I feel like Alice in Jesusland.

[primroseburrows]

Conservative Vision Ascendant In Latest TX History Textbooks Draft; Gingrich, Schlafly Back In

Okay, I have no problem with Gingrich and Schlafly being in a history text if it's written as history and not propaganda, but this guy refuses to by highlight prominent progressives to balance things, and worse, he also wants to VINDICATE McCARTHY, among a bunch of other stupid and racist things. Like these:

"Outspoken conservative board member Don McLeroy, who reportedly spent over three hours personally proposing changes to the textbook standards, even wanted to cut "hip-hop" in favor of "country" in a section about the impact of cultural movements. That amendment failed."

"McLeroy proposed a clause in the civil rights section that read (emphasis ours): 'Evaluate changes and events in the United States that have resulted from the civil rights movement, including increased participation of minorities in the political process and unrealistic expectations for equal outcomes.' McLeroy plans to ask for a vote on this measure at a later meeting."

I know it's a naïve and silly thing to ask, but WHEN THE HELL DID AMERICA GET THIS RACIST?

ETA: Also? You can't tell me that racism isn't behind the fact that the Obama government needs a supermajority every time they want to get anydamnthing done. WTF?

ETA #2: Everybody go out and get yourself a copy of Lies My Teacher Told Me ASAP.

Comments

[peacey.livejournal.com]

Also? You can't tell me that racism isn't behind the fact that the Obama government needs a supermajority every time they want to get anydamnthing done.

Oh no, couldn't have anything to do with policies that don't resonate with the electorate. God no, not that. Who could possibly believe that anyone who doesn't subscribe to the Obama administration's vision for the country has a mind capable of researching the issues and forming coherent, intelligent opinions based on that research. Ludicrous. Clearly they must be frothing at the mouth racists.

*FACEPALM* *HEADDESK*

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

I'm not saying that everything the administration is doing should be passed through without question. What I'm saying is that a bill that was the equivalent of hugs and puppies would still need all 60 Democratic votes to pass. And no administration, right or left, has ever had this that kind of difficulty AFAIK. Also, I don't ascribe to everything the current administration does, or even mostly everything (the current healthcare bill has me tearing my hair out, for instance, and I'm the jury's still out on Afghanistan as far as I'm concerned).

I'm not saying at all that Republicans shouldn't have intelligent, informed ideas that are contrary to a lot of Obama policies, nor am I saying they shouldn't vote according to these. Of COURSE they should, that's the job of the opposition. I just think it's really odd that there needs to be a supermajority for everything.

[peacey.livejournal.com]

What I'm saying is that a bill that was the equivalent of hugs and puppies would still need all 60 Democratic votes to pass.

I love you darlin', but this is 100% USDA Ridiculous.

And no administration, right or left, has ever had this that kind of difficulty AFAIK.

I could bloviate on numerous examples of equally challenging hurdles other administrations have faced, but will offer up just two words: Civil War.

the current healthcare bill has me tearing my hair out...

As it does me, though likely for different reasons.

I just think it's really odd that there needs to be a supermajority for everything.

And to this you ascribe as excuse the easiest, most knee-jerk, simple-minded, arrogant, cop-out answer ever. *headdesk headdesk headdesk*

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

I could bloviate on numerous examples of equally challenging hurdles other administrations have faced, but will offer up just two words: Civil War.

First of all, I have never heard the word 'bloviate' before, but I love it. :)

Yeah, I'll give you the Civil War. And there's even some of the States' Rights stuff still causing trouble today.

As it does me, though likely for different reasons.

Indeed. :D But we're probably about the same level of pissed off, only in opposite directions.

And to this you ascribe as excuse the easiest, most knee-jerk, simple-minded, arrogant, cop-out answer ever. *headdesk headdesk headdesk*

Honest to God, it's been exactly the opposite. I've railed against this possibility for months, saying exactly what you're saying--it can't be racist, that's such a knee-jerk response and I do not do knee-jerk. Seriously, I've been screaming that people who think there's a racist bent to the uberpartisanship politics are nuts. I'm not usually an Occam's Razor type of person. It's only after a lot of thought and pushing away a lot of denial that I've resigned myself to this conclusion. And I would LOVE to be proven wrong.

[peacey.livejournal.com]

And I would LOVE to be proven wrong.

Ah my dear, but as the one leveling the charge, the burden of proof lies on you. You charge mass racism at the highest levels (which it must be to so immediately affect policy) is stymieing Obama's agenda at every turn. What hard examples of such rampant racism in the halls and backrooms of Washington can you cite? Lay out your thought process. Show me the facts that logically lead to racism being the only possible conclusion.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

Oh, I don't think there's a mass racist agenda in Congress--that *is* nuts. I do think it's an underlying cause, though, and that a lot of it is un/subconscious. And of course, these old white boys (and girls) want to get their majority status back, and a good piece of the people who elect them do things like make signs with Obama as a witch doctor and things. And there are people like you and others who aren't, who make informed decisions. But they're not the ones talking the loudest. Can I prove it? Maybe, by going over a lot of footage and blogs and transcripts (oh, my!). I might do that, too, but right now I'm too depressed and it's too early in the morning.

[peacey.livejournal.com]

...these old white boys (and girls) want to get their majority status back,

First, while I do agree that they want their majority back (duh, the sky is blue), I know that the color of their skin has not thing one to do with it. Second, this is a hugely racist statement in itself. Doubt it? Substitute the word "white" with "black."

...a good piece of the people who elect them do things like make signs with Obama as a witch doctor and things.

"A good piece?" More like a small fringe element that gets attention because of their outrageousness (aka "talking the loudest") and because they play into the hands of their liberal counterparts. For you to back up your assertion that they represent "a good piece" of the electorate, I would need percentages, or, at the very least, hard statistics.

*pours Prim black coffee, pours self sunny, happy OJ*

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

I dunno, when my friend Linda was in Florida, she said the so-called "fringe" was everywhere--on TV, signs on the street, yadda. She's not anything even close to a radical, and she was scared. I don't have statistics because I just woke up.

As for "not one bit", I don't think anyone doesn't think there's not some racism involved. This isn't a post-racist society, after all.

I'll take my coffee with cream and one sugar, please. :)

[peacey.livejournal.com]

"Everywhere" needs to be more strictly defined, unless Linda traveled the entire state of Florida (literally) and found blatant, unmistakable (eg: so evident as to be immune to interpretation) racism at every turn. I'm not saying that it's not possible, just that I need irrefutable fact, not emotional response, when it comes to accepting such an inflammatory charge that racism is the primary fuel behind Obama's opposition.

The fringe have their nests, areas where their concentration is greater than is typical. San Francisco, areas of Vermont, and Berkley CA for the extreme left, for example. That the fringe right would settle into a few areas would be natural. Areas of Florida may well fit the bill.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

Well, my response WAS emotional--the written equivalent of beating my head against a brick wall.

And usually the squeaky wheel theory is true--the people who yell the loudest get responses faster. And like I said, I don't have stats. I'll look, though. I doubt the fringe-ers are the majority, but I'd bet real money that they're growing in number, because the non-politically inclined people tend to listen to who yells loudest.

[peacey.livejournal.com]

Well, my response WAS emotional--the written equivalent of beating my head against a brick wall.

But you can't base an accusation like racism on any form of emotion. Such an inflammatory thing must be rooted in cold, unemotional facts lest it prove to be either a play to inflame or a signal of confusion and frustration at an inability to comprehend where the truth lies.

And usually the squeaky wheel theory is true--the people who yell the loudest get responses faster.

Such is certainly the case if that person yells "RACIST!" at the majority of the American people.

I'd bet real money that they're growing in number,

If this is true, it's by proportion because those that are dissatisfied with Obama's leadership and direction are growing. This is due to several factors, primarily anger against fiscal irresponsibility (propagated by both parties) set to a staggering pace by the current administration, and the refusal of said administration to even acknowledge the will of the people they serve, let alone bend to it (according to an NBC/WSJ poll (http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Daily-Reports/2010/January/20/NBC-WSJ-Poll.aspx) out this week, "only 33 percent say that Obama's health care plan is a good idea, compared with 46 percent who believe it's a bad one. That result is essentially unchanged from last month's poll. However, the number saying that Obama's health plan is a bad idea has increased 20 percentage points since April, when the public supported the reform effort by a 33 percent to 26 percent margin. Moreover, 48 percent consider the health care legislation to be a step backward if it becomes law, versus 42 percent who say it would be a step forward" And still the Democrats shove it forward.

...non-politically inclined people tend to listen to who yells loudest.

Such may get their attention, but if the yell-ers seem unhinged, the vast majority (ie: sane people) will dismiss them as the lunatic fringe that they are.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

Such is certainly the case if that person yells "RACIST!" at the majority of the American people.

Which is one reason why I railed against the idea for a long time. Also, I don't think the majority of people are knowingly racist. However, a culture of white privilege has been in place forever, and it's hard to see out of the box. So what I'm saying is that it's altogether possible to be racist and not even know it (me included--I'm sure I do and say plenty of things that are rooted in my whiteness).

"only 33 percent say that Obama's health care plan is a good idea, compared with 46 percent who believe it's a bad one. That result is essentially unchanged from last month's poll. However, the number saying that Obama's health plan is a bad idea has increased 20 percentage points since April, when the public supported the reform effort by a 33 percent to 26 percent margin

And one of those disapproving people is me. The griping isn't just coming from the right about healthcare. Progressives hate it just as much as conservatives, only from opposite dirctions. And anyway, even if healthcare dried up and blew away, there's got to be a reason why everything needs a supermajority to get passed. It's not just healthcare.

Such may get their attention, but if the yell-ers seem unhinged, the vast majority (ie: sane people) will dismiss them as the lunatic fringe that they are.

Gah. I hope so.