Things that make you go, “Hmmm?”
In the early nineties when Arsenio Hall had his own show he had a fun segment called “Things that make you go hmmm.” That is what this post is about things from the political landscape that make me go hmmm.
Scott brown: Tea Party folks tend to be almost violently opposed to abortion. Yet they are deliriously happy about the election of Scott Brown, who is pro choice. Hmmm?
People who don’t realize that Medicare IS government supplied health care. When people say things like, “Get the government out of my health care.” And by that mean Medicare, it definitely makes me go, “Hmmm?”
President Reagan was an amazing communicator and well liked by many, he also has a mythical aura about him. He is known for cutting taxes, but his 1981 tax cut was quickly followed by tax hikes that we rarely hear about. While he spoke of shrinking government, the government pay role actually grew under Reagan, as did the national debt. Hmmm.
I know people who firmly believe and loudly say things like this: Take back our country from the socialist/welfare Obama state! Yet some of these very folks happily receive extended unemployment benefits and free (federally subsidized no less) school lunches for their kids. Hmmm?
It was reported yesterday that conservative Republican Senator Shelby, AL, has placed a hold on 70 nominations brought to that body by the Obama administration. Why? Because he wants millions in lucrative contracts to come to his state. And until he has that guarantee, he has placed a hold on accepting any of the 70 nominees. Isn’t he part of the party who spoke out so loudly against that kind of thing associated with the health care bill? Can anyone say politics as usual? Hmmm.
When W was the president and Republicans ran things in Washington DC, our country was running up a lot of debt (1.2 trillion of which we still have). During that time I heard Rush Limbaugh explain why deficit spending is Ok and even necessary for our economy; my how times have changed. These days he has changed his tune. I guess it depends on who is at the helm when deficit spending happens. Hmmm.
Both Democrats and Republicans use the language of “helping the people” and both sides seem quite interested in just keeping their jobs (as opposed to actually helping the people). So I wonder what life would be like if Dennis Kucinich and Ron Paul types would run the congress. Hmmm.