A Disclaimer And A Somewhat Emotional Complaint

Disclaimer: This is not a political blog. It makes no claim to journalistic veracity. There's nothing scientific about it, no one does any research. It's just me, and certainly I don't do any research. This blog is purely emotional, and personal. So take it with a grain of salt.

I look around the Internet, I see the news, what passes for news these days, and I am so sick to my fucking stomach that I want to scream sometimes. I try to check out both sides and the middle too, but what I see is all bad. What people are talking about is all either: 1) self-serving and stupid; or 2) news-cycle referential and stupid. No one is bothering with the real issues, no one seems to care a jot, although the real issues are out there and can be found with only the barest hint of looking. It is a vomitous horror that can only end in the abyss.

There's war, the wars, wars that make the Spanish-American war look like a miracle of legitimacy and honor, which it was not. No one is making too much sense about the wars. And no one seems to be worrying too much about them either, not the electorate, not our elected officials.

There's money issues, like the deficit. Here, even less sense is being employed, but at least the coded messages are easier to decipher. One side doesn't really say anything, and the other side keeps repeating:

Keep the Bush tax cuts;
Cut corporate taxes; and
Eliminate the estate tax (the “Death Tax”)

These are really, really stupid ideas, but the people that keep repeating them say, virtually scream, that following these simple rules will create jobs! Generate GNP! Lower the deficit! Insure our freedom! Save us from Faggots and Tricks! Improve education! Defeat the terrorists!

If I need to explain to you why those three things will fulfill none of the above promises, why they are each stupid in their turn, and cumulatively supremely stupid, you need to go back to Breitbart.com and get your daily fix of Fox talking points in sixth grade English. Or you could employ the Internet for its intended purpose and discover that these kinds of supply side measures historically don't work. Up to you, good luck either way.

Stupid ideas, but these people, the Power-Elites who boost these falsehoods, are not stupid, unfortunately.

Like the big corporations who have 1.8 trillion dollars sitting around doing nothing, money that could go to the creation of a lot of jobs. Or the banks who are only too willing to help big corporations, but who decline with a dismissive gesture of contempt to help small businesses, who everyone seems to agree could use the money to generate new jobs. What, pray tell, is the genesis of this strange behavior? Why, oh why would they do things like that?

Could it be because they are trying to smother the Federal Government with a pillow whilst it sleeps? Which is the thinly veiled goal of the Republican Party and their BFF's, big business. Has been since the Reagan days, I can't believe I even have to say this anymore. Small government; run up huge deficits to bankrupt Washington and starve social programs to death; states rights; anti-trade unionism; cut taxes on corporations and the more-than-merely-prosperous. Take away the Feds, and what's left? The states are powerless to control big business. Big business and the banks want to help the Republicans, and they want President Obama and the rest of the pesky Democrats to disappear as soon as possible, so they're acting to exacerbate the current financial/employment crisis to hurry them along into retirement.

Who will save us from ourselves? From our unfortunate electoral choices? The Tea-Party perhaps?

Those people are the vanguard of stupid for the entire known universe. It's all so bass-ackwards: they don't like deficits so they bitch mercilessly about Obama, while anybody with an ounce of sense could tell you that the deficits are almost entirely due to Reagan/Bush/Bush. So what should we do about the deficits that we hate so much? Elect somebody just like Reagan/Bush/Bush, somebody who loves freedom, who loves Family Values, or even better, somebody who believes that any minute now their empty clothes will fall to the floor as they are transported body and soul to heaven as part of the, what is it, the Tribulation? If it weren't so bloody ig'nant, it would be amusing.

And speaking of the Tea-Baggers, is anyone else sick of hearing about how President Obama is using the deficits to make us “slaves?” Between you and me, anyone who talks about slavery these days, in any context, is a reactionary, racist son-of-a-sea-cook. And no, America is not a post-racial society; and yes, it is all about Obama being Black. If you don't believe me, just ask the man with the monkey on his shoulder and the anti “O-bum-a” sign at the Tea-Party rally.

And by the way, who would like to have a nickel for every would-be political boss who thinks homosexuality is a “choice,” not to mention a “sin?” Or the guys and girls who believe with all of their hearts that if a retarded girl is raped and impregnated by her father, she should have the baby and “make lemonade from lemons.” Because, you know, it's just God's gift of love. Or the unspeakable morons who believe that the world is 6,000 years old. Lots of them think that America is a “Christian Nation,” and should be run according to “Biblical Law,” whatever that is. I don't have a clue, but from my reading, no man who shaves his beard has a clue either.

In the midst of all of this crazy, we suddenly have a highly intelligent, well adjusted, good intentioned man in the oval office. So are we happy about this? Are we falling all over ourselves to cooperate with our good fortune?

No.

I always say, and firmly believe, that luck is what you make it, what you make of it, and just getting dealt the four kings is not enough, nowhere near enough. No, you need to say a silent prayer of thanks, play the hand, bet the hand, call the game, show them, and then collect the money. It is perfectly easy to be supremely lucky, to get the four kings, and then to lose for one reason or another. We Americans were supremely lucky to get President Obama, lucky that he was nominated in our profoundly stupid, relatively new primary system, and lucky that that big cry-baby, failed ground-attack pilot Mr. John “I'm Entitled To This” McCain self-destructed in the campaign, and lucky that a sufficient number of people suspended their disbelief and voted for Obama. Now we seem to be laying the kings face down and pushing them forward, saying “I fold.” That would be one for the ages. Do you think it's fun to watch the stupidest shit in history unfold before your very eyes?

Might as well have fun. And if the new pirate reality doesn't make you super-rich, you can always hang yourself before you starve to death.