Way to go Massachusetts...of all places!!! In the clip below, Harold Schaitberger, general president of the International Association of Firefighters joins Rachel Maddow to discuss withholding financial support for federal Democrats who have not done enough to fend off the GOP's anti-union agenda. Why might they do this you ask? Because the Democratically controlled House in Massachusetts are drinking "the tea." State Democrats seem to be buckling under lack of national leadership. NPR article here. I live in this state. Our public employees are not the problem. It's revenue. It's revenue across the entire country. This situation was not created at the local level. I get it, no one wants their taxes increased, yet no one wants their services cut. I offer this. What is more essential? Do you want quality protection from your firefighters and police? I do. Do you want good education for kids? I do, and I don't have kids. I want them to be able to do something with their lives so they're not robbing my house. Do you want to drive down the street without damage to your vehicle because the roads are crumbling? I do. Your vehicle is the second most expensive purchase besides your home. When Ronald Reagan took office in 1981, he changed the psyche of the country. He not only made the most disasterous tax, deregulation (including our media) and financial decisions of my lifetime, he managed to turn a country that worked together for the most part, since WWII at least, into a country that pointed the finger and blamed anyone else for their failures. In other words, the country that had a "we can do this" attitude, turned into, "I got mine...F you." attitude and it prevails today. Today's Republican party has not only become Reaganism on steroids, it has overdosed. The folks voting on the other side are truly convinced that those of us who don't agree that funneling money from our pocket to the top are anti-American. They are convinced that womens most personal decisions are best left to rich white men who know best. They see today's impoverished as tomorrow's soldiers. I could go on, but I think the point has been made. If a state like Massachusetts falls into this regressive policy syndrome plaguing our country, what happens to those of us without lobbyist? I can't see Governor Deval Patrick signing this bill even if it gets through the Massachusetts state senate, since he's on record saying he won't sign a WI type bill. But here's the thing...if this anti-public worker crapola can even be discussed in Massachusetts, it will happen everywhere. This is our future, these are our lives. American Idol really isn't that important, is it?
In this clip, Rachel echoed a fear I expressed on April 15, when I said, "I'm not going to get my hopes up too much because Democrats have a way of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory." She used that exact term discussing this asinine idea that MA Dems have hatched. What I wrote that day was actually talking about the wildly unpopular attempts by Republicans to kill Medicare, but it applies to EVERYTHING. I don't know what it is or why it happens, but Democrats have this instinct to run toward a terrible policy idea, lend their hand and end up owning it, much to the chagrin of voters. At the end of the day, they end up out of power with egg on their face, for supporting such a hugely unpopular position. Democrats don't know how to message, Republicans do. It's the only thing they're good at. It truly pisses me off that they do this, and it works time and time again.
This Charlie Brown/Lucy football stunt has grown old. We need more Bernie Sanders' and Anthony Weiner's who don't disappoint and actually work for the people, even when met with hostility. They are true representatives for the people, not those who have it all.
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