Kanc weighs in on politics...
Since the board seems to want to get it's polical ya-ya's out, I'm gonna have my say, too. Remember, you all brought this on yourselves. It's a shame that something (politics) that's so incredibly vital is so superlatively distasteful. I mean really awful.
I'm an amateur historian, and what cracks me up about it all is how much of what comprises our modern politics was viewed with such utter disdain by the "founding fathers" of this country. This two-party system is a dog, boys and girls, and I'd shoot anybody I caught slapping a bumper-sticker for either party on my 1988 Honda. Political parties are mobs.
The only thing I'm ever really concerned about is what I tend to think of as "The Pendulum Effect". Sure, you can push really hard in one direction, but sooner or later, things have a natural tendency to swing back, and there's usually somebody on the other side pushing when it does. So rather than settling into a decaying orbit, things tend toward extremism. I believe anybody who cares to pick up even a high-school history text can discern that pattern.
Applied to 21st century America, that's a frightening concept. Here's why, and, yes, I'm going to pick on "Democrats" because, even though they're only half the problem, they represent, in my opinion, the most ironic portion of it.
I've been listening to people of, shall we say, a more liberal mind set squawking for years now about the Bush administration and its trampling under foot of, well, humanity in general, and our civil rights in particular. This is amusing, but only in a very dark way, because the Bush administration was elected, and even if you're one of these simps that cries foul over hanging chads and whatnot, the fact is that several 10's of millions of people voted for the guy. Think about that for a minute, and try to think about it as a human being, not as a Democrat or a Republican.
What that means is that almost man-for-man for every person that thinks the Republicans are jackbooted, oil-warring thugs that should be impeached or assassinated, there's another person who is so disgusted with the alternative that he/she believes a jackbooted, oil-warring thug is just what the situation calls for, and wouldn't mind seeing them do most of the things that other people fear. So many, in fact, that Bush was elected to TWO TERMS!
The fact that he was elected twice may upset some of you, but you should not ever forget that, polling issues aside, that represents a lot of people who were just as angry at you as you were at them. If you're going to push harder, what do you suppose they're going to do? Do you want to know? 'Cuz you've already seen it, but not in Washington D.C.
You've seen it in Germany. And, most amusingly of all, on a smaller scale in California. GASP! Nazis! Harold, come quick, Kanc's talking Nazis in California! Well, not exactly, but look at the pattern, and don't forget that "Nazi" is short for the German word for "nationalist". (Think, people, think!)
What happened to Gray Davis? He got ripped out of office mid-term by a consortium of conservative interests and replaced by...? Arnold Schwarznegger. Now, I like Arnie. I'd let my kids play with his kids, and I'd probably fish with him. But he has absolutely no business running one of the most powerful economies on the planet - yet there he is. Pendulum-ed into office due to conservative reactionism in response to liberal mismanagement. (What's great is that he even has a Teutonic accent!) That happened in Cali-freakin'-fornia, people! Can you get any more liberal than California? And THAT's where this happened. Let that sink in, if you dare.
Ponder this: the state of either Michigan or Wisconsin has just elected its first Democratic Muslim congressman. Wow. Now, when the next Islamic terrorist attack occurs, what sort of political momentum do you suppose the Republicans are going to get out of that little piece of political idiocy? Oh, yes, I know, it shouldn't matter what religion the guy is. But, here in reality, those sorts of ideological platitudes are worse than irrelevant. It will matter, and we all know it - because here in America, you get to vote no matter how ignorant you are. The Democrats just gave the Republicans the kryptonite they'll use to absolutely dominate the election after the next terror attack. So, while bitching furiously about those dumb Red State voters, Democrats have just ensured conservative voters will turn out in record numbers at some point to wipe them off the political map. Brilliant.
To the Democrats, I say this: If you're genuinely concerned about fascism in America, don't even think of putting Hillary Clinton anywhere near the white house. If you do, you'll never see another Democrat there again after the inevitable reaction has taken place. I will actually view that as my cue to seek domicile in another country, and I'm actually not kidding. Because I think the country will suffer under Hillary? No. What scares me is what will happen afterwards, because for all their crowing about inclusion and respect and tolerance, Democrats are too dumb to actually see the monster they're building, and they're working tirelessly to bring it to life.
Kancamangus must now file with the U.N. for sovereign status on that new island in the Pacific. It's his only hope to dodge this crap. He lives in a land where his fellow countrymen let their favorite cable news channel do all of their thinking for them, and this gives him the mental equivalent of a wedgie.
AI
