The Republicans in Congress have voted over and over, 33 times, redundantly and uselessly, to rescind what they call Obamacare.
But it is less about Obamacare than it is about Obama. Conservatives want nothing more than to be rid of him. They trip all over themselves protesting that they are not being racist. Yeah, right. That would be unspeakable.
The Romney campaign advances conservative orthodoxy. He wants to lower all taxes, as if the higher brackets were not already lowered. Why? He says taxing the rich hurts job creation. In fact, the Bush tax cuts led to the worst-ever record of job creation.
Romney proudly proclaims himself a personal success story, though the specifics are cards he holds very close to the chest. But it is a core belief for him that individual initiative is all you need to be successful. The president himself rose to repudiate this, reminding us all how the American community is the cradle that nurtures our successful initiatives.
Finally, Romney believes that business thrives in the garden of capitalism, where the market success of some nourishes the welfare of all. But, the truth is that 80 percent of the stocks and shares of this prosperity are owned by and benefit the richest 10 percent of the country.
Despite these core beliefs, Romney is shifty when political opportunism seems to his advantage. After he had created a progressive health care system in Massachusetts, he rose to criticize the similar legislation passed for the nation by Obama.
Romney deals in hyperbole that he wants to be taken seriously, presenting himself as the one who would do better -- better than those who are already doing the work.
Don't forget, by his own words, Mitt's self-labeling moved from "progressive" to "severely conservative." His presentations are smooth to the point of being slick, and he leaves me with a slight sting of insincerity in my ears. By contrast, I find Mr. Obama comes across as "solid."
So conservatives harp that Obama is a traitor to the country, "destroying" it.
Romney repeats this aspersion. Romney says he would cut taxes, curtail protective regulations and reduce government. He would use Paul Ryan's radical tax plan, cutting the federal budget severely -- essentially ending Medicare, and turning Social Security toward the model of public assistance.
There would be no Medicaid, food stamps, Pell Grants, Head Start, social services or job training. Government programs remaining would be channeled through for-profit private channels.
Republicans have already opposed the Internet Security Bill, the president's jobs bill, Affordable Health Care Act, the Violence Against Women bill and the Paycheck Fairness Act. They are not even talking across party lines.
Instead, they block everything. They try to sabotage whatever the president proposes. They disingenuously demand deficit reduction while advancing military spending and refusing to rescind tax cuts for the richest citizens. Nor will they allow any new taxes, even when needed to re-establish fairness to the tax codes.
The Republicans have essentially adopted an anti-compromise strategy, which is obsessively obstructionist, self-righteous, and at times destructive. We saw this with student loans, a program they refused to reauthorize if it were not offset by cuts in other social programs.
After sponsoring the privatization of the U.S. Postal Service, they have now dragged their feet on enacting reforms easing the disabling burdens of huge mandated prepayments into employee pension funds. Essentially they disavow everything that is government, no matter the consequences upon effective governance.
Romney's vows are as irresponsible as they are absurd. Some suggest that if it comes right down to it, he would not follow through on his hateful declarations. But who wants to elect someone who pledges sentiments to his base that cannot live in his heart?
Somewhere in that is a dreadful insincerity. Considering the Right's list of hated targets, however, perhaps that bit of daylight between hating and hurting is important.
Tea Party and other Republicans are creating dissension, mistrust and even discouragement.
Because their regular pronouncements about gays, abortion, health care mandates, voter ID rules, torturing terrorists and finding safety in allowing almost everyone to carry guns, the Right is spreading and capitalizing upon frustration.
Whether deliberate or not, by blocking the president and Democrats at every turn, they seek to discredit their opposition, and in the process are damaging our historical faith in the democratic process.
Implicit would seem to be a strategy aimed at nothing less than eventually taking all the reins of power. And Newt Gingrich almost succeeded in doing just that, not so long ago.
William Masters can be reached at wmasters@thedailystar.com. The views expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect those of The Daily Star and its editorial board.
Columns
Romney shows little regard for common man
- Big Chuck D'Imperio
-
-
Safety Patrol D.C. visits never get old
I asked Cam Morris, head of Eastern Travel/Oneonta Bus Lines, how many years her company has been handling the Safety Patrol trip to Washington, D.C.
Continued ... - My pal Brucie, savior of Sidney's hospital
- Catching a whiff of 'Vermont Vapor'
- Selections from the virtual mailbag
- Recalling days of 'Doughnut King'
-
Safety Patrol D.C. visits never get old
- Cary Brunswick
-
-
We've become our own worst enemies
The past month has been marked by a seeming unprecedented number of man-made tragedies, as distinct from those caused by violent outbursts of the natural world, such as earthquakes, hurricanes and tsunamis.
Continued ... - Plenty of blame to go around for Bangladesh horror
- Obama is going against his word on Social Security
- Reflecting on a Florida trip
- Those magnificent spies in their flying machines
-
We've become our own worst enemies
- Chuck Pinkey
- Guest Column
-
-
Records seizure is an insult to free press
Distrust of government secrecy has been elevated to an exceptional level with the disclosure the Justice Department covertly examined two months of Associated Press phone records to determine who leaked details to the AP about a foiled terrorist plot.
Continued ... - The evangelical view of same-sex marriage
- Manor's fate will be Otsego board's legacy
- A closer look at our economy - Part II
- Use fracking to fill budget gaps
-
Records seizure is an insult to free press
- Lisa Miller
-
-
A view from above
Fire towers in the Catskill Mountains have always been destination points, built to capture some of the region’s best views. These sentinel stations served an important role for the earliest possible sightings of forest fires in the remote mountain ranges. But the fire towers and those who manned them fulfilled a multitude of other roles as well.
Continued ... - Being a parent is a constant learning process
- Healthy doesn't have to mean expensive
- A family era ends with close of Potter series
- Independent stores make up for loss of Borders
-
- Mark Simonson
-
-
General Clinton Canoe Regatta got a new home in 1972
Ever since 1963, when Charles Hinkley and a group of Tri-Town businessmen came up with the idea for what we know today as the General Clinton Canoe Regatta, people lined the shores of the Susquehanna to watch the canoeists as they made their 70-mile trek from Cooperstown to Bainbridge.
Continued ... - Sunday movies in Oneonta finally shown in 1934
- Politics, fitness and landmarks dominated local news in May 1968
- Local people sought income in many ways in 1933
- Local windstorm in 1983 caused tense moments
-
- Rick Brockway
-
-
Kids have sparkle in their eyes
When I was in my teens, old Bill Naatz told me about a stream north of Lake George where a man had panned out enough gold to make his wife a wedding band. It was all rumors, but to his grandson and myself, it sounded like the makings of a great adventure.
- People make the outdoors even better
- Turkey season has ups and downs
- Spring air isn't always the freshest
- Adriondacks keep growing and growing
-
Kids have sparkle in their eyes
- Sam Pollak
- William Masters
-
-
Schreibman tops Chris Gibson on women's issues
As the time to vote draws near, we need to remember how money can run politics more than we can. Raising funds is a prominent (if not the dominant) task of getting elected. Raising issues is also crucial, but those efforts are subject to distortion and fear-mongering.
- Republicans feelentitled to allthey can garner An entitlement is a legal benefit available from the government to individuals who are within a defined category of recipients, such as needing insurance for unemployment or health services.
-
Romney focuses on self; Obama emphasizes unity
Mitt Romney criticizes President Obama for saying a person's success is rooted in his community, and is not all his alone. Romney belittles this with his belief in individual initiative. He is better at the put-down than the push-up.
-
Romney shows little regard for common man
The Republicans in Congress have voted over and over, 33 times, redundantly and uselessly, to rescind what they call Obamacare.
-
Scouts' gay ban creates problem where none exists
The Boy Scouts of America's "emphatic reaffirmation" of its vow to exclude any and all homosexuals from its hallowed ranks is ill-considered and pathetic, especially in view of its having reviewed the matter for two years.
-
Schreibman tops Chris Gibson on women's issues
