Of course there are. I had forgotten about that case (I don’t live in the region so it wasn’t big in my memory requiring me to look it up) and agree that the cops were WAY overboard. Bombing a row house because of a standoff? Talk about overkill.
The problem, as I see it, is that the average person doesn’t get heard in the conservative movement. Limbaugh et al put on the extreme callers that support their twisted mindset. Same thing happens on the Norman Goldman show or Stephanie Miller on progressive radio (yes, I will occasionally listen to WCPT to hear how the other side thinks). The more moderate and rational people aren’t heard from because it won’t be good ratings and won’t help boost the circle jerk of extremism.
Same thing happens in many other groups. Do you hear a lot from the average black person who just wants a job and to be treated fairly? No, you get Jesse or Louis screaming and shouting. What about the regular Muslim who is proud to be American and condemns radical Islamic terrorism? Nope, we only see the extremists on the news (scare whitey and make more money for CNN). We see it in the abortion debate, immigration, gay rights, etc, etc, ad nauseum.
I can’t afford to contribute to political parties and I’m too busy trying to keep a roof over my head and food in my family’s stomachs to volunteer my time for a candidate I believe in and respect. Instead the fat cats donate thousands and push an extremist agenda. As a fiscal and national security conservative I’m screwed because the only way I can show my displeasure with the policies I see coming from the left is to vote for someone too far to the right.
I refuse to NOT vote, though. I have never been a quitter. To not vote because neither candidate completely matches my convictions is abhorrent to every instinct in my body (sorry, I channeled Nixon for a second). I am sometimes (too often) forced to vote not for a candidate but against the other candidate. As much as I didn’t like Papa Bush, I liked Slick Willy less. I thought W was a buffoon but Gore’s environmentalist views were too extreme for me. Palin was simply window dressing and the worst case of pandering to the women’s vote that I had ever seen but Obama’s policies were frightening.
Our country thrives on conflict. It’s not enough to make a choice between A and B, we have to push it to be A and Z. If there is no conflict then the media creates one.
Where the hell is the middle of the road candidate? Someone who is willing to negotiate and talk. Someone who says that the government will help people when they need it but not do everything for them. Someone who says our military must be strong but that we are not the world’s policeman. Someone who says protect the innocent, punish the wrongdoers and treat people fairly. Someone who says that the rich and powerful and corporations should be expected to pay appropriate taxes and not sneak through loopholes that the average schmuck can’t get. Someone who says that since Joe Blow can’t run his house in the red then neither can the government.
Sorry about the rant. It just frustrates the living snot out of me that regular people can talk and debate and find a common ground but our elected officials (on both sides, folks) act like children. And for as stupid and babyish as they act, people keep re-electing them! Jesse Jr was under investigation for misuse of campaign funds and he still got re-elected. We truly get the government we deserve.
) But where is the bat shit comparable to teaching Creation Science as fact, or any of the rest of the reality denying nonsense **Kimstu **listed upthread?