Pages

Thursday, May 19, 2011

I have failed on the last one

Today’s rant is about lying politicians.

Firstly - in answer to all those unasked questions yesterday. No – I cannot prove that God does not exist. That is not my job.

My job is to look after Cate and the cats – love my children and grandchildren - be as kind to as many people as possible – have a nice life and do what I can to leave the world a better place than it was when I arrived.

OK I have failed on that last one but it was not for want of trying and when I was young and enthusiastic I really did care - but there are so many people absolutely intent on trashing the planet at the moment that it really does seem rather pointless to me when I separate my white and colored wine bottles and drop them in the bins outside Spar.

While I am doing this – and putting my cardboard in the special bins downstairs – the Republicans are gutting every piece of EPA legislation in the USA.

Are these people really so dumb that they do not know the difference between climate and weather? Do Republicans REALLY believe that there is no such thing as climate change or is it just a charade to try to get elected. I am being charitable here and assuming that they cannot ALL be fuckwits.

Do they not have children and grandchildren that they care about enough to try to do something – anything – to try to counteract the effects of global warming.

There is no developed country in Europe – or indeed the rest of the world - that does not accept that global warming exists and is a real problem. And Europe has been working on solutions and alternative energy sources for years.

America has been working mainly on developing alternative honking lunatics like Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann who spout endless flapdoodle about how carbon dioxide is not dangerous and how alternative energy kills economies.

The problem in America is that there is no real constraint on what people say about anything – certainly there is no desire by anyone to tell the truth. In other developed western countries there is some sort of convention that you do not stand up in public and tell outrageous bare-faced lies.

In a budget speech in the US Senate in April Senator John Kyl (R) of Arizona claimed that Planned Parenthood “devotes more than 90 percent of its resources to providing abortions.” The actual figure is about 3% and his office later issued a statement saying that the Senator hadn’t intended his remarks to be a factual statement. This was in the US Senate.

The problem is that most of the speeches and comments made by politicians are not intended to be factual – and are in fact lies. Most of what is said by Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann is in fact complete bullshit. Sarah Palin’s ‘Death Panels’ lie was rated as the biggest lie of the last Presidential election. She repeated it in every speech she gave.

You can check some of the whoppers here.

And of course when they say all this stuff there are people with minds like the inside of ping pong balls who actually believe them! I am not joking!

A few of them can read and write – after a fashion - and I read what they say when they comment on forums – and it’s very scary. Now if they actually get out there and vote you could get someone like Michele Bachmann as President and – well – I would not want to be around when that happens.

Unfortunately I probably will be. So I have lost part of my incentive for recycling my empty milk cartons and now just throw them in the rubbish bin. See what this whole crazy business has done to me.

15 comments:

  1. Even though I worked for an oil company for 28 years (and eventually fired by them) I have enjoyed getting to see all the windmills springing up in our part of the world (Texas) generating electricity.

    ReplyDelete
  2. *stands and applauds loudly and lengthily*

    why the **** don't they get it??

    ReplyDelete
  3. you cant prove that god does not exist? lol... I think science has all but done that. Hallelujah to Darwin. Mind you I wish I had thought up a religion.. its a brilliant business model. Look at all the loonies killing each other today in the name of god... ( Makes a lot of money too)..

    Great post Badger...

    ReplyDelete
  4. We do have a problem here in America and unfortunately it's on both sides of the political spectrum. The problem is that most are only out for personal gain and care nothing for the greater good. It's frustrating, to say the least. I'm thinking of starting a new party here, I'm going to call it the Common Sense party. It's time for a little less nonsense and a little more common sense. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  5. esbboston: Well good luck. The next Republican government probably will tear them down because they disturb the oil wells.

    Alexia: I wish I knew.

    simon: All but: I agree with Dawkins on that. We agree that God does not exist - but we cannot prove it.

    Cheers: And good luck with that. That is in VERY short supply in the USA in political land.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for writing this! I agree completely!

    And keep recycling; it'll help you sleep at night :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ooh, the pain, the pain of hearing someone outside of America talk about Republicans, knowing about the crazies. The pain and the embarrassment. Oh, to be a Texan and a Democrat simultaneously.

    ReplyDelete
  8. There are so many reasons the political climate is so bad at home. Republican and Democrat are not the only choices. They are simply the ones with the machine in place to keep the others out of the game. Think about it, we let Iowa corn farmers be the elite of the "people" and they pick from their couches in their grange halls with milk and cookies while trying to get a group to vote together.

    Then you have the Kwame Kilpatrick dynasty of the Democrats ruining Detroit. Followed by Newt who just can't understand why we think he is an ass. They are all pretty much worthless.

    The last election where I was in the states to vote I contacted every person running that I thought I might for, eliminating the usual suspects. I only spoke with 2. On the entire ballot. And one was amazed I made the effort. So after you eliminate the suspects, then you eliminate the lazy, you get to pick the least harmful. What a way to run a country. Oh, and in Michigan during the primary you have to pick a party to vote. WTF. What if there are 2 people on different tickets? Nope, pick one only.

    And recycling just ticks me off. First it is expensive. So if we are going to pay out that kinda money do it right. And we would not have to recycle all this crap if people did not insist on stupid stuff like plastic drink bottles, plastic containers for food and disposable diapers. Geez people, think.

    So anyway, my take on this is no one is really willing to pay the price to make any sort of difference. And what the hero governments are doing is not making any difference really. They are pandering without making the hard choices. How many SUV's follow Obama to the golf course every Sunday? How many square feet do need for your trophy home? For the love of my luggage there is no silk on the silk road, only oil-based man made materials.

    Nola has left the building.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anna W: Yes - but I just will not bother about the milk cartons unless the Republicans fund the EPA.

    Anne Kat: Well - it's a bit hard not to notice - they do stand out.

    fmgcmcclic: Galloping Goats! I think I would vote for you! Except of course I can't vote.

    ReplyDelete
  10. The world is a better place because of you!
    Just ask Cate. Or your friends. Or me.
    I would encourage you to fold your Tetra Paks.
    It would make me feel less lonely when I carefully fold mine,
    opening the flaps at the top and bottom, trying to get them as flat as possible by pulling them over the edge of the kitchen counter, hold them down flat with one hand while closing the pouring spout with the plastic cap, before carrying them towards the balcony where they live between the two sets of doors, in their own little waiting room. The little buggers do raise quite a stink when I forget to take them downstairs on the night before the are being collected in the dawn hours by a mysterious little pickup truck. I hear they then travel up to Norway, to the North Cap, where a heavenly choir will sing them to sleep while they continue their journey to the Pole.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I've been ashamed to be a part of the US for quite some time now. Pretty much since I was old enough to start thinking for myself and questioning my surroundings. My mom is, unfortunately, a Fox news junkie, so I have to hear a lot about the nonsense that is American politics. The boyfriend and I have already decided that if someone like Bachmann or Palin are elected, or even part of the election, we will move out of the country. If I had it my way, I'd be leaving now.

    Great post.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Immediate observation: Why the hell are you not a political speechwriter? If I ever find myself in the position of running for office (ha!), I designate you Communications Manager.

    Assuming they are all not fuckwits is rather charitable of you. Very charitable.

    Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll all be raptured tomorrow.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Merisi: It seems that the medication is working for you. I will increase my dosage and give the Tetra Paks one more try.

    RicoPrettyface: No you must not leave. you cannot let the loonies win. It is people like you who MUST stay and take back America and make it better again. Believe me. Palin or Bachmann will be President!

    smedette: Firstly - you are too smart to be a politician. Secondly - I am too smart to work for one. And I am afraid the rapture is also bullshit.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Let me start by saying Ugh! I hate feeling compelled to comment when politics are involved. And to make matters worse, I'm feeling compelled to comment back to one of the commentors rather than the writer. It's true that politics in the US are ridiculous. It would be wonderful to get a real person in charge, but they all have real lives with real jobs and skeletons in their closets. I have noticed in the past though that politics seem to be ridiculous everywhere. It seems that being a corrupt self-serving ass is a pre-requisite for the job.

    Your commentor RicoPrettyFace is just the kind of American that infuriates me. For the record, I agree with you in that she should stay and work to make the country as great as it can possibly be. On the other hand, I have zero patience, or use, for the Americans who become so disgusted with their country that they choose to leave, but refuse to give up their passports. I have heard them all over the world talk about how much they hate their country and what a terrible place it is and how stupid its citizens are, all while bragging about how great it is to be an ex-pat. My wish is this - If you hate your country so much that you wouldn't be caught dead there anymore, then give up your citizenship and all the indignities that go with it.

    My apologies Badger for throwing my viewpoint onto your comment page. I guess I just couldn't stop myself. Perhaps I didn't really want to.

    Although I almost never agree with you, I do enjoy reading your blog.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Janice: I think I should not use my blog for politics. It gets people riled up.

    ReplyDelete