"Some are so very studious of learning what was done by the ancients that they know not how to live with the moderns."
William Penn
“Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives.”
John Stuart Mill
Let's go loco!
"There is nothing to fear except the persistent refusal to find out the truth, the persistent refusal to analyze the causes of happenings."
Dorothy Thompson
Shadow play
On Tuesday night, President Obama spoke to our assembled U.S. Congress about his administration's plans to fix the economic disaster that he inherited.
Rather than contribute meaningfully, Republicans Bobby Jindal and John McCain tried to find problems with the strategy. They were like young kids complaining about dad's driving as he swerves to avoid an accident they don't perceive.
Demonstrating both the depth of their partisanship, and the shallowness of their reasoning, both picked on Hawaii as an easy target. Who knows about Hawaii? Who cares about Hawaii? Not them, apparently!
First of all, Jindal opened his remarks by referring once again to the race of the President. Though he was ostensibly praising America's progress, what he was actually doing was demeaning us all. Get over it, Bobby. Barack is not inspiring because of an accident of birth. He is a brilliant and inspiring PERSON, not a lucky example of some under-group affirmative action! Stop denying the President's stature by implying that what inspires is MERELY his color!
After "railing" against a supposed rail link between Las Vegas and California that is NOT in the bill, Jindal turned his dismissive attention to volcano monitoring in HAWAII as if this is a boondoggle.
Mr. Jindal, perhaps you don't realize that volcanic activity is NOW occurring in our STATE. Hawaii is the best place in the country to study volcanoes, and also has a population in serious NEED of such monitoring and understanding. What should we spend on? Is flood control in your State of Louisiana as "ridiculous?"
Mr. McCain lambasted astronomy in Hawaii as another obvious waste. Just because Mauna Kea is a WORLD CLASS scientific village of telescopes and instruments producing cutting-edge knowledge and providing educational opportunities as well as many skilled jobs - does that make it ridiculous and wasteful to you - or is it just reflexive disdain for our State? You did meet your wife in Waikiki, and you should know better!
Our loyal, strategic, unique State only adds immeasurably to the social and cultural fabric of this country. Oh, plus our community mid-wifed and raised our President Obama.
If these are your "considered" problems with the plan to rescue our economy, then I must conclude that you are lazy thinkers and unworthy to lead.
Why not contribute something to our nation and world besides spin and foot dragging. Or do you want the President, and all of us, to fail?
They used to call that treason. . .
A L O H A! Cloudia
14 comments:
Ain't hypocrisy grand?
A wonder to behold?
Why should Hawaii reap benefit scientific from its cleaner less telescope blocking air and active volcano science that may just help us understand what is happening in Yellowstone? Waste! waste! We don't need to understand anything that isn't obstructionist to the new administration!
volcanic activity sounds exciting, but i suppose you wouldn't view it that way in hawaii, as it could be dangerous. it's a little snow - some people find snow excitingly different if they are not used to it. i hate it personally, as it simply adds to the risks we already face on the roads
Which Mrs. McCain did the Senator meet in Waikiki? The current one or the one he heaved over the side after she was crippled and disfigured in an auto accident?
I wonder if they'd feel the same about volcano monitoring in the Cascades. Oh wait... neither of them is from the Pacific Northwest either. Okay, how about Alaska?
As astonished as I would like to be by this, I'm not.
And that's sad.
Well said, Cloudia! I just love how people spin things to the dumbed down public in order to further their own agendas...well, no - I guess I don't love it - unless you say that with sarcasm...
I was invited to a friends house once for a "presentation" on a business opportunity (turned out to be Amway/Quixtar, naturally), and when the presenter booted up his laptop, the wallpaper was an American flag with this saying emblazoned on it: "The world would be a safer place without liberals."
I was shocked and disappointed. I guess the Nazis thought the world would be a safer place without Jews in it, too. We got out of there pretty quickly and haven't had a good relationship with those friends since.
I think the conservatives loved the divisiveness of the last 8 years, and they don't want to give it up. It will take time.
But I love your assessment of Tuesday night's speech and rebuttals.
Peace - D
Wonderful post, Cloudia, with lots to think about. ;-)
Interesting post, thanks!
I remember what Gorbatchov said on a women's conference:" if all GOOD people of various religions, political parties, races, men and women worked together and laid all differences aside then the world would be a better place and we could all work together for health, safety, economical growth and peace."
I didn't even wait to hear the Republican response the other night. I knew it would be a waste of time. Besides, despite any flaws with the first Obama budget proposal, it's nice to hear a speech that I at least think the president has thought about and understands. If I had to hear one more of those GWB speechs, I thought I was going to die.
I love it when John McCain cites wasteful spending and is then shown to be ignorant. Does his staff vet nothing?
I am so fed up with this inane pandering the Repugs are spewing because they didnt get to be Homecoming Queen .. seriously, these grown men (and women) seem to be reacting in the most childish way... what I dont understand is how/why they dont 'get' that everyone is hurting and help IS needed ... I say let them reject the stimulus $$ for their states and then lets see who gets elected next November
You'd hope Jindal at least would be a little more cautious about the accident of birth thing considering his ancestry.
Great post - give 'em both barrels, Cloudia! I thought Jindal's speech was also very demeaning in tone as well as content, like he was speaking to children with a Mr. Rogers voice - yuck!!
Great post Cloudia!
Wow! Thanks friends for all of your wonderful supportive comments!
You GET it! I LOVE it! ;-)
A L O H A!
CHEERS TO A WONDERFUL ANALYSIS!
It is politicians like jindal and mccain who politicize every issue and fail to see beyond their noses leading to a severe degeneration of the fabric of a nation. shame on them!
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