If the only choice is between anarchy and tyranny, I would take anarchy: House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said the House Freedom
Caucus, consisting of Tea Party-backed lawmakers, is harmful to Congress
as an institution, suggesting that anarchy might work better for them.
This seems to be the age of the false dichotomy. Politicians, pundits, and the media want to force us to choose between only two options. Either we go along with business as usual inside the Beltway, or we live by the law of tooth and claw. Reject the ways of Pelosi and Obama and we'll soon be resorting to cannibalism.
The trouble is, for most of the low-information voter types and low-IQ media and entertainment figures, fallacious logic is convincing. They buy into the idea government must be all-powerful, intrusive, and despotic because otherwise we become the "Wild West" and descend into chaos. We have to let foreigners invade our country or we are uncaring, racist, and xenophobic. They can no longer imagine the limited, relatively laissez-faire federal government that existed in this country as recently as the first half of the last century.
The choice is not between taxpayer-funded, government-protected abortion mills and unwanted, abused children. The choice is not between federally-controlled, massively over-funded public schools and an illiterate populace. The choice is not between open borders and an end to all immigration. The choice is not between no photo IDs for voting and Jim Crow laws. The choice is not between a defenseless United States and an interventionist foreign policy. The choice is not between a fascist economy and a socialist economy -- not that that is much of a choice anyway. The choice is not between Democrat personal welfare and Republican corporate welfare.
The choice isn't between Democrats and Republicans. Normally, there are a lot of choices and options in life. There are solutions to our current problems that stop short of apocalyptic scenarios. One of the worst things about Obama is exactly this penchant he has for creating strawmen and false dichotomies. Either we do it his way or we are horrible, terrible, ignorant, intolerant racist bitter clingers. This from an SOB who isn't even the smartest guy in the room when he's alone taking a crap.
This seems to be the age of the false dichotomy. Politicians, pundits, and the media want to force us to choose between only two options. Either we go along with business as usual inside the Beltway, or we live by the law of tooth and claw. Reject the ways of Pelosi and Obama and we'll soon be resorting to cannibalism.
The trouble is, for most of the low-information voter types and low-IQ media and entertainment figures, fallacious logic is convincing. They buy into the idea government must be all-powerful, intrusive, and despotic because otherwise we become the "Wild West" and descend into chaos. We have to let foreigners invade our country or we are uncaring, racist, and xenophobic. They can no longer imagine the limited, relatively laissez-faire federal government that existed in this country as recently as the first half of the last century.
The choice is not between taxpayer-funded, government-protected abortion mills and unwanted, abused children. The choice is not between federally-controlled, massively over-funded public schools and an illiterate populace. The choice is not between open borders and an end to all immigration. The choice is not between no photo IDs for voting and Jim Crow laws. The choice is not between a defenseless United States and an interventionist foreign policy. The choice is not between a fascist economy and a socialist economy -- not that that is much of a choice anyway. The choice is not between Democrat personal welfare and Republican corporate welfare.
The choice isn't between Democrats and Republicans. Normally, there are a lot of choices and options in life. There are solutions to our current problems that stop short of apocalyptic scenarios. One of the worst things about Obama is exactly this penchant he has for creating strawmen and false dichotomies. Either we do it his way or we are horrible, terrible, ignorant, intolerant racist bitter clingers. This from an SOB who isn't even the smartest guy in the room when he's alone taking a crap.
That last sentence is a humourous turn of phrase for sure.
ReplyDeleteBut you are right, western nations are deeply invested in the idea of big government and false dichotomies, all supported by a largely complicit mainstream media.
But then, maybe we are just being paranoid, and life is that simple. *chuckle*
Well said there, Mush. You know, I'm rather comfortable with my horrible, terrible, ignorant, intolerant, racist, bitter, clingy, self. Not really a problem for us hermits.
ReplyDeleteThank you, gentlemen. Yes, that was kind of a bad thing to say.
ReplyDeleteHermits of the world, Unite! ... uh, well, I guess not ...