Why “Patriot”?
They explain it here.
Because "that’s who they are!" They believe--I quote---"in the greatness of our nation, in our Constitution, in God-given liberty and limited government."
Why “Action”?
Because "that’s what they do!" They have---I quote---"a place in the political debate because they are among the best informed and most engaged citizens in our nation."
I say good for them! These are challenging times, and the nation sure can use all the "best informed" patriots and "most engaged" watchmen groups it can.
Take this, for instance:
Fear not, TRUTHER is on top of it here:
I say, good for the Patriot Action Network for posting this---they are "informed"!
Now, how "engaged" are they gonna be?
I mean:
Let's hear what these good patriots have to say about this. Let's hear it from some of our "best informed and most engaged citizens"---this is exciting folks (holding my breath):
Huh?
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Er? Does it mean they are not going to sign the petition, then?
ReplyDeleteWhich petition?
ReplyDeleteThis petition!
ReplyDeleteGE and Taxes, from the horse's mouth.
ReplyDelete133 comments and counting...
ReplyDeleteNow, what would Jefferson say?
ReplyDelete"I think by far the most important bill in our whole code is that for the diffusion of knowledge among the people. No other sure foundation can be devised, for the preservation of freedom and happiness...Preach, my dear Sir, a crusade against ignorance; establish & improve the law for educating the common people. Let our countrymen know that the people alone can protect us against these evils [tyranny, oppression, etc.] and that the tax which will be paid for this purpose is not more than the thousandth part of what will be paid to kings, priests and nobles who will rise up among us if we leave the people in ignorance."
ReplyDelete---Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, Aug. 13, 1786
Doesn't it just wring your heart out how these giant corporations and multi billionaires and the like are sometimes forced to suffer by chipping in to the common tax base? How they suffer! Any sentient, sensitive being must surely feel the appalling pain they endure.
ReplyDelete"Kings, priests, and nobles.... " Yeah, we got 'em, we got 'em in spades.
ReplyDeleteI bought some GE stock the first I heard it paid no taxes.
ReplyDeleteGood sense dictates we must make money on these scum in order to fund progressive causes. I donated twice to the group that's helping the Wisconsin Union Men and Women.
And they can win, too! If only they don't lose heart or sink into apathy. Say they (politicians) are all the same and what sense is it to go out and vote? Wisconsin and Ohio and the other states can win if only they get up off their asses and vote.
ReplyDeleteThere is indeed a good case that the Democrats got crushed in 2010 in large part because their base had grown so unenthusiastic.
ReplyDeleteGreat article here on Tueday, by Glenn Greenwald whose take on this has been right on from the start:
It was often said that Bush/Cheney used fear as their principal political weapon -- and they did -- but that's true of the Democratic Party as well. When it comes to their base, Democratic leaders know they will command undying, unbreakable support no matter how many times they kick their base, because of the fear that has been instilled in the base -- not fear of Terrorists or Immigrants (that's the GOP's tactic), but fear of Sarah Palin, the Kochs and the Tea Party.
Rachel Maddow made this point quite well before the 2010 election:
I talked at the top of the show tonight with Gail Collins about how one way to motivate your natural base for an election is to make your base afraid of what the other side has to offer. And that is true. That works. That works on both sides. It works for conservatives about liberals and it works for liberals about conservatives.
But one less soul-sucking way to motivate your base and to win an election and to keep winning elections and to, frankly, have history look kindly upon you, is to get your base to cheer for you -- not just to cheer against someone else, but to see you standing up, not just to bad guys with worse ideas than you, but to see you standing up for what is right because you know it is right, because we know you know it's right, even though you also know standing up for it is hard.
Here is hoping that these recent events in Wisconsin can be an inspiration to them all and that they (Democratic politicians in other States and in Washington D.C.) take notice and get up off their asses and stand up for something!