When we talk about politicians we love to use labels—racist, Progressive, extremist, socialist, hard liner. We pigeon hole people with labels.
“Progressive Democrats apparently have lost their copy of John F. Kennedy’s Profiles in Courage. In that book he told the stories of John Quincy Adams, Daniel Webster, Thomas Hart Benton, Sam Houston, Edmund G. Ross, Lucius Lamar, George Norris, and Robert A. Taft. These Senators (all of whom were conservatives) stood up against the tyranny of the majority at the expense of their careers.”
I prefer the terms used by the late Senator James Buckley of New York. He said there are two kinds of Americans, GREAT AMERICAN OR MISINFORMED AMERICANS. To me he said it all.
Labeling ones political opponents Richard Eber
Richard Eber, Exclusive to the California Political News and Views, 9/28/21
It is likely that I am as guilty as anyone of labeling my political foes to be Socialists or even Communists, should they veer too far to the Left. Even my defense “If walks like a duck, quakes like a duck, and flies like a duck; it must be a duck” is not always totally valid.
Despite obvious short comings, I am at least one large step above the wacko fund raisers on the internet who attempts to reach their audiences with demagogic arguments that would make Huey Long cringe.
Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia is the poster child for such abuse. As a moderate Democrat whose views are in the same ball park as Bill Clinton, he is being ridiculed by Progressives to such an extent that a cell in Guantanamo Bay is too good for him. Manchin’s is objecting to the 6.3 trillion dollars stimulus/social welfare legislation working itself thru Congress.
He doesn’t feel compelled to follow Democratic leaders off the fiscal cliff.
For this the Senator has been labeled in the internet cancel culture to be a “right wing” puppet. AOC along with her gang of 4 says Minchin is “huddling with oil”. Jemele Hill tweeted Manchin was a “cowardly, power-hungry White dude” and “clown.” Others have said the Senator “Democracy killer” and “worse than a Republican”.
Democrat Manchin’s crime is thinking the bill is too expensive during a time when inflation is driving the price of living up. He also is unhappy with the green new deal measures that ban coal mining in his state. The Senator is not confident that solar power jobs will fill the void where he lives.
Without extensive changes, he has threatened to vote against the bill which would basically torpedo it.
Progressive Democrats apparently have lost their copy of John F. Kennedy’s Profiles in Courage. In that book he told the stories of John Quincy Adams, Daniel Webster, Thomas Hart Benton, Sam Houston, Edmund G. Ross, Lucius Lamar, George Norris, and Robert A. Taft. These Senators (all of whom were conservatives) stood up against the tyranny of the majority at the expense of their careers.
Unfortunately, in the toxic cancel culture world we live in, “dissent” is not considered to be an attribute. At the same time “freedom of speech” has been under fire by Progressive zealots who have adapted a “my way or the highway” approach to having their agenda followed.
Compromise is now considered to be a sign of weakness rather than strength. Finding a consensus has been next to impossible. Just look at Congress where legislation is passed by Democrats without even one vote from Republicans. Budget reconciliation is no way to create policies that will impact the USA for generations.
In California things are even worse. There aren’t enough GOP members of the legislature to impact even one issue without the support of moderate Democrats. These middle of the road liberals have been intimidated to such an extent that voting against the wishes of Progressive leadership can have dire consequences when committee assignments are handed out.
If there is any doubt of why housing policy, excessive taxation, underperforming schools, high energy costs, and an anti business climate, are driving the middle class from the State, just look at the Progressive leadership who run things in Sacramento. There are no responsible people around since Jerry Brown’s departure to say “no”.
The coalition of unions, special interests, and environmentalists who are in charge simply don’t care what anyone thinks. As a result
- Nuclear power is rejected 100% by environmentalists, even if it creates virtually no carbon emissions not to mention being economical to operate. Despite this, plans are underway to get rid of the two remaining nuclear power plants in California and replace them with inefficient solar and wind farms. The safety record in France and Germany doesn’t matter. Environmentalist’s opinions in California are all that counts
- Forget about civil service reform and the California rule that have made public employees a protected class of people with incomes that far exceed what is found in the private sector. Throw in 12 paid holidays, sick leave, medical, and pensions. Being a public employee in California is an E-Ticket compared to the rest of us.
- New housing and zoning laws passed in past few years greatly benefit the Real Estate industry and large developers. The way things are rigged these days, most construction favors government involvement. This means union labor needs to be used on projects that most families don’t care to live in. All this while Sacramento tries to put an end to single family homes(SB-9 and 10)
- Gavin Newsom and Joe Biden want to have free pre-school, teach critical race theory in grade school, lower educational standards and provide free tuition to Junior College. What they fail to mention is that in most cases remedial course will be needed after High School with curriculum dumbed down as part of their “no child gets left ahead” model. At the same time these leaders are doing all they can to discourage school choice of parents, especially with Charter Schools.
While all this is going on Democrats in Washington D.C. and Sacramento are trying to cement their plans for socialism with the so called 6 trillion worth of so called infrastructure bills working their way thru Congress.
It would appear that the likes of Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, Gavin Newsom, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren desire to implement social programs to get their minions hooked on new benefits they receive. At the same time the middle class crumbles as the country becomes a socialistic enclave.
In this environment the coalition running Washington D.C. and California maintains their power while the power of government increases with each passing year. Unless something is done quickly, most of American society will become addicted to government services.
Neal Young’s words “But every junkie’s like a settin’ sun”, may well come true.
Despite this grim assessment, not all of us are ready to give in. Even if Facebook, Google, and Twitter desires to get rid of dissent, there are still a select few including Joe Manchin prepared to protect our current way of life.
Profiles in Courage hopefully still exists today.
