A Rant? Quelle Surprise!
[OOC Ok! Let's all laugh at the vaguely politically curious Canadian trying to decipher the American parties! To warn you, I probably have NO IDEA what I'm talking about. Let's just pretend I do for Tem's sake >.>]
Debate season has rolled back around and, as always, I’ve found myself completely sucked in. This is the fifth election I’ve been reasonably conscious for, the third that I’ve actively followed, and I think I’m finally starting to understand the basis for the electoral divide.
What it really comes down to is a fundamental unwillingness to compromise. Every person has a set of values and within that, a set of core values upon which they cannot compromise under any circumstance. Similarly, every political party is comprised of a series of platforms which people either agree with or disagree with to varying intensity. The trick to figuring out a person’s party is to figure out their uncompromising value. Anything a person can bend on is immaterial.
The difference between Republicans and Democrats isn’t intelligence or education, it isn’t worldly experience or ignorance, the difference is just is in those values.
Personally, I cannot and will not compromise on my ideals when it comes to human rights and civil liberties. I will not support anyone who thinks it is right to treat me or anyone as a less valuable member of society due to gender, or who thinks they have any right to tell me what I can and cannot do with my own body. Consequently, I vote Democrat reliably, as they are the ones who lobby for freedom of choice and keep their paws off my uterus. Among many other things that I support and encourage in society, such as fair labour laws, fair tax cuts, health care initiatives and social services.
For a significant amount of the population though, it seems that what they can’t compromise on is their money. Everything else is secondary, not necessarily to the dollar figure that remains in their bank account, but to the fundamental ideology of capitalism and individualism. Those are the people that favour Republicans, as they provide the most fiscal loop holes (especially as you crawl up the high income ladder) and the least regulation.
What’s the reasoning for low income families then? I strongly believe that a large part of it is a misinterpretation of American Independence. It is the result of a very, very strict history of government body rejection and an understanding that government institutions compromise the freedoms and liberties of the individual, as well as compromise the efficiency of the free market economy.
While the Republican doctrine does have some idealistic merit archaically (I suppose), in practice it has grown to be a regime that favours the creation of social classes through economic division and the oppression of minority groups. It manipulates that vision of freedom and turns it into a tool that strips the liberties of the population and breeds ignorance in the lower class. Through this mask of freedom they destroy the quality of public education, deny health services, cut out the legs of civil support, indoctrinate the nation with stifling religious standards (that, first of all, should not even APPROACH the White House, let alone be imposed on the REST of the country), etc.
To my view, there is nothing patriotic or fundamentally American about them. They limit my worth and growth as an individual, they cut the opportunities available to me to change my living circumstances, and they create and foster dissent between me and everyone else in my situation. How can anyone strongly agree that this is the American way and in the best interest of the country’s growth?
America, as I understand it, is supposed to be a place where anything is possible for any person, regardless of financial situation, sex, race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, health, etc, and my understanding of the role of the government is to supply services to the people that help them improve their quality of life, become productive members of society and, to use a cliché, be all that they can be, and also to protect that freedom, to protect my very right to be an individual and make my own life choices.
I do not see how Republicans do that. At all. Not once you peel back their superficial layer. All I have ever seen them do is the exact opposite.
And yet…here’s Bush land sliding the polls.
If he wins, which, let’s face it, is extremely likely, I think I just might cry…and move. I don’t know where to, but somewhere far from this festering pit of ignorance and viciously cycling misinformation. I don’t know if I can take another four years of this.
All that said, I’m sure it will come as no surprise to know that I’ve been volunteering on the Dukakis campaign and with the elections bureau.
Just to remind you all, REGISTER AND VOTE.
It is your right to have a say in that runs your country, and your responsibility as a citizen to exercise it. The truth of the matter is that bad leaders aren’t elected by the people who do vote, they’re elected by the one’s who don’t. All silence and passivity does it make any situation worse. You get the day off anyway, there will be polling stations everywhere, so you have no excuse to not take ten minutes out of your day and make a mark on a piece of paper.
If you need help or direction, let me know. I can give you all the information you need.
Speaking of volunteering and civil rights, thanks to everyone who came out to the Fundraiser at the Clover last week! We pulled together just shy of $9,000 for the shelter which gave then a huge step towards their goal. If any of you have credit cards and are so inclined, you can call them up and set up regular donations off your card. Every little bit helps, especially if it is regular cash flow, and especially with the continued cutting in federal support.
And just for something completely different, how the fuck did I go so long without my Janis Joplin records? I mean…fuck, could she wail! Sure, I’ve had my Aretha and Tina records, those certainly scratch that itch, but Janis has just got…that extra bite. You can hear her throat just shredding. Gives me chills every time.
Pearl combined with the Clover gig has got me jonesing something fierce for more gigs.
Anko, ‘Yuya, would you guys be into another set if I can book it?
How about you Mourning Jacket kids, think we’re ready to brave the stage fright?
I’ll even take another covers gig like that one we (I’m lookin’ at Sasuke, Zaku and Anko here) did last November if anyone is game. That was a blast!
Absolute worst, I’ll settle for karaoke.
Work with me people! Who’s up for it? Has anyone caught wind of an opening at some club or something? Halloween’s coming up, there’s got to be some scrap kicking around. At this point, I’ll gnaw just about anything!
Debate season has rolled back around and, as always, I’ve found myself completely sucked in. This is the fifth election I’ve been reasonably conscious for, the third that I’ve actively followed, and I think I’m finally starting to understand the basis for the electoral divide.
What it really comes down to is a fundamental unwillingness to compromise. Every person has a set of values and within that, a set of core values upon which they cannot compromise under any circumstance. Similarly, every political party is comprised of a series of platforms which people either agree with or disagree with to varying intensity. The trick to figuring out a person’s party is to figure out their uncompromising value. Anything a person can bend on is immaterial.
The difference between Republicans and Democrats isn’t intelligence or education, it isn’t worldly experience or ignorance, the difference is just is in those values.
Personally, I cannot and will not compromise on my ideals when it comes to human rights and civil liberties. I will not support anyone who thinks it is right to treat me or anyone as a less valuable member of society due to gender, or who thinks they have any right to tell me what I can and cannot do with my own body. Consequently, I vote Democrat reliably, as they are the ones who lobby for freedom of choice and keep their paws off my uterus. Among many other things that I support and encourage in society, such as fair labour laws, fair tax cuts, health care initiatives and social services.
For a significant amount of the population though, it seems that what they can’t compromise on is their money. Everything else is secondary, not necessarily to the dollar figure that remains in their bank account, but to the fundamental ideology of capitalism and individualism. Those are the people that favour Republicans, as they provide the most fiscal loop holes (especially as you crawl up the high income ladder) and the least regulation.
What’s the reasoning for low income families then? I strongly believe that a large part of it is a misinterpretation of American Independence. It is the result of a very, very strict history of government body rejection and an understanding that government institutions compromise the freedoms and liberties of the individual, as well as compromise the efficiency of the free market economy.
While the Republican doctrine does have some idealistic merit archaically (I suppose), in practice it has grown to be a regime that favours the creation of social classes through economic division and the oppression of minority groups. It manipulates that vision of freedom and turns it into a tool that strips the liberties of the population and breeds ignorance in the lower class. Through this mask of freedom they destroy the quality of public education, deny health services, cut out the legs of civil support, indoctrinate the nation with stifling religious standards (that, first of all, should not even APPROACH the White House, let alone be imposed on the REST of the country), etc.
To my view, there is nothing patriotic or fundamentally American about them. They limit my worth and growth as an individual, they cut the opportunities available to me to change my living circumstances, and they create and foster dissent between me and everyone else in my situation. How can anyone strongly agree that this is the American way and in the best interest of the country’s growth?
America, as I understand it, is supposed to be a place where anything is possible for any person, regardless of financial situation, sex, race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, health, etc, and my understanding of the role of the government is to supply services to the people that help them improve their quality of life, become productive members of society and, to use a cliché, be all that they can be, and also to protect that freedom, to protect my very right to be an individual and make my own life choices.
I do not see how Republicans do that. At all. Not once you peel back their superficial layer. All I have ever seen them do is the exact opposite.
And yet…here’s Bush land sliding the polls.
If he wins, which, let’s face it, is extremely likely, I think I just might cry…and move. I don’t know where to, but somewhere far from this festering pit of ignorance and viciously cycling misinformation. I don’t know if I can take another four years of this.
All that said, I’m sure it will come as no surprise to know that I’ve been volunteering on the Dukakis campaign and with the elections bureau.
Just to remind you all, REGISTER AND VOTE.
It is your right to have a say in that runs your country, and your responsibility as a citizen to exercise it. The truth of the matter is that bad leaders aren’t elected by the people who do vote, they’re elected by the one’s who don’t. All silence and passivity does it make any situation worse. You get the day off anyway, there will be polling stations everywhere, so you have no excuse to not take ten minutes out of your day and make a mark on a piece of paper.
If you need help or direction, let me know. I can give you all the information you need.
Speaking of volunteering and civil rights, thanks to everyone who came out to the Fundraiser at the Clover last week! We pulled together just shy of $9,000 for the shelter which gave then a huge step towards their goal. If any of you have credit cards and are so inclined, you can call them up and set up regular donations off your card. Every little bit helps, especially if it is regular cash flow, and especially with the continued cutting in federal support.
And just for something completely different, how the fuck did I go so long without my Janis Joplin records? I mean…fuck, could she wail! Sure, I’ve had my Aretha and Tina records, those certainly scratch that itch, but Janis has just got…that extra bite. You can hear her throat just shredding. Gives me chills every time.
Pearl combined with the Clover gig has got me jonesing something fierce for more gigs.
Anko, ‘Yuya, would you guys be into another set if I can book it?
How about you Mourning Jacket kids, think we’re ready to brave the stage fright?
I’ll even take another covers gig like that one we (I’m lookin’ at Sasuke, Zaku and Anko here) did last November if anyone is game. That was a blast!
Absolute worst, I’ll settle for karaoke.
Work with me people! Who’s up for it? Has anyone caught wind of an opening at some club or something? Halloween’s coming up, there’s got to be some scrap kicking around. At this point, I’ll gnaw just about anything!