I don't buy the idea that Washington is broken....

[Wetzelbill]

Not the way it's being used anyway. My friend and I just got into an email battle back and forth, because he was saying Washington was broken etc etc, and blaming both Dems and Republicans for the whole mess this country is in. The economy, Iraq, health care, everything.

Now that is true, lots of blame to go around, but he was blaming everybody like they were all equally responsible. And whenever I hear people talk about how Congress or "Washington" is to blame, they tend to make it sound like it's everybody's fault.


But it's not.

It's mainly Bush and the Republican's fault. Look at the damage they did when they were in control. Look at the direction the country was going in when Clinton left office and Bush took over.

Now, definitely Dems rolled over and/or enabled Republicans plenty of times over the years, but, for the most part, it was just a few Dems here and there like Lieberman, for example, who caused the most damage.

I would say there is a definite wing of the Democratic Party that capitulates to the Right, but it's not a huge wing, it's more of a wing that has enough numbers that when combined with the Republicans creates enough votes to enable bad legislation.

Basically, like 90 percent of the Democratic Party is pretty solid on most issues. But virtually all of the Republican Party is trouble. Even the more "moderate" types like McCain is supposed to be vote with Bush almost all the time. Or Hagel too. They may differ on something that gets a high profile, but, for the most part, this Republican Party is the party of George W. Bush. They're radical on economics and foreign policy. Ignorant and hostile towards science. Childishly partisan. This Republican Party brought us Whitewater and other frivolous partisan investigations. They brought us the lie about how the Clintons destroyed the WH when they left, stole silverware, shit in cupboards etc.

It's ridiculous.

Yeah, both parties have problems, but it's not like everybody here is equally to blame.

That's the thing with guys like my friend, back when he was cheering Bush on, supporting all kinds of crazy shit, the Republicans were the greatest thing ever. Now that every single one of those policies have failed and our country is in serious trouble, all of a sudden, it's everybody's fault. That's not how it works. And the thing is, when I pointed it out to him, he said that I just hate Republicans and that I say outrageous things and I'm so bitter, because he wasn't bragging on Republicans, he was merely pointing out that Republicans are to blame for this mess... but Democrats are equally culpable. Then because of my supposed hatred he now was deciding he would vote and contribute money to Republicans now.

So, I told him that he must just want more of the same. More war. More recession. More hell, all the way down to the food he eats to the government that provides services to us all.

Because that's what he'll get if Republicans get another 4-8 years in the White House and/or in charge of Congress.

And then all of these people who support Republicans and want to piss and moan about how the world is falling around them, how their health care premiums are skyrocketing, and all this other BS can sit back and keep lamenting about how Washington is broken and something needs to change while they keep shooting themselves in the foot.

It's maddening.

[ixion]

1. The repubs, the dems and the corporate media

the rethugs drive the issue, the dems capitulate, and the corporate media enables by speaking as though it were actually logical and/or rational.

[originalpckelly]

2. I am writing something that will mathematically prove the system is broken...

and has had this flaw since its inception.

[madville]

3. Broken in a huge way

The federal government is out of control, been heading that way since it's creation. It is the nature of the beast, to grow and expand it's powers. We could have a more simple progressive tax system, a lot less pork attached to bills, less military spending, a healthcare system that cuts out the profit made from peoples' suffering, etc, etc, etc.

Washington is operating at about 10% of the effeciency that the people deserve and I feel like I am being generous with that number.

[Generic Brad]

4. I agree with you

It is the Republican party that is broken and they are hell bent on taking the rest of down with them.

[Rosemary2205]

5. That's Mittspeak for telling Congress and SCOTUS to go "F" themselves

You think Dick and Bush have gone renegade? Mitt has more than once more or less said that if he gets his grubby little hands on the keys to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave he's going to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants and the whole rest of the country can kiss off. HE knows it all (and ONLY he knows it all). Congress, SCOTUS, the American people, every other citizen on the planet can just bow before his magnanimous perfection and do what they are told.

the man is Jack the Ripper, the BFEE, and Freddy Kruger all rolled into one.

[stillcool]

6. A really good book....

that opened my eyes to what our government is all about is available for free download because of it's copyright expiration. "The Rich and the Super-Rich", by Ferdinand Lundberg http://www.soilandhealth.org/03sov/0303critic/0303socialcriticism.html

[JohnyCanuck]

7. Thanks for that link.

Looks like there is some interesting reading there.

[Fozzledick]

8. The problem isn't George Washington, it's George B*sh