I recommend it, particularly to my friends on the Left side, because I think it expresses very well the feelings many of us on the Right have regarding Liberal disdain for Conservative philosophies, and, more importantly, Liberal disdain for the electorate.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/02/05/dont_they_understand_massachusetts.html
As the article notes, Obama and his troops have repeatedly stated that a key part of the problem of passing health care legislation is that he has not explained the issue clearly enough or well enough. He has described the issue as complex (which it certainly is), and the implication is that we, the electorate, just aren't smart enough to see the wisdom of his proposals. The guy simply will not consider the possibility that we do understand what he and his party are trying to do, and we don't want any part of it.
Give the article a look. Krauthammer is an excellent writer and thinker (even if you don't agree with him) and he captures very well my feelings regarding what I see as the arrogance of certain Liberal elitists.
All the best!
Hags
7 comments:
Hags -
Disdain for the electorate? Bill Clinton won two elections and the Republicans impeached him. Barack Obama won the election and the Birthers want him disqualified. One of "Sara P's" first posts was a prayer that harm come to Obama - you know - the one who was elected our one and only president.
The American people overwhelmingly elected a Democratic House and Senate and the Republicans have done all they can to obstruct legislation.
So - who has disdain for the electorate?
Charlie is shouting the wingnut mantra that the concept of Universal Health Care is some kind of a fanatical left-wing fantasy that could only come to pass in countries that have fallen prey to the EVIL idealogy of "social democracy".
The truth is of course, that these countries that have fallen to"social democracy"; the rest of the developed world, have institutions, both government and private, and a way of life that is pretty much like that of the US. The big difference between the US and the rest of these countries is the curious "tradition" we have of allowing people who lack employer provided health Insurance and have some sort of "Pre-existing Condition" to face Finacial Ruin and Premature Death. (we also have second rate health care that cost twice as much). So much for "America's deeply and historically individualist polity".
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Bax,
Perhaps you missed my point.
I wasn't trying to convince you of anything, but, based on some of our other conversations, I thought you might have an interest in reading an article that captured the feeling from this side of the fence.
i did not even make the claim that he was right from a policy standpoint, I only said: this is a good description of how I feel.
I also never said that the Right in inhabited solely by virtuous people. I think Sarah provides a certain entertainment value, but I take her no more seriously than I do Al Sharpton or Keith Olberman. There are clowns throughout the spectrum.
it seems to me the strength of the outbursts from you and Terry reveal a growing angst over the incompetence of your party's leadership (we aren't going to argue about that, are we?). Check out the root cause of your anger. I don't think it is me.
All the best!
Hags
Terry,
Have you changed meds recently? Your rants grow increasingly hyperbolic (meaning extravagant exaggeration (trying to save you a trip to the dictionary)).
Calm down.
The town halls were not a fabrication. Scott Brown's election was not an accident. The majority of Americans, as EVERY poll demonstrates, do not want what Barry, Nancy and Harry are pushing.
They could get something done easily, wait, make that EASILY, if they would pare down their ambitions and actually propose some things that would lower costs to the average guy.
These are not complex thoughts.
All the best,
Hags
Hags:
Anger? You guys are swimming in a sea of willful ignorance and I am just trying to throw you a lifeline.
I normally think of you as well to the left of Krathammer - who is one angry and extreme (though wickedly bright) commentator.
Frankly, I don't think of Olbermann as a clown - he is closer to the center than O'Reilly, Hannity or Limbaugh (not to say he is centrist by any stretch).
Palin has a great deal of charisma and I find her physically very appealing. That said, her popularity on the right illustrates the vacuity of reason and maturity within your party.
There is nothing that Obama could propose that will meet with Republican acceptance in Congress. Seven Senators cynically walked away from a bill they co-sponsored, to prevent passage by 60-vote super-majority. Their bad faith has been rewarded at the polls thus far. We'll see how that works out in November.
Bax,
Thank goodness there is nothing elitist in "That said, her popularity on the right illustrates the vacuity of reason and maturity within your party."
Why do have to be so mean?
We all dopes on our side, just like we all have relatives who make us grateful we live in other states.
Be nicer.
OBTW, Olbermann's numbers are dropping in parallel to Obama's appeal to Independents. If he is in the center the country doesn't know it.
All the best!
Hags
Hags:
I am not being mean! I am sure that Sarah has many good personal qualities. I sincerely wish her the best in her media job. It boggles the mind that anyone would think she is presidential timber. Roughly one-third of your party feels very strongly that she should be our next commander-in-chief. And you and I share the roadways with these same people (one more good reason for seat belts and air bags).
I think that both parties suffer from a relative dearth of talent. The best and the brightest stay in the private sector rather than go through the bulls*** required of our public servants. Your party once had Eisenhower, Nixon and Reagan. Now you have GWB, Palin and McCain - midgets by comparison. A serious electorate would never have allowed GWB and Palin past the local level.
Not surprisingly, I have a much higher opinion of Presidents Obama and Clinton. After Hillary, there is a pretty steep drop off in talent. Look how close the likes of John Edwards came - which indicates a very shallow bench (I disliked him as a dilettante and phony long before we knew he was a scoundrel).
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