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There are so many programs that the Republicans used to support, like healthcare reform, gun background checks and programs that suggest something science-y, like cap-and-trade. For six years, though, they have been focused solely on opposing anything President Obama supports, so they have turned their backs on their own programs trying to out-testosterone one another and promoting governmental paralysis. Indeed, many Republicans used to be conservatives, but that seems to have fallen into disfavor over on the right, which is now well short of the neocortex.
The Republicans are big promoters of a fire breathing, smoke belching military. They support the troops and wave flags and insist that we continue to spend money on defense at the same rate or even more than we spent when we were engaged in a cold war opposing a country that now no longer exists. Let nobody suggest that the R’s are military wimps. They got their camo mojo on and it’s cookin’ all the time, supportin’ the troops. Conservative bedrock in action, right?
Except when our troops come home broken up, messed up and throwing up. Then the R’s aren’t so supportive of the troops. That’s when they adjust their bean counter eye shades and sleeve garters to cut budgets. That’s when it’s clear that the “political right” has departed from conservatism. Indeed, Poppy Bush would be aghast to learn that there are no compassionate conservatives.
Read Carl Gibson’s excellent article Fake Political Outrage is the Real VA Scandal and see for yourself. These R’s who are refusing to properly care for our wounded are the same right wingers who authorized “supporting out troops” by lying to the American people, trumping up “evidence” for an unnecessary war and then sending our troops into battle without body armor, without vehicle armor and without an exit plan. Then they sent another 100,000 troops to attack Afghanistan, yet another country that did not attack America. Tough beans now for the 1.6 million vets who have cycled home, need help and are applying to the VA for what was promised.
Are you looking for conservatives? Don’t bother looking at today’s Republican Party, because there’s nothing conservative to see there. Move along.
Ed. note: Thanks to EBC for bringing Gibson’s article to my attention.
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There is much in America that needs fixing and we are on a path to continually fail to make things better. It is my goal to make a difference – perhaps to be a catalyst for things to get better. That is the reason for these posts. To accomplish the goal requires reaching many thousands of people and a robust dialogue. Please help by offering your comments, as well as by passing this along and encouraging others to do the same. Thanks. JA
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One Response to Nothing Conservative To See Here – Move Along
Jim Altschuler June 23, 2014
While I heartily concur with the premise and comments about the R’s, another point came to mind as I was reading this article.
You pointed out that “we continue to spend money on defense at the same rate or even more than we spent when we were engaged in a cold war opposing a country that now no longer exists,” which, to my mind, begs the question: Why can’t the U. S. learn from the mistakes of others.
The Soviets spent themselves into non-existence; aren’t we well on the way to doing the same thing? We continue to spend vast sums on a military that is fighting fights that we, arguably, have no business fighting. This while a substantial number of our people, including young children, teenagers, and young adults, are without housing, or with unacceptable housing, and without decent food if they have any food at all, often living off garbage can scraps and/or handouts. In addition, the children are uneducated or at least under-educated, without access to schooling, virtually guaranteeing that there will be continuing generations in the same predicaments.
I think taking care of these problems is a hell of a lot more important than getting many of our young people killed or maimed fighting battles that we don’t belong in.