2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumThe Myths That Are Killing Us
As the Republican demolition derby rolls on, I continue to be amused by how each remaining contender tries to assume the small government mantle.[br /]
Mitt Romney wants a government so small that it provides universal health care.[br /]
Newt Gingrich wants a government so small that it will establish a permanent base on the Moon.[br /]
Rick Santorum wants a government so small that it will fit inside a womans uterus.[br /]
The only real remaining advocate of small government is Ron Paul. Dr. Paul appears to be disqualified from the Republican Presidential Primary, however, because he is unwilling to drench himself with the blood of our imagined enemies, like Gerard Butler in the movie 300.[br /]
But what about that Jon Huntsman guy? This week three different people told me, quite independently of each other, how sorry they were that Governor Huntsman never gained any traction in the Republican Presidential Primary.[br /]
I told them that they should get over it. Huntsman wasnt any better.[br /]
It somehow counts as an act of courage for Huntsman to have tweeted: I believe in evolution. Of course, it would have been more courageous if Huntsman had said that to a Tea Party audience, and then they tore him limb from limb, thereby disproving the theory of evolution right before our eyes.[br /]
And evolution is not something that you believe or disbelieve. Evolution is like gravity; its not like Santa Claus or the Abominable Snowman. (Question: Why do they both live at the North Pole?)[br /]
Be that as it may, neither Huntsman nor any other Republican Presidential candidate has been willing to take on the hard myths. The myths that are killing us. Here are a dirty dozen, right off the top of my head:[br /]
(1) The Government cant create jobs. (Tell that to FDR, who created four million jobs in three months.)[br /]
(2) Tax cuts reduce the deficit. (Doesnt it bother them that a man named Laffer came up with this one?)[br /]
(3) A fetus is a baby.[br /]
(4) The poor have too much money.[br /]
(5) Cutting the federal deficit will end the recession.[br /]
(6) The rich are incentivized by tax cuts, while the poor are incentivized by lower wages, no benefits, an end to the minimum wage, and unemployment.[br /]
(7) An unwanted child is Gods will.[br /]
(8) Everyone who wants health insurance has it.[br /]
(9) The problem with education is the teachers.[br /]
(10) The free market satisfies every human need.[br /]
(11) There is no discrimination in America anymore.[br /]
(12) The distribution of wealth and income are irrelevant.[br /]
I dont remember Jon Huntsman disputing any of these myths. And these are the ones that do the real damage. Show me a candidate who is willing to take on these myths, and Ill pay more attention.[br /]
Courage,[br /]
Alan Grayson[br /]
DonCoquixote
(13,616 posts)tOO BAD YOU DID NOT READ THIS WHEN YOU SUPPORTED JON HUNTSMAN!
MindMover
(5,016 posts)Dawson Leery
(19,348 posts)left on green only
(1,484 posts)I wish you good fortune in your campaign to return to the U.S.House of Representatives.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)would still be nice to have a link if there is one handy, but
otherwise never-mind..
immoderate
(20,885 posts)Alan Grayson <alangrayson@graysonforcongress.com>
I guess that will get you on the mailing list. Grayson sounds so sane.
--imm
99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)quaker bill
(8,224 posts)and depending on the new district lines, if I can, you have my vote.
davidpdx
(22,000 posts)That was well put.
Myrina
(12,296 posts)#'s 1, 5, 6, 9, 10 and 11.
We need to be the OPPOSING party of the GOP, not the co-opting party. Sigh.
DCKit
(18,541 posts)Rick Santorum wants a government so small that it fits inside EVERY woman's uterus.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)Ron Paul is also a myth. Sure he wants smaller government (in fact, he wants to decimate it), but that's not a good thing. His proposals will benefit greedy corporations and the wealthy at the expense of everyone else.
Mark Ames: Why is Ron Pauls Superpac Headquartered in Mitt Romneys Backyard? http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002367459
"Ron Paul hates govt intervention, likes mandatory vaginal ultrasound probes"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002161152
Ron Paul isn't anti-defense spending, he's anti-everything else
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002155700
Utopian Leftist
(534 posts)is a secret Republican ploy to prevent any uppity elves from getting ideas about wandering away from the toy factory where they labor FOR FREE 24/7 without rest or benefits: the perfect Republican workforce. How does this go on when Santa is one of the leading, bleeding hearts? Probably because Santa still foolishly believes he can COMPROMISE with the thugs.
Thank you, Mr. Grayson, for all that you do.
Martin Eden
(12,875 posts)... just thought I'd point out one of the most widely-held mnyths.
chervilant
(8,267 posts)We DO have a global economy, which trumps the puny, individual 'governments' every time.
Kermitt Gribble
(1,855 posts)Especially this: "And evolution is not something that you believe or disbelieve. Evolution is like gravity; its not like Santa Claus or the Abominable Snowman."
All 12 myths are spot-on, and I would add: Social Security and Medicare are not "entitlements", in the sense that repubs refer to them as a government giveaway.
mimitabby
(1,832 posts)shcrane71
(1,721 posts)Fritz67
(354 posts)As for Jon Huntsman, well, remember that "believe in evolution" is too sane for today's Republican voters.
Plus he actually worked for the Kenyan Nazi Muslin Communist President, of course.
Thanks for keeping up the good fight, Mr. Grayson.
tclambert
(11,087 posts)"The Yeti or Abominable Snowman is an ape-like cryptid said to inhabit the Himalayan region of Nepal, and Tibet." - from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abominable_snowman
AnotherMother4Peace
(4,251 posts)Liberal_Stalwart71
(20,450 posts)jannyk
(4,810 posts)Snarkoleptic
(6,002 posts)oldhippydude
(2,514 posts)he was an airdale
DirkGently
(12,151 posts)WillyT
(72,631 posts)YvonneCa
(10,117 posts)...list. I agree that these myths are destructive to our country.
And I especially appreciate #9.
alittlelark
(18,890 posts)Thank You so much for all you do!
sakabatou
(42,176 posts)grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)they conflate the freedom on which our country was founded with the way the (not free) marketplace is regulated.
And very nice call on 6 - " 6) The rich are incentivized by tax cuts, while the poor are incentivized by lower wages, no benefits, an end to the minimum wage, and unemployment." !
Reader Rabbit
(2,624 posts)Thank you so much for saying this. You are the first politician of any party that has stated this straight out. Teachers are hurting right now, because no one will speak up for them, and this really lifts my spirits.
Thank you again.
YvonneCa
(10,117 posts)...too.
Response to Alan Grayson (Original post)
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