Open Letter to Eugene Robinson
According to polls, Americans are in a mood to hold their breath until they turn blue. Voters appear to be so fed up with the Democrats that they’re ready to toss them out in favor of the Republicans — for whom, according to those same polls, the nation has even greater contempt. This isn’t an “electoral wave,” it’s a temper tantrum…
question the essential wisdom of the American people. But at this point, it’s impossible to ignore the obvious: The American people are acting like a bunch of spoiled brats.
Eugene Robinson
Eugene,
I wonder why you’re so surprised that americans are angry. I guess this has something to do with the fact that you have a secure job thanks to the Guild, with benefits and a pension.
The administration was saying in 2009 that even without stimulus, unemployment would be below 7% by 2011. Eugene, our official rate of unemployment is closed to 10% and that’s only because those who’ve given up and those whose unemployment has run out aren’t counted: the real number is probably closer to 15%, and maybe even 20%. I keep hearing that 10% unemployment is the new normal. Americans are angry? GEE I WONDER WHY.
Meanwhile, we just learned that insurance premiums are going to go up by 14% later this year. Funny how that happens after passing something called “the patient protection and affordability act”. Funny how insurance premiums are expected to go up until at least 2016. Americans are angry? HOW CAN THAT BE??
Meanwhile, the democrats won’t pass another tier of unemployment, and have publicly said things like “The question comes, how long do you continue that before people just don’t go back to work at all and are permanently stuck”. These benefits DON’T discourage people from looking for or going back to work of course: typical benefits are 1/2 to 1/3 of your original paycheck. I keep hearing that many older workers will NEVER return to work, and we’ll just have to accept a level of structural unemployment. WHY ARE AMERICANS ANGRY ABOUT THAT, WHEN THEY KNOW THAT PLACES LIKE SOMALIA HAVE IT SO MUCH WORSE???
Meanwhile (there are a lot of meanwhiles here), we’ve seen the banks bailed out repeatedly, and while that may have had to happen to prevent a worse collapse, most ordinary americans not only didn’t get a bailout of any kind, they can’t get loans or credit unless they’re willing to pay exorbitant rates, while the banks borrow money at practically 0% interest. Goodness me Eugene, what a bunch of brats Americans are for wanting to send their kids to college, fix the house (you know, the one that doesn’t have an equity in it anymore, thanks to the banks), and retire. Wait let me retract that: most americans won’t get to retire. in fact, if the president’s deficit commission has it’s way, the retirement age goes to 70, and the social security benefits we’ve been paying into will be cut. GEE AMERICANS DON’T LOOK FORWARD TO EATING CAT FOOD, I WONDER WHY THEY ARE SO ANGRY.
Nobody wants “quick and easy” solutions Eugene, they want solutions that don’t entail fucking ordinary people up the ass until they’re bleeding to death. They want solutions that work, not half-assed shit written to appease corporate lobbyists or to assuage political concerns.
And you can’t write me off as some loony teabagger: I’ve been a liberal Democrat my entire life, I’ve voted for democrats in every election since 1988, and I supported Barack Obama because he promised to clean up the mess left by Bush.
The mess has gotten worse. And you’re calling people like me “brats” for noticing it, pointing it out, and not being enthusiastic about supporting the people who haven’t cleaned up Bush’s mess (and who, in some cases, supported it).
Please. i call major bullshit on this article. Go spend some time in a real city like Philadelphia, or in the less affluent parts of DC, and maybe you’ll have a clue as to what people are dealing with today.
Sincerely,
brendan skwire
September 5th, 2010 at 3:51 pm
Problem is that our system is set up to give us two choices- merely bad and awful, no matter what your politics are.
Robinson’s right when he points out that the electorate will likely vote out the party in power just because they’re unhappy. It’s not from some nuanced view that the ‘other guy’ has a better idea. That is the decision of a child.
Yes, people are pissed. They should be. We’ve been told to be patient while the experts fix the economy. THe jobs will be here in a year or two (at least that’s what they said last year)
Unfortunately, neither party is going to propose more drastic plans to put us in a sustainable position. We’re not going to balance our budget, fix our infrastructure, fight wars, reinflate the housing bubble, pay for the boomers to retire and reduce taxes on anybody.
So our choices amount to this:
1. Keep your brand loyalty- vote Democrat because they’re not racist greedy bastards. Vote Republican because they’re not socialist America haters.
2. Vote for the guy who promises to give you what you want. Even though it’s not probable, we hope that this time it’ll happen.
3. Or just feel angry, waiting for someone to tell us that it can be all right if we just follow them. Vague promises and nice platitudes. Barack Obama and Glenn Beck come to mind.
September 6th, 2010 at 10:40 pm
I want my cake!!!! Waaaaa aaaaa aaaaaa!