Over the past two months I have written a total of 14 posts. The majority of those being repostings or brief postings with little of my own writing. At first, I chalked it up to being very busy with the start of a new school year and a new teaching assignment. While that was and continues to be true, there is something more to it all than just being busy with school work.
I find myself not caring about whether or not this protest or that protest is manufactured or real. I find myself not caring about the underlying motives of people opposed to President Obama. I find myself not caring about what stupid calendar Michele Bachmann is on or that she has been turned into an action figure. Most of all I find myself not really caring about getting involved in the battles currently taking place in the political world. Now I have certainly gotten involved in some of these disputes but each time it is only in an apathetic half hearted manner and once done there is this feeling that what I just did was a colossal waste of time. The question becomes, why? Why have I reached a point at which I don't give a damn about the daily faux outrages that currently consume the right and the left?
Perhaps the reason is that all the last two months have become is a back and forth one upsmanship about which party is more like the anti-christ and which side hates America the MOST. From my perspective there has been almost no discussion of issues or debate about policy or even constructive argument about visions for the future. It has been one long annoying pissing match to see who can demonize whom most thoroughly.
Oh, you thought we were debating the merits of health care reform? NO! We were trying to figure out which party hates the elderly, poor, and disabled MORE. Which side is going to most swiftly and efficiently kill all these people. Really? Are we really arguing about this? Are you ALL idiots? Seriously, because if Republicans truly in their hearts believe that Democrats are setting out to kill old people then you are idiots. If Democrats truly in their hearts believe that Republicans would rather see poor people die then you are idiots. I truly have lost the will to give a shit about either of you. Hell, we have even sunk so low as to argue about who is and is not a real protester. I frankly don't give a damn if the health care industry did or did not organize anything. My question is so what if they did? Is it any different than when organizations on our side of the aisle organize protests? Maybe I am missing something...
Even today, the new OUTRAGE in the health care reform debate/demonizationfest is from Gary Gross who is really really mad at some Democrat because he said Republicans want you to die quickly. Is this particular Democrat an idiot for making such a ridiculous claim? YES! Yet, I wonder where all this furious outrage was when Charles Grassley and others were telling people that Democrats were going to kill grandma. It is all just so mind numbingly ludicrous that I completely understand why people avoid politics like the plague.
But it's not just health care reform...
There are so many other useless and annoying faux outrage debates taking place right now that I, as a liberal, would like to make the following concessions and apologies to my rightie friends in the hopes that we can move beyond the idiotic and on to something productive:
Now that I have fessed up to all these super awesome accusations (I hope I didn't forget anything) that have consumed our every waking moment over the last couple months, I have to ask, what would you like to see done? Granted, these Democrats were elected by the people in a free and fair election last November but it sounds to me like you do not want to wait until the next round of elections.
For my leftie friends I offer these words:
Please do not take this rant as a feeling that I am somehow better than anyone else for being sick of all this crap because it doesn't. I am as guilty as anyone of adding faux outrage crap to the political debate. However, the last two months have seen the debate devolve into so many different ludicrous arguments (each more foolish than the last) that I simply cannot take it anymore. I am going to try to continue in the blogosphere in the hopes that I can get the faith back but know that it is currently hanging by a very loose thread.
I find myself not caring about whether or not this protest or that protest is manufactured or real. I find myself not caring about the underlying motives of people opposed to President Obama. I find myself not caring about what stupid calendar Michele Bachmann is on or that she has been turned into an action figure. Most of all I find myself not really caring about getting involved in the battles currently taking place in the political world. Now I have certainly gotten involved in some of these disputes but each time it is only in an apathetic half hearted manner and once done there is this feeling that what I just did was a colossal waste of time. The question becomes, why? Why have I reached a point at which I don't give a damn about the daily faux outrages that currently consume the right and the left?
Perhaps the reason is that all the last two months have become is a back and forth one upsmanship about which party is more like the anti-christ and which side hates America the MOST. From my perspective there has been almost no discussion of issues or debate about policy or even constructive argument about visions for the future. It has been one long annoying pissing match to see who can demonize whom most thoroughly.
Oh, you thought we were debating the merits of health care reform? NO! We were trying to figure out which party hates the elderly, poor, and disabled MORE. Which side is going to most swiftly and efficiently kill all these people. Really? Are we really arguing about this? Are you ALL idiots? Seriously, because if Republicans truly in their hearts believe that Democrats are setting out to kill old people then you are idiots. If Democrats truly in their hearts believe that Republicans would rather see poor people die then you are idiots. I truly have lost the will to give a shit about either of you. Hell, we have even sunk so low as to argue about who is and is not a real protester. I frankly don't give a damn if the health care industry did or did not organize anything. My question is so what if they did? Is it any different than when organizations on our side of the aisle organize protests? Maybe I am missing something...
Even today, the new OUTRAGE in the health care reform debate/demonizationfest is from Gary Gross who is really really mad at some Democrat because he said Republicans want you to die quickly. Is this particular Democrat an idiot for making such a ridiculous claim? YES! Yet, I wonder where all this furious outrage was when Charles Grassley and others were telling people that Democrats were going to kill grandma. It is all just so mind numbingly ludicrous that I completely understand why people avoid politics like the plague.
But it's not just health care reform...
There are so many other useless and annoying faux outrage debates taking place right now that I, as a liberal, would like to make the following concessions and apologies to my rightie friends in the hopes that we can move beyond the idiotic and on to something productive:
You are right, I have been trying to create panels in which my liberal friends and I would choose who amongst the elderly will live or die. It was wrong and I promise not to do it anymore.
You are right, there is a secret plot to indoctrinate all of your children into the liberal/commie/socialist/fascist (you take your pick) lifestyle. The thing is, we didn't think you would find out but since you did we promise to keep our indoctrination camps to a bare minimum (you can't expect us to quit cold turkey). Additionally, there had been a plan to create a "brownshirt" coalition much like Hitler's but you found that out too so I promise we will
You are right, even though George W. Bush and Presidents prior to that appointed "czars" and there was no apparent constitutional crisis it is clear that when President Obama names those same positions czars he is trying to completely subvert the Constitution.
You are right, ACORN (an organization that primarily helps poor people) and SEIU (an organization consisting mostly of paraprofessionals, custodians, and health care workers) are terribly evil organizations whose goal is the ultimate destruction of the United States of America.
And while I am not completely certain about whether President Obama is a super secret Muslim terrorist who was actually born in Kenya, you have been so right about all this other stuff that I hesitate to question the accuracy of these statements.
Oh, and the teleprompter thing? TOTALLY a legitimate complaint. I mean having your prepared remarks scroll onto a teleprompter versus simply holding them in your hand, COMPLETELY OUTRAGEOUS.
Now that I have fessed up to all these super awesome accusations (I hope I didn't forget anything) that have consumed our every waking moment over the last couple months, I have to ask, what would you like to see done? Granted, these Democrats were elected by the people in a free and fair election last November but it sounds to me like you do not want to wait until the next round of elections.
For my leftie friends I offer these words:
I DON'T CARE! I don't care if someone made an action figure or a calendar featuring Michele Bachmann. That is NOT news...
NO, it is not racism every time someone disagrees with the President...
As much as I think Joe Wilson is a douchebag, it WAS a waste of time to bring legislation against him...
And I am quite sure there is more faux crap that we ought to be knocking off...
Please do not take this rant as a feeling that I am somehow better than anyone else for being sick of all this crap because it doesn't. I am as guilty as anyone of adding faux outrage crap to the political debate. However, the last two months have seen the debate devolve into so many different ludicrous arguments (each more foolish than the last) that I simply cannot take it anymore. I am going to try to continue in the blogosphere in the hopes that I can get the faith back but know that it is currently hanging by a very loose thread.
Logging you in...
Holly Cairns · 808 weeks ago
I used to teach and that is one reason I like to see what you are blogging. By the way, what do you say to the kid who forgot his pencil?
Anyway, that one kid who said "Who cares" REALLY meant "Why should I care."
I always started there. I used to take TWO (F'ING) WHOLE WEEKS to do a game called "Create Your Country." I (made up and) handed out rules and then started them with twenty questions like: 1. Draw your country. Label as you go. 2. Do you have a system of government? If so, what kind? If you have a ruler or other sections of government, choose who from your group will be that person(s) 3. Are all people equal? If you have slaves, choose who is a slave. Are women and men equal? 4. Do you need courts? 5. Do you have a way to help the sick and poor?
Every day they had to read all questions or cards first, and by the time it was large group time, they had to present their document which described their government etc. and every group member had to sign in agreement.
Stuff like that. After all their constitution writing or dictator swearing in, etc., we'd show countries, talk more rules, then I'd hold up a bag of cookies and say "If one country can take the rest and ends up ruling the world by the end of the game, here's your cookies. If we play the game and at the end every country is at peace, you all get cookies. If you destroy the world, I get the cookies.
And then it was time to play. I'd have already asked for two volunteers or so to be the world council (for starters), and I'd be a part of the world council for times when they couldn't decide who would win a war, etc. Each day they'd begin by drawing cards from the hat like "your country has a terrible drought and your people suffer great illness as a result of it. Talk now about how to strengthen your country" OR "You find oil off your coast. Congratulations!"
AND.... after they fixed their new problems or added their new resources, planned their attacks, etc. we'd have large group time. They'd draw for who went first, second, etc. and talk to the room. Peace would last for oh... a second. Baltzaar drew #1, and they would stand up and say "We're declaring war on Strikeland."
How did the countries fight? In writing. They had to plan it out, first, before declaring. And the rest of the world would judge. If needed the world council added their final thoughts on who won. Hint: First to lose? The country that forgot to draw in a food source. Think of it, unlimited amount of resources if they only thought of them, first... it helped if they were seriously creative or at least knew a little history. Underground bunkers, unlimited food supply based on credible scientific study, slaves who revolted.
Sadly, I ate a lot of cookies.
Oh yeah, and your blog is like the cards being handed out at the beginning of the game. Only it's not a game. So buck up, Political_Muse.
Blueman · 808 weeks ago
Hot damn that was a sweet rant!
Ellis · 808 weeks ago
Political_Muse 35p · 808 weeks ago