It so Ironic that the very states and governors who have been loudest in talking about 'states rights' are now calling for The Feds to help them.
The very base states of the Tea Party are being hit with the oil they demand be drilled.
Now the entire way of coastal life is threatened.
The New York Times: "The response to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico intensified abruptly on Thursday, with the federal government intervening more aggressively as the rapidly growing slick drifted ever closer to the fragile coastline of Louisiana. Resources from the United States Navy were marshaled to supplement an operation that already consisted of more than 1,000 people and scores of vessels and aircraft."
This spill is a result of the deregulation they demand and the corporate freedom they crave. And now salvation lies in the very Federal Gov't they deride and disdain. Their hope lies in The President they have wrongly dismissed.
This commentor put it well.
The panhandle’s pristine white, sugar sand beaches, some of the nicest beaches anywhere in the world, are being threatened with ruin in the biggest domestic oil spill since the Exxon Valdez. Maybe Palin and the drill baby drill crowd will volunteer to clean up, not.
Its is similar to what happened to the Reagan Democrats. When he got in, the shipping of their jobs abroad started in earnest. President Obama's youth vote is also the result of many younger voters witnessing first hand the painful results of their parents political decisions to support President Regan's policies and Mr. Limbaugh's attitudes of group envy.
The larger facts suggest? The progress of Minorities in society over the past 30 years has been largely independent and come in defiance of conservative politics. - opposition to things like the Great Society, the War on poverty and general hostility has caused Minorities to strengthen, to rise politically, to build new markets at home and good will all over the world. Hip Hop, sports and entertainment related culture, for instance, is a Global brand that sells all kinds of products very well. - From Tokyo to Moscow to London to Capetown and Sydney.
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Minorities have been forced to find their own joy and it has proven to be winning and contagious. Minorities have been given little or nothing from non college Blue Collar 'Regular Americans' , but have 'lifted themselves up mostly by their own bootstraps.' If anything Minorities are still being held down, stalked, and sabotaged. The violence and crime in Minority communities is largely a result of predatory outside forces - And the denial of the service jobs that serve as the melting pots and local role models for communities and youth at risk.
Radical appeals to tribalism, nativity and group envy have proven to be smoke screens to do the worse to the very audience that buys in this kind of stuff. Its like Conservative elites hate their blue collar followers and are angry at themselves for needing them to get elected. Thus they turn on them once in office. Christian Evangelicals have long been largely unwelcome and marginalized by the Republicans once in office.
With the 'Show me your papers law.' and the attendant massive rallies and genuine and nationwide protest another dose of reality has emerged. Millions of People will push back very hard against any real attempt to turn angry conservative rhetoric into a cruel governing realty. 'It ain't gonna happen' absent a very real fight. And then it still won't happen.
Now, with the BP Gulf Oil Spill another 'big time' lesson is being generated.
Those who scream ‘I want my country back’ the loudest will most probably get whacked the hardest if the (R's) return to power or gain critical seats in the Mid Term. Social Security will be cut, jobs will be shipped abroad, more oil will be spilled and costly foreign adventurism will go through the roof.
It is wonderful and amazing that President Obama is offering all groups a better way out and the country a common way forward. America's on the rise at home and in international standing. He is even winning the wars by earning new levels of cooperation from allies, including Pakistan in the tribal areas! Sometimes you really do need highly educated, smooth calm and respectful people to do really smart and complicated things.
Teddy Roosevelt's words "Speak softly and carry a big stick.", have never been so well applied as with President Obama.
The High School bully, us against them, mentality, of talk radio celebrities for instance, here is Mr. Rush
"Papers equals Nazi. Your papers please. It equals Nazi, that’s why Obama is using the term. I can understand Obama being touchy on the subject of producing your papers. Maybe he’s afraid somebody is going to ask him for his."
can only go so far in the modern world in solving real problems.
Sadly it has proven a great disaster and folly for the very people who buy into its credos. Better can be done by America. And despite the hostile rhetoric, with Mr.Obama in office evidence of progress is all around, even in the face of great challenges, the country can say 'Still We Rise.'