BOTH President Obama AND his angry, vocal critics on the Left (Schumer, Weiner, Sanders, Dean et al) are both right.
President Obama did the wise and prudent thing. More than that, he did the truly just and compassionate thing for a lot of people. And through it all, he kept blind emotion out of politics. He was backed into a corner, and he did what needed to be done at this critical juncture.
However, the angry Left is also right, BUT, they should have been doing all of this angry protesting 18 months ago. OK. It’s here at last. We’re getting a little noise out of our guys, FINALLY! It’s about time!! And while the voices may be coming from the far left, they are speaking for the vast majority of the American people whose incomes are not in the top 2%.
Unfortunately, my well-founded fear is that our guys will suffer from the familiar short-attention-span syndrome. It’s true what they say about Lefties. Most are no good at seeing and thinking long-term strategy. And those of us who can are trying to talk to friends and allies, but many of them have no head for long-term strategic thinking.
The sorry position we are in today is no accident. The Republicans had a plan and a strategy in place and agreed upon before Obama ever took office. And they stuck to it, while our guys sat like ducks in a shooting gallery. Until just recently, that is! Hooray! Some of our elected politicians have finally found the nerve to fight back in a loud voice, to say exactly what a lot of us have been saying for the last several months.
Go Charles! Go get ‘em Anthony! Keep it up Bernie! Stay the course John! The expression of outrage needs to continue. Now is the time to decide what kind of a country we want. Is it a country for all Americans or is it a country for the New Nobility, the privileged few, the top 2%? Bernie and his progressive liberal Democratic and Independent colleagues are declaring what kind of a country we want.
What we liberals see as plain social justice, the Republicans see as a welfare state. What we see as basic human social services the Republicans see as wasteful spending. Whose vision do we want? I think we want a country that includes everyone, and in which everyone pays his or her fair share of the cost of running the country. If you garner more income, you should contribute more in taxes for the common good.
Now we all need to continue the protest, loud, clear. We need to take a stand and stick to it. Don’t let the Republicans shout down or reframe his issue. More Americans need to realize that it’s actually the Republicans who are creating a new, much more costly welfare state for the wealthiest 2%. Do they really need our tax dollars and those of our grandchildren to add to their already bulging coffers?
Let’s start with a clear statement of our cause. Let’s all say, ‘Representation Without Taxation is Tyranny.” Let’s say it every day, over and over again and again until the reality of it sinks into our brains. Let’s say it on buttons, and signs and bumper stickers. Let’s say it at public rallies and town hall meetings. Representation without taxation is tyranny!
Our oft-cited Founding Fathers fought to defeat tyranny. I think they’d want us to do the same thing.
And you may quote me if you wish.