Politics - I hate all the ads

 

Not many of us would recognize the above snapshot from a political ad from the 1960's.  It only aired once, and its impact was devastating.  This ad implied that if Barry Goldwater was elected, we'd have World War 3. It was one of the best ads to air only once, as it scared people into NOT voting for Goldwater.  And, in many ways, it led to many of the scare tactic / "vote against" ads we see today.

Lately, my TV has been bombarded with ads for the Democratic and Republican candidates for Congress in NY-17.  The incumbent, a Republican, does very little for our district, and his only accomplishment is to have increased the SALT (state & local  tax) deduction  to $40k for the next 3 years.  At the same time, he voted to gut much of the federal government safety net that takes care of many of America's poor and unemployed.  His opponent will get my vote, simply because she is Anti-Trump, where the incumbent is solidly Pro-Trump.

Although this is a mid-term election, it is as important as most presidential elections, as it may give the Democratic party the power to check our current president.  I'm hoping for this, as I'm tired of our Orange Monster blaming all of his failures on everyone else.  Given that we're in an illegal war with Iran, our president needs to stop the monster before he goes completely bonkers (if one could say he hasn't done so already).

I expect that in 2 years, our presidential election ads will make it impossible to watch TV without getting disgusted by the ads.  The Democrats will bet everything to regain the presidency when the monster is supposed to leave office, and the Republicans will be fighting to retain the presidency.  Given that virtually no one in the Republican party was willing to check the monster when they could, I expect that they will continue the culture wars that the monster made part of his toolkit.  

It'll take a lot of money, time and effort to undo the damage our president has done to our country and the world.  I hope that this mid-term election becomes America's start to undo the harm the Orange Monster has visited on all of us. 

Socialism, Si! Fascism, No!

 

The above is an image of New York City's next mayor.  An avowed Democratic Socialist, Zohran Mamdani has defeated a GOP candidate without elected experience and two disgraced Democrats in an election closely monitored by the White House.  In California, Virginia, New Jersey, and New York City, the Orange Snowflake was very disappointed by the seemingly leftward shift in public opinion.  Collectively, the public is waking up and telling the snowflake to go F--k himself and the horse he came in on.

Years ago, a great American offered these quotes, illustrating his political philosophy:

1. On liberty and extremism: "I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue!"

2. On government and freedom: "I have little interest in streamlining government or in making it more efficient, for I mean to reduce its size. I do not undertake to promote welfare, for I propose to extend freedom. My aim is not to pass laws, but to repeal them."

3. On government power: "The government that is big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take it away."

4. On choice: "I will offer a choice, not an echo."

5. On political strategy: "The only summit meeting that can succeed is the one that does not take place."

6. On the role of religion: "Religious factions will go on imposing their will on others unless the decent people connected to them recognize that religion has no place in public policy."

7. On monopolies: "Let us henceforth make war on all monopolies—whether corporate or union. The enemy of freedom is unrestrained power..." 

Although Barry Goldwater was considered a right wing radical in his time, he would be considered a moderate by today's standards. I feel this man had a more nuanced and balanced view of things than for which people would give him credit.  He understood the balance and tension between individual and societal rights. He understood that the power of government, business, and labor must be balanced. And he understood that no religious faction should be allowed enough power to dictate its will on the majority of American citizens.

I'd bet that Goldwater would have a smile on his face, seeing American democracy work to check and balance the power of the lunatics now in charge of the GOP.  Yet, he'd also worry about socialist political promises that get fulfilled, as well as those that can't be fulfilled.  Historians may see Goldwater as the man who triggered the GOP's shift to the far right.  I see him more in line with people like Rand Paul, someone who believes in limiting over consolidation power in some areas that affect the public.  

Do I agree with the late Barry Goldwater and his ideas?  That's not the best way to put the question.  Instead, I'd ask: Did Barry Goldwater see problems with America which could not be solved, even with an imperial presidency?  I'd say yes to that question, and that he recognized the dangers in over consolidating power in any one area.  We could do much worse than looking back a generation or two and see what they thought about problems similar to those we have now, and learn from their mistakes and their trade-offs.  

As they say: "Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it."