Do the members of the US House and Senate know something that their constituents don't?
One of the prime motivations of politicians is self-preservation in office.
They do not normally go out of their way to take a stand on anything for fear of angering blocs of voters. They will straddle any issue, talk out of four sides of their mouths [double talk on both sides], and watch polling religiously twisting in the breeze of public opinion. (...)
Fear of repercussions at the polls over-rides all. While they may have contempt for us (...), they do their best to conceal it behind a smile and fake concern.
Politicians acting out of character indicates a change in the rules, whether we know it or not.
The Legislative Branch of the United States government seems Hell-bent on imposing Socialized Medicine on the American public whether the majority of the latter want it or not and, more importantly, whether Socialized Medicine and all of its attendant details are constitutional and/or moral or not. 'Why' isn't such an important question. This is: what makes them think that they can get away with it without paying a steep political price?
Politicians in a group when they act consistently and anomalously against what would seem to be their own interests, are usually operating on information not available to anyone else. One also has to add to the mix the question why the Republicans as a party are only offering token opposition to the Democrats, when standing up would rally support to them? What do they know?
When you rule out the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, has to be considered. The only thing that remains, that I can see, is that no matter what they do, they no longer have any fear of facing the voters in an honest election.
Read this whole thing. The short of it, however, is this: our republic may be taking its last gasps.
It isn't as if we weren't warned.
It is hard to put anything beyond this crew, but I think they have started to believe their own hype. They think 1994 happened because they *didn't* pass a health care bill. They think the public will settle down and be happy once the bill goes into effect (like happened with Medicare long ago). They are still out for their own self interest. They are just very wrong this time. There will be a political slaughter in November.
Posted by: Buford Gooch | December 21, 2009 at 07:45 PM
Buford: I do hope you are right about that. However, I am wondering if they've figured out how to rig elections in perpetuity. We've seen it happen here in Washington State, with the Gregoire vs. Rossi debacle. The very same architects (Norm Coleman) of those sleazy tactics used identical methods effectively to get Al Franken elected in Minnesota. I do worry that corruption has risen to a whole new level, and voter fraud may be overwhelmingly difficult to combat. When you throw in the failure of the government to punish out-and-out voter intimidation, it feels as though there is something sinister afoot.
The unwise decision by several states to circumvent the electoral college conveys a further advantage to progressives. Plus, Obama's supporters in congress have buckets full of stimulus money to buy votes with. No wonder they feel so invincible they are willing to flaunt their true colors.
Posted by: Kwongdzu | December 21, 2009 at 08:07 PM
baldilocks, Funny you should mention this possibility, I was thinking the same thing. The only things standing between the new bolshevists and the hollowing-out of all of our institutions are talk radio and the internet. If we can be silenced, then the complete subversion of our legitimate government could be made to happen under the acquiescent eyes of the lamestream media, and the media would actively participate in the process. Just look at the coverage of anthropogenic glowball warmening to see how it can be done.
Posted by: Punditarian | December 22, 2009 at 04:18 AM
I am loathe to attribute to malice what is sufficiently explained by incompetence, and this bunch has incompetence in spades.
Posted by: Everlasting Phelps | December 22, 2009 at 08:33 AM
It depends on what the goal is, does it not?
For example, when the Obama DOJ dropped the obvious voter intimidation charges against the New Black Panthers, that was no screw up; that was malice. The goal: sending a message as to who's boss in the country. Another goal? Foment racial tension.
Posted by: baldilocks | December 22, 2009 at 08:44 AM
I think the obvious goal is "control." And using that control to stay in power, so as to continue to use that power and control. Vicious cycle.
As to the formenting racial tensions, I recall having a discussion with some friends back in the late 90s. I may be wrong, but I think by and large there is not the widespread racial hatred that used to be rampant in the country. At the time, we came to the conclusion that the media and politicians were merely trying to keep it alive, bigger than it really was, but wasn't sure why.
Now, I think I can see why, with the Diversity Czar talking about giving radio stations away to minorities, and all this stuff that's going on. Keep it on a low simmer until you are ready to move, then crank up the heat to full boil.
I really really hate to think this about my government, but I'm really beginning to believe you Baldi. That they are on the verge of outright siezing everything, and there will be nothing to stop them.
I honestly don't think they could pull it off, at least not for very long, before the states and the people literally remove them.
The biggest problem I think is that everyone on that side from Big O on down has started to believe their own press releases.
Posted by: JamesLee | December 22, 2009 at 09:38 AM
Malice and incompetence are not mutually exclusive. I think we have the combo platter.
Posted by: Kwongdzu | December 22, 2009 at 12:58 PM