Monday, October 21, 2013

Americans It's Time to be a Jackass


The Democratic Party’s first association with the donkey came about during the 1828 campaign of Democrat Andrew Jackson. Running on a platform by the people, for the people and using a slogan of “Let the People Rule,” Jackson’s opponents referred to him as a jackass (donkey). Much to their embarrassment, Jackson merged the donkey into his campaign posters. During Jackson’s presidency the donkey was used to symbolize his stubbornness by his opponents.

In 1874, political cartoonist Thomas Nast drew the cartoon which showed a donkey wearing a lion’s skin and scaring all the other animals in the forest. One of the animals was an elephant, and it was labeled “The Republican Vote.” Nast used the elephant to alert Republicans that their internal party fighting was detrimental to the upcoming elections.  A battle for control of the Republican Party has erupted as an emboldened Tea Party moved to oust senators who voted to reopen the government.


After the infamous federal government shutdown of 2013, the Republican Party can best be depicted by the Buddhist parable showing blind monks examining an elephant. Each man reaches a different conclusion based on which part of the elephant he has examined. 
Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell (R) of Kentucky said Sunday on CBS's "Face the Nation": "There will not be another government shutdown. You can count on that." Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell said Sunday that government shutdowns were a bad idea not consistent with conservative ideals. But it's unclear whether other Republicans agree.

Like Senator McConnell, House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio didn't want a government shutdown. In fact, he pleaded with his colleagues not to do it. But they went ahead and did it anyway. But the so-called "civil war" uncontrolled within the GOP has more than a note of truth. The tea party might not be an official party, but it continues to act like a separate rightist party in practice.

Party leaders are working to protect their majority in the U.S. House, where they have 232 members to the Democrats’ 200.  The intra-party challenge comes as Republicans seek a clear gain of six seats to regain control of the 100-member chamber that they lost in the 2006 elections.

We as a country have nothing to celebrate.  There are many petitions to congressman never to let the country get to the brink of economic shutdown.

The Syrian struggle has been growing in force and latitude for more than two years, with the United Nations approximating more than 100,000 dead and millions displaced. Syria isn't exactly a model society, but Jessica Williams reported that the Syrian government at least pays its bills and workers' wages.


So 20% of the population made 80% of Americans a joke! Tea Party politics shutdown our government for 16 days. More than 800,000+ workers out of work. Several thousands forced to work for no pay. Businesses forced to fire workers. According to How the government shutdown shook up the US economy, the hit to gross domestic product from lost government services alone totals $3.1 billion.   Analysts at Standard & Poor's estimated that the shutdown cost $24 billion (or $1.5 billion a day) and slowed the country's economic growth rate by an annualized 0.6 percent for the current quarter.

Alaskan crab fisherman and star of the Discovery Channel reality show The Deadliest Catch, Keith Colburn went to the Senate Commerce Committee on Capitol Hill.  The furloughs of workers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration meant no assigned quotas before the start of Alaska's crab fishing season.   The Alaska fishery produces "hundreds of millions" of dollars in economic activity.   The industry provides   jobs for thousands of fishermen, shippers, mechanics and other workers including  the TV crew for the show.  It’s the trickle-down effect.  Food inspections, air traffic control, law enforcement and education programs were hit.

In the article, Tea party ringleader admits the GOP shut down the government for nothing it was reported that 20% of the population screwed 80% of Americans - just because.  On that awarding winning news show - Fox News - that's exactly what Heritage Action CEO Michael Needham did.  




“I couldn't have been more shocked if he pulled a pink elephant out of his ass!” ― Tamara Rose Blodgett, Death Whispers

The website Daily Kos reported that " one thing is for sure: It's now a whole lot less likely that come 2017, they'll still be in control of the House—let alone the Senate or presidency." Hmmmm I'm not so sure. Some people have short attention spans, in weeks to come, still others will blame Chicken Little for the shutdown.

Make The Elections The Year of the Jackass

America, help the jackass run on a platform by the people, for the people and  “Let the People Rule - not the Tea Party and Republicans.

 “That which is called firmness in a king is called obstinacy in a donkey”
 John Erskine  (American Educator, Novelist and Musician. 1879-1951)


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