We’re living in times, like Paul Simon writes, “of miracles and wonder.” Arab Spring. Massive protests in Israel. England is burning, and America is inching closer to the flame.
In America, we’re in a race to see how far and how fast we can hit economic, political and social bottom. We’re close to succeeding, thanks to a powerful minority of sociopaths and their political tools, the Tea Party.
To recap, a sociopath suffers from a mental illness whereby they exploit the strengths and weaknesses of their adversary with no regard to their adversary’s well-being or anyone else for that matter. They generally get away with it, until people catch on, by way of their misleading charisma. Sociopaths do everything they can to create chaos for their adversary until they surrender or leave. They benefit from acquiescence, and obtain their desired effect, which is to take from others what is not theirs.
If this sounds suspiciously like the characteristics of a spousal abuser or Dick Cheney, it is. Since 9-11 and even before, many of us already know that we have been terrorized by the sound of the abuser’s keys rattling the front door. Humiliated for being social and economic ‘wimps’, we have been shamed for caring too much for people who ‘cheat’ the system, or showing concern for the ‘lazy who don’t pay their fair share’. Why are we looking out for those who are taking away our jobs, getting a ‘free education and health care on our dime’, taking away our medicare and social security?
Following the incessant drumming of a zombie rhythm, aided by a press that knows no shame, there really is no difference between democrat and republican, not when it comes to taxes. Politicians of both parties are so cowed or so bought by special interests that the thought of letting the Bush tax cuts expire to end the deficit is too abhorrent to even think about. It’s austerity and it’s on the rest of us, grandma included.