Georgia Republican nonsense and leftwing[sic] Obama

So having taken of the summer and fall semesters for my state senate race; I don't get to spend a lot of time with some where my real passion for politics is--political theory. Philosophy, when you do it right is a topic of interest that takes more concentration and time with a book (and your mind) open. Away from twitter, facebook, and your rss feed 24 hour news cycle of modern politics.

 

I usually post my political theory, philosophy, and economic theory--not to mention my homework and classwork i'm working on an undergraduate degree; i'm double major in economics and political theory-- at my theory blog. 

 

But this local absurdity from the Republican rightwing--who based there politics on nonsense and revisionist history is too good to pass up. [And please pardon the typos and lack of editing as this is a classic Jim's had 3 hours of sleep and has to get out the door to head to work--on the fly--blog posts.]

 

Okay, so why don't we now jump over to the AJC's Political Insider who updates us on Jody Hice's absurd Billboard calling Barrack Obama a communist--or at least implying it. 

The “Had enough of Obama’s change?” billboards placed by Hice in the district, prominently spelling the word “change” with a hammer-and-sickle, were a natural topic.

Bryant asked each candidate if he thought the communist symbolism was over the top. Said Hice on Wednesday:

“I make no bones about it. I respect the office of the president, but I make no bones about it – I do not respect the policies of this president, which are socialistic.

“We are watching this administration take over the health care industry, the banking industry, the student loan industry, the insurance industry, automobile — one part of the private sector after another.”

I'm sure Mr. Hice is a nice guy--but he's been watching entertainers like Glenn Beck, Neal Boortz, and the other talking heads that spin intellectual nonsense to sell books to angry voters. 

 

This is a favorite topic of mine; having grown up in the south and watched many, if not most, of the adults around me holding pretty indefensible "political theories" about the world, Democrats, and the "left" when I was a kid.

 

If you don't follow political theory and the actual intellectual background of most of our political debates [sic] here is an old blog post of mine to catch you up to speed:Political Theory vs. Reality.... Obama is a socialist...

 

Also to expand on the most recent example of Republican nonsense lets jump into the comment thread--which can be useful sometimes, funny often, pathetic "tears to your eyes" examples of open debate and discourse.  Doug Henwood of the Left Business Observer--whose economic newsletter is a must read threw out one insight:

Hmm, how about that military? Total welfare state for members, generous child care, education allowances – and affirmative action. If that sort of thing is good enough for the folks in uniform, why not the rest of us?

But I'm sure you wouldn't hear a peek from Hice on that front. 

 

I mean why not privitize all government programs? The public sector can't get anything right---(aside from you know basically creating a massive industrialized powerhouse of historical proportions called America.  We've gone from a tiny backwoods hole in the wall to highly devleoped economic power house and we didn't use our comparative advantage in the fur trade and free markets to get there. 

 

Anyone who has worked at a major corporation knows that bureaucratic headaches, and waste, aren't just found in the public sector. It can actually be worse in the private sector. Starting at 14 working at McDonlads, working at Waffle House, Target, 3rd shift conveince store, and now loading trucks at UPS I have tons of great real world examples if you don't believe me and think talking heads on Fox News have any clue what they are talking about when they compate the public sector to the private sector.

 

Outside of right-libertarian apologists for corporations who claim to support individual freedom, liberty, and small government and at the same time push destructive Ayn Rand la la land political theory which empowers adbstract nonhuman entities called corporations.  Corporations whose rent seeking behaviors have created a Nanny State for the Rich and powerful at the expense of working and middle class families.  But lets not just jump on Ayn Rand libertarians, as they are mostly harmless, lets not forget the modern incarnation of many Republicans in congress who support politically unpopular views that are far outside of the mainstream when you scratch the surface and move past the platitudes and well scripted talking points.

 

I mean nobody is arguing to privatize the military, or public safety, or roads; although these are all "socialist" [sic] endeavors that prioritize the social welfare of all--"spreading the wealth around" and all. 

 

I mean why don't we sell off the Gold Dome up in Atlanta and rent it back from private hands? 

 

Or do we think there are social goods that we all deserve to protect and cherish?

 

By the by you don't know the difference between a left and right libertarian check it out over at the Standford Encyclopedia of Philosophy:

Libertarianism is often thought of as “right-wing” doctrine. This, however, is mistaken for at least two reasons. First, on social—rather than economic—issues, libertarianism tends to be “left-wing”. It opposes laws that restrict consensual and private sexual relationships between adults (e.g., gay sex, extra-marital sex, and deviant sex), laws that restrict drug use, laws that impose religious views or practices on individuals, and compulsory military service. Second, in addition to the better-known version of libertarianism—right-libertarianism—there is also a version known as “left-libertarianism”. Both endorse full self-ownership, but they differ with respect to the powers agents have to appropriate unowned natural resources (land, air, water, minerals, etc.). Right-libertarianism holds that typically such resources may be appropriated by the first person who discovers them, mixes her labor with them, or merely claims them—without the consent of others, and with little or no payment to them. Left-libertarianism, by contrast, holds that unappropriated natural resources belong to everyone in some egalitarian manner. It can, for example, require those who claim rights over natural resources to make a payment to others for the value of those rights. This can provide the basis for a kind of egalitarian redistribution.

 

These commentators and politicians on the right are taken seriously--see my congressman Lynn Westmoreland, or my state Rep Steve Davis, for a great examples of nice guys who are over their heads when it comes to being a legislator.  We have watched Americas decline over the past 30 years because of these kinds of Republicans--it always hasn't been true of Republicans back during the New Deal era. 

 

People aren't happy with the decline of prosperity.  Go to a Tea Party event and actually talk to people--gasp--rather than read polls and listen to spin on tv. I've done so over the past 500 days of campaigning to get a new generation of leadership to Gold Dome this November. 

 

Alsmost to a person these angry voters who are fed up with Big Government and Obama Socialism and aren't going to take it anymore are talking about wanting to get back to the way things "used to be." They ask "what has happened to this nation?"   They have legitimate complaints, frustrations, and have been let down by their political leaders.

 

They want the good old days back--you know back when taxes on the rich were a lot high (you aren't rich by the way).  Back when unions were stronger.  Back when government proactively intervened to protect citizens from corporate greed and human exploitation--rather than leave things to the free market. 

 

Just bring up the BP oil spill or talk about how corporations! Or ask them about special interest who lobby--" buy off"  politicians and you'll realize the spin about the Tea Party movement is bogus. 

 

Scratch the surface of a Tea Party activist and you'll often find an angry voter who has suffered, and lost quality of life over the past 30 years of Republican dominance.

 

Now for a few more asides...

 

 Henwood's book Wall Street is a book I've had on my book shelf for years and is well worth your time---especially now after a major financial crisis--to learn more about the financial industry and capitalism.  You can download the entire book for free, as it is creative commons licencing--you know actual free trade unlike "Free Trade" agreements like NAFTA that both Democrats and Republicans push..  [His radio show is also quite enjoyable.]

 

Also if you want to know more about the Free Market[sic] success story that is the United States who successfully used its comparative advantage in the fur trade to set up one of the most powerful nations in the history of the world go read Ha-joon Chang's excellent book Bad Samaritans. Which i've posted on Chang's book as well-- as the topic more broadly-- before. Here is a good catch you up to speed post: also see here, here, here, here, here, here, here

 

By the by help a blogger get elected to the Georgia State Senate by contributing a few bucks to my campaign (or $100, or $1000, or $2400) online right now. Every $5 is $5 I didn't have yesterday and 9 out of 10 campaigns are won by the candidate with the most money.

 

Okay 95 days 3 hrs 7 min.s till the polls open--i'm head to work.  The trucks won't load themselves you know....

Posted via email from Jim Nichols