By Keith C. Milne
*This is a re-edited version of the original post on March 18, 2021, and contains the original content (cleaned up) and new, updated content as of February 9, 2022.
All flavors and venues of news media keep reminding us, ad naseum, that Americans are politically divided, almost as if they want this to be true so they have constant fighting and chaos and things to keep reporting about! We all tune in to some venue to get our information. Have you asked yourself lately, if ever, what their agenda might be or who stands to profit from our political division?
I myself have had many random and not so random tense, politically charged interactions with others recently. Most people still seem willing to go the extra mile for others, but in reality, they will only do so for those who share their personal political ideology! Now that Covid-19 has heaped even more misery upon all of us, and added even more to the damage inflicted on America during the Trump era, I definitely see us as politically divided, but we are also politicizing every little thing, including what we buy, wear, drive, eat, and compute with, or whether we get vaccinated or not!
Left leaning folks don’t want to have much to do with so-called conservatives because they feel that the Trump administration has done so much harm to people, the environment, and our democracy, and they cannot understand how anyone can, or ever could support, Donald J. Trump.
Right leaning folks seem to filter their communications an equal amount, and also appear to find it exceedingly more important to know, first, if they are dealing with a “liberal” before investing too much time or effort into any communication whatsoever with an identified liberal, even when doing so might lead to a greater understanding of one another.
If you’re a moderate independent like me, but are mistaken for a far left liberal because you own or wear one of the “symbols” or social cues of liberalism, like driving a Prius, having a northeast license plate, or failing any of the number of other political “pre-checks” these folks have come up with, like accidentally saying something bad about the biggest liar on the planet, Donald J. Trump, then I’m certain you also experienced the indignant walk away with their head shaking from side to side, mumbling derogatory remarks, or the person just shuts down completely all the while maintaining a Mona Lisa smile, which is kind of creepy if you haven’t had the pleasure yet.
Anytime we are ready to, we can choose to stop looking at one another as either republicans or democrats, and instead choose to see one another as fellow human beings who have far more in common than our differences. We all put up with the stresses of life, pay most of our money out to offset bills, and have the same fears, dreams, desires, and fantasies as everyone else.
Forty years ago, no one ever thought too much about what their friend’s political affiliation was. Yes, politics were discussed and argued about a lot just as they are now, but as a rule, for the most part, you never really knew or thought about it much. It just wasn’t that important. I never remember people constantly discussing politics or checking to see which side of the aisle people resided on before giving them the time of day.
Where has this divide gotten any of us? Nowhere good. It is obvious to me that the old adage, “divide and conquer” is not only a truth, but is alive and well in the 21st century in America.
The two main political parties have been endlessly arguing, accusing, blaming and, in the case of the republicans, obstructing over the last 35 or 40 years. The result has been that we all, collectively, have less freedoms and have never been more conquered since the founding of this nation–unless of course you want to buy a handgun or AR-15 assault rifle!
America’s infrastructure is dangerously run down. Americans are angry about everything. Can you blame us after four plus years of Trump’s hate filled rhetoric and lies!? Many people are sick, and an unbelievable amount of Americans have died from COVID-19. Those who are still standing, are exhausted and politically shell-shocked! I know I’m one of them!
Meanwhile, vast wealth, the most concentrated wealth in the history of mankind has been stockpiled in the vaults of those mainly in the top 1% of the who-holds-the-most-money-pyramid-club. I have recently wondered if democracy under capitalism can ultimately survive. It is truly harsh!
I have been witnessing this tug-of-war since my childhood, and here are just a handful of observations that I have witnessed or experienced. I will warn the reader that I am going to really deliver a fist and a middle finger to republicans here because you bastards have done so much damage during the years that I have tried to enjoy being a lucky American, that I cannot let it go any longer.
First, republicans at a fundamental level seem to be the party of NO, unless of course you might be proposing giving them a tax break. They consistently oppose or vote NO on everything good for ordinary people, while making it harder for people to vote, and accuse the other side of exactly what they themselves are doing or not doing, and seem to only favor policies that will make life harder for everyday people—especially people of color—and life easier for anyone powder white and self-describing as a Christian.
Republicans always put businesses over people, profit over people, and want to have power over people. They want to enjoy themselves at your expense while blaming democrats for anything they are responsible for that exposes their misdeeds unfavorably.
Republicans often appear to see themselves as part of a very special group favored by God, giving them special privileges like the power to judge others. However, they are the epitome of hypocrisy, and they know it, and seem too have become largely comfortable living lives filled with lies.
Republicans cannot really talk their way out of anything, but like to think they can! They will try to lie their way out of their own, self-made jams like Senator Matt Gaetz, R-Fl, about sexual misconduct, or Donald Trump about whether or not he had anything to do with the January 6, 2021 Capital insurrection, or anything else they might need to, and deny the truth, no matter how many facts there are to support the contrary. In addition, I have noticed that they quite often sport a whole goody bag of memorized quick comebacks for anyone who might challenge them about something, especially controversial political somethings.
Republicans are often smug as hell, smarmy, full-of-themselves-arrogant-cusses who think they are better than everyone else. They pick on minorities with their foul mouths at will, and think they are being special and clever and humorous with their buddies while golfing, telling their sick jokes at other peoples expense, while angrily performing fellatio on their illegal Cuban cigars.
Republicans will screw you against your will, deny they ever did it, and when the evidence is overwhelming to the contrary, they will claim that it was consensual or that you asked for it. They will have you clean their toilets, mow their lawns, cook their meals, do their laundry, and wipe their butt. If the money runs out, or if anything untoward arises out of your servitude to them, they will flush you, bury you, bowl you over legally, and then deny your very existence.
Some of the actions and inactions by powerful republicans inflict so much harm on minority groups or the planet, that the only conclusion one can rationally come to is that many, powerful republicans are self-entitled evil monsters who think everyone owes them, that the world is their personal playground, and that all people of any color or significant departure from snow white, are not as smart or capable as them and, therefore can and should be exploited or utilized in some way. After all, that is the intended way of nature and the will of God they’ll tell you. They don’t give a damn who they step on, screw over, or ruin, as long as they get theirs. And, yes, they are also the ones who ruin the natural landscape by throwing their stinking beer cans out of the window or while hiking on a nature trail.
I have seen over and over again how they run for office on their little lame catch phrase of “family values,” and act all holier then thou, and end up later getting accused of sexual misconduct. And, this isn’t just with the republican politicians, this is with a majority of their voting “base” as well, their so-called ex-vets, police officers in some cases, and trusted church leaders, who are often evangelical witch doctors who frame everything in terms of good and evil with the white, church going, and republican voting folks painted as angelic “sinners” and all others painted as lessor people whom God has provided to mankind to be used as employees, sources of income, sex toys, or other exploitative, non-consensual, utilitarian ways that benefit the wealthy, mostly white people of America.
What’s even worse, they teach their young to also see the world through those same white-washed lenses so that they also come to see and know the same natural order of things in America, the same vision of total dominance over the universe, with themselves at the top, and all other, “lessors,” cascading down the slopes of increasingly dark colored imperfection (in their eyes only).
When republicans are lucky enough, and skilled at lying enough, to be elected into higher political office or the Presidency, they always RUIN the country. They deficit spend even more than what they like to always accuse democrats of spending and, and instead of spending money on infrastructure or things that will help the people, they give themselves and their rich buddies and corporations tax breaks, even when it means more debt for the future generations of this country! It’s one thing to spend like that during a pandemic to rekindle the economy, it’s another entirely to do it just to give tax breaks to the already super wealthy.
Eventually, some of these idiots get replaced (Thank the powers that be) and the next, democratic President has to spend all of their time mopping up the mess. Recently, this happened after two terms of President Bush, when Obama had to mop up his near depression level sinking of the economy, and now with President Biden having to spend trillions to fight off the pandemic, and fix a whole host of damage done by Trump, while all Trump did was give away billions of dollars in tax breaks for himself and his rich buddies, and calling everyone on the left a “liberal terrorist.”
I am now in my sixties, and I’ve seen a lot of Presidents come and go over the decades. At this point in my life my take on all of it can be really reduced to two basic tenets that still hold as true today as they did when I was four years old:
- Democrats are for everyday working people and will pass legislation that will help you have a better life, PERIOD.
- Republicans are for the rich people, businesses, and corporations, and will pass legislation that will benefit those groups FIRST before those who work for them, PERIOD. Please keep those two things in mind when you go to vote.
Are you rich? No? Then vote Democratic!
However, if you are wealthy, please consider also voting Democratic also. Higher taxation will be a super simple way to indirectly fund programs that benefit the masses, while also giving your charity the most benefit from your contribution without having to spend any time at all figuring out how to do something similar on your own. Think about that!
Isn’t it enough that you are wealthier than almost everyone else around you even in this great country? Give more, and embrace higher taxes on those as fortunate as yourself. There is plenty for all. And, you have enough already, and then some, and then some more, and then even more on top of that! Let’s be real about it!
Having so much wealth concentrated and held privately while millions of other human beings needlessly do without so many things that would improve their lives, and that could easily be funded by people like you (and you know who you are), but are never funded, is unconscionable! This is especially true when a simple, small tax increase, or generous, targeted donations big enough to fund improvement projects to make life better for millions of people would be such a small thing against the vast wealth that would still continue to grow and build despite the increase in taxation on this upper echelon. So stop looking at tax increases as the end of the world, and show some gratitude that you are in that economically elite group to begin with! There is a lot of pain in this country that you could mitigate. Where is your humanity and patriotism!?
Whether or not you consider yourself a democrat or republican (or a martian), I hope you will not ever simply vote for party over country. That practice is how Trump became President. Please get your information from an unbiased source! Too many of you folks are getting your information from only one source, and there are several very popular ones that are known to spread lies, mis-information, and conspiracy theories, such as FaceBook, Fox News, NewsMax and the like. I urge you to try news and nothing but the unembellished truth by watching PBS Newshour instead of Fox, MSNBC, or even more mainstream ABC for a different perspective.
Not doing so EVER is so mindless and irresponsible, it makes me sick! Again, you republicans like your party name to be synonymous with patriotism, but you wimp out when it counts, like standing up to the biggest and most frequent, and evil liar in the history of this country, Donald Trump. To support his lies, to disenfranchise voters over his lies, to let him off twice during impeachment when his guilt was so obvious is despicable!
To not join with democrats at this delicate time in our history to right so many wrongs and join with democrats in voting for issues that you can clearly see are 75 to 90% favored by all voters, like gun law restrictions, is just stupid, and so disgustingly partisan. Nothing but more of the same with you guys, the party of sloth, greed, separatism, elitism, hate, racism, and violence against women and minorities.
No! It’s what you guys always say, just because the democrats, “the other side” are in favor of what ever the issue is. Automatic no, while making a bunch of mis-information up, like saying that the Biden administration “created this crisis,” as Senator Ted Cruz (R) Texas said yesterday about all of the kids showing up at our southern border. Cancun Ted. Lotta nerve buddy. Lotta nerve. You evangelical LIAR!
Lindsey Graham, R-SC, knowing what a hot bed issue gun violence is right now after another bunch of mass shootings in our country, goes on national television saying that he needs his AR-15 assault rifle to keep the gangs away, adding that the gangs will not bother him because they know he has AR-15’s! Then the news clip next shows a video of him at the indoor range firing his precious weapon, even after a third mass shooting in a single week was fresh in everyones mind! Shows just how scared the little weasel is.
Please consider changing your voter designation to unenrolled or Independent so that you will always have the latitude to vote for the right person, whether they call themselves republican or democrat, then make sure you are voting for what they have already verifiably accomplished that has prepared them to professionally take over the job they are running for. Make sure they are really qualified, not just saying that they are. Do a little work for a change. Take some responsibility. Fact check what they are saying.
There is a reason that the republican party appeals to both the wealthy (preserves the status-quo and their wealth), and the poor alike: it is all the rhetoric about less government, lower taxes, “family values,” and the preservation of the right to stockpile AR-15’s! Gotta love it! Trouble is, that’s also inaccurate.
The republican party is the party of big government, while they tout just the opposite and, just like with Donald Trump, they expect you to believe what they say, without even fact checking them. They are counting on it. It was the republican party that enacted the Patriot Act (think wire tapping and secretly investigating people without having to obtain a warrant), and the Department of Homeland Security, (all kinds of spying on us without us seeing or necessarily knowing that they are doing so). They are the party of the largest increases in the defense budget over time as well. Billons and billons of dollars on weapons of mass destruction. And they have the audacity of accusing the democrats of being the party of tax and spend, when it is they who have been everything they have accused the democrats of over time.
You republican leaders, especially you Ron Johnson, and you, Lindsay Graham, Jim Jordan, Marjorie Green, Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Kevin McCarthy, and any other republican senators that have downplayed the January 6, 2021 sedition against the United States or flip-flopped about it: I hope that you all get replaced by decent, loving, caring human beings who will actually try and put their constituents first ALWAYS, and will actually stand up and fight for what is right! Unlike you spineless wimps who look the other way and never make eye contact because you’re scared inside all the time knowing how much you screw other people over. Far right Republicans! You only make up new lies to explain the old lies, while pointing the finger at the democrats in a pathetic attempt to distract and deflect attention, just like always.
You were not elected by ordinary people to get paid a lot of tax payer money to go to Washington D.C. and do nothing to make their lives better, while quite often making it worse by enacting legislation that favors the wealthy, or by saying No! to everything else. How dare you! When you engage in those petty battles, we know what you’re really doing—obstructing real, positive change for ordinary people in order to favor big money and big business and your own greedy self interests!
Unfortunately for all of us, it is in the interest of big business to keep all of us arguing so they can keep us toiling for tidbits, and paying them for everything we need to live in life, while we remain loyal to our failed party and totally distracted about the real cause of our condition, or a clue as to how to get out of this situation.
Don’t think so?
Look how much Facebook allowed extreme disinformation on their platform over the last two elections! Controversy drives traffic to Facebook. Facebook then takes all of the aggregate information based on all the user activity and sells that marketing information to the highest bidder. But, let’s not kid ourselves anymore about this situation. The Divided States of America can no longer withstand this loose end, and then expect to remain strong enough to thwart all enemies for the long haul if the division that has risen up in the last 6 years continues growing unabated in the United States. It cannot.
I am so ashamed that I called myself a Republican for the first twenty years of my voting life! I was much less educated and wanted to associate myself with the party of money and rich people. And, I totally bought into that whole “less government” routine republicans always try to bedazzle voters with. It’s all a lie. Completely. Without realizing that by voting republican because I wanted to identify with rich people, I totally became a part of the problem.
I finally found a way and made the choice to become University educated as an older adult. What an awakening that was, especially about the history of capitalism. Ugly stuff there. Protestant work ethic, Darwinian survival of the fittest . . . wanting families to pump out babies so the capitalists would be assured a future work force . . . Republicans trying hard to eliminate the labor unions under Ronald Reagan . . .
REPUBLICANS: It was under Reagan that working people began to have to pee in a cup to prove they didn’t ingest cannabis. Asset forfeiture laws-lose all your assets over a couple of marijuana plants was the way in Virginia back in the 1980’s under Reagan . . . I know because I lived through it!
REPUBLICANS: The Stock market went down into the basement and stayed flat for nearly 8 years–George Bush after starting a war in Iraq . . .
REPUBLICANS: Obstructed virtually everything good Obama tried to do for ordinary people for almost 8 straight years from 2008-2016 . . .
REPUBLICANS: Let Donald Trump walk away from two impeachments by the house, and get off without government penalty for the January 6, 2021 insurrection and sedition against the United States of America,
REPUBLICANS: Impeached President Bill Clinton for lying about his affair with intern Monica Lewinski under oath. In other words, they impeached Clinton for receiving fellatio, but let Trump walk away from colluding with Russia, Lying under oath, strong arming the Ukraine for dirt on Hunter Biden, trying to steal the election with lies that are still destroying this country as I write this, and from the worst criminal behavior I have ever seen in my life from a sitting President of the United States of America.
As I write this, the republicans are once again trying to do everything they can to now obstruct President Biden who is working his tail off trying to right the sinking ship again, just like his former boss had to do following George Bush’s presidency!
Republicans have lost their way entirely and now pose a grave threat to America and our democracy in their quest to make America somehow transform itself, one gerrymandered county at a time, back to a former Father Knows Best, Donna Reed, or Pleasantville America.
Since President Biden has taken office, just as they did when former president Obama was in office, the republicans have almost unified to the point of becoming a single obstructive bowel movement for America. They are, once again, voting against expanded child care for families, against no cost community college education in order to make America more competitive into the future, against funding for climate initiatives, voting against limits on carbon emissions or any type of carbon abatement, and vowing to obstruct any type of government sponsored healthcare whatsoever.
If that isn’t enough, they are also trying in earnest to reframe the treasonous events of the January 6, 2021 insurrection, and are now even attempting to shove it down our throats that what happened wasn’t an insurrection against the United States of America and an attempt to overthrow the peaceful transfer of power to the next Presidential administration, rather, it was only “legitimate political discourse” that we all witnessed on that day!
Further, as quietly as they’ve been able to, since Trump lost the last election, republicans in over twenty Trump heartland states have done everything possible legislatively, logistically, and physically, to ensure that the fewest possible number of people who would, in their proper opinion, likely vote for the liberal candidate, and now will find doing so more difficult than it’s been for at least 50 years! There you go! That’s the republican party I’ve grown to know and hate! If you can’t get the votes you need fairly, then by all means, cheat away! If anyone says anything about it, just say it’s not true, that you’re being treated very unfairly, and that the media is out to get you and the “whole thing is just a hoax and a big witch hunt.”
Good luck with all of that bad Karma!