Saturday, April 11, 2009

Is Trouble In the Republican Party A Head Fake Or An Opportunity?

I've been tuning out the majority of cable news punditry and other media echo chambers as of late because it's almost all the same sound: the bleating of sheep and other public whining and arguing. The self-appointed voices of the Republican Party are all gnashing their teeth it seems over the fact that Barack & Michelle Obama are in the White House. From Dick Cheney vs. Joe Biden, Rush Limbaugh vs. the world and Glen Beck insinuating we're going up in flames I wonder what utterly ridiculous comment is going to be made next. 

Not that I'm giving the Democrats a pat on the back. They're not 100% in unison and as I've stated in previous posts I'm not sure who is actually loyal to the President for loyalty's sake or personal convenience. It's just that Barack Obama has been in office since January 20th. Today is April 11th. He's been in office for 81 days. Some people act as if it's been years and he's been ineffective or something. I haven't agreed with every appointment or every step but I certainly applaud his efforts in such a short period of time. Besides we should know by now that we are the only ones responsible for saving ourselves like it or not!

You'd think Obama was lying to the public, raiding the treasury, antagonizing our allies, starting wars, playing dumb and being obstinate. Oh snap...that was the last guy in office. So are the Republicans just sucking on sour grapes with the face to match or are the trying to push a meme hoping it gains traction? It's not like they don't have help from the corporate media. From those idiotic political comedy shows that were greenlit for Black male comics who couldn't carry their weight, to the modern day slave catcher routine of the wanna be accountability police sent to trap Obama or the pseudo-intelligentsia writers who spend way too much time discussing Michelle Obama's physicality it seems especially virulent doesn't it?

Of course all of this isn't coming from the Republicans exclusively but when one entity is allowed to go unchecked it opens the door for a flood of negativity and depravity from all sides. If you don't believe me look at the the devaluation of R&B and Rap into the cesspool of coonery and derogatory images that is considered "normal" today. It is anything but. So the question remains whether enough people have gotten fed up with the foolishness of their political party of choice because it was hijacked by a rabid minority or if this is temporary amnesia.

I think for some it's all business as usual. They are protected by the system no matter who's in office and their political party affiliation is more of a device of convenience. Others do lean more towards an ideology but again the bottom line are their creature comforts. It's the hard-core followers who let a line of thinking inform their voting choices as well as those that are easily swayed by charismatic leadership that are the most invested. Believe it or not I'm also certain some just follow the same path as their elders, not really questioning why they think they way they do and assuming it's the only way because it's "what's always been done". 

The culmination of the past eight years has forced many people to reevaluate their choices. It wasn't one borne of an exercise in critical thinking outside the lines of what they thought was the norm either. It was borne of necessity. Since the Republican leadership has decided to push their narrow agenda even further they have so far succeeded in making the party less palatable to some while encouraging others to dig in their heels.

If their agenda is to improve the state of the country and for it to be more efficient what do they have planned to accomplish it? Who are they working with? Where were those voices before this new administration came to power? Or is their agenda strictly to obfuscate?  I don't see any workable coalition, just a bunch of wealthy white men who are using fear and a bullhorn to make themselves richer at the expense of those who haven't seen past their tactics - yet. 

As the Obama approval ratings show those who identify as Democrat and Independent have given a majority of their support. So it seems that if the malcontents of the Republican Party don't find a way to get with the program they're going to be left on the sidelines. Which is why this is a great time for people to set a more reasonable agenda and take the reigns from the grouchy grandpas who are up way past their bedtime. 

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