Rep. Alan Grayson of Florida has stirred up a shit storm recently by claiming the Republicans' health care plan is for people to "die quickly." I thought it was hilarious, because it's not a common thing for a Democrat to spout off crazy shit like that. Cynthia McKinney stopped being the "clown halftime show" of the Democratic Party a long time ago, and frankly, I miss it a little bit. It's nice to see a Democrat show some balls for once.
The Republicans are understandably upset about the whole thing, because they still believed that their plans were a total secret outside of their secret lair built into a mountain covered in lightning and darkness.
I'm not justifying what he said, though. I mean, filling the airwaves with blatant misinformation is what got us where we are right now. There are clear divisions between Americans, both racially and politically. We don't talk to each other; we talk AT each other. We're not working together for the betterment of our country and all that shit, because we're too busy trying to demonize folks and bring them down just to score "political points," like it's a video game. "If I can get that guy's poll numbers down 10 more points, I'll get two more votes on my crime bill and be able to put my initials in the machine."
Our political discourse is all fucked up because it's actually just a bunch of kids screaming at each other. Kids who are well-paid by lobbyists.
But can the Republicans get too mad at this? Shouldn't they be proud? After all, Alan Grayson (of the Flying Graysons) only stole a page from the Republicans' playbook. The one that says, "Pander to the lunatics."
It's exactly like how, from 2002 to 2007, dissent against the Bush Administration was akin to heresy in America. Anyone who tried to bring logic or clear thought to the conversation was branded as "unpatriotic," because everyone knew that Bush didn't read and people who did were clearly trying to show him up.
It's exactly like how, in the 2004 election, Dick Cheney, Karl Rove, and all of Bush's supporters claimed that electing a Democrat as President would cause us to be hit by terrorists again. Or how, in 2008, they did the exact same thing to get John McCain elected.
Or it's like the Birther movement. Or the Teabaggers. The Texas secessionist movement. Anytime Michele Bachmann speaks aloud. People claiming that President Obama wants the country to fail. "You lie." The victimization of Christianity in America. Or how just two days ago, Republican Rep. Trent Franks of Arizona painted the President as an "enemy of humanity," because of his views on abortion. What the hell is that about? Real "enemies of humanity" come from Europe, and everyone knows that Obama's from Kenya.
So, do the Republicans really have any room to talk about anyone? Not only did the write the book on outrageous statements from their elected officials, but they hit people with the book every chance they get. Mostly because they know that it's what their political base WANTS to hear. Doesn't matter if it's true, realistic, or even physically possible. The base runs with it, because now they have reason not to like the guy that they already didn't like to begin with. Two days later, Sean Hannity is editing video that makes them racist Satanists and Glenn Beck is an emotional wreck about "losing his country."
So let's not get too up in arms about Alan Grayson, Red Staters. It's one tiny shot that will be forgotten in a week, because this is so out of character for Democrats. It's not like this "balls out, having backbone" phase will last.
Let them have this one, Republicans. Really, until you get your own house in order, it's not like you have any room to talk.
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