I was tempted to put this in the good section, but Cynicism: The GOP's Most Destructive Weapon is so partisan that I am sticking it here instead. There is a lot of truth in what he writes, but I can't put all the blame in one place, or believe that people have really given up that much hope. If people really had that little hope they wouldn't be so angry over what is happening. Then again why are people not angrier? Has cynicism really taken over our national psyche, and that is why nothing is really getting done. A firm belief that government won't help, and nothing an individual does makes any difference anyway. Hard questions, I hope that the answer is not a bad as Mr. Reich thinks it is.
Brian
I find Reich to be opinionated, but that's his job as a blogger. What I object to is the idea that the GOP's lip-service paid to cynicism is what is making us cynical. That's not even close to reality. I'm cynical because regardless of which clowns are running the show, we end up with wealthy corporations and a poorer population. I want my government to provide services, not entertainment. I'm cynical because we spent billions of dollars to bail out banks while millions of Americans still lost their homes. I'm cynical because I voted for a man who promised to end an unjust war, but who has spent his first term tirelessly backing military action. I'm cynical because our bi-partisan health care bill offers enormous benefits for insurance companies and little improvement for the people who can't access medical services. I'm cynical because "socialism" and "welfare" have become dirty words, but what we really need from our leadership is a stronger focus on the welfare of our society. I'm cynical because our government still touts consumerism as the answer to our fiscal problems, when every kid who's memorized her multiplication tables can demonstrate how unsustainable our wasteful lifestyles are. The GOP isn't responsible for my cynicism. They are only one of the failed experiments of American civilizations. I'm cynical because every one I know still believes that somehow our enigmatic American spirit will clean this mess up. We are too innovative and powerful and supremely awesome to fail. Just like Wall Street, I guess.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the new blog, Brian!
-Joe
thank you for feeling free to vent and for reading.
ReplyDeleteBrian