We Are All Republicans Now

Expected but still disappointed by the Republican sweep of the elections.  It's hard to believe people are so easily swayed by sound bites, myths, fear, and mistrust.  I can see the wealthy voting for a Republican; they are business and wealthy friendly.  What I cannot see is why the vast majority of Americans, most who have modest incomes, are taken in by the Republicans.  They are against everything that most of the under class depend on: Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, Unemployment insurance, health care for all, all signposts of an enlightened nation, in my mind, one that cares about all its people.  The Republicans speak a good game, but if they had their way, this country would be in anarchy.  The scariest part is the new Tea partiers, who make things sound so simple: they wave the flag, talk about freedom, hate government, and make it sound so attractive to get this monster off your back...unfortunately, for well over 50% of Americans, they are surviving on the back of government, which irks the right, who spout bromides of freedom, individualism, and capitalism.  If you look at any of the winners rallies, there is nary a black, hispanic, gay, and few women in the circles of power.  It's back to the 50's where white men rule.  Now the democrats are responsible for this as well, mostly because they have not been able to sell their accomplishments to the American people.  Instead of being excited about the fact that most Americans will have healthcare, most fear it, think it smacks of socialism, of government take over of our lives, not realizing that social security and Medicare are similar government run programs, which a large portion of Americans depend on.  The Republicans have been able to demonize Obama and he does not seem to care.  Most think that he raised taxes on Americans; actually, most if not all Americans got a tax break but they don't know it.  And if the Bush tax breaks run out, only those making above 250,000 dollars will have their tax rate raised.  Yet most Americans are against this because they think Obama is raising their taxes.  They also blame the deficit on him, forgetting that Republicans are the ones who created it, with their wars, tax policies, and lack of regulation of Wall Street.  Basically, Obama saved us from a Depression, but is blamed for what saved our country, the stimulus.  Most Americans see this as only increasing the deficit, not saving us and probably the world from something worst, the depression.  I just don't get it...I can see that people are angry with the government, that Obama and Democrats are in power, thus you blame the party in power.  But our memories are so short...we don't realize that two years ago, our country was about to go up in flames under Republican watch and policies.  This is what Obama inherited; because things have not changed that much in the past two years, it's his fault.  No matter who was in office, Bush, Nixon, Kennedy or God, not much else could be done.  I will qualify my comments with a criticism of the tas and entitlement policies of the democrats, ones that pay little if any attention to fiscal responsibility; they often add entitlements without funding, depending on raising the taxes, which every is sick of.  To be honest, the answer to all of this is simple: cut entitlements(the dems won't go along) and raise taxes(the republicans will not go along). Doing both is the only way to end our run away deficit and bring back a flourishing country.  Politicians are going to have to grow up or we will have to wait for a new generation of leaders, the kind that are brought up with a different mind set, one that cares about sustainability, environment, others, and fairness to all, including other countries, not just the US. Finally, I am sick of hearing how wonderful the US is, how great our people are, how we are no. 1.  It's like they have no idea that their are other cultures and people who are equally hard working, equally smart, with governments that work pretty well, and in many cases better than ours.  We have been the major power since 1950, only 60 years, and that looks to be changing as China looms on the horizon.  This is the way the pendulum swings, countries, cultures, rise and fall, and we seem to be in a down phase for now.  We are a great country, in many ways, but there are many other great countries, people, cultures, and we should realize this...we need to think more globally, less provincially.  Enough venting.