Alabama Governor a Good Liberal Democrat
by paradox
Billmon and I were both immediately amused yesterday at the heady news the Confederate flag was being hurriedly dumped at the Alabama State Capital, for buried in the story was the defensive justification from Republican Governor Robert Bentley that “I have taxes to raise, we have work to do.”
Oh really? Since when does a Republican boldly state forth that the aim of the governor’s office is to raise taxes? According to Republicans taxes are a terrible evil spawned by Satan himself, all efforts must be continually focused at lowering or eliminating them. Then lie about how this magically increases State revenue.1
Work to do? You mean accomplishing something, serving the needs of citizens for a better society? Republicans are supposed to loathe government, intense focus must always be applied to make it smaller.
Of course Governor Bentley could have come right and said the obvious, the Confederate flag is an odious offensive symbol that in light of recent events has become completely intolerable. This would have displayed compassion, respect for all peoples, and an attunement for tolerance, acceptance and peace.
Obviously Governor Bentley’s skills at being a good liberal need some serious polishing, but the acceptance of revenue as a necessary component of government and its stated aims to serve the people are massive cornerstones of liberalism, Mr. Bentley, it’s all good, we welcome you, brother, may the truth and smiles of our children guide you always.
Snark aside, the good liberalism of Governor Bentley triggered a question that’s been flitting around my cranium for a bit: what, precisely, is the issue base our dear opposition Republicans are going to run against us Democrats in 2016?
Greg Sargent of the Washington Post2 linked to Matt Lewis of The Daily Beast, who’s basically wondering the same thing, how do they sell their conservative ideas about free markets, strong national defense, and conservative family values?
[chuckles] Meaning how do they sell nothing? Unpack this a bit and there’s laughably little for the Republicans to run on in their current political stance and culture.
Free markets? Who do you think you’re lying to? Look at the gross subsidization of the oil and agricultural markets, no one believes any of this free market claptrap, not one voter is motivated by it. Forget the role of government in anything else that’s necessary for modern society, okay.
Oh, a strong national defense, you want small government and a grossly gigantic $581 billion annual DOD budget? Hypocrisy doesn’t sell, never has. Plus the little problem this incredible fortune viciously brings forth the very worst in humans: goading fear and uncertainty, indiscriminate violence, hatred for the inevitable great harm caused.
All for a unbelievably stupid small risk, 92 Americans are going to die in their cars today, lord knows how many more terribly maimed, and Republicans really think all the madness and insanity of waste for a bunch of yahoos who have hardly killed any of us is really going to gel the American Dream? Good luck with that.
Conservative family values, oh my God, this means the effing patriarchy and repressive sexuality, aggressively disgusting abortion suppression and intolerance for LGBT rights. What a black hole of repulsive assaults on personal freedom and integrity, what a stupid assault on liberty by gross hypocrites who constantly claim victimhood by government suppression, my dear Republicans what a loser political stance this is.
Republicans are tearing their hair out trying to figure out how to expand their base, Paul Waldman writes this morning for the Washington Post, of course they are, as outlined above they’ve got nothing, even their Governor of Alabama sounds like a liberal when he’s doing his job. What they do have is offensive and regressive, so they turn to the Department of Defense, fear and kicking ass desperate grabs at any sort of intellectual assurance they can actually do something.
Like Digby of Hullabaloo I’m certain the Republican 2016 election platform will be a ranting, fear-driven fusillade of alleged security, defense, scary scary scary bad guys, and stupid threats the wimpy Democratic candidate could never be trusted to handle it.
I’m also certain the gullible, herding, stupid American journalism corps, already demonstrably frantic to hate Secretary Clinton and eager to please their corporate Republican masters at Disney, will go along with it, easily swaying the election for the Republican candidate without all-out push-back.
That will be a massive component of election 2016, somehow keeping the environment sane and focused with a ranting Republican opposition running on nothing.
[1] We’re looking at you, Governors Walker and Jindhal, god what pathetic examples of honesty and good governance you are.
[2] Mr. Sargent of the Washington Post is currently writing about what he calls the Republican Fog Machine, a massively effective effort of lying and obfuscation the Republicans will launch if and when the broken USSC rejects state subsidies in the ACA. It’s very relevant journalism with insights on a number of crucial levels, I urge any informed American to follow it.