We are about to enter the dreaded, "Election Cycle" Bamboozle...

[rasputin1952]

I know, it's started already, but with the Summer comes the flood.

During these times, sanity seems to be shoved to the sidelines. Each day will bring us more lunacy, more heated rhetoric, more promises that are impossible to keep. In some ways, I actually look forward to this part of the political world, it is always good for a few laughs, and I get the impression that this year the GOP will outdo itself in passing off to the multitude a few Great Moments in Political Idiocy.

For starters, one of the things that will get warmed up quickly is abortion. Every cycle, this time honored pickle comes up and the GOP runs it into the ground. What I find amazing, is that those who vote on this single issue, (and there are quite a few), never comprehend that the the R's will never give in to abortion reform...they had both house of Congress, the WH and a compliant USSC...what happened...nothing, nary a peep. Well, except when the R's decided they needed to toss this herring out there to get people to look the other way while they looted the Treasury or gave corporations even more leeway in how they could squeeze another nickel out the consumer. Like clockwork, about mid-Summer, most discussions from the R side will be about abortion.

Energy reform will crop up, but there is so much oil money in politics now, I find it difficult to hear much more than a muffled, (because of the Gulf situation), call to drill. has anyone with any sense stood up and asked, "what happens when the oil is gone?". If, way back in the 70's, we had honestly addressed the problem, we would be no where near where we are now. Very few people realize that Henry Ford originally designed his Models A and T, to run on ethanol. Once we went on the oil standard, (because back then, it was cheaper to make gasoline), there was no turning back until saner people took over. Sadly, the saner are the the fewer, and we just keep making the same errors in judgment time and again. I've heard only one politician state a very serious fact about purchasing Middle Eastern oil...every time we purchase a barrel, we are arming those that would do us harm. I won't even go into the environmental damage done to the planet.

There will be a cry for "smaller government", with nary a sigh about how Reagan and bush expanded the government to incredible size, and gave more power to the executive branch than any previous presidents...helping to water down democracy in the process. A question, if government is so "bad", why are these R's so desperate to get into it?
Reagan had it right when he said, "government is the problem"...but only so far as that when he and bush ran the thing.

Taxes will be high on the rhetorical scale...it is an issue that will never go away, no one likes taxation, but it is necessary to a functioning nation. If there is any discussion about this, it can easily be countered with, "well, what are the wars in the ME costing us?, Why doesn't Congress stop stripping SS and Medicare of "excess" funds to cover the bush misdeeds?" It's not about taxation, it's how the money is spent that is of concern. Do we need more nuclear missiles? Do we need a $1 billion dollar fighter? Do we need to subsidize virtually ever business entity?

I believe this cycle I will keep a close eye on a few very interesting characters...JD Hayworth should give me a lot of joy as he stumbles through his candidacy. Michelle Bachmann is always good for an eye-roll. Grassley might actually start a "Death Panel", and find himself on the list of those who should perish. Lieberman will be trying to outdo his, "strip citizens of their citizenship" fluke. Boehner...in a class all by himself, the champion of banal euphemisms, will come up with something that will sound so stupid, even he will have a hard time believing it...:D

Bring on the circus...the Clown Car is loaded and ready to go...and I can' wait...:patriot:

[lunatica]

1. Don't forget the Xenophobic illegal alien issue

That's always a fave. Abortion, gays, illegal aliens, and taxes. And the endless chase after the 'undecided' voters.

[rasputin1952]

2. Ah yes...

and guns...:hi:

[lunatica]

4. Yup! Guns are gonna be big this year

Can't wait for the Town Hall meetings..

[slackmaster]

3. All Hail the Silly Season!

:toast:

[IndianaGreen]

5. You are a mod, you will be the one having to endure the bullshit

I really have a lot of sympathy for people in your thankless situation.

:applause:

Don't worry, after the elections comes the holiday season. Time to spend with family, loved ones, and friends, and away from the keyboard wars. The real important things in life.

:toast:

Meanwhile, those of us involved in progressive causes such as unionization, economic justice, and antiwar activities, will continue to slug along in the non-cyber world regardless of what else happens or which party is in power.

[rasputin1952]

6. I am basically a realist...

as well as an optimist.

I cannot see the GOP gaining anything, they have nothing to work with except the usual empty rhetoric. I can't think of another time during my years of political awareness when I've seen party go into the fray w/o a single idea that would benefit the citizens. So far, they are talking about repealing HCR, (which did not go far enough), and disliking PO. That's it...it's a WTF platform...:D

Staying this course is a sure fire way to usher n disaster on election day, most of which will hang on the economy. If the GOP survives after this election, I'll be surprised. Stranger things have happened though...and there is always the serious possibility of voter fraud, which seems to be the only way they can come up any gains.

[davidpdx]

7. When you meantioned taxes, the first thing that came into my head

was The West Wing episode where Bartlet vetoed the Estate Tax Bill. The line, "They also like to call it, they are coming to get your children tax" kind of made me laugh".