Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Politics: ...and the teeth-grinding commences.

I have no real love for the peccadilloes and strange beliefs of the Right. From politicians with a tenuous grasp of the Constitution to preachers sticking their noses where they don't belong, I get a twinge of annoyance at least once a day. It remains largely an annoyance, however, as so much of what they hold dear has very little impact on me in my daily life: I don't gamble, have no desire to marry another woman, and don't have any children for them to teach that the Earth is flat or that Harry Potter is the tool of the devil. Besides, they generally want to let me keep my guns, so if they get too annoying in the future I figure I can always shoot them.

Not living in California, the nut-fudge looniness of the left has mostly been a source of humor to me for the last twelve years, like the comic opera politics of some far-off land with too many consonants and not enough electricity. The Left has had less influence at the national level for the last decade than an outboard motor would have on the course of a supertanker, but with the convulsion of November '06, that has all changed, and suddenly they're out to really get me good and surly, because they're not after my Good Times, they're after my money.

The sophisticated Blue State city-dwelling agnostic may mock the tent-revival evangelical's belief that "With God, everything is possible", yet he somehow leaves unexamined the fact that he believes the same thing, except that "God" is replaced by "legislative fiat". Feel unsafe around harbors? Worried that the bad guys might try to smuggle something in? Just pass a law decreeing that every single container entering every single seaport in the US must be physically inspected. Never mind how, never mind that it will make US ports look like the DC Beltway at 5:15 on a Friday afternoon; it's the law. Just make it happen. Anguished over folks not making enough money? Pass a law raising minimum wage. Never mind where employers are going to come up with this money (Hint: layoffs and price increases), just make everybody un-poor, and do it now. This belief in show-of-hands metaphysics, this idea that reality can be changed by a simple House Resolution and a big dollop of earnestness, doesn't just annoy me, it sets a vein bouncing in my forehead.

That tremor you felt this morning? That wasn't the East Tennessee Seismic Zone, that was me grinding my teeth. Look forward to feeling more of it in the future.

15 comments:

Kevin said...

Damn, you write well. Outstanding exposition on the vast American political middle who just want to be left alone.

3yellowdogs said...

Evidently, Tam, you haven't gotten the word that all we really need to fix the inequities of American society is just the right combination of new laws. Everything is possible if only you redistribute enough income and outlaw enough behavior by those who oppose you politically.

Get used to it Republicans, you've brought this on your own heads (with plenty of help and inaction by your elected representatives).

Anonymous said...

I don't generally read "blogs" but I am going to start reading this one. Excellent writing, if I would have tried to say the same thing, it would have contained a good helping of profanity. The insanity spewing out of politicians usually leave me fuming and crying at the same time...

theirritablearchitect said...

As Slick Willie would say, "I feel your pain."

Too bad Nancy Pelosi is too stupid to know what you're talking about. You are entirely correct. The Left is sure that they can fix anything, if they can just pass enough laws.

Sickening.

A fine piece, nonetheless.

theirritablearchitect said...

"This perverted sense of entitlement pervading the nation has got people thinking illogically."

Not sure there is any real "thinking" going on. If there were any real logical thinking, it would most definitely be driving out this illogical thinking altogether. However, that's just me being nitpicking. :p

(snicker, snicker)

Anonymous said...

I am eager to see what happens when the Democrats get over their (razor thin) wins in Congress and run into the wall of reality. Or, being Democrats, maybe they won't notice. I am also curious about who the Dems will blame for the world's problems when Bush is gone.

Anonymous said...

"The sophisticated Blue State city-dwelling agnostic may mock the tent-revival evangelical's belief that 'With God, everything is possible', yet he somehow leaves unexamined the fact that he believes the same thing, except that "God" is replaced by 'legislative fiat'."
I believe that Mr. Heinlein referred to this as the belief that adding zeros results in a sum greater than zero...
The net result of this session of Congress may very well be proof that the word really is the opposite of Progress, and a win for the GOP in 2008. Note how they (Pelosi and co.) made great noise about bi-partisenship, and yet as soon as they were in session started treating the Republicans just as pettily and shabbily as the GOP had treated them. They probably feel it's justified, but after all the pi-jaw about how differant things would be, thye just look like children.

Anonymous said...

1) These people don't see that because this is the " faith " in their religion. The anti-gun people also have the same problems becasue they believe that this is right and they're gonna do it because " it's the right thing to do." The left and their fellow travellers just can't seem to think beyond the concepts and use logic to solve things - it's easier to accept things on faith that this is the right thing to do ( come hell or high water!)

2) Why stop at $7.25 as the Federal minimum wage? Why not make it $10.00 or $20.00/hr? They are trying to get by on " well, we care about your plight and are trying to help more than the Republicans did." They do know what will happen but figure that you shouldn't mind trying to help your fellow man ( who is _______ ( fill in the blank) ) make a better life for themselves. Bah...

3) This next year will be interesting to see how long it will take Pelosi and the rest of the clown posse to step all over their dicks trying to please all of their supportters - should be fun watching!

Joe R.

Anonymous said...

following the note of the last commenter, i like how the Dems whined about a minimum wage law when Republicans brought one up, and now want to "help people" hurt by those evil and self republicans

Anonymous said...

"In terms that everyone here will understand plainly..."


Ahhh yes, the arrogance of the college student. Or "the new teen years", as it's becoming known.

ColtCCO said...

Well put - a succint collection of the reason I don't feel at home under the watchful-yet-selective-vision nannies of either Red or Blue.

ColtCCO

Anonymous said...

Yes, by all means, search every container... especially those carrying, say, high-end consumer electronics.
TSA has already earned the nickname Thieving Scum Administration.

Anonymous said...

I am eager to see what happens when the Democrats get over their (razor thin) wins in Congress and run into the wall of reality. Or, being Democrats, maybe they won't notice. I am also curious about who the Dems will blame for the world's problems when Bush is gone.

You're kidding right? The Dems are in a Win-Win situation: The economy is good right now, if it stays that way, they can claim credit, if it tanks (likely considering their published policies) they can blame the Republican administration. They've been doing this for a long time and they are very good at it.

It helps that they have the full complicity of the MSM.

They simply can't lose. And the Stupid party will be reduced to blubbering and whining in the corner as usual.

Anonymous said...

If you want change, find the shepherds & fund their opponents the next time they come up for re-election. Komrad Pelosi can't do much harm if she's not re-elected. I wonder if the Republicans (RINO's too) have figured this out already?

All we need to do is quietly knock out CA's Democraptic contingent & the House will start to be saner.

Good congresscritters are few & far between. Voters ought to think before they vote. I do.

Anonymous said...

Just charge the shippers and add a few hundred percent for "administration." Viola a protective tarriff passed as a security measure.

Geoff
Who is old gray and cynical.