How many times have you heard from a conservative that those in need should just "pick themselves up by their bootstraps"? They are sick and tired of paying taxes for lazy people who should just get a job. Why do their taxes have to go towards someone else's health insurance? Why should they pay taxes for things they don't need, like public schools? Libraries? Public transportation? Social Security? They'll invest their own money thank you very much, but don't dare touch their medicare.
I did a google search of "Bootstraps quotes". Oh my, there are about 320,000 results.
The most famous of course, is the Thurgood Marshall quote:
"None of us got where we are solely by pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps. We got here because somebody - a parent, a teacher, an Ivy League crony or a few nuns - bent down and helped us pick up our boots."
Ya know, that village thing. Communist! Socialist!
Well, the tables have turned. The Southern States whose voters have fought long and hard for low taxes, less government, states rights (code), and against alternative energy because their economies rely on the oil industry now need government assistance.
My oh my, how ironic!
Over the past few days, Bobby Jindal has been in the news. He wants government assistance. From the federal government. NOW! Yes folks, the man who came to the governorship after Katrina, the last time the liberal northern states helped out the patriotic, real American, southern states, the very same man who refused part of the stimulus money, http://www.theatlantic.com/...the man who said:
"We'll have to review each program, each new dollar to make sure that we understand what are the conditions, what are the strings and see whether it's beneficial for Louisiana to use those dollars"
http://www.cbsnews.com/...
Believe it or not folks, that very same man later went on to pose with giant stimulus checks. http://www.google.com/...
Amazing but true. And the good people of Louisiana fell for that? But that's really water under the crumbling Louisiana bridge, isn't it?
Today, Governor Jindal said this:
"I am glad the president came today. Every time he comes to Louisiana the pace of the response efforts quickens and things get done. Shortly before his first visit during this spill, Admiral Allen was named as Incident Commander. Before his visit last week, the Coast Guard called for BP to pay for one of the segments in our sand boom plan and before his visit this week, the Coast Guard called on BP to pay for the construction of all six segments approved by the Corps – although BP still hasn’t given the state a dime to pay for the work."
How gracious...
and this:
"Our people deserve to be fully compensated for their losses. Instead of BP shelling out $50 million on an ad campaign that promises to do good work in responding to this spill, BP should just focus on actually doing a good job and spend the $50 million on assistance to our people, our industries and our communities that are suffering as a result of this ongoing spill."
http://www.bayoubuzz.com/...
Go, Bobby, Go.
OK, working together, thanking the president. Good.
But, not so fast. After he gets his federal assistance, the good governor wants us liberals to get out of his way so the Gulf can continue their offshore drilling:
"We absolutely want drilling to be done safely, but it shouldn’t take months of federal government committees and meetings. We need effective oversight of this industry. The federal government needs to do their job quickly so that thousands of Louisianans don’t lose their jobs."
Oversight? Gasp!
And:
During the meeting with the President, the Governor also stressed the importance of the Coast Guard approving the use of rocks and barges to block oil from entering into the Barataria Bay. This proposal will protect Grand Isle, Lafitte, and hundreds of thousands of acres of prime fishing grounds in Jefferson and Plaquemines Parishes from oil pollution.
http://www.bayoubuzz.com/...
Sigh. Bobby, Bobby, Bobby, do you not see the irony of all this?
The Coast Guard. Paid for in part by taxes from people like me. Me, who so many in your party call communist! Socialist! UnAmerican!
And the volcano remark...
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal's swipe at federal spending to monitor volcanoes has the mayor of one city in the shadow of Mount St. Helens fuming. "Does the governor have a volcano in his backyard?" Royce Pollard, the mayor of Vancouver, Washington, said on Wednesday. "We have one that's very active, and it still rumbles and spits and coughs very frequently."
http://www.cnn.com/...
Karma's a bitch ain't it? Now Bobby kinda has a volcano in his backyard, doesn't he?
So don't get me wrong, Governor. We'll help. We're there for you. I don't even mind that my taxes are paying to help smallgovernmentlowtaxesdrillbabydrill conservatives who don't want their taxes used for my health insurance. Or that this will undoubtedly increase the deficit your party screams about. Well, actually I kinda do. It bugs me. Honestly, part of me feels like yelling "why should I have to pay to help you? (when you don't want to pay to help me?)"
But my good and generous heart overrules my bitter and befuddled brain. That's why I'm a democrat. I just wish more of you "pull yourselves up by your own bootstraps" fiscal conservatives would act the same. Just once, OK?
Sigh, maybe this will open up a few of your hearts. I think it's called a Teachable Moment.