Having watched the political process for the better part of my adult life…which hasn’t been that long, “I’m not old. I’m 37”, (well I'm 36 but I love Monty Python) I have marveled at what the neo-cons have been able to pull off in the last decade.
The one thing that impresses me the most is how they have convinced people to vote against their best interest when it comes to their daily lives. From health care to the environment to the farm bill, people who should be consistently voting for the Democratic Party have instead rejected their best interest for false hopes.
Most of these hopes are based on one or two issues, primarily abortion. The GOP, in their wisdom, began to control the language of politics to trick the country into believing they could actually do something about these so called “family values”. Did you see the smoke and mirrors there? The party of “small government” is going to take control of “family values” and then regulate them for you! Wow, Copperfield would be proud.
But above it all, the thing that impressed me the most is that the neo-cons were so confident in what they were doing. They had a unified passion.
This is what we must embrace.
All the time I bump into fellow liberals who are uncomfortably happy but anxious when it comes to the upcoming Presidential election. An example of this would be Kurt. Proudly wearing my custom made Gabe “Senor Sack” Rivera Texas Tech jersey at a Longhorn tailgate, I mixed and mingled with the crowd talking about everything from girls in short skirts wearing cowboy boots to politics. Then I met Kurt. Kurt was this big, strong, successful man, proudly wearing his huge palm cowboy hat and a UT orange t-shirt with the slogan “GEORGE W. BUSH. WORST PRESIDENT EVER! “
I told him that I had never seen a shirt like that, especially living in
Lubbock. Our conversation quickly turned to the issues of the day. It was at that point I turned to him and said, “Aren’t you so happy that it’s about to happen! We are going to steam roll through those guys!” He winced. Not sure how to respond he simply whimpered, “I sure hope so….”
I say enough! For too long we have acted like prairie dogs in a
West Texas thunderstorm, afraid to stick our heads out of our holes in fear of being struck dead by a bolt of lightening. We need to have the confidence that will make everyone around us either cringe and hide or shout with pride. We must be the party of the slam dunk, not the air ball. We need to tell everyone around us this is what’s going to happen and this is why and there is no way to avoid it.
In short, here is why it’s going to happen.
1) History
The ominous reality for the GOP is that historically, the tide is about to turn. Only once since 1952 has a party had enough votes to win three consecutive presidential elections—1988 when GHW Bush won Reagan’s “third term”. The other four times when it would have been possible, the people rejected the party in power.
2) Hijinks
Defined as: Playful, often noisy and rowdy activity, usually involving mischievous pranks.
From how the GOP hijacked the good hearted religious people of this country to purposely leading this country into the most costly and avoidable conflict in
Iraq, the GOP has worn out their welcome. We won’t get fooled again…until the next time.
3) Home
The GOP has brought us the highest oil costs, a collapsing housing market, negligence in regards to the environment and the worst military conflict in recent history. Recession is looming and the corporate machine is laughing all the way to
Aruba. It’s time to take our home back.
We are the only party that can realistically lead this country back to the days of respect and honor in the world without the use of threatening words or preemptive attacks.
As my old football coach used to say, “Son, how do you expect to win if you don’t expect to win?”
No need to be anxious…just embrace what we expect!
Helmut
A Lubbock Liberal
