My Response to a Psuedo-Deather

[theFrankFactor]

I appreciate your time invested in this debate.

Let me be succinct.

It is my opinion that the current situation in the private health and medical industry is not the result of government interference. It is also my opinion that the global collapse of the private financial industry is not the fault of Barney Frank, ACORN and over regulation of the industry by government.

The weight of the responsibility rests with the industries themselves. It is a popular belief among right wingers that the American government is evil, inherently and irretrievably, evil. I do not share this belief.

While we are clearly in the midst of a severely corrupted government, that corruption is largely the result of private industry manipulating weak willed government representatives as well as people buying in to the propaganda that the government is evil.

It is the foundation of my political belief that the American government can and should serve in just the opposite capacity. Where the public at large has at least some input in the operation of government, the public at large is not capable of defending itself against the powerful multinational conglomerates that have their hands around the throat of our nation.

The right is exhibiting an unbelievably obvious ignorance of who really has the power in this country. It is not the poor that are the source of our ills, it's not the poor and the working class that manipulate policy and engage in military adventurism.

I could spend my entire day refuting complete fabrications and outright lies that are sent around among right wing zealots. No one lifts a finger to read the actual text in the bill that creates "death panels". If they did they would find out that they've been duped. This whole wingnut freak out about "socialized medicine", killing the elderly, ushering in Communism by a Muslim terrorist sleeper cell is testimony (as if after eight years of Bush we need more) to the massive mental and social illness of the right.

While we may agree in part, I believe we split as to the trust placed in private industry versus the American government. Both are flawed but Adam smith was wrong as was Ayn Rand and Milton Friedman.

What we need is to be more active in government. We need to remove the tremendous influence of corporate money on public policy.

P.S. IS it possible for you to believe that the sate of the medical insurance industry is the fault of the medical insurance industry and the same for the financial industry or do you really believe that if only the governmet would leave them alone these problems wouldn't exist?

[Hello_Kitty]

1. It astonishes me how the Right attributes such massive power to the poor

While imagining that giant corporations are helpless lil' lambs.

[Dogmudgeon]

2. Outstanding stuff, Frank

It's terse, but not nasty; straightforward, and Rightists respond to that even when they don't understand it. I've never failed to be convincing with wingnuts when I've taken that approach. And your response is a model for anyone to use.

Not only will I be quoting this and forwarding it, I'll be using it as an exemplar for my own political writing.

Thanks!

--d!

[TheKentuckian]

3. There's that 5th rec

We simply must get serious as a heart attack with no coverage on dismantling Reaganism. It can't wait, it is our #1 mission. Until this happens we can't accomplish anything groundbreaking or even solve long term problems.

Trickle down

Tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy

Fair tax

The cult of ignorance

Southern strategy

Hate and disdain for the poor

Lack of value for work


All of this failed bullshit is still pretty much the prevailing "wisdom" and until that changes, American cannot move forward.

[theFrankFactor]

4. Thanks