Monday, November 1, 2010

The Enemy of My Enemy Is My Friend

There is an ancient saying that is translated into modern English as "the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

This philosophy is likely responsible for the popularity of Ron Johnson among the state's Tea Party voters.

Johnson has proven to be a liar and a hypocrite on the subject of entrepreneurship (he earned his money the old-fashioned way -- he married it), government-sponsored health care (he took his daughter to a state-university-owned hospital in Minnesota for her surgery and has encouraged his employees to enroll in BadgerCare) and Randian economics (he sought government-subsidized bonds and railroad tracks for his company and stimulus funds for the Oshkosh Opera House, on whose board he serves).  He has flip-flopped on the subject of gun control (originally stating that gun owners should be licensed like drivers, until he learned that position was anathema to his base). He has approved outright lies about Russ Feingold's record.

Feingold, on the other hand, is one of the Senate's staunchest supporters of 2nd Amendment rights (he even filed an amicus brief on behalf of McDonald in the recent McDonald v. Chicago case). He famously voted against the USA Patriot Act.  He often votes against his party, though as a liberal Democrat, he is in agreement with (and therefore votes for) most of their legislative agenda.

It is those liberal leanings which have earned the ire of the Tea Party.  If Feingold's only opponent on the ballot were Beelzebub, the Prince of Darkness would have their vote.

8 comments:

sofa said...

"If Feingold's only opponent on the ballot were Beelzebub, the Prince of Darkness would have their vote."

Yup. ANYONE but a communist.

In subsequent rounds of voting, we'll sort out the wheat from the chaff. For now, we just need to exterminate the parasites.

***

Feingold's greatest moment was his speech in support of the Constitution, American values, and against the "Patriot Act". Shame he lost that thread.

Since then, Feingold has remade himself into a 'progressive', a communist who supports the redistrubtion of wealth. As people observe his actions and hear him speak, they come to know him. And they vote against him.

sofa said...

“This is not an election on November 2. This is a restraining order,” P.J. O’Rourke wrote last week.

Numerous Videos of what America is voting against: http://pajamasmedia.com/eddriscoll/2010/11/01/an-election-day-video-trip-down-memory-lane/

Ordinary Jill said...

"Remade himself into a progressive"? Did you not notice Feingold's liberal leanings before 2001? I'm afraid, sofa, that you perceive the world much differently than I do, which is why I find your arguments unpersuasive -- your observations do not seem to line up with reality. You are entitled to your opinions, and you are welcome to continue to share them here. People are more likely to read them if you make them more concise, however.

sofa said...

No apologies that complex questions required more than a flippant one liner about feelings, or calling someone crazy ("do not seem to line up with reality").

My first comment was that Mr. Feingold was a communist. It may have hurt some feelings, but the dictionary and a majority of Wisconsin voters agree-- So Mr. Feingold got fired on 2 November.

2 November was a good first step to overturning the communism in America.

"You can ignore reality, but you cannot ignore the consequences of ignoring reality"
- Ayn Rand

Mr. Feingold was fired.
The election was a restraining order on the actions of Pelosi/Reid/Obama.

Demonizing others is an excuse for not thinking, for not empathizing. An enquiring mind would actually want to understand why. Consider: What if Col West and Mark Rubio actually mean what they say? And what if America overwhelmingly supports our founders principles?

Kentucky Turtle said...

Sofa, in all honesty, your postings are often so disjointed that it's a real chore to try and make any sense of them. I can't help but feel embarrassed for you when I read your stuff.

I'm not saying this to be mean, as an act of kindness someone needed to tell you this.

sofa said...

KT,
What is hard to understand, the dictionary definition of 'communism', or the collectivist actions of Mr Feingold?

Ordinary Jill said...

sofa, you completely missed the point that I said does not line up with reality.

I understand that, by your definition of communism (which apparently does not require a collective ownership of all assets, just a partial re-distribution of wealth), Feingold is a communist.

My point was that Feingold did not suddenly become a lefty after 2001. You claimed that he "remade" himself into a progressive at some point after his brave opposition to the USA PATRIOT Act. There was no remaking; Feingold has been remarkably consistent in his principles over his entire 18 years in the Senate.

sofa said...

Jill,

Opposing the 'Patriot Act' may have been his finest hour.

Russ may have started in one party with a traditional set of beliefs, but over time he embraced something very different.

The 'progressives' of today are not the 'liberals' of yesterday.

Traditional 'liberals of western civilization' are for individual freedom. John Kennedy would today be to the right of much of the GOP.

The 'progressives' have transmorgified the Dem party into a party that supports collectivism- The very antithesis of 'liberalism' and individual rights.

Most of America is still 'traditional liberal' and embraces western civilization and reason-- So we reject communism. And Russ got the boot for supporting the collective.

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