Republican Obstructionism: Tea Party Mentality
Stan Grimes
April 15, 2009
Perhaps I´ve been barking up the wrong tree when I choose various Republican politicians for the "GOOPER" award. Maybe, just maybe, I should be choosing various media outlets as the real culprits in this national right wing move to obstruct the critical choices our president must make.
When I say media I must clarify the idea. "American Chronicle" is a form of media, but as I refer to media I really am targeting the big gunners like CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and some of the more prominent talk-show hosts on television and radio. It seems that such right wing media talking heads as Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck, Shaun Hannity, Bill O´Riely, and many others, have become the front men for the Republican Party. Various national polls indicate the GOP is losing ground in popularity. There could be several reasons for this, and media influence cannot be excluded.
One very important reason is that long after the Democrats won the Whitehouse, the Republican party has become literally the party of "no." This hurts them in the sense that many moderate Republicans are leaning towards the progressive agenda proposed by President Obama. By saying no to proposals before they have even had a chance to read them has placed party leaders in a light that is very dim, at best. Instead, of rolling their sleeves up and trying to work with the president, they have made a conscious and deliberate decision to say "no." Obstructionism? Absolutely. Their party lost and they know it. Ideology is one thing but ignorance of the needs by this country´s citizens is quite another. President Obama won the election because the citizens of this marvelous country want to live a better life, the same life given to the prosperous members of the Republican groove machine.
We have a new popular president, new popular ideas, a new work ethic, and there is no time for the past behaviors of some of our friends on the other side of the aisle. Thus far, in my eyes, President Obama has done everything correctly and is attempting to keep his campaign promises. The very same promises that Americans overwhelmingly agree with and want to see implemented.
If Republicans and their media watchdogs would put all of their negative energy into positive ideas our country could once again lift our heads in the knowledge that we have an "entire" government watching our behinds. Stop with the stupid "tea bag" gatherings and protests. They mean absolutely nothing to the rest of the country. In fact, they show the minimal intelligence coming out of the right, very minimal.
Laughingly we often refer to Rodney King´s plea to his fellow citizens, "Can´t we all just get along?" But, is this not the mantra we should be following? Should we not be trying to make our nation a place where men/women are created equal? Or are we still a nation of "no?" Are we still a nation hiding behind its radical religious beliefs and our southern good ol´ boy mentality? Could it in fact be a time for change?
When I say media I must clarify the idea. "American Chronicle" is a form of media, but as I refer to media I really am targeting the big gunners like CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and some of the more prominent talk-show hosts on television and radio. It seems that such right wing media talking heads as Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck, Shaun Hannity, Bill O´Riely, and many others, have become the front men for the Republican Party. Various national polls indicate the GOP is losing ground in popularity. There could be several reasons for this, and media influence cannot be excluded.
One very important reason is that long after the Democrats won the Whitehouse, the Republican party has become literally the party of "no." This hurts them in the sense that many moderate Republicans are leaning towards the progressive agenda proposed by President Obama. By saying no to proposals before they have even had a chance to read them has placed party leaders in a light that is very dim, at best. Instead, of rolling their sleeves up and trying to work with the president, they have made a conscious and deliberate decision to say "no." Obstructionism? Absolutely. Their party lost and they know it. Ideology is one thing but ignorance of the needs by this country´s citizens is quite another. President Obama won the election because the citizens of this marvelous country want to live a better life, the same life given to the prosperous members of the Republican groove machine.
We have a new popular president, new popular ideas, a new work ethic, and there is no time for the past behaviors of some of our friends on the other side of the aisle. Thus far, in my eyes, President Obama has done everything correctly and is attempting to keep his campaign promises. The very same promises that Americans overwhelmingly agree with and want to see implemented.
If Republicans and their media watchdogs would put all of their negative energy into positive ideas our country could once again lift our heads in the knowledge that we have an "entire" government watching our behinds. Stop with the stupid "tea bag" gatherings and protests. They mean absolutely nothing to the rest of the country. In fact, they show the minimal intelligence coming out of the right, very minimal.
Laughingly we often refer to Rodney King´s plea to his fellow citizens, "Can´t we all just get along?" But, is this not the mantra we should be following? Should we not be trying to make our nation a place where men/women are created equal? Or are we still a nation of "no?" Are we still a nation hiding behind its radical religious beliefs and our southern good ol´ boy mentality? Could it in fact be a time for change?
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