Monday, August 17, 2009

Anger and Angst in America: The Prelude

My last post, "Anger and Angst in America" is a long winded attempt to put some perspective on the reason people may be fearful and angry right now. I probably should have served it up in one or two paragraph lengths over the course of a week. It would have been more digestible, less heavy handed. I may even have confused some readers with the over use of certain terms, giving the impression I am someone who rejects government intervention.

Politically, I am a Liberal. I was raised in a Goldwater household but I went the other direction. I do care to know both sides of every issue and that was the main objective of Sunday's post. It explores a random selection of economic issues over 35 years, illustrating why people are just plain fed up with politicians, corporations and getting shafted. I notice that most of the de-regulatory stances are designed to "increase competition" and "benefit the consumer". Somehow, the opposite keeps happening.

FYI: I have edited the previous post. It's still rambling but perhaps makes a bit more sense than version I.

11 comments:

Minka said...

You knowby now what I think about the issues, you wroe about in the two previous posts.

All I can add now is: I hope thigs go the right direction and I wish you all well.

Coffee Messiah said...

Hey, nothing wrong with stream of consciousness ; )

Sadly, it appears so many times the right will only listen when they get "exactly" what "they" want, alas, if it isn't, smoke and mirrors ; (

Liberal is used as a negative, but in the scheme of their biblical meanderings, the left seems to be more christ like than they are.

Been a strange realization for me since I was knee high to a grasshopper ; )

Cheers to you and yours ; )

Rosaria Williams said...

Thanks for taking up the issue of health care. Why the conversation is being derailed is beyond my comprehension.

Judy said...

I got your drift and enjoyed it! It's good to remember things like that.

Judy said...

PS: I loved hearing Pat Benatar "Heartbreaker" on your side panel! GREAT song, bring back memories of early 80's.

Mary Ellen said...

I'm glad that there is so much really substantive and thoughtful posting going on - it helps to balance out some of the fear-mongering in the popular media. So please keep on speaking up.

Marguerite said...

I, too, was raised in a Republican household, but things were quite different then. Enjoyed these posts and agree with you 100%! Cheers!
Please post your crab cake recipe, soon!

California Girl said...

Minka: thank you for your thoughts from your political and historical perspective. It's one of the things I like best about blogging, engaging folks from all over the world.

CM: I purposely capitalized Liberal because it ha become a negative and I am proud of my leanings. I agree with the Christ like reference. My husband often wonders how it is the "moral majority" and "religious right" can be so uncharitable and rigid in their viewpoints. Hard right Republicans are not inclusive at all. I've always thought the Democratic party to be much more inclusive and giving.

Lakeviewer: I think the Dems are trying to get back on track with the Town mtgs but the mtgs have become a media circus and people are playing to the cameras. I work for a small tv broadcast company. People LOVE to be on TV no matter if they make idiots of themselves or not.

Judy Judy Judy: i met her at the wedding of a good friend about 15 yrs ago. My girlfriend married Benatar's studio arranger and she came to the wedding in black. So did I. We were the only two and I was late so I sat next to her not knowing it was Pat Benatar and she was glad she wasn't the only one in the church. She performed impromptu at the reception and was fabulous. Very nice lady.

ME: Too bad the substantive and thoughtful are not making the news media reports!

Marguerite: I will. You just love me for my crab cakes...

glnroz said...

Not sure how I came to your site. You say some very good things. The point that I worry about (not you or your blog,, lol), is that we are so POLORIZED. It is a tool of the opposing side. Whichever. It is simple math or algebra. The equation has to balance. Not near enough room here, but we need to study what works where and WHY. Comments welcome at
www.glnroz.blogspot.com

Vagabonde said...

Interesting posts and comments. I enjoy reading all the different viewpoints. It seems strange to me that the people here are afraid to get better health care provided by the government when, right now, the US is ranked 38 in the western world in health care but spends twice as much or more than the rest of these countries. I also think that many people here are very fearful – the US is a very fearful country. I guess since this country was more or less founded on money and materialistic values (capitalism?), it’s hard not to want to keep making profits on the citizens’ health care. The US is the only western country were health care is a profit making business and life expectancy is lower than in the more developed countries. I was taken aback when I read that some 3rd World Countries are sending charitable missions here to help the poor. I also read a report from a US doctor who went to Brazil to help in a health clinic catering to the poor and who said that their health care was way better than what the poor gets here, so he came back!

Susan said...

Cali Girl, just wanted you to know that I agree completely with your last two posts, but I have been too busy and the brain has been too fuzzy to come up with an intelligent comment. In fact, there wasn't much that I could add to your very intelligent writing that you didn't already say.

I'm going to reread them early next week to get the finer details. (I'm going to be out of town for the next 3 days.) I have had guests off and on for two weeks and it's hard for me to delve deeply when others are around.

They were very well written and the research was excellent. I commend you for voicing your frustration with the system and with people's (conservatives) brainwashed acceptance of the lies that Fox News dishes out on a daily basis. I wish more people would speak out using reasonable, fact-based arguments as you did.

Christina

Christina
by Cole Scott