Republicans! Heavily Armed and Completely Uninformed.

There was a time in my life when I was a registered Republican, now I'm afraid of them.

Once upon a time the Republican party stood for small government, personal responsibility, lower taxes and a strong military.  I never voted straight Republican but more often than not they received my vote.  I was considered a moderate in those days - socially progressive but fiscally conservative.  Today the world and Republican party have changed to such a degree - I'm considered a liberal.  It ain't me, babe, it ain't me.

Everyday I grow more and more certain that the Republican party is becoming a bizarre cult. You watch the crazed rants of an entertainer like Glenn Beck and you laugh, believing that it has to be a satiric spoof of the stereotypical neo-conservative.  An exaggeration of the far right that couldn't possibly exist.  However, the joke is on you.  While Glenn Beck is almost certainly playing a part, a man making a career out of post 9-11 paranoia, his followers believe every word he says.  They have no understanding of how they're being played, even as they dole out their love and devotion for this caricature of the uber conservative.  And there are so many more just like him, although their performances aren't nearly so over-the-top, their objective remains the same - milk the extreme right wing for all it's worth.

Now while the extreme right coughs up their nachos and beer money to buy Ann Coulter's latest bound hate fest or fore goes that extra box of rifle shells to see Rush Limbaugh spew toxic vitriol in person, it's the rest of us that truly pays. 

America was once the most progressive nation in the world. We had the culture other nations clamored to keep pace with. Our scientists were world revered and foreign citizens from nations across the globe came to the U.S. to acquire a superior education. Today, we're teetering on the edge of becoming a non-secular, third world nation, with religion outweighing science in relevance and influence.

We are the only civilized nation on the planet without a national health care system. We are the only civilized nation on the planet still disputing the mountains of evidence that global climate changes exist. And with the exception of Italy, we are the only non-Muslim country where the religious right has so much influence in politics.

In retrospect, Glenn Beck isn't really that funny after all.

Comments

[Patricia Bessey]

The problem is always going to be the same. When you allow any one party to have control - whether it is the Democrats or the Republicans - the "fringe element" of that party will be the one to gradually gain control. It happened over the eight years Bush was president. After 9/11 happened many liberals did not dare to look "unamerican" and go against the extreme right. Now that America has become sick of their bull and chosen to swing the power to the other side - the right wing who are used to attention, money and power are screaming to keep the spotlight on them. They will only continue to do so for as long as it is profitable. However you have to make sure and differentiate between who is in power and who is just making noise. Glenn Beck is a noisemaker. That is all.

[Ann]

Excellent post Trish and accurate. I think "the "fringe element" of that party will be the one to gradually gain control." of the Democrats is Nancy Pelosi and those like her. Since Obama was elected she has really been pushing an extreme left platform. Fortunately Obama is a moderate (as are most Americans) and I think Miss Nancy is heading for a smackdown.

[Patricia Bessey]

If both parties continue down this path it will make it easier for a third party (probably Libertarian) to become more popular and powerful. I really, really want to believe the majority of this country is in the middle somewhere. Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are power hungry and will need to be watched closely if the Democratic party doesn't want to end up looking like fools (like the Republicans have).

[Ann]

I have some Libertarian beliefs (I don't beleive the government should force us to wear helmets on motorcycles or seatbelts in cars etc. - it's different for children) but the biggest problem I have with Libertarians is they simply DO NOT understand the concept of "the greater good". They don't believe in taxes, disagree with most laws and most government control. Anarchy would not work in this country. Ron Paul does have some good ideas but if you keep listening you start to wonder when the "probed by aliens" story is going to come out.

I do watch Nancy Pelosi like a hawk. I think she's making Democrat's look very bad. I'm not sure when her seat is up for re-election but I hope she loses. Reid just seems like a very, very weak man. I think if he didn't always have Miss Nancy there as a bodyguard he'd be quiet as milquetoast.

[Pen]

I've been quite disappointed in Ms. Pelosi. She is typical of many SF based Californians in that, she has difficulty understanding America beyond SF.