Mud slinging politics began with the creation of the major parties beginning with Washington. Antifederalist newspapers vilified him and the Federalists as attempting to create a monarchy with Washington as king. They cried “no King George” and even fomented a mob at his house, which BTW he stared down to silence it. Same thing with Jackson. They accused him of marrying a woman who wasn’t divorced calling the first lady to be a whore! He fought two duels, one with a Senator from Missouri (ironic) and almost died. Likewise Harrion and Van Buren fought each other in the most mud slinging campaign to date. Van Buren called Harrison a red neck drunk (not literarily) while Harrison labeled Van Buren a liar who couldn’t give a straight answer to any political question. Also before the War members of Congress carried pistols and knives into the chambers and started fist fights in the cloak rooms. One member off the House beat the crap out of a Senator from NY who had made an off the cuff remark about the Reps. Cousin.
I think the hoopla today is based on the racist feelings that still exist in the US. This after all is our first minority pres ( it’s about time)
and the FOWBs are about to explode. It’s new and therefore suspect. We now need a minority woman to ascend to the highest office, who is qualified of course. Afterwards, when this is a non issue we can get back to the business at hand, namely saving the planet.
Cap’t Jack
Yeah and all the effigy burning, and threats of Civil War!
I think the hoopla is in part based on the racism. But I think we began to see an intractable schism forming during the Bush II Presidency. And maybe earlier with the influence from the radical evangelicals in the 80’s.
The Obama racist thing is just more fuel for the fight. It’s a platform the New Right Wing and Tea Party can gather their base on. The hordes of ignorant idiots.
You correct me if I’m wrong.
One more thing…I think we are seeing the death throes of conservatism in this country as we know it. The Republicans are completely asea. What is their platform nowadays? And what future people are going to identify with it? This Tea Party crap is the last gasp of the last angry old white man generation.
What do you think?
Oh and by the way, that relatively calm period was the most prosperous time in our history. It was when progressivism had it’s greatest chance of taking hold. Some of it did. Now the reactionaries are coming back. Hence the deplorable output from Congress and politicians.
If the economy keeps slipping, it will be a reactionary heyday. You all aint seen nothing yet.
Reactionaries are defined in my vocab as: people or the minions of these people who see that the size of the pie that has to be divied up and shared is getting smaller. Rather than work to increase the size of the pie, or reduce their own share proportionately, they oppress people to keep their portion the same.
Religion has historically been one of their main power bases with this. Religion definitely keeps the sheeple from questioning authority.
I agree totally,
IMO this period of relative calm was due to the raise in living standard of everybody. This was in great part accomplished by lowering the taxes on the poor and raising the taxes on the rich, who leave an enormous footprint on the natural environment. They should pay more taxes, they use more resources.
Every country where a majority of the population is very poor without structured government support, violence goes up, tempers flare, theft and graft goes up. The small percent who are rich feel threatened of losing their wealth, invest overseas where labor is relatively lower, and find tax loopholes which allows them to pay relatively much less of their fair share.
This is what infuriates mee. Romney claining that he pays 13% and if you include his “charitable donations (including tithings to the Mormon Church), he claims that actually he paid a lot of taxes. The Machiavellian nature of this blatant lie is almost intolerable. This is not really very Patriotic, IMO.
In this reality of unlimited financial campaign contributions corrupting the entire democratic concept, can we ever again expect a US president to be at least concerned about the lifeconditions of all the people (rich or poor), who’s rights he swears to represent and defend?
“... In this reality of unlimited financial campaign contributions corrupting the entire democratic concept, can we ever again expect a US president to be at least concerned about the lifeconditions of all the people (rich or poor), who’s rights he swears to represent and defend?”
Romney’s word, and thus any oath that he takes is worth the same as a poorly drawn picture on an Etch-a-Sketch.
One more thing…I think we are seeing the death throes of conservatism in this country as we know it. The Republicans are completely asea. What is their platform nowadays? And what future people are going to identify with it? This Tea Party crap is the last gasp of the last angry old white man generation.
I think you hit the nail on the head here Vy, most of the rep. Conservatives among my family and friends are left scratching their heads about this election. There are so may hot button issues for them to consider that they don’t know where to turn. I hate to admit it but most don’t like Obama because he’s black and many still believe he’s a Muslim. Now Romney’s apparently fanning the flames of the birther issue and the 2nd amendment has even cropped up again! I was into a small verbal exchange with a student in my night class who insisted that Obama was going to take our guns away. I asked him for proof and “I heard and they said” was his only response. In short, the conservatives don’t know where to turn; their candidate is a Mormon and his VP is a catholic (often whispered when in conversation, such as “he’s a shhhhhh catholic, oh?). The FOWBs are running scared knowing that the America they knew is turning minority and that’s essentially the reason for the voter restriction movement. We don’t want THEM running the gov’t. It looks like the GOP is imploding and my greatest fear is that what will evolve from it might be an ugly political schism that will drive us even further apart. When that happens I think I’ll be moving to Canada, pop a Moosehead and watch the action from a safe distance.
How I wish it were the case that conservatism is on the wane. Between the de-funding of education, the growth of propaganda programs like Rush, and the avalanche of political advertising we are going to see in October along with disenfranchising many voters that may swing the election, we could see the loss of many of our social programs, privatization of the rest, and our Constitution either being misinterpreted by the Supreme Court or Amended to finish the job.
How I wish it were the case that conservatism is on the wane. Between the de-funding of education, the growth of propaganda programs like Rush, and the avalanche of political advertising we are going to see in October along with disenfranchising many voters that may swing the election, we could see the loss of many of our social programs, privatization of the rest, and our Constitution either being misinterpreted by the Supreme Court or Amended to finish the job.
Occam
Yeah you’re right Occam. Even after I finished typing that above I felt I hadn’t made any clear points.
I think the reason is that most progressives, centrists and conservatives are all confused. Where’s the direction?
Who’s guiding the ship. I don’t know. I don’t even know what else to say in regards to your reply. It’s just emotional rhetoric.
Everyone is shouting past one another.
Anytime a group of people try to deprive qualified (previously registered) people of their constitutional right to vote and thereby sabotaging the democratic process, it should rightfully be called sedition.
Anytime a group of people try to deprive qualified (previously registered) people of their constitutional right to vote and thereby sabotaging the democratic process, it should rightfully be called sedition.
It should be at best and a clear violation of the Voting rights Act of 1965 at least. Once again, and I hate to sound redundant redundant, but this is nothing new in U.S. History from the Jacksonian era to the voting rights act it’s been an uphill battle just getting universal suffrage. now the Reps. want to backtrack placing voting restrictions on you know who, or whom. I’m certain this will crop up at the convention before it’s finished. Disenfranchising the poor and lower middle class minorities who generally vote democrat may insure a victory for The Reps. Couple that with massive amounts of attack ads well funded by Grover and his friends (he stated on 60 minutes that he has a hit list of those Reps. Who bolted his tax pledge with their pictures BTW) and spun by the master Karl Rove and the the Pres.may go down in defeat. It ain’t over yet, as much as we’d like it to be and even then without control of the House not much legislation will pass. Gridlock again.
Anytime a group of people try to deprive qualified (previously registered) people of their constitutional right to vote and thereby sabotaging the democratic process, it should rightfully be called sedition.
It should be at best and a clear violation of the Voting rights Act of 1965 at least. Once again, and I hate to sound redundant redundant, but this is nothing new in U.S. History from the Jacksonian era to the voting rights act it’s been an uphill battle just getting universal suffrage. now the Reps. want to backtrack placing voting restrictions on you know who, or whom. I’m certain this will crop up at the convention before it’s finished. Disenfranchising the poor and lower middle class minorities who generally vote democrat may insure a victory for The Reps. Couple that with massive amounts of attack ads well funded by Grover and his friends (he stated on 60 minutes that he has a hit list of those Reps. Who bolted his tax pledge with their pictures BTW) and spun by the master Karl Rove and the the Pres.may go down in defeat. It ain’t over yet, as much as we’d like it to be and even then without control of the House not much legislation will pass. Gridlock again.
Cap’t Jack
Which is why they are trying to repeal (as unnecessary) the 1965 Voting Rights act. We are headed for a (the best term I have heard so far..) ‘shadow oligarchy’ if Rove, Koch et al, succeed.
Anytime a group of people try to deprive qualified (previously registered) people of their constitutional right to vote and thereby sabotaging the democratic process, it should rightfully be called sedition.
It should be at best and a clear violation of the Voting rights Act of 1965 at least. Once again, and I hate to sound redundant redundant, but this is nothing new in U.S. History from the Jacksonian era to the voting rights act it’s been an uphill battle just getting universal suffrage. now the Reps. want to backtrack placing voting restrictions on you know who, or whom. I’m certain this will crop up at the convention before it’s finished. Disenfranchising the poor and lower middle class minorities who generally vote democrat may insure a victory for The Reps. Couple that with massive amounts of attack ads well funded by Grover and his friends (he stated on 60 minutes that he has a hit list of those Reps. Who bolted his tax pledge with their pictures BTW) and spun by the master Karl Rove and the the Pres.may go down in defeat. It ain’t over yet, as much as we’d like it to be and even then without control of the House not much legislation will pass. Gridlock again.
Cap’t Jack
Which is why they are trying to repeal (as unnecessary) the 1965 Voting Rights act. We are headed for a (the best term I have heard so far..) ‘shadow oligarchy’ if Rove, Koch et al, succeed.
WWJD:
Perhaps exclaim in anguish “My God, My God, why hast though created Karl Rove?”
Referencing Asanta, the new oligarchy is already here and functioning led by six of the wealthiest financiers. Thanks to the Supreme Court’s decision on Citizen’s United, billions will be spent on this campaign to capture the votes of the deluded middle and lower classes and few seem to be paying attention or don’t understand. Also, unions have been made ineffective by successfully blaming them as “adding” to the crises with binding contracts. I hate to sound like chicken little here but the shadow government is destroying democracy by controlling our reps. With promises of lobby money to stay in power. Or am I preaching to the choir?
