Monday, September 27, 2004

What is Wrong with the Republican Party

* rant warning

With a title like that from a guy like me, you could expect and all-day rant. Of course, much to the chagrin of those that agreed with me today, tomorrow I could be on a rant regarding the corruption of the Democratic Party. Man, I hate it when Christians get into bed with a political party.

As a political junkie that hates the state of present day political partisanship (just like someone who loves rock and roll but hates the state of Clear Channel's desecration of the holy temple of radio), I must say that I am close to giving up (as soon as I write this book I want to write about Christians in politics that I cannot tell you about because you may tell someone else and they may write it and then I see another book at a bookstore and say, "crap, I wanted to write that.") and probably will after November 2 (I am resigned to the fact that the death star will once again destroy everything in its path- where is Luke Skywalker when we need him?).

Much of my problem is with the propaganda each side is expressing with the help of the media (yes, the media helps the right as much as- if not more than- it helps the left- if you cannot see it you should take off your partisan spectacles), 527s and idiot followers (sorry- I do love the new Green Day CD though). Although the Right and W are much more adept at this thing, with the full suport of the Christian Right.

Anyway, I speak of all of this because I read this great article a few weeks ago by Garrison Keillor regarding the Republican Party and how different it is from the party of Lincoln, Ike, even Goldwater and Nixon (who would be moderates in the present climate and actually cared for the poor). This analysis is not alone.

Great books such as Where the Right Went Wrong: How Neoconservatives Subverted the Reagan Revolution and Hijacked the Bush Presidency by Patrick J. Buchanan (yes I read him and think he has some good things to say about America- not withstanding his views on immigration, race and culture- he knows the new Republican party is not a healthy beast), What's the Matter with Kansas?: How Conservatives Won the Heart of America by Thomas Frank, and Made In Texas: George W. Bush and the Southern Takeover of American Politics by Michael Lind also tell the story of the change in the Republican party since 1994 that is tearing this nation apart. Scarily, Christians have went right along with the Party and had no prophetic voice within it. As long as they can use it for their agenda, they do not mind being used by the machine for its agenda.

Makes me want to start a 3rd and 4th major party (which is what we need in America) or just give up and move to a commune and separate myself completely from this 1st Commandment breaking American form of Christianity that subverts the Gospel for power, prestige, patriotism and consumerism (I could go on but the rant has lasted long enough). I just wish the Amish had better fashion sense and liked television.

Thank the Lord for Baseball.

4 comments:

g13 said...

wow. that keillor article was everything you said and more.

where is twain? i think he just wrote that column.

g13 said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DJ Word said...

You really need to evaluate yourself if you cause Keillor to be that angry. I mean he never rants.

W. you need to look in the mirror and read something from the other side.

DLW said...

Hi from the Anti-Manicheist.

I agree that political elections are often sickening due to the extent parties/candidates manipulate voters, pulling away from issues. I think this is a rational response to how the paucity of habits of political deliberation among voters makes them unwilling to invest the time to understand the issues well and easier to manipulate.

My problem with the religious right isn't that they want to make political changes based on their faith, but often with their political strategies, which I think stem from how their leaders are able to benefit personally by delivering their uncritical flocks regularly.

I think you'd like reading about Paretian Sociology, which delves into the extent of how voters' associations are manipulated by politicians.
dlw