An observation worth noting ... and pondering, from Jon Favreau (former chief speechwriter for President Obama):
The goals of no-government conservatives are not primarily economic. They will propose more tax cuts in times of surplus and times of deficit. They care little when the nonpartisan experts and economists at the Congressional Budget Office say sequestration will cost up to 1.6 million jobs next year, or that immigration reform will boost our GDP, or that Obamacare will reduce the debt over time. No-government conservatives are not compelled by the evidence that temporary benefits such as food stamps and unemployment insurance put money in the pockets of those most likely to spend it at local businesses that will grow and create jobs as a result. Their only jobs agenda, their only growth agenda, their only deficit agenda is eliminating government, no matter how many people it helps or how big a boost it provides the economy....
Nor are the goals of no-government conservatives primarily political. They have advisers, they can read polls, and most of them probably know that shutting down the government or forcing a default would be, among other catastrophes, highly unpopular. They realize that rampant hostage-taking and filibuster-abuse are the chief contributors to the obstruction and gridlock that Americans of both parties hate.
Nice, huh?
Citizens support these anarchist tendencies because ... why? Have they legitimately considered what happens if the vile efforts of leaders propped up by their wealthy benefactors (the only ones they seem to legitimately represent) come to fruition?
Keeping supporters duly agitated by whatever liberal injustice they can tweak or manufacture does keep them pre-occupied, but at some point the consequences will no longer lend themselves to effective spin. Perhaps the gamble is that by then, the 1%-focused political agenda will be anchored in place enough that complaints and concerns will then be just more noise to be ignored.
And if that gamble does not work as intended? While more information won't necessarily change beliefs and ideologies overnight, the re-telling of the same expectations by those of us on the left will be borne out by the eventual realities not beholden to right-wing orthodoxy. Wouldn't want to be a leading voice on the right if that happens a day too early.
Informed citizens will understand very quickly that the damage caused to all of us means at the very least indirect damage to most supporters of this idiotic and dangerous mindset. Might be worth considering before another cheer goes up from the crowd when Ted Cruz or Paul Ryan utters another incendiary, ignorant statement about their agenda.
Real life happens despite the principles of honorable ideologies. Real life happens despite the dishonorable ones, too, and usually with much greater destructive force.
Supporters are still willing to stand with these legislative jokes notwithstanding? Knowledge and understanding are good things ... just saying....
Perhaps out of the goodness of their hearts they might share with us at least the design of the shields they will be wearing which apparently render them impervious to the harm caused by the implementation of their mindless, short-term, and fact-free approach to democratic principles and the standards which made this nation the envy of the world.
Adapted from a blog post of mine.
