Dear Readers:
Since I started this blog in early 2005, I have had one overriding focus. The GOP is the problem. The GOP was ruining our country on every level, and things have gotten progressively worse at every point along the way. The Great Awakening of the progressives in this country, represented by the emergence of the blogosphere, has accomplished a great many things. We helped win back Congress in 2006 and elect the first black president in 2008. We’ve provided a counterweight to the corporate media and even groomed a few voices to be participants in the corporate media. In many ways things have improved. More importantly, things could have been much, much worse. Just contemplate a McCain-Palin administration, for example.
But the condition of our country is still unacceptable, and it’s still almost entirely the fault of Republicans. Republican-appointed judges legalized unlimited and unaccountable corporate funding of campaigns. Republicans created so much fear around Guantanamo Bay that Congress decided to forbid the president from closing the facility, moving the prisoners to a maximum-security prison in the United States, or even putting them on trial in civilian courts. They’ve basically undermined our system of justice. Under Republican leadership, Wall Street was allowed to ruin the economy and countless people’s lives, and then the Republicans refused to support the president’s efforts to fix the problem. They almost unanimously opposed the Stimulus Bill, negotiating its size down to an inadequate amount. They refuse all efforts to create jobs, going so far now as to try to organize a hiring freeze. Republicans unanimously opposed the health care reforms. They nearly-unanimously opposed the Wall Street reforms. They killed efforts to deal with climate change. They’re engaged in a nationwide voter suppression effort that mainly disenfranchises blacks. They demonize Latinos at every opportunity. It’s gotten so bad that they have a presidential candidate talking about electrocuting border-crossers. The same candidate has openly opposed Muslims’ right to build their own centers of worship and has promised repeatedly not to employ any Muslims in his administration. Republicans continue to demonize gays and have opposed every bit of progress made for gay rights under Obama’s administration. They’re engaged in a relentless war on women and children.
Before Obama was even inaugurated, the Republicans decided on a plan of maximum obstruction unlike anything seen since the lead-up to the Civil War. And that, you know, ended in civil war. As a result of Republican influence, ideology, and action, our electoral system is worse than ever and our federal government is paralyzed.
You can, of course, blame the Democrats for some of this. They aren’t the best organization in the world. And there are many problems facing this country in which the Democratic Party is fully complicit. I include the president in that criticism. It may seem like I have blinders on sometimes, where I only see what’s wrong with the other side. If you pay closer attention, you’ll notice that I do not fail to be critical of the president or the Democrats when I think they deserve it. But my focus remains the same as it was when I got started as a blogger. The GOP is the problem. Upset about the war on drugs? The GOP is worse, and this administration finally did away with crack/cocaine sentencing disparity. Upset that the health care bill didn’t include a public option? Every Republican candidate for president has pledged to destroy the health care reforms. Upset that the Dodd-Frank bill wasn’t stronger? Only three Republican senators voted to do any Wall Street reforms at all.
Our country used to work. It had its problems, but it limped along. Now it’s so dysfunctional that we lost our AAA credit rating. And, in almost every case, the Republicans hold the primary blame. In every case, they’re on the wrong side of the issues and are pushing us in the wrong direction.
So, that’s why I blog, and that’s why I blog the way I do. I know I don’t see eye-to-eye with a lot of progressives, and I feel like the progressive blogosphere kind of splintered and lost focus on the big picture after Obama was elected. I hope my perspective isn’t too unique, but it seems to be a bit unusual. If you value my perspective please consider making a donation towards the upkeep of the Frog Pond. I can only continue to blog through the support of people like you. We had a very rough summer financially, and we’re still trying to recover. Anything you give will be immensely appreciated.
Best,
BooMan