Can I kick it? No, you can't.

Unity

I was driving around the other day, and I look at cars, and the things people slap onto their bumpers, and I started thinking about where we are. As for me, I put nothing on my car, not even my favorite radio station, because I guess I really don't care if anyone knows my opinion about anything. Why would you want people to know that you've been to Rock City, love Jesus, or wake up with Wally on the Big 96?

Side note: My recent favorite is the one that reads, "In event of the Rapture, vehicle will be unmanned." Arrogant to be sure, and obviously leaving your SUV free to plow into a day care center. Good luck getting into heaven with that on your record, you righteous twat.

We're a year past the election, and I still see "W" stickers on people's cars, and I suppose that's just a "My guy won! I'm a winner, too!" I also see the Kerry/Edwards stickers, which I suppose indicate the "I lost, but I'm no loser" sentiment. I can't really speak to that, at least without coughing up blood.

I don't remember seeing so many political stickers on cars so long after an election as I see now. I started thinking about what that might mean. I added that in with the "God Bless America" and "Support Our Troops" magnets, and it really crystallized what has happened here over the past five years.

It is no secret that the US is horribly divided at this point in time. I mean, the rift is huge. There is so little middle ground, it makes it very easy to dismiss a great deal out of hand, and it provides little room for anything to get done. I think of what this administration has accomplished in terms of sowing hate between people of different classes, races, faiths, economic levels, you name it, and it is such a complete job that it could only have been done on purpose.

There is no meaningful political discourse in this country anymore. One side spins something, the other side yells about the lies being told, and back and forth it goes. It's pointless, and boring. I guess if Bush was my guy, I might feel smug and validated, but certainly some supporters must be appalled by the cost, monetarily, in blood, and just in terms of the toxic political landscape we suffer under. No one has any credibility, only power, but I suppose that's the only thing that matters.

I mean, I am trying to understand what the administration is trying to accomplish, and I can't see the point, unless they are just trying to take as much as they can for themselves and their cronies, the future be damned. I honestly can't understand what other goal they could have in mind, and it's doubly beautiful couched in a religious moralism.

"God gave me two hands so that I could take as much as I could with both of them!"

The Democrats have nothing to offer either, and no one knows that better than I do. All I can say in their defense is that:

They don't think science is a passing fad.
Education and knowledge are considered valuable, not a detriment.
Faith is valued, but it is personal and not to be imposed on others.
Democrats don't appear to be hellbent on destroying the environment. It may yet happen on their watch, but I don't believe it will be with forethought and malice.
I don't think they would consider cutting 50 billion dollars from food stamps and other programs for the poor as the GOP voted to do this week, all while offering another $70 billion tax cut for the wealthy.

Those things are enough to tilt me in that general direction. The entirely divisive manner in which things are being run is all the more ironic since George ran on a platform to be a uniter, not a divider. That, and the "compassionate conservative" bit are just stomach-turning when you realize where we are now.

Divide and conquer is not just the wisdom of Sun-Tzu. It is business as usual for the people running the country. And do not kid yourself, if you are not a millionaire, you are on the wrong team, and should hold no hope of any improvement in your situation.

Saturday, November 19, 2005