More Politics, because I feel ghoolish...
My brother sent me this today. It's provocative.
I was on a women's listserv awhile back. What wore me down the most there was the constant towing the line, starting arguments that contradict the initial point some of the ladies attempted to make, just to tow the party line absent of independent thought. You could tell the sharp-shooters though but it was mostly frustrating, "I consider myself educated elitism." I will say, I especially liked the down to earth "conversation" of a psychologist/mom of two on the list...her honesty and intelligence. Which is why I like this article. And why I liked Nader too; although he proved to be total disappointment.
This self professed feminist makes a lot of great points...
http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2006/10/27/paglia/index.html
I especially liked these comments even though I think Republican leadership has forgotten these core principles lately.
You expect Republicans to be Brahmins, to be self-interested and not affected necessarily by the decisions they make - it's really part of their appeal. Don't you think Democrats' alliance with moneyed elites hurts them more than the GOP?
The Democrats' portrayal of Republicans as fat cats out of touch with ordinary Americans just doesn't fly anymore, and they should drop it. I think the center of the Republican Party really is small-businessmen and very practical people who correctly see that it's job creation and wealth creation that sustain an economy -- not government intervention and government control, that suffocating nanny-state mentality. The Democrats are in some sort of time warp in always proposing a government solution to every problem. It's like Hillary's philosophy that it takes a village to raise a child. Well, does it? Or does it take a strong family and not the village?
What's broadened the appeal of conservatism in recent years is that Republicans stress individualism -- individual effort and personal responsibility. They're really the liberty party now -- I thought my party was! It used to seem as if the Republicans were authoritarians and the Democrats were for free speech and for the freedom to live your own life and pursue happiness. But the Democrats have wandered away from their own foundational principles.
The Democrats have to start fresh and throw out the entire party superstructure. I was bitterly disappointed after voting for Ralph Nader that he didn't devote himself to helping build a strong third party in this country. When the American economy was still manufacturing based, the trade unions were viable, and the Democrats stayed close to their working-class roots. But now the Northeastern Democrats, with their fancy law degrees and cocktail parties, have simply become peddlers of condescending bromides about "the people."
I was on a women's listserv awhile back. What wore me down the most there was the constant towing the line, starting arguments that contradict the initial point some of the ladies attempted to make, just to tow the party line absent of independent thought. You could tell the sharp-shooters though but it was mostly frustrating, "I consider myself educated elitism." I will say, I especially liked the down to earth "conversation" of a psychologist/mom of two on the list...her honesty and intelligence. Which is why I like this article. And why I liked Nader too; although he proved to be total disappointment.
This self professed feminist makes a lot of great points...
http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2006/10/27/paglia/index.html
I especially liked these comments even though I think Republican leadership has forgotten these core principles lately.
You expect Republicans to be Brahmins, to be self-interested and not affected necessarily by the decisions they make - it's really part of their appeal. Don't you think Democrats' alliance with moneyed elites hurts them more than the GOP?
The Democrats' portrayal of Republicans as fat cats out of touch with ordinary Americans just doesn't fly anymore, and they should drop it. I think the center of the Republican Party really is small-businessmen and very practical people who correctly see that it's job creation and wealth creation that sustain an economy -- not government intervention and government control, that suffocating nanny-state mentality. The Democrats are in some sort of time warp in always proposing a government solution to every problem. It's like Hillary's philosophy that it takes a village to raise a child. Well, does it? Or does it take a strong family and not the village?
What's broadened the appeal of conservatism in recent years is that Republicans stress individualism -- individual effort and personal responsibility. They're really the liberty party now -- I thought my party was! It used to seem as if the Republicans were authoritarians and the Democrats were for free speech and for the freedom to live your own life and pursue happiness. But the Democrats have wandered away from their own foundational principles.
The Democrats have to start fresh and throw out the entire party superstructure. I was bitterly disappointed after voting for Ralph Nader that he didn't devote himself to helping build a strong third party in this country. When the American economy was still manufacturing based, the trade unions were viable, and the Democrats stayed close to their working-class roots. But now the Northeastern Democrats, with their fancy law degrees and cocktail parties, have simply become peddlers of condescending bromides about "the people."