I've been on Kos for several years now and am a a daily reader, lurker and very infrequent poster. Lately I have been getting more and more dismayed at my fellow Americans. We have turned into (not turning into, but past tense), a nation of assholes. Militias in Montana, bugging Senate offices and claiming that the truth shall set us free, lying about the usefulness of water boarding, on and on, this is just ridiculous. Now we have senatorial candidates saying if the like-minded stiff-necked don't take over Government in the next 10 months, he will start cleaning his gun. I wasn't raised like this.
What has happened? This is not just sore loserism. Every single thing that these people criticize was happening with GWB, and not a peep. Clinton was guilty of attacking the heart of America in Waco, but now domestic terrorism is just hunky dory if it is against federal employees or abortion doctors or Jews. People that support candidates that advocate what any sane person would call fascism, call people that disagree with them Nazis. I am sickened.
Excuse me while I barf.
I am back. People in Montana send a demand that all federal employees get written permission from the Sheriff before they even talk to anyone. The governor of Texas is an asshole secessionist. Many people at a tea party rally in Austin told me they are NOT Americans, they are only Texans. They didn't even flinch when I asked them when did they stop being loyal patriotic Americans and turn into traitorous seditionists. They gave me dates and reasons. "When I read the Constitution."
When GWB sells out our military, robs the treasury and lets treason reign under his nose, that's OK. When Obama bows while greeting a foreign dignitary, that is treason.
We have Senators (I am beginning to equate them to Roman Senators), who torpedo a candidate for TSA director, because he might allow federal employees that make $8.50 an hour to bargain collectively.
I understand that rich assholes try to manipulate poor assholes, and it has worked. My dad was smart, and generally not an asshole. He was a Goldwater republican until Nixon and Watergate, then he never voted Republican again. He died in 2000. He would spin in his grave at what GWB did.
A survey came out that placed Fox news as the most trusted news network. Most trusted to lie with a smile, I say.
Obama has done much good, has tried an failed to do other good, and has fucked up several things. But the effort to shoot ourselves in the foot in order to destroy him, is just too much.
Look, I myself have grown to hate the Republican Party, Republicanism, and Republicans. I will never in my life vote for one. They hate us, we hate them.
I think we have two irreconcilable visions for America. One (ours) is collaborative. Theirs, is individualist paranoia? Why?
I agree we need to fight corruption, use the Federal government to do good.
If I had my way, every time Congress or the SCOTUS failed to act in a positive, efficient way, a Wobblie style, nationwide sit down strike would ensue until The People got what was right. No right to work for less states. I don't think our side will start bombing or shooting first, because the other side already has started that shit. I do think when they start killing a lot of our kind of people for disagreeing with them, then things will snap and Katie bar the door.
At church last Sunday, I saw a bumper sticker that simply said " SOCIALIST" with the Obama logo for the O. I considered it to be a compliment. The car owner did not.
We HAVE become a nation of assholes, shooting and killing because we don't get our way. Then again, hasn't our Gov. done that on an international basis since 1776? I am very dismayed at all of this. Glen Beck IS worse than Rachel Maddow, O'Rielly and Rove ARE worse than Schultz and Plouffe. Quantifiably worse. WE have lost our judgment. Now those that support this silliness are probably less than 25% of the population, but anything over 5% is way too much. I mourn the loss of a civil America. OK OK OK. The good ol' days were just ol', not so good for a lot of people like anyone not white male. That is not what I am saying. The last 60 years were spent trying to fix just that, now it is all being undone before our eyes.
Tell me, oh kind readers, what has happened to America? I cannot foresee circumstances wherein we hold hands and sing hymns. If you have a what can be done type of idea, then say so. If you want to commiserate, criticize, or complain, then do so. I had to write this diary because I am so bummed at the grand level of assholyness in America. Prove me wrong. And yes, I am an asshole too.