“The Fundamentals of the American Economy are strong.” John McCain before the 2008 election “Prosperity is just around the corner.” Herbert Hoover just before the 1932 election
At a time when this country faces the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression, the American people seem set to elect the modern version of Herbert Hoover. I can’t tell you how reassured I am knowing that the future Pres. McCain admits that he doesn’t know much about the economy, and his major economic policy is to institutionalize the Bush tax cuts for the insanely rich. With Wall Street Banks falling faster than McCain’s reputation for “straight talk”, his economic policy now seems to be that “They should all fail, and let God sort them out.” Speaking of God, maybe Vice pres. Palin can get Him (and I do mean him, only a man would want air heads like members of the Christian Right for worshipers) to intervene. After all since she is so sure that God wanted a natural gas pipe line in Alaska (not to mention the disaster in Iraq ), maybe she should consult Him on his plans for Wall Street.
On the topic of Palin, let me say how disappointed I am in white women. I expect the worse out of white men-we have been led around by any politician willing to tug on our pistols for decades, but I expect more out of white women. With polls now indicating that McCain is more than ten points ahead among this group, they seem bent on proving every right-wing polemic about feminism right. Can there be a single woman who really believes that Obama was talking about Palin in his “lipstick on a pig” remark? In this case “Sisterhood is not Powerful, it is Pathetic.”
While I’m at it, I’m also pissed at the Democrats. Obama should be beating McCain about the head and shoulders with the economy, but he is hampered by a bunch of neo-liberal economic advisors. When past chief economic advisor Austan Goolsebee tells the Canadians that Obama was just giving the working class rubes a bunch of BS about renegotiating NAFTA, and current chief economic advisor Jason Furman sings the praises of Wall Mart, its not just the racists among white workers who have qualms about him. Yes, Americans are dumb, and yes they love to be lied to. But that only works if you are WHITE! It’s that old line that any black politician has to work twice as hard to be considered half as smart as a white politician. Thank God that in the case of McCain/Palin, that is not difficult.
As long as I am on the topic of the Democrats, let me say that I am particularly furious at John Edwards. Now is the time we need him more than ever. Given all that is happening to the economy, he should be in the position to lead a truly progressive wing of the Democratic Party over the next four years no matter who is elected. Instead, he has joined Bill Clinton as the butt of Jay Leno jokes. What is it with white male Democrats and their zippers? I say what was good enough for those choir boys of the Middle Ages should be good enough for any white male who wants to run for president. Granted their voices may increase a few octaves, but that would be a small sacrifice to get a politician who will focus on politics. To quote the Bible, “If thy eye offend thee, pluck it out.”
This rant about Democrats, however, is not an endorsement of Nader or McKinney . Supporting them over Obama is like banging your head against a wall to relieve a headache. There is not as much difference between Obama and McCain as there should be, but it is ridiculous to say that what difference there is doesn’t matter. No difference between Republicans and Democrats? Have any of these political purists ever heard of a politician named George W. Bush?
Finally, let’s not forget about the press. While the U.S. economy has been going down the tubes they have been stalwartly investigating whether Obama is trying to get kindergartners to use condoms. I say every kindergartner should be issued their own pack of condoms as a right of citizenship. After all if they are Americans, the little buggers are going to have to get used to being screwed.
Winston Churchill once said that “The American people can be counted on to do the right thing—- after they have exhausted all the other options.” I hope that exhausting the options doesn’t include electing McCain/Palin.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
i think that the Saturday night live hillary impersonator who urged the media to “grow a pair” was spot on.
A rant that is so right on – it is more than scary. I want to shoot myself just so I don’t see what will happen to my country over the next 4 yrs of McCain and company.
Lets face it, Americans are still trying to figure out who is buried in Grant’s Tomb. More people vote for American Idol than in most elections. They just don’t care. They hear tax cuts and go yeah I want – they don’t listen to see who gets it. YOu don’t have to pull the wool over their eyes, you just have to say you might have some wool.
And as far as males thinking with the little head. So what? it is no body’s business but their own.
Gregg & Stu – don’t give up yet. Did not you see the rally of Alaskan women AGAINST Palin? It was larger than the rally touted by the corporate media as showing how much women support her.
The economy tanking does help the Democrats. It’s unfortunate that our society has to process this depression, but don’t forget that the American public does not return a party to power during economic downturns. Of course, there is the racism of white voters. But enough young people became energized this election season due to Obama than those racists who will be energized to vote against him.
Don’t get into the cynical mode that the elite and the mainstream media want us. They know that cynicism breeds people WHO DON”T VOTE.
It is not over yet.
The American people are about to elect the first African-American president.