Integrity in the time of Tea Baggers

Yesterday someone told me I had damaged my credibility with this blog.  It came out of the blue, and several questions raced through my mind.  Was it really compromised?  What made him say that?  Who the hell did he think he was?  Hadn't he read any of my previous blogs?  And finally, why do I care?

The truth is, I don't care what this guy thinks.  After all, he's just a "friend" on a social network (one who sought me out, I might add).  And truly, if he was surprised by anything on this blog, then he wasn't reading my old blog very closely.  True, that blog was much more polite, as political ranting wasn't really appropriate for that network, but still.  I am pretty WYSIWYG.  (Too young to know what that means?  Ask your parents).

It did start me thinking, though, because my credibility (ie, integrity) is pretty important to me.  After all, if I don't have that, I don't have anything.  No matter what, if I have honor and ethics and am true to those ideals, then I'll be fine in the end. 

And that's part of the problem with the whole Tea Bagger movement.  They have no honor.  Their leaders -- talking heads like Rush, O'Lie-lly, and Beck bandy such outrageous ideas about, it's hard to even call them liars.  I think maybe Karl Rove is their leader - he's the Emperor and Cheney is his Sith lord.  These people knowingly throw blatant falsehoods out there, and the populace -- too ignorant, tired, or lazy to know better -- laps it up with glee.  Then you get these Baggers who take it to the furthest extreme. 

Let's make a quick checklist, shall we?  Things that damage your credibility:

• Spitting on Congressmen
• Using racial slurs
• Throwing bricks through windows
• Cutting gas lines to people's houses
• Using terms like fascism and socialist improperly
• Thinking Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin have two functioning neurons between them both

Notice how "speaking your thoughts and opinions" isn't on there.  So if someone thinks I'm no longer credible just because I turned out not to agree with him, well, that's his loss.  Clearly he's not capable of intellectual discourse on the subject.  And frankly, I don't care what people like that think. 

I have always held true to my belief in facts, dialogue, and using a good round of devil's advocate to develop my opinions.  I enjoy discussing issues with people on the other side of the fence, because we always end up giving each other food for thought.  Ultimately we both grow and become better people for it.

"Hi, I'm GeekChick, and I have a problem.  I am exceedingly intolerant of people who are closed-minded, bigoted, and intolerant of differing ideas."  Is there a program for that?

Well, as often happens, I lost the bead of where I was going when I started this thought.  In any case, I don't think my credibility is even slightly tarnished.  I have never pretended to be centrist.  Or even polite, for that matter.  I agreed to a certain modicum of politeness and "neutrality" (not truly so) on this other site, but it was always quite clear which side of the fence I was on.  And furthermore, I have always welcomed opposing viewpoints, as long as they are thought out and based on facts.  No mudslinging, no Rovian talking points. 

I know who I am and that I have integrity.  As I've taught my children, the worst thing you can be in this world is a hypocrite.   And if you are surprised to learn that I am a socialist lefty, then you haven't been listening all along.  If you are bothered by that, then go back to Fox and Friends.  I'm sure they'll still take you.

I'm with Dennis

The right-wing media is having a field day over Dennis Kucinich's vote on health care.  They shiver with ecstacy over his "flip flopping" on the issue. This drivel doesn't really deserve comment. 

What I really want to talk about is why I'm still with Dennis.  He was my #1 choice for President in 2008, and he's still one-half of my dream ticket (Sanders being the other).  And his speech on why he chose to vote for the health care bill shows why.

Like Kucinich, I was a hardcore hold-out for single payer.  For months I've been saying "Hell no!" to the current bill, because it doesn't do nearly enough.  Big K and I fought the good fight against "something is better than nothing."  But in the end, he realized how critical it was that he vote for this piece of crap that we have. Because at the end of the day, something is better than nothing. 

This is not a flip flop.  Kucinich believes in doing what's best for the American people.  And what's best is single payer, but when it became clear that that was not an option on the table, he was faced with a difficult decision.  He described his dilemma most eloquently in his press conference announcing his vote.  He recognized that at this point, it was time to put aside the Good Fight (for a few moments) and at least get the protections of the current bill in place.  And I have no doubt that he -- and Bernie Sanders and Alan Grayson -- will resume the Good Fight once the vote is over.  (Bernie has made some great statements this past week on that -- Google it).

So, while I think the current bill is a piece of crap compared to what we COULD have (had the Dems had any balls enough to propose it in the first place), I'll get onboard because Dennis decided it was best.  He's earned my trust that way.  And it's just so obvious and boring that Faux and Friends are attacking him for it. 

Oh, and the icing on the cake?  Kucinich is giving back campaign contributions to people who expected him to vote for single payer health care!  He feels he must do this, because he did not do what they "paid" him to do.  How many elected officials would do that? 

Whichever radio host I was listening to at the time said it best: Kucinich is a man of honor.  How rare that is today, in any field -- but certainly so in politics.  We need more people with that kind of integrity.  Think how great our country would be if we did!  And that's why I like Ron Paul -- he and I are completely opposite in ideology, but he has integrity and honor.  It's just those pesky Tea Baggers that are the problem. 

Kucinich has a bright future, if we can get more of the populace to see it.  Imagine this:  a Sanders/Kucinich ticket (cuz Bernie's older and so should go first) for 8 years....then a Kucinich and....I don't know...Grayson?.....for another 8.  Now I'm shivering with ecstasy. 

So encourage any conservative types you know to look past the bullshit of Faux "News" and look at the man.  Regardless of your politics, Kucinich is a man of honor.  And as such, we all have something to learn from him, and we would all be served by keeping him in our government.