I guess we all tend to get into thematic patterns in our writing. We are drawn to things that interest us, that ‘capture’ us, after a fashion. We can learn a great deal about ourselves by analyzing these things, by examining the evolution of our thought on our themes, by finding ways to push them further.
On Friday I posted a diary for KTK about Mike Pence, and some of his failings in governance. He has been exhibit one, lately, for his handling of the Indiana legislative fiasco on government sanctioned discrimination against our LGBT sisters and brothers.
More below, but first, a word from our sponsor ...
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I quoted Matthew Tully of the Indystar in the diary, where he said (in his April 1 Indystar article):
Diminishing this as a "perception" problem, as Pence did repeatedly during a news conference Tuesday, was a new example of leadership negligence. And it crystallized a thought that I've had for some time: He is simply not suited to be an executive branch leader. It is not his skill set. He is a talker, not a leader.
To that, in the diary, I replied:
He is a talker, yes, but he is a REPUBLICAN. You cannot expect him to LEAD. You can’t expect any of them to. They want to undermine government, never make it work better. Nothing works better toward that end that talking. And doing nothing productive.
Leading is not what they do. It is not what they have any interest in doing.
A special friend read my words and emailed me about them, having scored local Republicans ‘poor’ on governing for an extended period of time. He wrote:
Perceptive of you. No intention to lead. They don't know how to govern. I have scored them 'POOR' for each month this year.
I replied, saying:
Yes, of course. It isn't ever merely a lack of intention to lead, it's more of an intentional commitment to do the opposite. To undermine the successful functioning of government. For every specific failing there is a systemic problem in that party - one they have no intention of solving. Only the public can compell them to solve it. By electoral defeat after electoral defeat after electoral defeat. Nothing less will ever move them off the hideous path they're on.
I feel very strongly about this. For me, it is their greatest weakness, their greatest vulnerability. They. Can. Not. Govern.
And worse, they have no interest in doing so. Their sole interest is in obtaining, consolidating and expanding power, not exercising it for the good of the people. When they have it, they fritter it. Where they are in the majority they govern poorly. They raid retirement programs to artificially lower taxes, so they can be re-elected. They gut services, they attack public education, they attack EVERY form of public governmental benefit, including law enforcement, in many cases, though they trumpet their support for it. They claim to support the military, but mostly only active military. Programs for retired veterans are as vulnerable as any other. Programs for children, programs for women, the highways … everything, subject to attack to artificially lower taxes, to make it SEEM they are fiscally responsible. The cost of government has become the issue, rather than the VALUE that government represents for its citizens.
They talk a big game. Every focus is on cultivating fears in the electorate, in cultivating competitive tensions and jealousies, small-mindedness, selfishness, reactiveness, attacking popular targets, carefully developed outgroups and boogeymen, on withering criticism of their political enemies - US. They almost never speak of real plans for helping citizens, for alternative programs to programs Democrats have proposed or enacted.
Even now, that they are in the majority in both national legislative houses, their single focus is obstruction, running out the clock on Obama’s administration, opposing every possible achievement he might realize, irrespective of its value to the country and the world. They are in a position where they could help, if they wished to. They have no interest in it. Because, they cannot govern. And they have no wish to.
Eight YEARS ago, Ohio Congressman, Tim Ryan, shone a spotlight on this, in a well-received YouTube video, one of my all-time favorites. In no uncertain terms, he said (quoting Newt Gingrich!) that they were unable to govern.
Some of the things that weren’t working during that hideous Republican administration have worked better with Democratic leadership, but what could have been an utterly historic eight years of productivity, growth, prosperity and peace have been stymied at almost every juncture by Republicans not merely unable to govern. They are actively committed to the FAILURE of government and its effective functioning.
The opportunity exists to confront them in every venue about their failures. Of course they want to play on fear, on blame. Fine. WHAT DO THEY HAVE TO OFFER as alternative?
The answer is so simple, it is frightening in its power.
Not a fucking thing.
What does it take to get Democrats to call them out on this? Every hour or every day? In every forum in which political activity and government are discussed? Why is this so hard for our party? The one party that DOES care about the people of this country? About our world, and our survival? Our success?
CALL. THEM. OUT.
Always. Everywhere. In every way.
The only way for them to change is for the public to tell them, and the only way for the public to do that is to vote them down to defeat. Over and over and over again. Call them out. Let the people see their response.
Please tell me your ideas in the comments!
And, speaking of … on to those! Formatted by brillig!
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From Steven Payne:
In my Top Comments diary last night, Tara the Antisocial Social Worker had me rolling with laughter with this marvelous comment.
From BeninSC:
This fine comment, by new member, Glenn Doty, was a reply to comment I made regarding the difference I encounter in 'ante' in conversation with Christians, how they want/expect me to be open-minded to what they say when they are unwilling to be the same with what I say. Very thoughtful comment. (No, I am not nominating my comment, which is out of recommendability, in any case, as, sadly, will this nominated comment be, 43 seconds after diary posting.)
Flagged comments (although always best to send them in directly so we don't miss them):
Youffraita flagged this comment by pat of butter in a sea of grits.
Flagged by Major Kong (in his terrific diary on stars who served! Visit it!), this diary-caliber comment by sagesource was about sage's father, and war-time experiences.
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