By Jill Chapin
November 12, 2014
That big “L” affixed to the foreheads of most Democrats across the country doesn’t stand for their party losing big in the midterm elections. It stands for their gutless loser mentality by not challenging Republicans’ derisive talking points about their party’s significant accomplishments.
The Republicans have mastered the art of repeating something so often that it becomes ingrained as truth in the minds of those who don’t have the inclination to doubt. And why should they, when there is no counterpoint to what they are hearing?
Add that to the Democrats’ baffling decision to have willfully distanced themselves from their own successes. What kind of winning strategy is it to demur from pummeling the airwaves nonstop with the undeniably positive direction in which so many markers are currently pointing?
Gas is now under $3 a gallon and unemployment is under 6%. While not a harbinger of good times for everyone, these milestones are for the vast majority. Yet Democrats feel guilty if good news doesn’t feel good to all, so they refrain from exercising their well-deserved bragging rights.
Did you hear persistent chatter about the unemployment rate falling from a high of 10.1 in the fall of 2009 to 5.9 today? I didn’t.
Anyone tout the Dow’s remarkable all-time high which benefits millions of Americans with 401K investments in the stock market? Must have missed it.
Hear much about the deficit shrinking by two-thirds during Obama’s tenure? Hardly a word.
How about our being in the midst of the longest period of private sector job creation in American history? Huh?
Why didn’t anyone run on the fact that our dependence on foreign oil has shrunk due to record domestic oil production, combined with improved fuel efficiency standards? Beats me.
Did any Democratic candidate at least take ownership for the Affordable Care Act, which has so far insured at least 7 million more Americans, while having the slowest rate of increase in healthcare costs in decades? Really? I didn’t know that.
Why have we heard nothing about the fact that despite record violence and unrest around the world, we nevertheless currently have fewer American fighters in war zones than at any time in over ten years? Good question.
Anyone hear a lot about how this administration has deported more illegal immigrants than ever before, targeting mainly those with criminal records? Me either. Couldn’t hear their message over the louder Republican barrage of fear-mongering about how many terrorists are crossing our borders as we speak.
Does anyone appreciate Obama’s passing credit card reforms that protect consumers from excessive fees, rate hikes, deceptive marketing and unreasonable due dates? Gee, that would have been nice to know before we voted.
What kind of logic prompted them to distance themselves from the President, knowing that they would then have to distance themselves from filling the airwaves with all of the above successes for which those who benefit were unaware? What exactly was left for them to campaign on?
This country is thoroughly fed up with both parties and were ready for a change. But they only listened to the sound bites without wondering just exactly what the changes might be and who would be doing the changing.
When young people sit out an election that has major ramifications for their future, such as student loans, jobs, minimum wage, their environment and their energy supply, they are disenfranchising themselves at their own peril if they believe that the Republicans will have their backs on these issues.
And when Latinos say that they are disappointed with President Obama and want a change, what change exactly do they think will occur with a Republican-controlled House and Senate? Are they hoping for a taller fence, more deportations, fewer paths to citizenship, because these are the changes that will be on the docket.
The electorate has voted. It makes perfect sense for the powerful and the financially secure to celebrate this election. They are voting in their own self-interest, which is what most voters used to do. But lately, there has been an unlikely alliance between a party who prefers to govern with a tough love policy of pulling back on efforts to raise all boats with those whose boats are slowly sinking and are struggling to make ends meet. Why are the young, the elderly, the Latinos and the poor as in sync with the Republican philosophy as are the wealthier and more powerful part of the party?
Just as the squeaky wheel gets the oil, so do the most aggressive campaigners get the votes. But Democrats wimped out on their voting bloc with their reticence and timidity. Comedian Jon Stewart summed up the Democrats’ strategy best when he said that it seemed to be to curl up in a ball and hope the Republicans don’t kick them in the face too hard.
But even that strategy didn’t work.
The Hunger Site
November 12, 2014 at 8:44 pm
HERITAGE FOUNDATION REPORT: OBAMA
AMNESTY. $9.000.000.000.000 TO CATER TO THE ILLEGAL ALIEN WELFARE OVER THEIR
LIFETIME.
On a long term basis by building real double
layer fencing at the US/Mexican border, billions of dollars will be saved for
the US Taxpayer. The Rep. Duncan Hunter concept started in San Diego, California with a success rate
of 90 percent to this day. The concept of a two facing fences with all weather
tracks between with access ports for the US Border agents vehicles, is a
perfect deterrent. Whatever the funding needed should be appropriated, as the
flood of illegal aliens will be drawn to a close.
The costs would be phenomenal, as those who
fall upon the public pocket would come to end. Recruitment of thousands of more
border agents, or even a job for returning military troops would guarantee and
end to the endless streams of foreign national that now are smuggled in. With
the technology that’s available, purportedly inaccessible places could be
patrolled by electronic drone or highest level of sensor
technology.
A Report from the Heritage Foundation States:
The cost of an illegal alien receiving
amnesty from Obama is not a short term cost. In fact it has been worked out
that over 50 years the cost is more than $9 TRILLION for the five million
Barack is legalizing. Barack really wants to bankrupt our nation. Of course the
five million illegal aliens he makes “legal” will also challenge five million
honest Americans, Hispanics, blacks, men, women and youth for available low pay
jobs.
§
“The average illegal immigrant is 34 years
old. If he receives amnesty, he will receive government benefits for 50 years.
Some amnesty proposals suggest restricting benefit access for the first 13
years after amnesty, but that limit would have little impact on long-term
costs.
§
Over the course of a lifetime, 11.5 million
illegal immigrants granted amnesty would receive $9.4 trillion in government
benefits after paying just $3.1 trillion in taxes.”
Obamacare is killing health care, jobs and
the economy (the real economy, not the fantasy press releases from the White
House) and now for the next two generations the costs of violating the law by
the President is going to cost our children, grandchildren and great
grandchildren. It will be a Shame on American Taxpayers for allowing this to
happen to our country.
Our nation is under siege. This month we need
thousands, if not millions of people, everyone we know, to step up and show
their support for the moderate Conservative Tea Party. If we don’t act now,
President Obama is going to grant amnesty to 5 million illegal aliens—5 times
as many as when Obama freed the dreamers from deportation. Among those millions
of illegal aliens are scores of convicted criminals and felons—people of the
worst kind including murderers, rapists, pedophiles, and drug lords. He already
released 35.000 criminal aliens who will be a threat on our streets and DUI on
our highways. How can you possibly hope to unite a nation, when a good part of
the population refuses to learn English?
You and I both recognize that if this comes to
pass, the floodgates to economic, social and financial disaster will be thrown
wide open. Obama can tout amnesty as some great philanthropic effort but we
Patriots see behind the veil of lies and deceit.
Obama says all of this is beyond our control. People,
that’s simply not true. We can stop it. If this President would enforce the
current laws and provide the proper support at the borders. We’re being
overrun, and Obama’s solution is to hold events at the White House
“honoring illegal aliens who came to this country.” He is REWARDING
criminals.
If President Obama implements a unilateral
order, to bypass Congress and gives a free pass and a universal amnesty, all
hell could break loose. It will be a national emergency and my belief is what
that hard-core Socialist in the White House? It could lead to a ‘Civil War” of
sorts, which would be hard to stop. Obama and his
administration will see to it that illegal aliens will receive first priority
for jobs if amnesty becomes law, getting the best health care, and enjoy a free
education—while we break our backs just to feed our families and pay the rising
bills for those who jump the border.
Check this site that
has the phone Numbers and Mailing Addresses of Members of Congress
contact them at: http://www.contactingthecongress to demand an end to illegal immigration, the
dismantling of our laws, sovereignty, citizen rights and even our of abolition
of our military top brass, which is protection against our enemies foreign an
domestic. Illegal Immigration is rapidly becoming the top priority for
Americans, because they see its impact on the bleak economy and lost jobs. TELL THESE SPINELESS DEMS
& CONSERVATIVES THERE OUT IN 2016, IF THIS MINDLESS AMNESTY PASSES. This is the number for the central switchboard
for every member of Congress to address your opposition at 800-224-3121.
November 12, 2014 at 1:58 pm
These questions are misleading to people who don’t know any better, but any smart republican would torch you with the correct answers. There’s a reason why the republicans won.
November 12, 2014 at 3:42 pm
Please – give us the correct answers, then. We’re waiting…..
November 12, 2014 at 1:32 pm
Liberals should be happy they had a good run over the past few years.
Now they simply need to emulate right wing white people and obstruct Republicans at every turn. Give them a taste of the well they poisoned with their fear.
If constantly angry white Americans can obstruct, interfere and impede every bit of progress attempted during President Obama’s time, then liberals should do everything in their power to ensure white Americans do not take the United States back to the Stone Age.
There is a good reason we trail the world in academic achievement and will continue to do so as long as conservative religious philosophy has a political component. We have a huge political party comprised of angry yet privileged, anti-science, anti-human rights, white conservatives who insist on believing in inane religious fairy tales that undermine the very existence of science.
Well, America had a good run, but that was last century. Not to worry though, keep believing the “American Exceptionalism” horseshit until the end arrives.
November 12, 2014 at 1:13 pm
Please keep talking about the economic recovery. That way we can win in 2016. Educate yourself on the U6 unemployment number (NOT the U3) and “labor participation rate” before talking about unemployment dropping.
Nov 4, 2014 the day liberalism died.
November 12, 2014 at 1:26 pm
LMAO! Are Republicans going to switch to undermining their own efforts now?
Nov. 4th — the day the TEAplectic took a job they aren’t prepared to do.
November 12, 2014 at 12:54 pm
According to exit polls, the economy was a major issue for voters this midterm election. Yet, voters chose Republicans to “fix” the economy, the very party who under George W. Bush put the economy in the dumpers in the first place. And the irony is, as Ms. Chapin notes, the economy is recovering albeit not fast enough for many. Go figure.
November 12, 2014 at 1:18 pm
ya’All still on Bush? so the past 6 years the President gets no blame? rascally Repubs? I guess you forgot you had full control of Congress and the White House from 2008-2010. But it’s all Bush’s fault. Never mind the crash was caused by Fannie and Freddie. the Dem’s thought (and still think) that giving loans to people who can’t pay them back is good policy.
November 12, 2014 at 1:28 pm
And if “we” were a monolithic tent with scared old white people hiding in every corner “we” would have got more done.
ya’All can’t seem to manage that. Represent!
November 13, 2014 at 11:16 am
Really ?
Fannie and Freddie caused the recession ???
And all this time those poor banks got the Blame !! Poor Washington Mutual, poor Citibank, poor B of A !! poor Lehman Brothers. They didn’t do anything wrong, did they ? Or those stock market traders, they got a lot of blame, but it was really Fannie and Freddie ?
Did Banking De-Regulation have anything to do with the consolidation of the Financial system ?? see: Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act
That said, the Obama Admin didn’t put ANY Bankers in jail !!
NOT ONE !! Were they ALL INNOCENT ??