Sitting in McDonalds this morning two days after the election I overheard this conversation:
Dude 1: Hey, who got in as governor?
Dude 2: Corbett
Dude 1: How did Dahlkemper do? (incumbant Rep. from PA’s 3rd district)
Dude 2: She lost.
Dude 1: Who got in?
Dude 2: Mike Kelly
Dude 1: Who’s he?
Dude 2: He owes car dealerships down in Butler
Dude 1: (With his thumb up) Good, we need change. Things ain’t going to get better until everything changes.
Dude 1 didn’t know much about who was running or what had happened but his spirits were lifted by knowing that change had taken place. I am guessing that Dude 1 did not vote but I wonder how many voters felt the same way: incumbant bad; challenger good. Who cares about policies, positions on social issues, or personal integrity? No need to know.
The effect of the election was to make gridlock probable. Only those issues which have broad ideological support could clear the obstacle course that will soon be Washington DC. Repeal healthcare reform? Doubt it. The Senate won’t go for it and Obama would veto it. Social issues? Doubt it, few people are paying attention right now. Jobs, taxes and debt will be the main issues, as they should be, until people at McDonalds no longer want to throw the bums out.
There will no gridlock in many state houses. Let us not forget those results. As for Congress, the new make-up may at least prevent more bad legislation from moving forward.
Oh jeez…let’s not spout the party line here.
This is whiplash, pure and simple. My neck hurts.
stephen
But these were notably absent from this year’s elections. Interestingly, every candidate supported by the National Organization for Marriage (with the exception of their opposition of Iowa Justices) lost: Emmer, Fiorina, Stephens, Paladino, and Andy Pugno.
However, your angry sermon does remind me of John the Baptist. His was a similar message. I just caution that you address it to the right audience.
On a related note, I’m currently reading Gomes’ Scandalous Gospel of Jesus
The meaning of 2010 is the avalanche of money from the right guided by the Chamber of Commerce, Rove’s groups, Kock Industries groups, etc. When the CoC flooded an election with cash for the Republican, the teabagger won.
As before noted, fag-bashing, aka defense of marriage, abortion, Exodus, et al, are mere covers for the usurpation of the peoples’ rights here in the US by billionaire radicals intent to strip we the people of all remaining vestiges of dignity. That conservative evangelical Christians have been happy foot-soldiers in the march to install criminals like Ford in FL should be a reason for shame. Instead you go full-bore on a witch hunt in Iowa to silence any judges who might want to try to protect a powerless minority.
Yes, you’re all complicit. You all conflate our stable relationships with those who who inhabit the sexual outer fringe. Let you accept the behavior of your own mega-pastors on the hunt for bucks while * ing their boyfriends- they are the face of evangelical Christianity today.
Most of you are not fit to discuss the teachings of Jesus. You seem to know nothing of His teachings or His intent. YOU are the pagans He preached against; the proud, the vengeful, the ignorant. The very idea of a ‘conservative’ Christian mocks His teachings.
What do you do now? You’ve managed to pass off the responsibility for kids being bullied to death onto some Let’s All Try To Get Along place without ever truly looking into the way American fundies rape and destroy our lives. If you are Christians you should be speaking out in our behalf not hiding behind some few paltry proof texts devised by idiots. If you truly were Christian you would want to honor the teachings of the Christ: listen to me; what I say is important; what I leave out you can ignore. Like homosexuality. But not divorce. So go after divorce. Leave us alone. Pass a constitutional amendment to make divorce impossible. Close down the casinos. Do this. All you conservative Christians. In your Lord’s name. That’s what He would want. He spoke out against adultery in the Sermon on the Mount. He told His disciples to listen to what he said as that should instruct them how to carry out His ministry. He spoke much about adultery but not about same-sex affection as He loved John and would lie naked with his favorite on His breast.
It’s really difficult, as a gay man, not to despise your religion. Instead of condemning me look to Maazi’s postings. That is the unfiltered language of fundie America. The language of Goebbles. The language of the Hutus in Rwanda. The language that reduces human beings to objects, to insects.
I agree that voters tend to believe that if their lives aren’t going well, it must be the fault of the “bums in Washington.” Therefore, if we throw them out, things will get better. I for one had a very sad election day, as NONE of “my guys” won, and I wonder if it was an informed electorate or the dudes at McDonalds that led to their defeat.
There will no gridlock in many state houses. Let us not forget those results. As for Congress, the new make-up may at least prevent more bad legislation from moving forward.
Warren,
I have great respect for you. I don’t often agree with you nor do I share your belief but I do think you are an intelligent and interesting thinker. Which is why I lurk here till sometimes my impatience boils over. But you get my vote for intelligent discourse.
Timothy, I don’t think you were paying attention.
stephen
But these were notably absent from this year’s elections. Interestingly, every candidate supported by the National Organization for Marriage (with the exception of their opposition of Iowa Justices) lost: Emmer, Fiorina, Stephens, Paladino, and Andy Pugno.
However, your angry sermon does remind me of John the Baptist. His was a similar message. I just caution that you address it to the right audience.
On a related note, I’m currently reading Gomes’ Scandalous Gospel of Jesus
stephen – I get your frustration, but many of those you dislike also dislike most of those who comment here, and they surely have little use for me. Many Christians have no problem with you and are just as frustrated with the culture war.
By the way, the “dudes” talking weren’t Christians.
Not good enough, David. Mocking me doesn’t make the truth go away. You never answered me about that pastor who killed himself because he was afraid of what his congregation would say. Conservative Christian=Far-right Republican. As evidenced by all the pastors preaching against our president in time of war. Prove me wrong.
Oh jeez…let’s not spout the party line here.
This is whiplash, pure and simple. My neck hurts.
The meaning of 2010 is the avalanche of money from the right guided by the Chamber of Commerce, Rove’s groups, Kock Industries groups, etc. When the CoC flooded an election with cash for the Republican, the teabagger won.
As before noted, fag-bashing, aka defense of marriage, abortion, Exodus, et al, are mere covers for the usurpation of the peoples’ rights here in the US by billionaire radicals intent to strip we the people of all remaining vestiges of dignity. That conservative evangelical Christians have been happy foot-soldiers in the march to install criminals like Ford in FL should be a reason for shame. Instead you go full-bore on a witch hunt in Iowa to silence any judges who might want to try to protect a powerless minority.
Yes, you’re all complicit. You all conflate our stable relationships with those who who inhabit the sexual outer fringe. Let you accept the behavior of your own mega-pastors on the hunt for bucks while * ing their boyfriends- they are the face of evangelical Christianity today.
Most of you are not fit to discuss the teachings of Jesus. You seem to know nothing of His teachings or His intent. YOU are the pagans He preached against; the proud, the vengeful, the ignorant. The very idea of a ‘conservative’ Christian mocks His teachings.
What do you do now? You’ve managed to pass off the responsibility for kids being bullied to death onto some Let’s All Try To Get Along place without ever truly looking into the way American fundies rape and destroy our lives. If you are Christians you should be speaking out in our behalf not hiding behind some few paltry proof texts devised by idiots. If you truly were Christian you would want to honor the teachings of the Christ: listen to me; what I say is important; what I leave out you can ignore. Like homosexuality. But not divorce. So go after divorce. Leave us alone. Pass a constitutional amendment to make divorce impossible. Close down the casinos. Do this. All you conservative Christians. In your Lord’s name. That’s what He would want. He spoke out against adultery in the Sermon on the Mount. He told His disciples to listen to what he said as that should instruct them how to carry out His ministry. He spoke much about adultery but not about same-sex affection as He loved John and would lie naked with his favorite on His breast.
It’s really difficult, as a gay man, not to despise your religion. Instead of condemning me look to Maazi’s postings. That is the unfiltered language of fundie America. The language of Goebbles. The language of the Hutus in Rwanda. The language that reduces human beings to objects, to insects.
Warren,
I have great respect for you. I don’t often agree with you nor do I share your belief but I do think you are an intelligent and interesting thinker. Which is why I lurk here till sometimes my impatience boils over. But you get my vote for intelligent discourse.
Timothy, I don’t think you were paying attention.
I agree that voters tend to believe that if their lives aren’t going well, it must be the fault of the “bums in Washington.” Therefore, if we throw them out, things will get better. I for one had a very sad election day, as NONE of “my guys” won, and I wonder if it was an informed electorate or the dudes at McDonalds that led to their defeat.
stephen – I get your frustration, but many of those you dislike also dislike most of those who comment here, and they surely have little use for me. Many Christians have no problem with you and are just as frustrated with the culture war.
By the way, the “dudes” talking weren’t Christians.
Not good enough, David. Mocking me doesn’t make the truth go away. You never answered me about that pastor who killed himself because he was afraid of what his congregation would say. Conservative Christian=Far-right Republican. As evidenced by all the pastors preaching against our president in time of war. Prove me wrong.
I like much about the U.S. system – much greater ‘checks and balances’ than there are in the British system (where the Prime Minister, who has mind-bogglingly enormous powers of appointment and a legislature that he/she effectively controls, is almost an ‘elected dictator’). However, I do think that elections to the House occur too frequently, election campaigns are too long and are poorly regulated in terms of what one candidate is allowed to say about another. Three or four year terms for U.S. Representatives? No advertising on TV and no unsolicited ‘phone calls or Emails? The US. system has, IMHO, real potential to deliver good government, but there needs to be some serious reform as well.
The U.K. system? We need even more serious reforms (an upper house of Parliament that can genuinely challenge the Executive, and an independent ‘head jurist’ that can advise the Queen on whether a law is ‘constitutional’ are two innovations that come into my mind). Britain cannot continue to be governed on the basis of some ‘gentleman’s agreement’, appealing though that idea may be in some ways!
Gridlock which maintains a status quo is generally what the American people like in their governments.
You might say that gridlock is a conservative value.
Especially, the public’s attitude towards politics. Unfortunately, years of voting for whomever did a better job smearing his/her opponent best is catching up with us. This year, all the literature I got focused only on smearing, not giving any significant details of what the candidate stood for (in fact 90% of what I got didn’t even mention which candidate it was for only who it was against. So what we end up with in congress are people whom we have no idea what they stand for, just that they are good at distorting the issues and smearing their opponents.
I like much about the U.S. system – much greater ‘checks and balances’ than there are in the British system (where the Prime Minister, who has mind-bogglingly enormous powers of appointment and a legislature that he/she effectively controls, is almost an ‘elected dictator’). However, I do think that elections to the House occur too frequently, election campaigns are too long and are poorly regulated in terms of what one candidate is allowed to say about another. Three or four year terms for U.S. Representatives? No advertising on TV and no unsolicited ‘phone calls or Emails? The US. system has, IMHO, real potential to deliver good government, but there needs to be some serious reform as well.
The U.K. system? We need even more serious reforms (an upper house of Parliament that can genuinely challenge the Executive, and an independent ‘head jurist’ that can advise the Queen on whether a law is ‘constitutional’ are two innovations that come into my mind). Britain cannot continue to be governed on the basis of some ‘gentleman’s agreement’, appealing though that idea may be in some ways!
Gridlock which maintains a status quo is generally what the American people like in their governments.
You might say that gridlock is a conservative value.
Especially, the public’s attitude towards politics. Unfortunately, years of voting for whomever did a better job smearing his/her opponent best is catching up with us. This year, all the literature I got focused only on smearing, not giving any significant details of what the candidate stood for (in fact 90% of what I got didn’t even mention which candidate it was for only who it was against. So what we end up with in congress are people whom we have no idea what they stand for, just that they are good at distorting the issues and smearing their opponents.