It has been an axiom that people get the government they deserve. I don't know who came up with it, but, in truth, we get what we work for, what we focus on. Now I know that thousands of us have worked to get a more progressive government. We've cheered when our side has had a success and we have donated to fund a candidate that more perfectly aligns with our goals. So, why did we deserve Bush? Because more thousands worked for that side. Even the churches got into the act. People felt churches SHOULD KNOW what was best for them.
We have a large contingent of folks who believe that the pie is only so big and somebody else is getting a bigger share than they are and they look to people who are different as a convenient target. True, they are helped by numerous politicians and even some preachers in this view.
We also have a large contingent who believe that government is a problem, that taxes are a huge problem and not paying taxes is a way to deal with "bad government". Which is why Bushco never got called on his tax cuts. But people want services from the government and some idiots even want us in war forever (probably because they own stocks in some military industrial complex or oil or work for same.) So they didn't get upset about SPENDING by the government. Until now.
Some of these are people who think that any tax is a federal tax. They are unable to distinguish between what the local govts get vs the state govts, vs the feds. So to them taxes are humongous cause every time they buy something, every time they gas up, they pay taxes, they pay for getting licenses, personal and real estate taxes and then they have to deal with income taxes, sometimes even city income taxes. These are people who cannot understand the relativity of what they pay and what they receive in services from the govt., ANY govt. These are people who, even when they do understand somewhat about taxes and services feel that they already do too much and get too little and whatsa matta with everybody anyway. Some people think that they themselves might hit gold someday so they don't want to mess with anybody else's taxes either. Hell, that banker who gets the billion in bonuses? That is awful, but it is all the guvments fault! Not the guy getting the bonus. You note nobody is pounding down the doors of congress getting them to rescind Bush's tax cuts because of the deficit. Nope, instead we worry about social security because somebody might be getting more than I do, and hell, most folks take longer to die nowadays.
Racism is one of the reasons people voted rethugs. Another reason is the disconnect between how we view our government and how we view our responsibility to that government. One reason is very strange to me: We are a nation of prudes and hypocrites.
I came from a dysfunctional family and believe me, I recognize that the US is one huge dysfunctional family. And we don't even want to own up to the kinship!
My twelve step program to heal ourselves:
First: Admit it, we are all apt to come under the spell of some Rasputin and we want some superman to take responsibility for all the problems in our lives and WE DON'T WANT TO ADMIT OUR OWN CULPABILITY for our problems. In short, we have much in common with Tea Baggers!
Second: Take control of our own power, not by investing in short sighted beliefs in our family mythologies but, recognizing that combined power is exponential, use our power to the max by joining with groups that make sense.
Third: Learn more about ourselves. The unexamined life is less interesting and more apt to be available for use by others. Learn about how others are used by ads, by corporations, by inertia, by myths. See how we get sucked into behaviors thusly. And possibly see how we can counter those pulls.
Fourth: WE ARE ALL CONNECTED. Even those obnoxious Tea baggers are really our cousins and we get just as obnoxious at times, trying to press our points with hyperbole and name calling. Everybody has flaws and everybody has strengths. The rethugs didn't get their decades old grip on society by being nice, but we could counter what they do by being respectful and smarter and persistent. The urban ad campaign was an interesting device and choice. The right uses billboards like crazy. Why couldn't we?
Fifth: What ways can we use to change deleterious behaviors? How can we get off the grid, get out of the corporate meat grinder, do healthful things for ourselves and others? And if you have gotten off the grid, would you please advise the rest of us?
Sixth: It is amazing how quickly things can change. Bushco ripped the civilization veneer plum off in less than 4 years. Clinton undid the deficit he inherited in 8 years. We could see a revolution in less than 8 years but we need to make sure it is OUR revolution and not the tea baggee's or Ayn Rand fans. And for that we gotta be awful quick and hugely creative.
Seven: We have the smarts, the creativity, the drive, the talents and the abilities to do these things. AND we are the leaders we have been waiting for!
8-12: Dig deep within ourselves, within the rich universe of knowledge, within the realm of imagination and within the caring and compassion that we all have and somewhere in there is the path or paths that we must take and I hope we find it fast. Can you help with the ideas that we need?