While every Democrat and progressive in the country has at least some reason to be happy today, it's important that we don't forget there's a lot of work to be done over the next four years. Dancing on the grave of the devil just makes you forget he's in the heart of every man, so let's see what challenges we still face and that will arise as we move toward 2016.
The Supreme Court
Ah yes, that non-partisan bastion of justice that gave an election away to Bush, told us corporations were people and actually argued Fox talking points such as comparing health care to broccoli. The election of Obama means a chance to push the court further to the left and, while I appreciate and am convicted that a conservative presence needs to be on the court, the Roberts court has generally acted in a way that that could only in the mind of Grover Norquist could be deemed fair and balanced. When you have Supreme Court justices such as Alito dining with individuals who will soon be presenting cases to the court, all pretensions of equality are tossed out the door. It's time for more progressive flavor, as even Nate Silver has ranked this as the most conservative court since the 1930s. And let's not forget just how exact Silver was on election night.
The 2014 Elections
The tide on the 2012 election showed a general regret for the bad drinks that were served by the Tea Party and a shift to the left. Beyond just electing Obama, American population pushed the numbers of progressives in both the House and Senate. While the House still falls underneath the dark power of the League of Shadows, otherwise known as Republicans, Democrats get another chance to put a Kimura lock on Congress if they can continue momentum for the next two years. Hint to Democrats: Don't be pansies leading up to 2014. Go big, get your message out. There's a reason 2010 was such a tsunami of backlash.
Fiscal Deficit
I'm not convinced our economy is as bad as some Republicans would like the world to believe. Everyone knows less debt is good, but foreign countries are still buying our dollars for a reason. Still, we've got to address the gaping maw of insolvency, but note to Republicans: We're not getting rid of Social Security and health services. Which means we've got to find another way out. Get rid of parts of government that are redundant if you want. Hey though, big secret? The United States military outspends the next nine or ten military investors. We don't need to be sinking money into floating fortresses that sit about for 'security' purposes, or trillion dollar military equipment that so outclasses our opponents its silly, when current models still do the same damn thing. Let's make smart, honest decisions about where to focus our military power, and reinvest that money into America. Also? Everyone making a million dollars or more needs to be paying higher taxes. Note to Republicans, the 1950s and 1960s of prosperity you loved so much? Yeah, there was a top tax rate then of 91%. Just sayin'.
Postal Service
Hey, simple answer, don't make them have a retirement plan that extends so far in advance that it makes the current system insolvent. No other company, ever, has done that.
Environment
Can we get real Republicans? The New York Post is still saying the Hurricane Sandy's link to environmental change is pseudoscience. Bloody hell, somebody on Red State said that environmental science was the same as phrenology. <em>Phrenology.</em> For those of you born, I don't know, anytime in the past century, you shouldn't be expected to know this, but phrenology linked personality traits to the shape of your damned skull. I mean, Republicans are basically saying environmental science is the study of the fickle whims of Odin and Zeus, engaged in a bit-too-friendly game of grab ass. Hey, guess what guys, we now have computers and can actually track changes like rising sea levels and temperature change. Other than that, why you guys hating on Zeus, yo?
Discrimination
AGAINST EVERYONE! Come on Republicans, can you seriously be arguing that women can't get equitable health care services, immigrants should be expected to be electrocuted, minority voting precincts should have far more difficult times voting, or that gays shouldn't be allowed to have equivalent benefits for marriage? I mean seriously, the majority of this stuff doesn't effect you, and maybe more minorities would vote for you if you weren't making them feel like the red headed step child at a Black Irish wake. Note to everyone: I love redheads. But seriously, Democrats need to keep making inroads with these groups and fighting for their rights. If they do, the continuing trend of minorities and women voting Democrat will only increase going into 2014 and 2016, giving the party more leverage and punching power.
Economics
I supported the auto bailouts and bank bailouts. Yeah, yeah, hate me if you want, but I didn't think letting companies go bankrupt was going to help the economy, a lesson I think we all should have learned from, oh I don't know, the Great Depression. Remember those things called Hoovervilles? They weren't just collective figments of a population gone drunk on moonshine, dancing the jimmy leg with pink elephants. But neither did I support massive bank corruption, criminal retaking of houses based on bad loans the banks themselves extended, huge golden parachutes to CEO's who make massive layoffs and engage in bad business practices, or a Wall Street that would go without punishment for bad behavior. Let's make sure we tighten our regulation screws and make sure we don't have repeats of these fiascos. Guess what big banking America, you got a loan from the American public. Now we have to demand they work for us, by our rules.
No comments:
Post a Comment