Torture. Endless, pointless war. Warrantless Wire-tapping of US citizens. De facto suspension of habeas corpus. An interpretation of Christianity that rates the bible above the Constitution and sees no problem whatsoever with seeking power for its own sake and at all costs. These are among the things that define the modern Republican Party. Yet, what raises the ire of WaPost columnist Harold Meyerson? Token opposition to expanding a health insurance subsidy program run by the states. This teardrop in a bucket prompted the following whopper:
We hear a lot from Republicans these days, presidential candidates most especially, that they want to return their party to its roots, to make it once again the party of Ronald Reagan. Problem is, they’ve overshot Reagan and seem bent on reinventing the GOP as the party of Barry Goldwater.
He then launches into the standard statist lie we’re all fed ad nauseum concerning anyone even slightly skeptical of government: that it’s either politics or nothing when it comes to showing concern for anyone else. So what else is new?
BTW: It goes without saying that this is not to defend the current system at all. Some, like Tim Noah & Ron Chusid, actually have a point in highlighting how “private” insurers already penalize us as it is.
As I’ve stated before, I find the “issue” of health insurance to be inherently unsolvable; though in principle I’m naturally opposed to single-payer — besides, as Roderick Long describes here, it was government intervention that took away affordable health care in the first place — it doesn’t rank highly on my socio-political Shit List compared to the aforementioned. This is just a case of ass-backwards priorities IMO, akin to complaining about what’s on TV while your house is on fire.
Here’s a rather interesting example of the type of people being accepted for mercenary work aiding the US military. All emphasis mine:
A 2004 crash that killed everyone on board — three crew members and three U.S. troops — was caused by pilots from a Blackwater plane taking a low-level run through a mountain canyon in Afghanistan, testimony revealed Tuesday.
“I swear to God, they wouldn’t pay me if they knew how much fun this was,” the doomed plane’s cockpit voice recorder captured the pilot saying shortly before the November 27, 2004, crash.
The account of the crash emerged during a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on Blackwater’s performance in Iraq and Afghanistan. […]
The twin-engine CASA C-212, a light cargo plane operated by Blackwater sister company Presidential Airways, crashed in a box canyon well off its planned route from Bagram Air Base to the western Afghan town of Shindand.
“You’re an X-wing fighter Star Wars man,” an NTSB report quoted the plane’s co-pilot, Loren Hammer, saying during the flight — a reference to the dizzying battle in the 1977 film.
“You’re [expletive] right. This is fun,” the pilot, Noel English, responded.
About eight minutes later, the plane slammed into the wall of the canyon, which was flanked by ridgelines that rose nearly a mile above surrounding terrain.
Really puts the cowboyism allegations in perspective, doesn’t it?
Headline: “Thompson defends gay marriage stance“. Unfortunately, this is what that stance is:
Republican presidential hopeful Fred Thompson said he’s met frequently with influential social conservatives who are willing to accept his position on a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage even though it doesn’t go quite as far as they would like.
Thompson favors a constitutional amendment that bars judges from legalizing gay marriage, but also leaves open the door for state legislatures to approve the practice. He said social and religious conservatives who would prefer an amendment that also bars legislatures from legalizing gay marriage can live with his view.
“Everyone I have talked to in my meetings like this, the answer has been yes,” said Thompson. He conceded there are reservations. (emphasis mine)
Romney is being treated like he’s part of a cult, Guliani prompts threats by religious righters of going 3rd-party, and now Fred Thompson taking a majoritarian approach to marriage — as if 51% of the population butting into private matters is somehow better — has to deflect criticism as being too moderate on the issue?
At this pace, GOP activists are going to be calling for homosexuals to be stoned in public by the time the primaries actually fucking start.
