Don’t Compromise Your Standards
The Republican Or The War Criminal?
by PETER BRESCHARD
Don’t worry, if you end up not voting for Obama, your home probably won’t be targeted for a drone attack. Is that what you’ve been afraid is going to happen if you don’t vote Democratic?
A legitimate fear but one of low probability.
After all, I doubt President Obama considers non-Democrats to be terrorists. Of course he could change his mind about that at any moment, and then he could legally kill all of you as you sit parked in your Barcaloungers, hypnotized by MSNBC’s corporate conservative Democratic propaganda machine.
The Republican Party is not under consideration here. Everyone should be aware by now that voting for them, unless you are extremely wealthy, is an exercise in self-abuse.
Let’s get down to it. Hey, Democrats, what’s in it for me? What have you done to get my vote? Do you even know what you have to do to get my vote? Have you been listening at all, or, are you too busy strategizing, trying to figure out a way to out Republican the Republicans?
Here are some of the real issues. If the Democrats actually performed any positive work on any of them, some real liberal/progressives might consider voting for them.
1 – There are private United States citizens at large who have admitted ordering the torture of American prisoners. Under the law, the President of the United States must investigate then prosecute those involved with the torture of human beings under his jurisdiction. So far the Democrats have offered political excuses as to why they are above the law and have refused to either investigate or prosecute. They aren’t above the law. When the President decides to follow the law, do his job, and prosecute the torturers, real liberal/progressives might consider voting for him. It’s tough to vote for someone who possibly will go to jail.
2 – Remember Guantanamo? Way back when the Democrats were screaming about closing that particular cesspit. Now the happy Democratic electorate is screaming to reelect the man who keeps that torture hellhole open. (Didn’t Obama promise to close Guantanamo? What’s his excuse this time?)
3 – President Obama signed a bill giving himself the unrestricted power of life and death over his fellow American citizens. I can’t imagine any liberal/progressive ever voting for someone who had done that.
4 – Remember the Bush tax cuts? What you should actually remember are the Bush/Obama tax cuts. Mr. Obama signed the extension of those gifts to the wealthy. I can’t imagine any liberals/progressives voting for someone who signed an extension of such fiscally irresponsible give-aways to the rich. But you know why you’re voting for Obama. Right?
5 – How many drone attacks have there been? And in how many countries? Does anyone actually know? Do Obama supporters care? Who gave the American President the power of life and death over anyone in the world? Even the Pope gave that one up a few centuries ago.
6 – How many trillions of dollars will the for-profit insurance companies receive thanks to the provisions of the Obama health care system? Do you have any idea? How much more powerful will the insurance companies become? You don’t have a clue, do you? How many people will die without universal health care? Why did universal Medicare never come under discussion?
7 – Iraq? Afghanistan? I doubt many liberals/progressives voted for Obama to have a continuation of the Bush foreign policy. But guess what? Not a dime’s worth of difference there.
8 – How many zillions of dollars did Wall Street receive as the Democrats continued Bush policy regarding the rape of the American financial system?
9 – Any drones buzzing your neighborhood? Who has access to every keystroke you make on the internet?
10 – Remember rendition? Still around.
But the Republicans are worse!
Of course the Republicans are worse. The Republicans will beat you to a pulp four days a week. The Democrats will only slap you silly on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Democrats think that things are better the way they are. They don’t want to be sold down river. They live in the best of all worlds and their master is extremely enlightened.
Are all Democrats suffering from Stockholm Syndrome? Has the present administration abused your sense of decency so much that you’ve finally given up and begun to love the criminals? Are you so tired of trying to keep a moral center that you’ve given up and you are now willing to support someone who goes against everything you fought against not that long ago?
Have you sold-out as much as the leadership of the Democratic Party has?
If you vote for a human rights violator, are you violating human rights yourself?
Do you think your only choice is a Republican or a possible war criminal?
The Democrats are no longer good enough to deserve your vote. You don’t have to vote for either a Republican or a Democrat. There are other parties.
Don’t compromise your moral standards by voting for the Democrats. If you do, you might as well be a Republican.
Peter Breschard is the author of Circus Rider and My Love Affair with Barack Obama as well as other lesser works of fact and fiction.
