Distrust of government is shared even by those
who want us to elect them to public office.
Consider, for instance, U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann,
who spends millions of dollars every two years
to be re-elected to Congress, where she charges that
the government is being occupied by a gang of thugs.
The howls of the Tea Baggers that government is the enemy
is nothing new. They are part of a long tradition of
mindless opposition to necessary public services.
They chant, "Taxation without representation!" when
their representatives propose to tax them. They say
they are being taxed to death by Barack Obama
when he has lowered the taxes on almost everyone.
They hate taxes, but complain that the poorest members
of our society do not pay taxes, and are freeloading.
Even Ron Paul, our Resident Libertarian in Republican
clothing, suggests that health care should not be mandatory,
not should emergency services be provided to people
who have no insurance. They should take responsibility
for their own inability to afford health care, he says.
How would you like to pay for your own dialysis?
Worse, there is probably a majority of people
who argue that it is not a good idea for the Presidency
and the Congress to be from the same party.
Wise men from the East, wearing blue suits, holding jobs
on network television, remind us regularly that a stalemate
in government is part of our system of checks and balances.
Good grief! Are we supposed to elect presidents,
senators, and representatives precisely in such a way
that when they do get into office, they cannot do anything?
Yes, that's what they mean! Let them do only non-contentiuous
things. Let them muddle along, trying to find a middle ground
between tweedle-dum and tweedle-dee. That would be
tweedle-dum-dee-dum-dee-dumber-still!
I say we should do something revolutionary; something radical!
We should elect a President who promises to deliver nearly
universal health care, and a Congress who agrees, and do it!
Maybe with a modest majority; you know, more then half.
Representation without apology!
who want us to elect them to public office.
Consider, for instance, U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann,
who spends millions of dollars every two years
to be re-elected to Congress, where she charges that
the government is being occupied by a gang of thugs.
The howls of the Tea Baggers that government is the enemy
is nothing new. They are part of a long tradition of
mindless opposition to necessary public services.
They chant, "Taxation without representation!" when
their representatives propose to tax them. They say
they are being taxed to death by Barack Obama
when he has lowered the taxes on almost everyone.
They hate taxes, but complain that the poorest members
of our society do not pay taxes, and are freeloading.
Even Ron Paul, our Resident Libertarian in Republican
clothing, suggests that health care should not be mandatory,
not should emergency services be provided to people
who have no insurance. They should take responsibility
for their own inability to afford health care, he says.
How would you like to pay for your own dialysis?
Worse, there is probably a majority of people
who argue that it is not a good idea for the Presidency
and the Congress to be from the same party.
Wise men from the East, wearing blue suits, holding jobs
on network television, remind us regularly that a stalemate
in government is part of our system of checks and balances.
Good grief! Are we supposed to elect presidents,
senators, and representatives precisely in such a way
that when they do get into office, they cannot do anything?
Yes, that's what they mean! Let them do only non-contentiuous
things. Let them muddle along, trying to find a middle ground
between tweedle-dum and tweedle-dee. That would be
tweedle-dum-dee-dum-dee-dumber-still!
I say we should do something revolutionary; something radical!
We should elect a President who promises to deliver nearly
universal health care, and a Congress who agrees, and do it!
Maybe with a modest majority; you know, more then half.
Representation without apology!
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