In the end it didn't pass because we're so politicized. There were some on my side who did not want to be seen helping the president do something he wanted to get done, just because the president wanted to do it.
Senator Pat Toomey, R-PA, co sponsor of a failed bill to require expanded background checks on those purchasing firearms that nearly 90% of Americans supported.
Ahh, the truth. A rare thing from a republican. It ranks right up there with Mitch McConnell's, "The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one term president." He said that a little over four years ago, before Obama had proposed even one piece of legislation.
Yes, the vicious wanks on the right don't care about the condition of the country, the will of the majority, or even the state of our security. All they want is for that Black sonofabitch to fail.
It has become horribly obvious that the republican party has caved into every racist asshole in the nation. Their base can't stand the idea that a black man is running the show and they are going to make damn sure he can't accomplish anything, up to and including trying to prevent the increasing number of massacres of innocent citizens.
You don't think so?
Wayne LaPierre, you know, the guy from the NRA who says a free America can't cave into expanded background checks? Years ago he testified before congress that the NRA thought expanded background checks were reasonable and that his organization supported them. That was before Barak Obama was president. That is also before the NRA ran an ad that showed the president's two daughters, saying that they were more privileged than yours or mine because they had secret service protection.
The right wing media, all pervasive on radio and television, has portrayed Obama in ways it would have never even dreamed of when the despised Bill Clinton was in office.
Glenn Beck: "Obama has a deep seated hatred for white people, for white culture. I believe this guy is a racist."
Rush Limbaugh: "Obama and Oprah are only successful because they are black."
Then Limbaugh adds this bon mot, "The NAACP should have riot rehearsals. They should buy a liquor store and practice robberies."
Oh I can go on. Limbaugh also gives us this moment of Zen: (To a black caller) "Take that bone out of your nose and call me back."
The fact is that republicans did find a way to work with Billy Jeff Clinton, who Maya Angelou once said was our "first black president." Little did she know what was coming when the real first black president arrived on the scene.
The brutal truth is that the Obama presidency has ripped the lid off of the right wing lie that they aren't racists.
All the birther bullshit, all the "he's not one of us" is based on race. One old high school pal said to me, "He's just not for us." Another told me in all seriousness that, "he hates America." They have no evidence of any of that, other than he is a black guy who happened to be not only eloquent, but ended up being the leader of the country. They simply cannot accept an African American as a leader.
In truth Barak Obama has tried to move to the center time and time again and time and time again conservatives have refused to budge while claiming he is, "the most radical president we've ever had." They can't compromise with Obama because they can't be perceived to be making a deal with a black man. Even if they wanted to they are terrified their suburban white base would revolt and unfortunately, in many instances, they are right.
I used to love this country because I felt it was a decent place that believed in what was called The American Dream. Unfortunately, too many white people in this nation believe that dream is reserved for them and them alone. Too many white people think that a hand up is a hand out. Too many want to spend billions on bombs and not a penny on their fellow Americans who are in need.
Well guys you can yell and howl and scream all you want, but look at the numbers last November. You're doomed. You don't run this joint anymore and you can't win a national election with your vote alone. Sure, you can couch your racism in other terms by calling people socialists, foreigners, Muslims, and leeches--you can go all martyr by complaining that others are racist toward you, but the fact is, beyond your own little congressional district, you're fucked.
Just keep sliding to the right and see where it gets you in four years. Then when you get your heads handed to you again, you'll have no one to blame but yourselves and your own vile prejudices. The truth is, brothers and sisters, you must be born again, or go the way of the stegosaurus.
The shade of Crazy Horse is laughing his ass off right now.
And, honestly, I need a Tylenol.
Over and out.
5-2-13
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