Thoughts on the GOP platform and Rev Burns 'em in hell (that’s a joke )
The GOP Convention gave me a reason to read the 2016 Republican Platform which is the distillation of their rank and file’s world outlook along with their wish list, so it’s worth paying attention to. I had intended to report on it’s sketchy content. Instead, I found myself overwhelmed by their attitude, which needs to be considered before the content can make sense.
For someone like me, a liberty loving rationalist who’s into the scientific enlightenment, the one that rescued humanity from religious superstition, someone who believes in evidence-based constructive learning about each other and this Earth from which we were born and which we shall all die back into, it’s a horrific document.
What made it especially frightening is its absolute self-certainty, along with a disregard, if not hatred, for all who are outside of their religious/philosophical tribe. It reads like there’s no more room for reason with this new Republican crowd, it’s their way or else, consequences be damned.
Here’s how they start: “We believe in American exceptionalism. We believe the United States of America is unlike any other nation on earth." This sounds more like over-compensating barroom braggadocio than any sort of serious adult contemplation about our complicated world and USA’s place in it.
“Exceptionalism"? America certainly is unlike any other country in the world, but does that make us, its citizens, superior to all other peoples on our planet? Isn’t that totally counter to what our Declaration of Independence declares - “All men are created equal" and all of that.
A point most overlook is that it’s not we who made our country exceptional. It was the land and resource cornucopia our pioneering forebears found from sea to shining sea. The land and its opportunities made us an exceptional people! It was not the other way around! Yet, the GOP willfully ignores such physical and historical realities.
Finishing their mind-numbing preamble I had the distinct feeling of a people lost in some imaginary past and incapable of absorbing the profound changes in the greater world. Sure, we remain the world’s super power, but given all that has happened these past decades, running around proclaiming our “exceptionalism" seems childish, if not foolish.
The GOP’s Platform frames all our problems as someone else’s fault. Ironically, these are the same people who’ll scream “freedom" and self-defense" and “sanctity of life" yet holier-than-thou feel free barging into a defenseless woman’s life and forcing her to obey their demands regardless of her needs.
Then with flags waving, gleefully go off to distant lands to bomb out entire innocent neighborhoods, never once considering those lives and dreams destroyed by our bombs. Now the GOP puzzles over why we have ISIS, as they behave like rabid dogs falling all over themselves to blame Clinton and Obama for all of it.
It seems like they have a pathological aversion to recognizing their own mistakes and constructively learning from them - and god forbid communicating with or learning from an adversary. Thus we are doomed to repeating cycles of escalating disasters.
To me it seems neo-Republican’s are so frozen within their fear driven hateful echo-chamber that new information has no way of gaining access. Instead they double down on giving lip service to ancient tribal holy books and pretend cherry picked passages can guide us in these radically changing times.
Trump’s preacher Mark Burns put it this way during his convention invocation: “Lord, we're so thankful for the life of Donald Trump. We're thankful that you are guiding him - that we, together, can defeat the liberal Democratic Party, to keep us divided and not united, in Jesus' name - if you believe it, shout Amen!"
Later in an interview he confirms: “I was just doing what I've always done for Mr. Trump at his rallies. And that's just to rally the people and to declare to them that - not so much God is on our side, because God represents everybody for those who believe in him, but that - to remind the people, you know, we are a country under God, indivisible."
God represents everybody “for those who believe in him," and the rest of us can go to hell.
I’m still trying to figure out what: “to keep us divided and not united, in Jesus' name," is all about. What I do know is that Jesus was a great man and a wonderful guide and support to help many of us through our own trials and tribulations - but to think that he’s “God Almighty" and in charge of the solar system and our planet, that’s simply disconnected.
Preacher Burns own words convinced me, he and his flock are too full of themselves to have the slightest appreciation for the unknowable “God Almighty of Time and Creation, Life and Love" or he wouldn’t talk with such simplistic egomaniacal certitude. Their own Bible warns them in the book of Job, God is beyond human understanding! But do any take heed?
No doubt Burns and his fellow new age Republicans have a god they believe in passionately, but that’s their beloved personal affair, a figment of their communal imagination, rooted in primal human dreams and needs. As opposed to being rooted in the physical reality of our evolving living planet. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a beautiful thing, but it’s a personal truth, not a universal truth. Nor is it a guide to dealing with our challenging future.
Sadly, I and anyone else who holds these thoughtful views and who openly objects to their childish and oh so hubristic conceit of speaking on behalf of the God Almighty are perceived mortal enemies. It’s tragically counter-productive in an evolving world where more than ever we need each other to keep ourselves honest.
{I believe that's that for that one. :cheese: }
Always interested in thoughtful feedback or critique email - spell out CC at gmail.
For what its worth I think you got the gist of the platform so what you have said is correct. That being said, the platform makes absolutely no difference to 99.99% of all Americans including Republicans, must less anyone else. Why? History has show that once they have been nominated no candidate has never paid the least bit of attention to any platform and proceed with the message they fell can get them elected. So the platform of all political parties has proven to be a total non issue. So to say it simply, don’t even waste your time writing about it.
For what its worth I think you got the gist of the platform so what you have said is correct. That being said, the platform makes absolutely no difference to 99.99% of all Americans including Republicans, must less anyone else. Why? History has show that once they have been nominated no candidate has never paid the least bit of attention to any platform and proceed with the message they fell can get them elected. So the platform of all political parties has proven to be a total non issue. So to say it simply, don't even waste your time writing about it.
hmmmm,
So roll over and accept it?
Also I'm not sure party platforms can be dismissed that easily.
An incredible amount of effort has gone into each party's platform - they are revealing statements. Ignore at our own risk.
PS for more specific details check out
11 ways the Republican platform attacks the environment
By Ben Adler on Jul 19, 2016
http://grist.org/election-2016/11-ways-the-republican-platform-attacks-the-environment/
ELECTION 2016
50 Shockingly Extreme Right-Wing Proposals in the 2016 Republican Party Platform
What Trump, a GOP Congress and GOP-appointed Supreme Court would do to America.
By Steven Rosenfeld / AlterNet J
http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/50-shockingly-extreme-right-wing-proposals-2016-republican-party-platform
So the platform of all political parties has proven to be a total non issue. So to say it simply, don't even waste your time writing about it.
Ignoring this stuff is what got us Republicans amazing take over of local and state governments and redistricting shenanigans that will pay off for years.
It's like the tension filled family that never talks about their individual issues until someone goes ballistic - damage done, never repaired.
Red Dawn: The GOP's Growing Monopoly on State Government
Republicans have single-party control in 23 states. Arkansas and Iowa could be next.
PATRICK CALDWELLOCT. 14, 2014
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/10/gop-state-government-control
Republican governors: A winning machine
A relentless combination of big fundraising and recruiting just the right candidates transformed the Republican Governors Association into a political force.
By Kevin Robillard - 11/18/15
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/republican-governors-association-winning-streak-216000#ixzz4FFn4ykuM
One party system: What total Republican control of a state really means
By Herman Schwartz August 19, 2015
http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2015/08/19/one-party-system-what-total-republican-control-of-a-state-really-means/
https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/indusclient.php?id=Q01I know big deal, so the rationalists lose another round.
For what its worth I think you got the gist of the platform so what you have said is correct. That being said, the platform makes absolutely no difference to 99.99% of all Americans including Republicans, must less anyone else. Why? History has show that once they have been nominated no candidate has never paid the least bit of attention to any platform and proceed with the message they fell can get them elected. So the platform of all political parties has proven to be a total non issue. So to say it simply, don't even waste your time writing about it.
hmmmm,
So roll over and accept it?
Also I'm not sure party platforms can be dismissed that easily.
An incredible amount of effort has gone into each party's platform - they are revealing statements. Ignore at our own risk.
PS for more specific details check out
11 ways the Republican platform attacks the environment
By Ben Adler on Jul 19, 2016
http://grist.org/election-2016/11-ways-the-republican-platform-attacks-the-environment/
ELECTION 2016
50 Shockingly Extreme Right-Wing Proposals in the 2016 Republican Party Platform
What Trump, a GOP Congress and GOP-appointed Supreme Court would do to America.
By Steven Rosenfeld / AlterNet J
http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/50-shockingly-extreme-right-wing-proposals-2016-republican-party-platform
They're only shocking to sensible people. Right wingers lap it up.
Lois
For what its worth I think you got the gist of the platform so what you have said is correct. That being said, the platform makes absolutely no difference to 99.99% of all Americans including Republicans, must less anyone else. Why? History has show that once they have been nominated no candidate has never paid the least bit of attention to any platform and proceed with the message they fell can get them elected. So the platform of all political parties has proven to be a total non issue. So to say it simply, don't even waste your time writing about it.
Thanks for the feedback, it helped.
The GOP Convention gave me a reason to read the 2016 Republican Platform which is the distillation of their rank and file’s world outlook along with their wish list, so it’s worth paying attention to. I had intended to report on it’s sketchy content. Instead, I found myself overwhelmed by their attitude, which needs to be considered before the content can make sense.
I didn’t feel like bolding this up there - but I do want to highlight it.
...
Finishing the 2016 GOP Platform's mind-numbing preamble I had the distinct feeling of a people lost in some imaginary past and incapable of absorbing the profound changes in the greater world. Sure, we remain the world’s super power, but given all that has happened these past decades, running around proclaiming our “exceptionalism" seems childish, if not foolish.
The GOP’s Platform frames all our problems as someone else’s fault. Ironically, these are the same people who’ll scream “freedom" and self-defense" and “sanctity of life" yet holier-than-thou feel free barging into a defenseless woman’s life and forcing her to obey their demands regardless of her needs.
Then with flags waving, gleefully go off to distant lands to bomb out entire innocent neighborhoods, never once considering those lives and dreams destroyed by our bombs. Now the GOP puzzles over why we have ISIS, as they behave like rabid dogs falling all over themselves to blame Clinton and Obama for all of it.
It seems like they have a pathological aversion to recognizing their own mistakes and constructively learning from them - and god forbid communicating with or learning from an adversary. Thus we are doomed to repeating cycles of escalating disasters.
For what its worth I think you got the gist of the platform so what you have said is correct. That being said, the platform makes absolutely no difference to 99.99% of all Americans including Republicans, must less anyone else. Why? History has show that once they have been nominated no candidate has never paid the least bit of attention to any platform and proceed with the message they fell can get them elected. So the platform of all political parties has proven to be a total non issue. So to say it simply, don't even waste your time writing about it.
Too often they do. History has shown us that many "leaders" have trashed their country's constitutions and the best intentions of the people. Hitler did this. He was elected in a democratic process and he followed through on his election promises and many Germans backed him to the bitter end as he deliberately exterminated millions of people and ruined Germany and a large part of Europe in the process. The worst thing Americans can do is to vote for a candidate who has already promised to trash the Constitution in order to put his ideas into practice--and he has already managed to get half the voting public to back him in this pursuit.
Anyone who thinks the US Constitution will be able to protect us from such excesses is fooling him or herself. There is no magic in the US Constitution. It can be trashed as easily as any other constitution has been trashed throughout history. We risk having our American way of life ruined and we would likely never get it back. Too few Americans understand what a jewel we have in our Constitution, which has protected the rights of a whole population for 240 years, even as it became a world power, and only now faces a real threat to the American way of life that has served us well, despite the frustrations it may have caused some people at some time. Please, don't assume American rights are inviolate. Trump has already said he will defy the Constitution to put his ideas into place. There is no reason to think he would not follow through on his promises. Once that wall comes tumbling down, it will be impossible to put it back.
Lois
Here in 2023 here’s a great example of how the Republicans want to run our government.
MAGA Republicans dodge every effort of Democrats to enter evidence and witnesses.
Republicans TERRIFIED of WITNESSES That Would DESTROY Their Case
Sep 28, 2023
MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas reports on how Republicans continued to try and block Democrats from admitted evidence and calling witnesses in their sham impeachment hearing.
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