Is Tim Cahill habitually stupid? First, the ethical lapses. Now, he thinks he can be a viable candidate for Governor in the Massachusetts Democratic Primary opposing universal health care. Today's Boston Globe reports,
State Treasurer Timothy P. Cahill has come out strongly against the $1 billion in tax increases approved by the Legislature, proposing instead deep cuts in the state's landmark effort at universal healthcare, calling it a luxury taxpayers can no longer afford.
A luxury? What is he, insane?
With Democratic President Barack Obama pushing health care reform nationally, apparently Cahill wants to run against both President Obama and Governor Patrick.
Add another name, that of Gov.Mark Sanford, to the ever growing list - Newt Gingrich, David Vitter, John Ensign, Tom Foley, that Senator from Idaho whose name escapes name of men's airport bathroom fame - of the prominent group of GOP politicians who LOVE to live by the adage 'do what I say and not as I do'.....
The GOP brand.... a total, manufactured con job.
When are they going to realize that human beings do human things and stop moralizing?
They won't stop until the song and dance that Ronald Reagan used to get elected clearly shows them that the shelf life has expired.....a long time ago.
Lately, nothing has bothered me more than seeing popular Democrats( elected officials) walking away from a teaching moment of communicating to people how we have arrived at this moment when pretty much everything seems broken: we are here because of what the other political Party, the GOP, has been consistently advocating for decades has been put into practise and has been shown to be, has been proven to be a complete failure.
No, instead, we see Democratic politicians play nicey-nice:"We must look forward" "It's a waste of time to assign blame" yada, yada, yada.
I say it's pretty hard to get people to support real reform if they are left in any doubt whatsoever about how we have found ourselves at the present situation.
The last 30+ years have seen so many burdens placed upon average citizens while the top 1% bothe here, and nationally, walk away keeping more of their wealth because of influence bought and paid for with campaign contributions with the corresponding alterations in tax policy that benefits the top 1% ....that's the kind of STORY that Democratic politicians need to tell...if they can, IF they too haven't been susceptible to the campaign contributions.
Put me down as someone who would rather see in an increase in the income tax rather than the sales tax because it is more progressive.
When times are tough people need government services more, not less, and if Democratic politicians need to take a remedial course in how to communicate that message more effectively...than maybe a course should be set up for them.
Robert Haynes, head of the AFL-CIO here in MA speaking to Democratic delegates at the recent Convention in Springfield, hit the proverbial nail on the head:"We don't have a spending problem here in Massachusetts, we have a revenue problem."
Maybe the only argument is whether a certain government service is wanted/needed or not....if it is needed....fund it.
Fund it the fairest way possible...with an increase in a progressively formatted income tax.
As part of Governor Patrick continued effort to encourage civic engagement, Governor Patrick will host a Town Hall meeting at 6:30 July 16 in Pembroke on the Town green to talk directly with residents about the issues that matter most to them. This event is free and open to the public. Bring your friends, your family and your neighbors; come with questions, suggestions and solutions. This event will be held outside. The rain location is the High School Auditorium.
When you think about it, politics is not rocket science,...when all is said and done, it is about relationships between people, idealogy of what the function of government is, and methods to achieve results in the political arena.
Just this week alone the Justice Department put forth a brief going way out of it's way to defend DOMA( Defense of Marriage Act) which candidate Obama had repeatedly promised to actively work to repeal( as well as work to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell); using disgusting language and loathsome comparisons the brief relegates gay Americans to second class citizenship status. This whole debacle deserves it's own scathing diary but this diary is about why actions such as this contribute to the dropping poll numbers the Obama administration is witnessing.
When one thing is repeatedly promised - whether it's '"CHANGE" one can believe in' and then see rigorous defense of the status quo ante ( pick your topic - health care initiative/reform begun without serious attention and respect given to the public option/single payer/government run option that 67% of the public polled say they would like, or REAL reform geared to Wall St and greedy credit card companies which have consistently hurt average Americans, or how about the bill - the supplemental - which increases spending for Afghanistan without a timetable for withdrawal AND which contains within it big money to 'help' the IMF) then the creeping feeling - cynicism - resulting from witnessing 'the same old same old' sets in.
Those dropping poll numbers?
Disillusion setting in.
I started out by saying this is really not rocket science...and it isn't. In this day and age it is very easy to click a mouse and voila! remind oneself of a candidates' position prior to election day. In this transformative information age we are all becoming our own research assistants and google and other search engines make it easy for us.
The number one mistake that a politician and his staff can make is that people have short memories when it comes to promises. And promises made to groups and then seemingly broken to the same group that worked their collective asses off to help elect said politician?
The title is a reference to a Native American parable -- the story exists in various forms. It's a story that has found significant resonance, particularly lately.
...the article is one I recently posted over on ePluribus Media and DailyKos -- it goes on to mention a couple of pieces that comment on the right-wing rhetoric and domestic terrorism that has been constantly egged on by the conservative media and punditry.
I know several folks here are familiar with the parable, and since it was on my mind, I thought it made a good lead-in to the piece. Please check it out and tell me what you think.
The parable, and the diary, begin after the fold...
