out as legitimate conservative, if, to me, alarmingly frightening, constructs such as strict constructionism, economic libertarianism, neoconservative geopolitics, religious fundamentalism and insufficient government translate respectively and all too easily into racism, rapaciousness, jingoism, fanaticism and just plain meanness in lard-head world." NOT EVEN CLOSE! While there are many types of folks it's intellectually dishonest to make such a claim.