A Coherent Choice

One wonders how a man like Paul Ryan has squared his raging Catholicism, which leads him to sponsor draconian anti-abortion bills, with the philosophy of a rampant anti-religious sociopath like Ayn Rand.  It must have taken a tremendous leap in rationalization to bring together his divided political personality.  Following this supposition to its logical and ludicrous end one can only imagine him showing up for Confession and pleading, “Forgive me Father for I have sinned.  I have yet to destroy Medicare.”  For his penance he might be heard ritualistically muttering six long prayers to his Rosary beginning with “Hail Mary, full of Grace, nonetheless the Right is still with me.”  No matter since he has forsaken Ms. Rand, running from her almost as fast as Romney is running from his budget.  Ain’t that just like some politicians – core principles are a moveable feast.

I have never observed such a conundrum or predisposition to reverse gears at a moment’s notice in the mind, behavior or politics of Mr. Obama.  Be clear, I have had my disagreements with his policies.  Why the hell wouldn’t I?  I am so far to the left as to be scarcely in his peripheral vision.  Perforce he must seek compromise, seek the middle.  That is were deals are made that benefit a great number of people.  I don’t go near the middle; hardcore Liberals like me speak to the faith.  We are purists.  I have no objection to compromise as long as one group isn’t shortchanged on behalf of another.  Obama gets this necessary equity in a way few leaders ever have.  Therefore, it is and always has been my belief that President Obama is committed to doing the best he can for as many people as possible.  Perhaps, that is because he isn’t dealing with a religious v secular, god v greed moral muddle.

Ryan and his running mate Romney on the other hand seem to be advocating doing as little as possible for as many people as they can in order to do the best they can for a very few.  Somewhere in all of this is the Will of God, the clandestine Will of Ayn Rand, the Will of Bane Capital and the Witless Will of the Moral Wimp Romney.  Figuring out what is motivating either of these men at any given time is like separating the water from the beef in broth. 

One thing is obvious to me.  The Middle Class and the poor are being placed in much the same position as Witches and accused Witches in the 18^th Century.  A large number of these people – mostly women – would have their hands and feet bound then be submerged in water.  If they sunk they were innocent, albeit dead.  So too the bulk of this country is being asked to sink into economic deprivation, hands and feet tied with more children than we can feed and steadily dwindling financial prospects.   If through it all we are willing to in the words of National Lampoon, “Heed well the advice of those greater than ourselves even though they be turkeys,” then and only then will we be good Americans deserving of the right to serve.

People who willingly submit to this kind of torture are probably more in need of a therapist than a voter’s registration card.  Still, I do not advocate disenfranchising anyone no matter how stupid or self destructive they are. In keeping with this alarming tendency of many to vote against their own interests there seems to be an equal tendency on the part of Romney and Ryan to advocate against their own interests when it comes to dealing with the concerns of women and seniors.

Women are aligning against them in great numbers, and seniors are beginning to follow close behind.  Without these two groups I don’t think they can win – Independents or no.  I have long suspected that a greater arrogance then we have ever seen before was born with Citizen’s United.  These two men of privilege may well be convinced that since money has always given them what they want, the Supreme Court has seen to it that money always will.  However, money may not prove to be worth much when it comes to getting the vote of a woman who might be forced to carry her rapist’s child to term or a senior who could be faced with accepting a Medicare voucher that is all but worthless in terms of meeting their health care needs.

The choices between the two opposing views of the Left and Right have never been more coherently demonstrated than they are in this election season.  Thus growing antagonism between women and seniors with regard to the Republican’s presumptive nominees for president and vice president must be encouraged.  Those of us with a voice no matter how large or small must take a page out of the Republican playbook, without the lies, threats or demonization usually attendant on the Right’s political speech, and stir the pot, encourage the dissatisfaction, harp on the facts that will persuade women and seniors to vote blue in November.  Like Ms. Rachel Maddow we must insist upon reminding these two valuable voting blocks that Romney and Ryan will not serve the vast majority of the American People.  Indeed it appears that they are about the business of establishing the political oligarchy of a very few to which the rest of us will be in service.  It is said, and the Republicans seem to live by the preposition that if you tell a big enough lie, long enough, people will believe it.  Perhaps that is because the enormity of the truth is not repeated nearly as often as necessary to defeat the lies.