In the Aesop fable, “The Ass and His Purchaser,” the moral of the story is that you are known by the company you keep, and it suggests that an adult is apt to be judged by their friends, associates, and heroes, but it does not mean they have to choose to be like them. It is related to another message in “The Farmer and the Stork” whose moral is “birds of a feather flock together,” and it is apropos to who one supports in the upcoming general election. The choice Americans make in November informs they either identify as associates of warmongers, racists, corrupt corporatists, and phony Christians, or as citizens of a country founded on equality and fairness.
At this late date in the campaign, it is unfathomable that any American would associate themselves with Republicans or Willard Romney. Romney promises to lead the GOP in cementing their reputation as enemies of the people and friends of corporations and the wealthy elite, and the idea that half of America yearns to cede government control to corruption and religion is beyond the pale. However, the past eleven years have proven that a large segment of the population is stupid enough to wildly cheer as their executioners lead them to the gallows, and defines the sad state of affairs America appears unlikely to escape.
There is no demographic that supports Romney that is not inexorably linked to their own destruction and unfortunately, to their family members, friends, and this country’s future. Republicans have panted to turn government over to corporations, religion, and the wealthy since their man-turned-god, Ronald Reagan, was president. For three-and-a-half years, Republicans actively and with malice aforethought worked to retard economic recovery and keep millions of Americans unemployed and hungry while they fought to increase entitlements to the wealthy, oil industry, and Israel. One hoped Republican supporters were not willing participants in inflicting damage to their fellow citizens and this country, but the 2010 midterm elections were proof positive that a majority of Americans thought so little of their countrymen and government, that they elected the most vindictive and incompetent representatives in the nation’s history.
What boggles the mind is the groups supporting Republicans and Romney know exactly what awaits them if they are victorious in November. Senior citizens who support Romney and Ryan know they intend on ending Medicare in its present form, and guarantee its insolvency by 2016. Veterans who support the current Republican ticket know the Veteran’s Health Administration faces steep cuts as Romney promotes giving them a coupon to buy private healthcare insurance as well as cutting their benefits. Women supporting Republicans are crying out for lower pay, discrimination, allowing Christian men to dictate their reproductive health, and to become birth machines producing cannon fodder for perpetual Middle East wars.
One might think that Romney supporters forgot the devastation their champions caused this country during the Bush presidency, but it is highly unlikely because it has only been two years since Republicans toured the nation promising their focus was creating jobs, jobs, jobs, only to begin the 112th Congress attacking women, women, women. Despite high unemployment and several jobs bills sitting idle on John Boehner’s desk, he led House Republicans on a campaign to ban contraception, drastically slash social safety nets, and strive to make America number one with the highest child poverty rate in the entire world. It must make Republican supporters proud that they are associated with harsh overlords influenced by religious fanatics and corporate cash. However, it is the number of Americans identifying with Willard Romney that associates them with racism, religious extremism, and corruption.
Willard Romney is a pathological liar with a business history steeped in corruption and fraud as he destroyed entire companies and consorted with the likes of disgraced junk bond king Michael Milken, his son Tagg’s Ponzi schemers, and foreign countries he contends are enemies of the state. Americans love a success story, but Romney’s support informs that they also love his un-American tactics that raided employees’ pensions, shipped jobs to China, and sent his ill-gained wealth offshore to avoid paying taxes. Romney’s supporters claim accusations of his malfeasance are historical, but how many corruption accusations does it take before intelligent human beings think, “where there’s smoke, there’s fire?” The only conclusion one can make is that a large segment of the population loves associating with liars, economic traitors, and tax evaders and still call themselves “real Americans.”
It is incredibly curious that so many Americans identify with a party of anti-government corporatists and corrupt businessmen and claim to be good Americans, and it is incomprehensible why they support a Republican candidate with a shadowy business record, hatred for at least 47% of the population, and fallaciously claims to be a Christian. For the record, Jesus Christ never condoned lying, restricting healthcare and food for the poor, children, and seniors, or advocated for war, and yet that is Romney’s appeal to Americans associated with the religious right.
It is troubling to portray Romney supporters as pathetic sycophants yearning for Dark Age social policy and government by theocratic plutocracy, but the alternative explanation is worse; racism. That is what this election is coming down to and it is the driving force behind Romney’s popularity and the ease at selling a Draconian corporatist agenda to the American people. Over six months ago during an interview with four retired middle class men, the question was posed; “do you really want a government controlled by corporations and religious extremists?” The spokesman’s reply was instantaneous; “We’d rather have a corporate theocracy than a n*gger in the White House,” as his compatriots nodded in agreement and patted him on the back. That one statement defines Romney supporters and a great portion of America, and it is this America that drives a large segment of the population to forfeit Medicare, contraception, and peace, and they willingly give up economic freedom to see a white man in the Oval Office; even a corrupt white man.
A large number of Americans are disappointing in their bigotry and willingness to see friends, family members, and neighbors suffer just to defeat an African American President. What is unacceptable though, is their inclination to associate with a false Christian, corrupt business man, and coward who will send their children to die in the Middle East to satisfy his allegiance to Bush warmongers and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. Based on their support for Romney, one can conclude that by association, a large number of Americans want corruption, lying, greed, and racism to define America, and it is another sign this country will never be exceptional until every American is afforded the same deference as the hallowed white man with a Cayman Island bank account, a bible, and wrapped in an Israeli flag.





buckeyewill
Oct. 21st, 2012 at 11:09 am
You get what you vote for……..
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Reynardine
Oct. 21st, 2012 at 11:16 am
Senator George McGovern passed away. Let us hope it’s not a case of, “Them as dies is the lucky ones”.
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Anne
Oct. 21st, 2012 at 11:28 am
Because those of us who are adamantly against the prospect of a Romney presidency know what it entails, I cannot feel sympathy for his supporters because we would suffer right along with them. I am sick and tired of ignorant people who willingly support folks like who have shown what would await them if he wins. His ruthless ambition, his insensitivity to the poor, his willingness to subvert women’s reproductive rights, his arrogance toward racial as well as religious minorities, and his willingness to enable cheating to win the WH have been on full display. Their hatred of this president is based on racism, ignorance of his policies which they label Marxism or Socialism, or a combination. They obviously failed to learn their lesson from the disastrous GW Bush administration, and they seem quite willing to be led like sheep because many of them think only white is right.
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Joy
Oct. 21st, 2012 at 12:03 pm
Amen!
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MurkyWaters
Oct. 21st, 2012 at 11:34 am
As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.Job 4:8
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Joy
Oct. 21st, 2012 at 11:54 am
Brilliant post!
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Eykis
Oct. 21st, 2012 at 11:57 am
Rmuse,
This is the BEST column ever. Thank you so much. You said EVERYTHING I’ve wanted to say for the past four years. Surely, Americans are smarter than the REPIGGERY OBSTRUCTIONIST TEAM OF EVANGELIBAGGERS & FASCISTS/RACISTS and will NOT put the LIAR in office. I am scared, and I do not like being scared. I am disappointed in Americans who vote against their own interests in the name of racism. Stupidity abounds.
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Reynardine
Oct. 21st, 2012 at 12:39 pm
Bear in mind, appeal to bigotry may not be enough to put them over the top, even with vote caging, machine rigging, and the rest of it, so all persons of good will learned in the law, out there, start studying up on faithless electors.
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angellight
Oct. 21st, 2012 at 2:05 pm
“I never saw a candidate so coddled by the media before in my life” Mitt Romney is a Fraud – CON MAN!
http://demu.gr/10021593124
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dusty
Oct. 21st, 2012 at 2:30 pm
good rant. but competing with the rw bubble and rw owned medias, combined with the lo info, lo educated, mostly south, this truth will never get to them.
in some sick way, i am almost hoping these clowns win, and blow the whole thing up. change wont happen without some sort of social meltdown…
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A Walkaway
Oct. 21st, 2012 at 4:04 pm
That’s the last thing I want to see.
Social meltdowns means suffering for innocent people. Usually the poor fare the worst in such events, and I’m tired of seeing good people suffer for the crimes of the wicked (Republicans/”Good Christians”/the Rich).
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Reynardine
Oct. 21st, 2012 at 4:21 pm
I second that. To wish such a thing on our hapless country is downright irresponsible.
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Barry Roope
Oct. 21st, 2012 at 4:52 pm
The writer of this post nailed it, every single word was spot on, no logical reason should Romney be even close in this election, the average thinking person should be able to see with ease the dishonest nature of Romney, by act, deeds and words. The man is a blatant and unrepentant liar of the likes, I don’t think, America has ever seen so close to becoming President, this man could damage America, more than could be repaired before our economy collaspes. Yet the racists have no problem, putting the future of their families lives in the hands of a pathological liar, with a White horse Theology from the Mormon religion motivating him to seek to be the most powerful man in the world. This man should cause worry in any thinking American, President Obama has proven what he is about, killing Bin Laden, saving car industry, preventing the next great depression, ending the war in Iraq, I mean come on, the man loves America, and shows it everyday, Inform yourself and you will see Obama is the best choice for President, Romney wants it too bad, Why? Some thing very shady about him.
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Shiva (Moderator)
Oct. 21st, 2012 at 5:40 pm
Rmuse is an exceptional writer
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FEDUP
Oct. 21st, 2012 at 6:07 pm
If Romney ever became POTUS he wood 1. Have his millions. 2. Have the power. 3. Become the Morman God on earth which they believe in and they have one in the Salt Lake Temple now. That GOD will be excommunicated for MITT and the position will be moved to the Washington DC. He believes he will become the most powerful being in the World. “THAT’S WHAT HE’S ABOUT”!
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Jonathan Burton
Oct. 21st, 2012 at 5:29 pm
Republican supporters voting for Wrongney and other GOPers need to practice what they preach.
Any GOP voter must be allowed to pay no taxes, since they do nt believe in the benefit of socialist public works and the public good.
In addition to paying no federal, state or local taxes they must:
1. Give up any and all benefits recieved for any reason by the government.
2. Be required to pay back any monies or benefits (including tax write offs) in previous years dating back to the last time they didn’t vote republican.
3. Be required to pay an individual tax for use of any and all forms of public infrastructure and systems.
4. They must pay out of pocket for police, fire and EMS services or any service that is provided by the government as a subsidy or free of charge.
5. Will not qualify for benefits recieved while working for a public institution. No retirement or other benefits for any reason by any local, state or federal entity. This includes the GI bill, VA benefits and any other benefits.
6. Will not be eligible for FEMA assistance, search and rescue or first aid and food assistance without first having a credit card or cash payment approved.
They don’t believe in the benefits of public good, and do not believe in paying taxes that benefit others, so they can try to survive without government “intruding” into their lives.
Let them bleed.
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Bob Boswell
Oct. 21st, 2012 at 6:50 pm
They are All, Just Blinded By The White..They’ll Vote for any Old Fool As Long as He’s White..
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E.K.
Oct. 22nd, 2012 at 2:10 am
Yes, you said everything I’ve been thinking. What the F**K is up with the American people to let this clown Mittens get this close? I’m very worried, I think one of the problems is people do not even have the capacity to see the truth…or to analyze what is being said to them. One newscaster, quite sincerely, when confronted by Romney’s lies said: “Isn’t that just making promises?” Like this is normal campaigning. I have a feeling something is terribly wrong here, something very fundamental, even worse than rascism…we are in trouble.
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stenc
Oct. 22nd, 2012 at 9:30 am
Very well written article. I am sorry to say that I can relate, as I have (former) friends and family members who have no problem watching people like Romney take everything we have worked for over the past three decades, as long as Obama is defeated.
I have said it before, and I’ll say it again, be careful what you wish for. People in 1930′s Germany made this type of mistake. Not equating Romney is Hitler, but the result could be just as bad.
“Based on their support for Romney, one can conclude that by association, a large number of Americans want corruption, lying, greed, and racism to define America, and it is another sign this country will never be exceptional until every American is afforded the same deference as the hallowed white man with a Cayman Island bank account, a bible, and wrapped in an Israeli flag.”
Sounds very much like the quote attributed to Sinclair Lewis, “When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross”.
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