Where Are The Solutions?

by Steve

I want to try and be as charitable as possible towards what transpired yesterday in Washington. Let's give Glenn Beck, Half-Term Palin, and the rest of the "patriots" the benefit of a doubt about their motivations and convictions, and let's overlook the hyped-up crowd size and Beck's previous comments about Obama's racism, because I'm sure if the shoe was on the other foot, they would overlook these things about me. (/suppresses laughter)

I just have several questions that need to be answered by these thousands of well-meaning people in order for me or anyone else to take them seriously.

With your newfound concern over government corruption, a concern that seems to have manifested itself since an African American Democrat became president, can you point to similar concerns you had during the eight years of the Bush/Cheney administration?

With your concern about runaway government spending, again, can you point to similar concerns you had during the eight years of the Bush/Cheney administration? Or does your concern only apply when Democrats are in office?

With all your talk about restoring this country's honor and realigning ourselves to God's will, and with your right-wing dog-whistling about the "darkness" that has settled over this land, can you point to similar concerns you had about the Bush/Cheney administration's violation of international law, the Geneva Convention protocols, and our Bill of Rights?

With all your talk about government overreach, specifically about health care, given that most of you seem to be recipients already of government health care like Medicare and VA benefits, what exactly is your solution to the millions of uninsured Americans?

Given that the whole Tea Party movement was started and funded covertly by oil industry billionaires, and that many of you (no surprise) seem to rail against cap-and-trade and BP-bashing, can you tell us what your solution is to energy independence and global warming?

For that matter, with all your vitriol against this president's efforts to deal with the rampant plundering of this country's economy by Wall Street with the GOP's full blessing, and given your anger towards his lame stimulus efforts, what exactly are your solutions to get this country going again?

It's one thing to be angry and call yourself a patriot. It's quite another to actually offer solutions. It's about time for Democrats to demand specific answers and solutions from the Tea Partiers and the GOP leadership.