A favorite campaign slogan of Republican presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann and her Tea Party fan club is to "Take back America."
But back from whom? There is more than a hint in the rhetoric that some people have hijacked the country, and America must be reclaimed. The catch phrase also seems to be suggesting that the nation is in the hands of societal elements whose patriotism leaves something to be desired, a euphemism for the more indelicate label of "un-American".
How about former Governor Sarah Palin repeatedly telling audiences in conservative rural communities that they are the "real America"? Where does that leave the humanity frequenting New York City's Times Square, a Los Angeles barrio, or downtown Chicago? Not in a very favorable place in Palin's narrow, ideologically structured world.
This faux patriotic superiority is an offensive blot on democracy. Americans can disagree on policy. But at the end of the day, whether a street vendor in Harlem, a farmer in Idaho, or a banker in South Carolina, they all start out with the same citizenship birthright. Within that framework, no American has a prima facie monopoly on patriotism because of a particular political view.
On a less abstract level, Representative Bachmann believes global warming is a liberal-contrived hoax to expand government control over individual freedom. Hence, she wants to "take back America" from the roughly 70 percent of the public who are concerned in varying degrees about climate change. And they are concerned for good reason. A recent report by an international group of prominent scientists warning that oceanic marine life is on the brink of a massive extinction if global warming is not slowed is just the latest in a series of jarring ecological alarm bells.
Oblivious as she might be, Bachmann has every right to express her doubts, but given the danger signals emanating from current climate science, who would want to hand over the nation's reins to her, Palin or some other global warming denier?
If you need convincing, the American Lung Association cites data which illustrates some of the downsides of environmental parochialism. While Bachmann has been railing against the Environmental Protection Agency for exceeding its regulatory authority, one of the nation's worst polluting coal-fired power plants is operating full blast in her district. Her home county is the location for more than 7,400 recorded adult cases of chronic bronchitis and 2,400 asthma cases in children, all linked to inferior air quality.
Bachmann and Palin are peddling an exclusionary rather than inclusive picture of the United States that is debilitating as it is divisive. Major urban centers are every bit as much a part of America as rural hamlets. Indeed, consider that the "real" America faces formidable environmental challenges, not the least of which is climate change. Then note that it is the cities, including many large ones, which are in the forefront in responding to this challenge. They have led the way in instituting the expansion of energy efficiency, clean renewable sources of power generation, and greenhouse gas emission reductions. A case in point is the mayors of 142 cities across the nation adopting mandatory measures to slash greenhouse gas pollution.
Contrast their decisive approach with the head-in-the-sand mentality of Bachmann and Palin, two leaders who if they were ever to occupy the White House would be more likely to take America "down" than "back".
Edward Flattau's fourth book, 'Green Morality,' is now available.
Follow Edward Flattau on Twitter: www.twitter.com/greenmorality
Matthew Dowd: What 2012 Republican Contenders Can Learn From Rory McIlroy
Chris Weigant: Bachmann Rising, Palin Fading?
 |
 |
|
| Obama | Romney | |
|---|---|---|
| Electoral Votes (270 to win) |
332 | 206 |
| Obama | Romney | |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 65,899,660 | 60,932,152 |
| Percent | 51.1% | 47.2% |
| Democrats* | Republicans | |
|---|---|---|
| Current Senate | 53 | 47 |
| Seats gained or lost | +2 | -2 |
| New Total | 55 | 45 |
| Democrats | Republicans | |
|---|---|---|
| Seats won | 201 | 234 |
So, it is not excess to claim the necessity to "Take back America." from the tyranny of our overweening social democratic state.
See
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/liberty-positive-negative/
for an explication of the term. Negative freedom is that upon which this nation was founded, whereas positive freedoms are mere political bastardizations of the term to pur armed robbery at the point of a government gun in a more positive light.
U.S. historians like Thomas Bender "try and put an end to the recent revival of American exceptionalism, a defect he esteems to be inherited from the Cold War".[47] Gary W. Reichard and Ted Dickson argue "how the development of the United States has always depended on its transactions with other nations for commodities, cultural values and populations".[48] Roger Cohen asks, "How exceptional can you be when every major problem you face, from terrorism to nuclear proliferation to gas prices, requires joint action?"[49] Harold Koh distinguishes "distinctive rights, different labels, the 'flying buttress' mentality, and double standards. (...) [T]he fourth face—double standards—presents the most dangerous and destructive form of American exceptionalism."[50] Godfrey Hodgson also concludes that "the US national myth is dangerous".[51] Samantha Power asserts that "we're neither the shining example, nor even competent meddlers. It's going to take a generation or so to reclaim American exceptionalism."[52]
Achieving freedom for Americans is sufficient to my purpose.
There are many Conservative Bloggers as myself who are active in spreading the word and news about the plight and plans of Conservative ideas and the movement to take back America. Many of such sites are listed by state on www.AmericansforProsperity.org. Through such sites Conservative Bloggers are involved in weekly conference calls, web networking, important political events in our states, and attend such events as the state’s Republican Convention. We work for key Conservative candidates in both our states and for all federal elections. Many Conservative Bloggers are very politically active. And as you would imagine, us Bloggers are active in the Tea Party movement and belong to our local chapters.
Here are the beliefs and platform that a conservative political leader must espouse.
Expectations of Conservative Politicians- American exceptionalism, pride, and dedication to our Constitution are expected of our politicians. “Our Constitution was made for moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other,” John Adams. You see, we have an enemy within, and they take the form of the progressive left. The progressive left is now running the government.
http://teapartypatriots.org/BlogPostView.aspx?id=91c42389-b355-4004-8a1b-d00e0a251508
Problem is that Americans For Prosperity is a front for the Koch brothers political thinktank.
That sounds an awful lot more like a right-wing policy in America than a left-wing policy. Oil, corn, sugar, anyone?
... and any politician that supports their greedy self serving interests, devoid of conscience or morality that has driven the destruction of our ecomony.
Isn’t our country supposed to be governed by those promoting the general welfare of “We the People”, instead of empowering and enriching the welfare of nefarious big businesses that operate only in their own best interest ... all at the immeasurable detriment of its own citizens.
Yeah ... I guess we do need to take back our country.
But, hey, if you can properly explain the 10th Amendment and the Commerce Clause to me, I'll take it all back.
So true. Palin and Bachmann are part of a long nearly twenty-five year line of the same crap from the likes of the right-wing religious zealots, and the political wolves like Ralph Reed and Pat Robertson who use religion to control others, and then add Rush Limbaugh and Limbog clones including Sean Hannity, etc etc. and you get a profoundly toxic collection of deceivers who undermine the health and well being of democracy.
Your mention of Pat Robertson reminds of the Moral Majority that once reared it's ugly head as a political movement,trying to enforce their false moral propagandist hypocrisy on our peoples.I have heard of the current Evangelical wing of the tea-potty referred to as the Moral Majority reborn with a new name.
Add to this mix the obvious continuation of the John Birch Society,through the Koch bros.What an ugly unholy alliance those two influences are to once again gain a foothold in our society through ignorance and deceit
I guess our only recourse is to continue the fight to push back against these nutjobs....