Facebook
Fark
Digg
Reddit
Stumble
Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012 | 2:01 a.m.
Another view?
View more of the Las Vegas Sun's opinion section:
• Editorials - the Sun's viewpoint.
• Columnists - local and syndicated writers.
• Letters to the editor - readers' views.
Have your own opinion? Write a letter to the editor.
With the start of early voting this week, we have the most exciting, powerful and profound opportunity. We get to choose our leaders and we get to do so without fear and truly with pride.
While this tends to be the season to lament the nastiness of campaigns, that breath is wasted. In spite of some technical legal definitions, advertising agencies and campaigns are not people.
It is their express purpose to sell a message that will compel people to take action, in this case to not vote. Forgive them the use of vitriol. It is their job. It is effective.
Individuals cannot be forgiven for repeating it. When individual behavior reinforces messages designed to dampen that precious exercise, we all lose. Happily, the opposite is true, too.
Civil discourse in democracy is necessary, productive and can be enjoyable — really. If we celebrate the next few weeks, we elevate civic engagement, reinforcing pride in it for our children. This can be fun. So let’s be nice.
In reply to Jenna Morton; there is nothing fun about this election. There is absolutely no practical reason for me to be nice to my political opponents. I do attempt to be respectful to them, on occasion, but I'm certainly "thin skinned" on this. Unlike any other presidential election during my life spanning six decades, the results of this election both on the national and local level is whether or not, most likely, there is any hope of a bright and prosperous future for middle-class America. Or, for that matter, what remains of us. Another question that lingers is whether or not the innocent people, who have fallen, can have any chance at recovery?
PART ONE
I cannot trust the Republicans to do the "right thing".
As an example, I'll use the passage of the Affordable Healthcare Act". President Obama, on just this issue alone has taken a severe political beating by Republicans. Did America expect President Obama to do nothing about the healthcare crisis in America? The Republicans will counter; there was no healthcare crisis prior to this "ObamaCare" legislation. Really??? Consider this:
The American Journal of Medicine found a huge increase--nearly 20 percent--in medical bankruptcies between 2001 and 2007. Sixty-two percent of all bankruptcies filed in 2007 were tied to medical expenses. Three-quarters of those who filed for bankruptcies in 2007 had health insurance.
Read that passage again Republicans!!! Will you still say there was no healthcare crisis in America? Oh, that's right, I forgot the combination of the 47% and the middle-class just don't matter to conservatives.
Secondly, the Republicans are responsible for the cost of American troop casualties and the financial turmoil the Iraq war brought on America when in fact, this was a war that didn't need to be fought.
Further, the Republicans are responsible for huge tax breaks for the wealthy, tax increases on the middle-class, the deregulation of Wall Street and of our complete financial industry. Then, there was the near total collapse of our housing industry that was all from conservative based greed and corruption.
PART TWO
Then, there were massive layoffs of line-workers. Those lucky enough to maintain their job experienced reductions of their salaries and benefits while their job responsibilities greatly expanded. And, for many of our line-worker employees, this has been to the point of virtual enslavement.
And now, with the successes of President Obama keeping America from falling over the cliff, financially, what does he get in return from conservatives because the recovery has not been expeditious enough on their even more greedy terms? President Obama gets a tongue lashing of utter disrespect from these same conservatives! How outrageous!!!
President Obama struggles in firmly implementing the new concept of "green energy" to help create jobs, save our environment and to bring America to energy independence while leading the American people to live more healthy lives. And, what does he get from conservatives, more disrespect and tongue lashings.
President Obama believes in fighting Al-Qaeda by the use of drones. This is more cost effective and tactically superior, not to mention the American troop lives that are saved. And, what does President Obama get? He receives more disrespectful tongue lashings from conservatives.
President Obama has received international support in placing economic sanctions against Iran. He has effectively engaged in cyber warfare with Iran in his quest to destroy Iran's nuclear capabilities. What does he get in return from conservatives? The President gets even more disrespect and tongue lashings.
And now, finally, back at home, President Obama fights to preserve Social Security and Medicare for the senior citizens of America. And, once again, what does the President receive from conservatives, a tongue lashing because he refuses to privatize these two systems that would place every elder American in the untrustworthy hands of conservatives who have a firm hold on our financial and economic systems.
And now, Jenna Morton, do you still expect me to enjoy this election and be nice to my political opponents??? I don't think so!!!
All that has happened is NOT the result of one party. We don't live in a dictatorship and one party has rarely held control of the Presidency and Congress.
It is sad and worrisome that so many Americans buy so totally into this fantasy, that both parties work so hard to propagate, that one party is all pristine, all the time, and the other party is all evil, all the time.
Housing is a great example. Both parties, in large part supported the repeal of Glass Stegall, relaxation of mortgage underwriting standards, invention of derivatives, bundling of mortgage securities sold to investors, look the other way credit reporting agencies, etc. We had the government oversight agencies but they failed to do their jobs. Why? Because too many people were making money. Banks, escrow companies, home builders and all companies that support home building, mortgage companies, individual Americans who were buying and selling homes, wall street investors, hedge funds, insurance companies, etc. It was great for nearly everyone, until it wasn't. The regulators failed, and that wasn't the fault of only one party. The whole housing problem has the fingerprints of both D's and R's all over it.
The housing bubble was a failure of government as a whole. It intervened in the private market in ways that it should not have and then the government agencies in place to regulate different aspects of the housing and financial markets did not regulate.
This should be an issue where Americans are angry at both parties and not one where we buy the lie that only one party was responsible.
Michael
Hang on because it will only get worse - not better. There's no love lost between those of us who believe in smaller government and those who want to turn the USA into a "Workers Paradise." No love lost between the productive and the parasites. Nor should there be.
In reply to Michael Casler; reading your post I was getting those Joe Biden "smirks and smiles". I wonder how I would classify your post. How about if I utilized the saying, "What a bunch of malarkey"?!
Romney has spent the past months telling America the economy is in such awful shape that unless he is elected and gives trillions of dollars in tax cuts to the rich while instituting harsh and rigorousness tax measures on the middle-class population, the nation is doomed.
It is true the economy is still recovering after eight years of Republican presidential behaviors that were unjustified, harmful and unlawful actions; that, by the way, all indicators shows that Romney intends to repeat..
However, under President Obama the economy is moving forward and whether Romney and Republicans admit it or not, under President Obama, America's economy is the sole bright spot in a quite sluggish world economy.
Michael, like the author of the letter to the editor said, "Be happy, be nice", and just say thank you Mr. President; have some pride in your voting Michael. Choose another four years for Obama in the Oval Office.
Was the middle-class just called parasites by a Republican? Now that is not being nice for a bloodsucker to call a hard-working middle-class person a parasite!!!
Bradley,
You addressed none of what I said about housing. Set that aside and contemplate this. Both Romney and Obama have said no increased taxes on the middle class. Both have detailed virtually no specific cuts in government spending. Both are saying we must invest in Education, job training and energy. Romney says he will grow the economy with more tax cuts. Obama doesn't really say but history would argue that we will see another government stimulus or something like it.
To both candidates and parties, I say: 'You must be kidding.'.... but they are not. We have to vote for one of these guys and one of these so called 'plans', but for the people who actually believe they could work as laid out or that they will even be implemented as laid out, I say you are living in Fantasyland.
It doesn't bother me that many will vote R and Many will vote D, but it scares the crap out of me that so many people seem to believe what Obama and Romney are telling us. OMG!!!!
Michael
In reply to Michael Casler; okay you asked for an answer of blame on the housing crisis; now you shall get it.
It is the Republicans' fault for crashing our economy. It was the Republicans who embraced a wild and free market. It was the Bush / Cheney administration who ignored repeated warnings from Democrats; i.e. state attorney general's, as an example.
Our economy did not have to crash.
So, come Election Day, what are all of us with morals and ethics and at least half a brain going to do? We are going to vote and reelect Barack Obama.
In addition to being a right for all Americans, voting carries responsibility. In today's arena you have access to information from thousands of sources. There is no reason for a voter to enter the voting booth unprepared, uninformed---no excuse! Not in America!
President Obama wins re-election by 6 to 8 points.
Democrats must like seeing 23 million jobless/under-employed Americans struggling under 4 years of Obama's anti-business trickle down government policies. A 4 year trial is long enough to conclude that Obama doesn't understand economics and job creation.
Republican gamblimg interests are buying the election
Bradley,
I appreciate the response, sparse and general as it may be. In reality, mistakes were made and policies supported by both parties that led directly to the housing crisis.
You're entitled to your view as are others, but the reason these errors recur is because too many of us buy the lie that fault lies only with one party.
Michael
Bradley,
FANTASTIC Comments!!!!!!!!!!
Well said Bradley, well said.
In reply to Kepi; no amount of common sense and respect for human dignity will ever step in the way of Republican greed. All we have to do in being reminded of this is to look at Mr. Freeman's comment of President Obama being anti-business.
As we are just the middle class, according to the likes of many Republicans, we are supposed to be grateful when a Republican offers the middle-class a job that is at "scab labor" wages, with an overloaded work schedule, and with no healthcare benefits.
I'll admit, the Republicans have a lot of Americans accepting almost anything to make a few bucks. But, this is still America, and the Republicans should be reminded of the antebellum; the middle-class will only take so much, so long.
In reply to "Longtimevegan"; thank you for the compliment. This was all needed to be said.
My fellow commentator "Teamster" once warned the Republican base by stating, "There is a lot more of us, than you." How true this is!
However, our final task at hand, for now is, to ensure that "the herd", as the Republicans like to call us, line up at the polls to cast their vote for the Obama / Biden ticket.
Bradley,
I am confident the reasonable informed voters will turn out and exercise the right to vote on November 6, 2012. Voting is not only a right, it's a responsibility every adult must take seriously.
There are People like you who are speaking out and telling it like it is, the truth as we know the truth.
Can we all agree that 2 + 2 = 4??? It so, from this point we can find solutions to our problems together.
The extreme right of the Republican Party, Mitt Romney, and Paul Ryan have a math problem. This group cannot agree to disagree.
Said it straight! This is the message to politicians, and to people claiming and defending distorted misleading statements from elected officials.
President Obama win re-election by 6 to 8 points.
Bradley and Longtimevegan,
Just have a second, love reading your comments! Thank you both so much.
"Democrats must like seeing 23M jobless....." What an asinine comment!
Jenna.....
Republicans are not nice, period.
The majority of Americans will not be fooled by
romney/ryan.
They want to steal Medicare with vouchers.
They want to steal Obamacare and replace it with
nothing.
They want to steal Planned Parenthood from low
income women.
They want to steal Medicade from low income
Americans.
THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT 47% OF AMERICANS.
They think they are goung to lie and buy their
way to the White House.
We voters won't let them.
Blue collar Americans and poor Americans will
come out in droves to vote and re-elect our
GREAT PRESIDENT OBAMA!
NEVER VOTE REPUBLICAN!
And romney/ryan will overturn Roe vrs. Wade and
steal a womens right to chose.
You can take that to the bank if you vote for
these two extreme republican clowns.
Romney has already said that the Supreme Court
should overturn Roe vrs. Wade.
That's one thing he's not fooling with.
Not one women in this country should vote for
this extreme republican.
The Libs are really starting to sound like petulant spoiled brats about to have their freebies taken away......good.
Heretic,
I completely disagree with you; however, I would not FLAG you. You are entitled to your opinion as I am entitled to mine.
Have a Nice Day.