If this Harris poll is to be believed a quarter of U.S Republicans think the president of their nation is the Antichrist (14% of the general population). Over half [of Republicans] also think he's a Muslim, 38% think he's quite a bit like Hitler, and oh yes he's a socialist too (about 70%). I repeat 1 in 4 (if the poll of 2000+ is a microcosmic representative of the whole of course.) think Barry has come straight from hell, and is comparable to history's biggest mass murderer. Now I'm not saying that this poll is proof of crackers democracy, but what I am saying is that the results of this poll has proven that some elements of US democracy are a bit mad. This really does bring up serious questions about the kind of ideological paradigms that are making up popular Republican thoughts these days. The sheer visceral stirring up of base prejudices towards the new president is a worrying affair for the overall state of the worlds most powerful nation. I mean for God sake, Obama hasn't crushed the skulls of his enemies in the oval office, or purged Wisconsin, or broken into Sarah Palins house to drank the blood of virgins whilst worshiping a Baal idol in her bathroom, but what he has done has passed his Health Bill through congress this Sunday. The USA should have 95 percent health coverage if it all goes to plan, but opponents of it are going into meltdown, saying it is "Socialised Medicine" and Socialism, in part because the bill means people are obliged to obtain insurance (like car insurance) and the very wealthy will see an (around 1%) increase in their insurance costs, but mostly because calling something that they don't like "socialist" is a nice easy catch all smear, and a good way to scare the shit out of American society. This inevitably results in organisations like the tea party activist group playing the "big government is evil, erosion of god given liberty" card. Now like many in the UK, I see the sheer outwelling of hostility to a relatively modest extension of healthcare provision as pretty baffling stuff, a bizarre glimpse into another societies cultural workings. I also think that these kinds of people are twisting the greater publics genuinely legitimate fear of the risks to liberty by heavy handed government, to their own selfish ends, and observer comments like this don't alleviate this feeling
"They claim that the bank bailout, new taxes on the rich, the trillion dollar cost of health reform over the next decade, threaten the prosperity and even solvency of every family in their land."
I don't think that governments providing healthcare assistance for the poorest citizens is by any means "Evil Socialism" or "Stalinism" It ignores two issues to allow this theory to have any credence. The first being it is just taxing the "hard working" against the "layabouts", not everyone is poor due to idleness, and loaded due to merit and effort. Bad circumstances, luck, prejudice, mental state, outward conformism - can all affect your earning power. Just as inherited wealth and family connections can lubricate the gears of success (the Bush, Clinton and Kennedy dynasties in Washington society.) Secondly does the assumption that all government "interference" is bad always apply to all situations? Shouldn't democratically elected officials be obliged to shield the most vulnerable from the worst aspects of raw market forces, and external threats (strange they never seem to moan about socialised military, who pays for those badass battleships and fighter jets after all?? The scary ass battle corporation) I wonder how you would explain precisely to someone hemorrhaging away their savings to pay for the chemo and drugs they need, that they were "free."
I actually think when the scheme goes active, and when the dividends are reaped by the Americans at large; the lofty protests will end up blowing in the wind. Obama has possibly seen that he will get flack whatever he does and has decided to ride the storm and let the rest of his bill hopefully fight off the hurricane. I don't think he's out of the woods yet, and I leave with this analysis of how polarised the U.S is becoming. Take this example of when we hear of death threats, from this analysis from commentator Max Hastings, I just end up thinking, is this what liberal democracy has come too? And where will it lead too?
"A political scientist friend said to me in Chicago last week: 'I have never felt as apprehensive about the physical safety of a president as I do about this one.'
He perceives a climate in which frightening passions are in play. At the extreme end of the rancour which the health care debate has provoked, more than a few Republicans who own guns hate their president. Pity the Secret Service, who must protect the White House.
Chilling as it seems to Europeans, there are those in this nation with a tradition of attempted and successful assassinations, who believe it would be a patriotic act to shoot Barack Obama."
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