How interesting that millions of Americans are in total denial of Mitt Romney’s defeat. But there’s reason for such. FOX and rightwing pollsters, as per norm, awarded Romney the edge leading up to November 6. In fact, FOX’s Dick Morris predicted a Republican landslide – in direct contradiction to “mainstream media” data gurus and Nate Silver’s NYT FiveThirtyEight Blog.
Nate’s blog is now the talk of the nation because his forecasts have been accurate with few exceptions.
For what purpose would the right float false polls before the election? A: To delegitimize Barack Obama in his second term. The war on Democrats must continue, and what better way than to stoke the uninformed with the conspiracy theory of a stolen election? Too bad ACORN isn’t around to be scapegoated.
There will be no “honeymoon” period following this election since the intransigent right is still in place. They will never accept defeat; they will never accept facts. If only the Obama team would recognize this and act accordingly.
IMPEACHMENT IN THE CARDS
Contrary to Democratic SOP, Republicans gravitate toward impeachment if losing an election. Revenge for Watergate is the root most cited. But the determination is real no matter the justification. On the other hand, Nancy Pelosi in 2006 issued the moratorium, “Impeachment is off the table” without considering probable treasonous crimes committed by the Bush administration in addition to potential future violations of oath. It was a disappointment to progressives from the ascent of Democratic majorities, and the same continued after Obama’s first win in 2008 – the reason so many progressives remain disillusioned.
Republicans must win even if losing. That’s the way schoolyard bullies behave. Why do they take this path instead of working with the opposing party for the common good? Because they view Democrats as the enemy, as anti-American, as free-loaders, as devil-lovers, as parasites, as undesirables. So, their remedy is elimination rather than cooperation. Their hate darkens their vision to the degree of destroying anyone or any group in conflict with established conservative doctrine. Dialogue and debate aren’t in their vocabulary, but demonization and destruction are. Their viewpoint blocks civility. Compromise is a curse word.
This rightwing point of view originates from its evangelical base, the largest demographic in the country. Many liberals dismiss this influential segment of the population to their own peril. Election-night maps should tell the story. The Old Confederacy is alive and well and fronted by the misled religious right. How close did Obama come to being defeated by this massive movement? Only 2% separated him from eviction.
And, so, they ready themselves to impeach – on what basis is anyone’s guess. In their minds they delegitimized the President on his birth records, college transcripts, religion, foreign misadventures, etc., all FALSE, but facts never get in the way to the hate agenda. Bubble people don’t need legitimacy to prove illegitimacy.
PUERTO RICO, THE 51st STATE
Another interesting outcome of the 2012 election was Puerto Rico’s vote to become the 51st state. Whether it will come to pass in our lifetimes is unknown. But Puerto Ricans voted for it for the first time nonetheless.
Since the House of Representatives is dominated by Republicans, I doubt they will allow Puerto Rican statehood to come up for a vote, because the new state would certainly be solid blue and throw future elections further left. (Republicans never put the best interests of the country above their party.) But Obama may force the issue if exercising the courage to honor his campaign promises made to Puerto Ricans.
It would be refreshing for the nation to finally welcome Puerto Rico as our 51st. The economic benefit to all interests should be enough reason to approve. However, I expect Republicans to attempt to block such a measure from even being considered. If Puerto Rico would have applied as a RED state, there’d be no artificial impediment. Unfortunately, politics is priority with the right.
THE CULT CONTINUES
A caller to the Mike Malloy Show the other day described the religious right as “HYPOCHRISTIANS.” How catchy and apropos.
The problem with evangelicals of this century, in my view, is not their Christianity, but their anti-Christianity. Everything I was taught as a child growing up in the church and everything I read from the Gospels conflicts with the current movement which has become so politicized and opposed to Christ’s proclamation “Blessed are the poor.”
The only solution I envision for evangelicals caught up in this cult-like bubble is reformation or revival, a renewal of Christ’s Spirit and doctrine of grace, peace and divine, unconditional love. To be caught up in the judgmental spirit and condemnation more resembles the Pharisees rather than Early Church. Today’s religious right is reminiscent of the Inquisition rather than the Methodist, Pentecostal or Quaker movements at their births.
The solution is not to discard religion but to reform it. For, it would be impossible to remove religion or Christianity from American culture. Far better would it be that a 21st Century Renewal take the faithful back to the Christ of the Gospels than continue on the path to national schism.
The traditional faultlines burst open in the 1860s due, in part, to a false Christianity generated primarily in the South. That faultline is now accentuated on election maps on display every season. The further evangelicals stray from the core principles of Christ, the worse it is for the nation as a whole and the closer we come to another unnecessary civil war.
Deleting the “HYPO” from “HYPOCHRISTIAN” is the answer to more than cleansing the faithful. The Renewal would be good for all of us.