Richard nixon campaigns. (public domain)
We are no. 1
It’s bearing down on election time again, and as the selfinterested moonbats — uh, sorry, candidates — jockey for advantage, they’re gonna tell some whoppers. One you might hear from the conservative faction is that the US doesn’t need to change anything because we’re already the greatest country in the world. Now, I like living here as much as the next guy, but the numbers just don’t bear out. We are No. 29 in life expectancy, No. 17 in women’s rights, No. 32 in journalistic freedom, No. 13 in quality of life, No. 9 in adult literacy, No. 57 in education spending per capita, No. 151 in GDP growth and No. 37 in healthcare. We are still No. 1, however, in obesity, crime, oil consumption and pride in nationality, for which we’re tied with the Irish. Looks like there’s at least some room for improvement.
Incumbents are in trouble
No doubt you’ve heard the rallying cries for “new blood” in American politics and disdain for “business as usual.” But in reality, most incumbents fared well in their 2010 primaries — when they had any competition at all — and, barring any nasty scandals, most should be able to retain their seats. In the Triad, the only incumbent to lose in the primary was Rep. Earl Jones. In all other state and national races, most incumbents seem poised to stay in power.
Republicans are fiscally conservative
Back in the day, this may have been true. But these days Republicans can blow through cash with the best of them. Remember, before Obama became president and all these guys became born-again budget hawks, a Republican administration burned through a budget surplus through massive entitlement programs for the country’s richest citizens, voted to fund two incredibly expensive wars which still rage today. And let’s not forget that TARP, the program bailing out our banks, insurance companies and auto industry, was signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2008.
Democrats oppose big business
Look no further than President Obama to bust this lie: In 2008 Obama took more money from Big Pharma than the entire Republican candidate field combined; he outraised his opponent Sen. John McCain in this field by about 4 to 1. Obama has staffed his Treasury Department with Goldman Sachs alumni, and his vice president, Joe Biden, has been beholden to the credit card industry for so long he was known as the “Senator from MBNA.” And when it came time this year to craft real financial reform, the Democrats, with majorities in the House and Senate and a man in the White House, still left the foxes to guard the henhouse.
The recession has passed
Sure, the guys on Wall Street will get their bonuses this year, but in most parts of the country commerce has ground to a standstill: no jobs, no lending, no home sales, no new businesses. And though recent unemployment numbers may paint a somewhat rosy picture, understand that we don’t count people who have stopped looking for work. Some 15 million of us are unemployed, and many millions more are underemployed. Things may have taken a turn for the better this year, but we are far from out of the woods.
Oil lies
Here’s a fact: We don’t have offshore oil rigs in North Carolina. The reason for this is because there’s no oil out there — or, at least, not enough to make it worth going after. In the same vein, both BP and the federal government say the oil in the Gulf of Mexico has largely disappeared. I’m not buying it, only because both have told so many lies and half-truths since the Deepwater Horizon disaster that their credibility is shot.
A Christian nation
Short answer: No, the US was not founded as a Christian nation — founding father George Washington was not a churchgoer; James Madison was an atheist; and Thomas Jefferson created an edition of the bible removing all references to God and Jesus. John Adams wrote in the 1796 Treaty of Tripoli: “The Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian Religion.” And while it’s true that about 75 percent of US adults identify themselves as Christian, it’s equally true that the separation of church and state is a major tenet of our nation.
Illegal immigrants
A few quick factoids: Yes, there is violence at the border — on the Mexican side. El Paso, Texas is one of the safest cities in the country and crime along the Arizona border has been steadily decreasing for a decade. Most “illegals” do not, in fact, deal drugs. And as it stands, being an “illegal” citizen is neither a felony nor a misdemeanor. It is a civil violation, like littering. Also: If someone running for office tells you that she will, upon election, round up all 12 million or so “illegals” and send them back to their countries of origin, that person is lying right to your face.
Math Problems
Yes, we are running a huge deficit in this country, which means that we are spending more than we are taking in. Only two things will reduce this deficit: spending less and taking in more. And because people have become accustomed to things like functioning bridges, social programs (like unemployment for our millions of out-of-work citizens) and a gigantic military force, it means that your taxes are likely going to go up, one way or another, no matter what anyone tells you.
‘Politics as usual’
No matter what side of the ideological spectrum you fall on, chances are you are sick of “politics as usual,” that glib catchall phrase used to describe out-of-control spending, rampant corporatism, stunning levels of corruption, blatant self-interest-serving, backroom dealing… anything about government that pisses you off. Here’s the bad news: No matter how angry you get, how many rallies you attend, petitions you sign, silly hats you wear, the inertia of government will not be overcome. Not this year, anyway. After all the confetti has dropped to the floor in November, we may have a few new faces in federal and state government, but the new boss, as they say, will be the same as the old boss. And that’s the way it will go until we can get more than half of eligible voters to cast ballots on Election Day — not just in presidential years, but every year. The old adage is that we get the government we deserve. And I’m afraid it’s as true now as it ever was.
