I’m not a very political person. Sure I have opinions, but I don’t really have the energy, passion, or overall knowledge to argue with the types of people who take this stuff seriously (there's a good chance I'm not smart enough either). And for the most part the opinions of that sort are unchangeable anyway. For that reason I try to never write about politics in my blog (because no one wants to read it I’m sure) but then this happened:
"Education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your
homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. And
if you don't, you get stuck in Iraq." – John Kerry
Really John Kerry, you had to break that one out now? You couldn’t wait, like say, a week to say something that dumb? Everything was going so well and now you’re trying to ruin it again. Sure I know it was a joke. Most people of reasonable intelligence get that it was a joke but come on, you know how tricky those republicans can be. Sure making totally benign joke is nothing compared to say tax fraud, bribing public officials, or making sexual advances at 16 year old pages but before you know it the GOP will have everyone forgetting names like Frist, Abramoff, or Foley all because you don’t support the troops. God help you if you don’t support the troops. I mean, sure W can make jokes at correspondence dinners about these sorts of things but everyone knows he supports the troops; he’s the one who sent them there. Even if I were to give you the benefit of the doubt; let’s you purposely made that little botch as a way to bring up the topic of the incredible hypocrisy of the administration when it relates to this issue I’m taking that benefit back. Why am I taking it back? Because of a lesson my dad taught me a long time ago. He always used to say that a good 80% of America is just really stupid. That means you have to be careful of the things you say. They don’t get nuance, they don’t get that all you did was butcher a joke aimed at the president, not the troops. Republicans realized this a long time ago and that is why you have to be careful. They are excellent at making huge issues out of smalls one to deflect from what really matters, and they come up with some really kick ass catch phrases that they like to hammer home. Americans love catch phrases and it’s a really safe bet to say that you gave them material for some great ones.
Besides even if you totally nailed the joke it wasn’t exactly a zinger. So please, just stop talking ‘til next Wednesday, America thanks you in advance.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
I think Mr. Kerry read your thoughts before you posted them. I heard on the news this AM that he is not campaigning for people anymore.
The worst part is that he is right. The president and his men are (and have been) conducting the war in Iraq like a bunch of retards. One could reasonably argue that at this point the best way to support the troops and their well being would be to not support the president.
As you know I could go on about Republicans, but you've already touched on some good points so I'll stop here.
Politics is a waste of time. It has nothing to do with you or I. It has nothing to do with people generally. It is just a ploy to make people think that they matter, when all that really matters is money and power. We, the people, don't really have any power since we can't contribute millions of dollars to campaigns like corporations. Therein lies the problem.....corporate America, and their special interests, run the show because money talks and Baha walks.
It is sad to think about this and realize it. I think all that are reading this blog are smart enough to know that what I say is true....but we are the minority. The majority of Americans believe that they matter....no matter what, you have to give it to the republicans because they whored their own beliefs out to get the votes of the ignorant (insert your favorite group here). I used to be a republican (I have no political affiliation anymore)...but the more I talk to lower and middle class republicans, I realize that the rich are just using them to gain power by using the themes that their simple minds can understand (i.e. military power, tax cuts, religion, etc.) The nuanced people understand that there is more to making America right than those three things...such as welfare reform, health care reform, etc. This ties back to the Kerry joke....the American majority will think that Kerry is calling the troops dumb and people that read and write will know that he screwed up a joke since he was tired from getting plastic surgery. Carville said that this won't hurt Democrats, but we will have to see. I think that this may not since all of these elections are local. That is my take on politics....enough of that....I am going to be in Philly this weekend. Let me know if you yahoos are going to AC at all.
well put Tony
If you have HBO, you need to watch the documentary they did about voting and voter fraud - I saw it last night, and I'm sure its on On Demand now. Makes you wonder if it's even worth voting at this point.
Tony pretty much summed everything that I was thinking and was going to say so I will just comment about something related.
I am SOOOOOOOOOOO sick of the political ads that are running 24/7. I will be so glad when November 8th comes around so that I don't have to watch them every commercial break.
I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY want TiVo.
i am pathetic in saying this, i admit it up front. my sources of news come from people, star mags and watching entertainment tonight.
i'm just a flake, a piece of fluff :)
honestly politics and the "real" news is all depressing and makes me mad ;)
m
Post a Comment