Lifting the Fog around the Fraud

In what could become a particularly powerful conversation for conservatives (tea) challenging the Republican establishment (acronyms) in upcoming primaries, a potent distinction is beginning to solidify in the wake of the recent tea party in Nashville and last week's CPAC in DC.

Glenn Greenwald's outstanding The GOP's "small government" tea party fraud masterfully captures what I have been trying to articulate for several weeks, the fracturing of the Republican party into different groups not remotely as aligned as suggested by a lie that has been perpetrated for decades. Through deception, misrepresentation, and outright lies, the Republican party has successfully duped certain groups into thinking it is something it is not. Perhaps the greatest of these lies is the notion that GOP leadership stands for limited government and responsible spending.

No they don't. In the reality of governance, Reagan/Bush I and Bush II with Republican support produced the greatest government expansions/deficits in US history. For decades, routine operating procedure for Republicans is massive expansion while in power and then foaming at the mouth about the deficits and over sized government after losing it.

Did they howl about the deficit in the 1980s or 2000-2008? Are you kidding? Cheney captured the sentiments perfectly, "Reagan showed us that deficits don't matter."

Part of what's happening now, and tea will agree, is that some actually do stand for limited government and fiscal discipline. After the 1980-1992 deficit orgy, independent thinking Ross Perot wasn't shy about the Reagan/Bush $4+ trillion dollar debt. More recently, but for years, Ron Paul has voiced these sentiments, but he is not exactly tea, explaining why this can get confusing.

This blog has lately been schizophrenic about "the conservatives." At one point, they seem intelligent and true to their values (Paul). Then they occur as blithering idiots (Palin, Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity). Then they occur as easily manipulated bitches (the sex obsessed theocrats). Time has a way, and matters may indeed be starting to clear up. A fog is lifting, and the distinction "GOP establishment" is emerging.

The final paragraph of the Greenwald piece:
But that GOP limited government rhetoric is simply never matched by that Party's conduct, especially when they wield power.  The very idea that a political party dominated by neocons, warmongers, surveillance fetishists, and privacy-hating social conservatives will be a party of "limited government" is absurd on its face.  There literally is no myth more transparent than the Republican Party's claim to believe in restrained government power.  For that reason, it's only a matter of time before the fundamental incompatibility of the "tea party movement" and the political party cynically exploiting it is exposed.

A very small sample of the 573 comments posted at the article:

As a Ron Paul supporter, I can tell you that the aftermath of the CPAC straw poll was both predictable and hilarious. Immediately the Republican establishment mouthpieces were telling us how worthless the poll is, and how meaningless it is. One wonders if that would have been the response had Sarah Palin won...me thinks not. Ron Paul supporters are under no illusions about the current Republican party, and realize that they hope to use us and make us believe that they have changed. We know better.

Most establishment Republicans just don't understand that you can't be fiscally responsible domestically, whatever they think that means, when you are trying to rule the world by spending trillions overseas. War always leads to tyranny at home.

The upcoming political season will be entertaining. To watch the Republicans, who think they are going to fold the Ron Paul supporters in as loyal subjects, start kicking and screaming when they realize that we are going to be fighting for actual change...or we won't vote for them...period.

This has been the Republican strategy for winning elections for some time now. Run up huge deficits, refuse to pay for them, let the democrats win for a term, and then campaign on the fact that the democrats are spending too much and can't get deficits under control. In effect, they have gotten what they wanted--state budget crises that are so severe that they force the elimination of much discretionary spending. Then they can use their pretend libertarianism to defeat the democrats. And it works every time. It's a wonder they aren't exposed as the frauds they are.

I hope the co-option of the tea party movement is unsuccessful. Libertarians and progressives need to make certain they do not fall into line, in any way with either major party. There is nothing small government about Republicans and there is nothing progressive about the Democratic party. I think this is a chance for actual progressives to reach people they ordinarily could not. That is because Libertarians will not take on the economic nightmare that ordinary people face. But progressives will.

As an unnamed Bush official told reporter Ron Suskind, "We're an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality. And while you're studying that reality--judiciously, as you will--we'll act again, creating other new realities, which you can study too, and that's how things will sort out. We're history's actors...and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do." For those who didn't like it, another Bush adviser explained, "Let me clue you in. We don't care. You see, you're outnumbered two to one by folks in the big, wide middle of America, busy working people who don't read the New York Times or Washington Post or the LA Times."

What will it take for the people who really do believe in limited govt to realize that they are being used and abused? Are they really this stupid or do they just not care?

I agree about the GOP's gross hypocrisy about being for "small government" while inflating it as far as possible in practice. The claim to be "fiscal conservatives" falls under the same umbrella: it's basically just politically-driven lying, smoke and mirrors to get people to vote for big business and war without quite realizing it.

During the Bush years, when it came to invading Iraq, torturing people, military commissions, due-process-free detentions, endless expansion of the military, air-bombing villages in Afghanistan, and warrantless eavesdropping on American citizens, who was worse "nuts" and "loons" -- Ron Paul (who vehemently opposed all that) or those who enabled and supported it?

Extraordinary Films You Probably Haven't Seen

The Edukators
Hans Weingartner's masterpiece about three rebel oriented youth who break into mansions to scare the rich. They don't steal anything, but they rearrange furniture and toss expensive art into the toilet, leaving a note warning, "your days of plenty are numbered." Events take a dramatic turn when wealthy businessman Hardenberg returns home early to find them, one of whom he recognizes, so they kidnap him, sort of. Burghart Klaußner's performance as Hardenberg makes the film an unforgettable gem.

The Tunnel
Loosely based on the true of story of the 1961 tunnel dug under the Berlin wall by Hasso Herschel. What starts as an effort by four people to rescue five or six expands to a project involving dozens all seeking to rescue loved ones trapped in East Berlin after the wall was built. The story offers a pulse raising nail biter as the GDR State Security (Stasi) race to learn the details and thwart the effort before the tunnel can be finished.

Winged Migration
A stunningly brilliant documentary where filming took over four years and occurred on all seven continents. They used in-flight cameras to obtain aerial footage that has the viewer flying alongside birds of successive species. In the context of all this migration, it is painful to watch when some birds end up in the wrong place at the wrong time and the shotguns start.

Y tu mamá también
Luisa gives the film its poignancy and power. Julio and Tenoch are the "bestest" of friends who take Luisa on a road trip while their girlfriends vacation in Italy. On the road, Julio confesses he had sex with Tenoch's girlfriend. Screaming and fighting ensue. The next day, Tenoch admits he had sex with Julio's girlfriend. Screaming and fighting ensue. The sex in this film is realistic and hilarious. At the bar scene near the end, alcohol fueled confessions inform us that just about everyone has had sex with just about everyone, thus the title of the film, “And your mama, too!” A great film for Republicans.

God Grew Tired of Us
Based upon John Bul Dau's hard hitting memoir as one of the lost boys of Sudan, this deeply powerful documentary shows Africans from Sudan who emigrate to the United States and struggle with their efforts to integrate into American society. Watching them shop at grocery stores, live in apartments, deal with employment, and learn about money is powerful enough, but what delivers the jaw dropping and heart stopping impact is the flawless distinction of the isolation ingrained into American culture as compared to their own.

Every single one of these films is serious cinema by serious artists who have something to say, say it, and say it well. Films such as these and the people who make them are what give me hope for the species when the news makes me think all is doomed and I was born on the wrong planet.

Eleven Great Films Few Have Seen

Yesterday

Yesterday (2004) is the first Zulu language film to be released internationally. It is the only film in the history of cinema to be nominated for both an Academy award and an Emmy award. Set in a remote South African village, it's maturity and realism make it a deeply moving and heartfelt drama. Yesterday is a woman with a young daughter. Becoming increasingly sick, her attempts to seek medical attention fail because she can't walk to distant clinic and arrive soon enough for a good place in line. A school teacher she befriends pays for a taxi, and Yesterday learns that she is HIV positive. When she travels to Johannesburg to tell her husband, he beats her, in denial that he is infected and the one who has transmitted it to her.

From the film:
Doctor: Your body is strong. It is keeping the disease in check.
Yesterday: It is not my body. (She points to her temple) It is here. I have made up my mind.
Doctor: How so?
Yesterday: Until my child goes to school, I'll not die. My daughter starts school next year. I can't wait for that day. Only then can this "thing" take me away. No, I will not die till that day.

When her husband's health begins to deteriorate, it does so quickly, and he returns to the village. Village gossip leads to the same hysteria we've seen in the states. Despite her own decaying condition, she builds a shack for her dying husband so he doesn't have to stay in the village. The sequence where the husband leaves the village for the shack, barely able to walk, a crutch on one side, Yesterday on the other, will fill the eyes of anyone with a pulse.

Although clearly dying, she lasts through the first day of school, buying her daughter a new school uniform. She tells the school teacher, "I have never been to school."

The school teacher replies, "I will love your daughter as if she were my own."

From an IMDB review:
As a South African, this is the first time I've seen any media portray the HIV/AIDS crisis in our country in a way that makes it real, without political agenda or moralizing the issue. For that I commend the film. What also impressed me was the film's simplicity and the fact that it was unpredictable in its character portrayal. For cinematography, it is definitely one of the best movies ever to have come from our shores. Then there is the brilliant acting by Khumalo. The film is not without fault, but it shows that our film industry is capable of producing quality films. Just a pity that most South African audiences do not give the local industry the support it needs.

From Nelson Mandela's endorsement of the film:
The HIV/AIDS and Education projects will be able to allow communities to interact with the film, engage with the circumstances it presents, and with specific responses to the characters portrayed. We are confident that this will assist in spreading the message of prevention, caring for and supporting those infected and affected by the pandemic and most importantly highlight the need to remove stigma and discrimination.

12th Ave Taco Truck

Word is that Juanito Gutierrez, operator of a new taco truck on S. 12th Ave, is generating quite the buzz in town. His business was highlighted as a showcase for the extraordinary economic development achievements of the past year. The truck serves authentic Mexican tacos, burritos, tamales, and quesadillas featuring a secret recipe "to die for" salsa packing enough heat to make a Corona taste good. What few know is that the project, now booming, almost didn't happen.

Eager to provide fast eats on par with Rigo's and Mi Nidito's, Gutierrez, a creative class gay Hispanic entrepreneur, almost gave up when he learned about the various permits, licenses, certificates, and approvals necessary to start the business. This guy, uh, Hegler, tells me that the process is so complex a person needs a consultant. He said for $6,000/month he could make everything happen.

Gutierrez started paying Hegler, and in three weeks received permission to complete the application forms to obtain the following:

1. South Tucson Business License:
----Don Eckum Administration Fee, $3000
----Al Eckum Workforce Fee, $1000
----June Eckum Clean Street Fee, $750
----Anita Eckum knows June Fee, $400
----Billy Bob Eckum has Eckum last name fee, $300

2. Pima County Operation Business License:
----Taco emissions Environmental Impact Fee, $400
----Taco Juice Sewer System Impact Fee, $300
----Truck Parking Zone Fee, $300
----Meat/Tortilla Safety Inspection Fee, $250
----Fire Inspection Fee, $300

After paying the fees, Gutierrez was informed he could operate on S. 12th Ave, We wanted to be on Fourth or Sixth, you know, by the pretty tile, but they said that would be bad.

Juanito started selling tacos before Christmas, I'm not selling tacos a week yet, and this dude calls, Smear Channel, saying I need a billboard/radio ad. I dunno. I remember that these are the jerks that did "Tight Ass For Sale" right by an elementary school, I mean that ain't right, so I say no and he gets all pissed off, says I'm stupid and even says something about my race and whether I'm legal. I hung up.

Next came a call from a professional coach. This lady calls and she's all polite, and then she says she can break me free of my paradigms and obsolete practices. I asked her if she's tasted the killer salsa, and she says no, so I ask what she knows about making tacos. She gets all hissy and hangs up.

Two weeks later, Gutierrez received a call from TREO outreach. He recommends that I become one of their Giga-Titanium Partners, something about a trip to bikini island, free golf, the taco network, taco partnership community, mobile food consciousness blueprint, and a web thing called TacoLink where I could post the address of my truck's web page.

He asked who I hired. When I said no one, he said everyone in the family was an employee. Then he asked if I use the trash cans, and there's the dude that sweeps the sidewalk. He asked if I met the police, and I said they like the burritos. He wanted to know if anyone buying tacos rode the bus. Next thing I know, this guy is telling me I created 184 jobs and that because I'm gay, I provide more leverage for economic growth. He sounded serious, but I mean, he had to be joking, right? Well, I figured he was joking all deadpan style like Steve Wright, so I get all serious and joke back all serious like, "Your mama want a job?"

Word about the killer salsa is spreading, and taco sales have been climbing. In January someone suggested Gutierrez join the Chamber of Commerce, I went to this thing at a restaurant, and everyone's telling me what I need. HR, PR, marketing, accounting, payroll, strategic planning software. Some dude says I'm planning to fail by failing to plan. I said I had a plan. I plan to sell tacos. A web guy tells me I gotta get online so people can see my menu and place orders. People in China who Google "taco" will see my truck. Then I heard a familiar voice, and sure enough, it's Smear Channel guy trying to sell a billboard/radio ad to a massage therapist.

She's shaking her head and uncomfortable, and the Smear guy is harrassing her the same way he did me, saying she's stupid and missing opportunity and will fail. The lady gives foot rubs, man. That's when I realize I know what I'm doing and so does massage lady and the hair cut guy and the coin dealer. It's Smear that doesn't know jack.

Clearly upset, massage lady tries to get away, and Smear follows her! So I jump between them and give Smear a rich dose of my face, "If you're so smart and she's so stupid, how come she owns a business and you're pasting asses on billboards? Why don't you plaster your own ass on a billboard and sell cheese?!"