Filosofa Ponders …

Posted on by under Environmental Issues, Political commentary, Racism & Bigotry, Social commentary

Filosofa means ‘philosopher’ in Spanish.  When I first started this blog, my friend Herb suggested the name ‘Filosofa’s Word’ because he sees me as a philosopher of sorts.  I rarely philosophize these days, but tonight I am in a reflective mood, pondering and feeling the need to opine a bit.  Please bear with me.

Have you ever stopped and pondered the differences … the core differences, not the everyday cosmetic differences … between the two major political parties in the U.S.?  Most people are lifelong members of one party or another, while a small percentage are recent converts and another small percentage identify as Independents.

If you ask most people, they will give you a few key talking points, such as Republicans are for smaller government, big business, and a balanced budget, Democrats are for inclusiveness, more government regulations, etc., etc.  If you ask a die-hard republican what Democrats stand for, the first word out of his mouth will likely be: socialism.

I am neither a registered Republican nor Democrat, don’t label myself as either, though at this point, I see so much wrong with the Republican ideology that I suppose I’m far more aligned with the Democratic Party than the Republican.  But it occurs to me tonight that perhaps neither side actually understands what the other is fighting for.

I drew this conclusion after reading part of a statement issued by Florida Senator Rick Scott tonight.  In his statement he makes some truly absurd claims …

At the very same time these far-left radicals are trying to remake America in their image, and lead us into a disastrous, dystopian, socialist future, we have a parade of pundits and even Republican voices suggesting we should have a GOP civil war. NO.

This does not need to be true, should not be true, and will not be true. Those fanning these flames, in both the media and our own ranks, desire a GOP civil war. No, we don’t have time for that: The hour is late, the Democrats are planning to destroy our freedoms, and the threat in front of us is very real.

Yes, we are up against powerful elites headquartered in Washington and on the coasts, and they endlessly try to lecture, bully, and intimidate us. But we can beat them. The Republican Civil War is now cancelled.

You and I are being called upon to rescue our nation from a socialist experiment that always has a tragic finale, an ending that involves loss – loss of prosperity, loss of freedom and loss of life. Let’s work together, let’s focus forward, and let’s get to work to create the America our families want and deserve.

Say WHAT???  ‘Far left radicals’ … is that what I am?  What planet is this man living on?  Dystopian socialist future?  Destroy our freedoms?  Socialist experiment???  Loss of prosperity, freedom and life?  What the Sam Hell is he even talking about?

My first comment is that Rick Scott does not understand what ‘socialism’ is, and like so many in the Republican Party today is trying to use the word as a scare tactic.  Socialism, as I have clarified before, is:  a political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.

Nobody that I’m aware of is advocating that the means of production, distribution and exchange be owned and regulated by the government (the community as a whole, in this case).  Regulations, yes … ownership, no.  This is, for better or for worse, a market-driven capitalist nation.  Personally, I think the U.S. has taken capitalism too far, to the detriment of the people of this nation, but nobody asked me.  Regulations have only been imposed where corporations abused their freedom, such as in their treatment of employees, workplace safety, monopolistic practices, and most recently polluting the environment.

When Mr. Scott speaks of ‘loss of prosperity’, I have to wonder just whose prosperity he refers to, for the income gap in this country has been growing by leaps and bounds, leaving most of us scratching our heads when the word prosperous comes up in conversation.  But see, here’s the problem … too many people don’t understand most of this and when somebody tells them that they’re going to lose their prosperity or their freedom if a Democrat is elected, they believe it!  They don’t realize that they aren’t the ones with prosperity and freedom to begin with!  It is the owners of the companies they work for who are prosperous, at their expense.  It is the CEOs of the companies who manufacture the cars they drive, the appliances in their homes, the clothes they wear, and the food they eat that are prosperous.

The biggest difference between Mr. Scott’s Republican Party and the Democratic Party is people.  The Republican Party still adheres to Ronald Reagan’s ‘trickle down’ economic theory … a theory that has been deposed and dispelled so many times, and yet they keep telling the myth over and over.  And people believe it … over and over.  The theory goes that if we don’t regulate big business, if we don’t expect them to pay their fair share in taxes, then they will make lots ‘n lots of money and they will then share it by paying their workers more, and by starting new factories to hire even more workers.  It’s a lie.  A bald-faced lie.  But even today, people believe the lie.  Even after Republicans have blocked a raise in the federal minimum wage rate for twelve years, people believe the lie.

The key difference in the two parties boils down to this:  people vs profit.  You’ve heard me use that term more than a few times but stop and consider it for a minute.  The Republicans support big business, unfettered by such things as taxes, workplace safety regulations, or environmental regulations that might cut into their obscene profit margin.  They believe that the working class should bear the bulk of the burden of supporting government and that government spending should largely be on such things as the military and show-stopping space exploration.  Democrats, on the other hand, would rather see people’s wages increased, access to affordable healthcare for all, and taking care of those who, for whatever reason, are not able to take care of themselves.  Yes, Democrats support what are called ‘social welfare’ programs that help people pull themselves up, help them feed, house, and clothe their families.  Is that really such a bad thing?

The simple fact is that not everyone has the opportunity to earn a college degree and get a high-paying job.  People have troubles, sometimes of their own making, sometimes not, but should they and their children have to die of starvation or a lack of healthcare, while others have billions of dollars stowed in offshore accounts?  What, exactly, is wrong with equality, with everyone contributing so that everyone has an opportunity to live a decent life?  This “I’ve got mine; you get your own” mentality is bullshit.  And the ultimate irony is that most of those who identify themselves as Republicans claim to be ‘Christians’.  I make no such claim, but I’ve always heard that Christianity was about sharing, giving, caring, helping.  Perhaps not so much anymore.

28 thoughts on “Filosofa Ponders …”

    • Rick Scott, Ron DeSantis, Matt Gaetz … you guys seem to have an abundance of idiots down there! Not a single one of them are particularly intelligent, and all three are assholes who forgot their oaths of office as soon as they uttered the last word. In fact, I think they see their ‘oaths’ as a big joke. Sigh. Big Huge HUGS, my friend. Say ‘hi’ to MJ for me! Love you!!! ❤

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  2. Real sarcasm: Conservatism/Republicanism is bad for everyone but the rich. Social programs, especially free health care and free education paid for by all taxpayers., is good for everyone but the rich. Everyone wants to be rich. Only fools want to be good.

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  3. Seems radicalism in words is now normal also in politics. ;-( Whatever political party it is, there officials (and members) should stand for democracy, and liberty, on ground of the constitution of their countries. The balance coming out of their co-working (sometimes it has to be a fight) is what the citizens deserve. Michael

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    • The problem is that the two parties define ‘freedom and liberty’ quite differently. The Republican Party defines it as almost unlimited freedom for those who can afford it, whereas the Democratic Party defines it as equality for all, so those with more must help those with less. There was a time when I would have said that the fight between the two sides would result in a compromise that would be the best of all possible solutions. Such is not the case today, though, for the political divide is so wide that there is no common ground, no place where compromise can take place.

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      • What should i say about our political parties, in Germany? A compromise would be best, and i think was the thinking of the founders of democratic states. But when own interests of humans coming up, there is only egoism.

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  4. First of all, let me enlighten you about Christianity. According to the Bible, a man called Jesus tried to step up and change the face of religious tyranny, hypocrisy, greed and secularism; but they crucified him. Not the gentiles, the ‘sinful’, but his own people. Out of FEAR. It was because he inspired change in the hearts of his fellow humans. I strongly urge you to read a book called A World Lit Only by Fire. It gives a very concise, factual history of the old Christian church and I am sure you will find not much has changed. Like any organization, it is made up of members. In the best circumstances, those members try to be good humans; but in far too many, the church is merely their shield, their security and what they cling to as their assurance of rightness. No one has to call themselves ‘Christian’ to be a loving, giving and caring human and for far too long that group has claimed secularistic ownership of goodness and light.
    Rick Scott? Paleease. He single handedly destroyed the unemployment system in Florida so that when Covid first hit many Floridians (such as myself) never saw a dime of their hard earned wage unemployment benefits. As far as Socialism. Even as a teen I knew the difference between Socialism and Communism and what ‘the other guy’ all too often sided with was far bent toward the latter. Many countries that are not considered Socialist as a while have socialized medicine and it WORKS. England and Canadian citizens pay taxes that ensure medical care. And I dare one person to say it is ‘limiting’ on the quality of care and choices that are available. That luxury died to all but the wealthy in this country 20 years ago. We average citizens pay for the ‘benefit’ that once was offered by employers; and what is offered for what we can afford is about as limiting as you can get. You get a list of possible PCP doctors, often many of whom are fresh out of med school, every visit to other doctors often requiring referrals that seldom if ever go through smoothly and these folks network so much you could end up seeing five physicians for one problem. All have copays and insurance seldom covers 100%. Again, none of this is a problem for the wealthy. The biggest problem is that there are far too many ‘wealthy’ people in the US now and they are not savvy or discerning shoppers, voters or environmentalists. They see about two feet in front of them and if there is a tree, river or wild animal in the way of that view, it must be eradicated. Okay, I am done. Sorry but cynicism is bubbling below my surface these days and I am SICK and tired of the rhetoric BS of those who perpetuate this vein of delusional hatred and for those who refuse to admit they were wring about Big T. They just want us to shut up and ‘let it go’. I won’t shut up. If we do, there will be another just like IT or something far worse.

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    • I have downloaded a sample of that book from Amazon, which I will read tonight. Thank you! My experience of late with Christians has been that there is underlying bigotry that has become a part of the religion. Even some friends who I’ve always gotten along with and never realized they were so prejudiced until President Obama was elected have shown a face that I do not like.

      I agree with all you say about Rick Scott … he has been on my radar for years … but I have to ask … how does he keep getting elected??? I ask the same about Georgia Governor DeSantis … surely people can see that these A-holes are not doing anything for the people of their states, yet they keep getting elected! Has this nation become so illiterate that half the people cannot even think for themselves? Sigh. I fully understand your cynicism … I share it. Hope you are well … best to you and your hubby.

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      • I have suspected, and it has recently been proven to me through a new acquaintance here, that most half decent folks who voted for the clown in question do not wish to acknowledge the terror they helped to unleash; for that would demand a sense of responsibility and the need to admit they were WRONG, which is the single worst thing any human can be forced to do, apparently. They, who fully and without question, supported this maniacal sociopath, wish us to now all ‘just get along’ and ‘let it go’. It’s just politics, after all. No need to end friendships. And how UN Christian of people to wish ill will on another person EVER. Never mind that that ‘person’ incited millions to cause and do harm to other humans. Simply put. They CANNOT be wrong. And their 401k, religion and bank accounts are the reason they stick with the GOP. Keep your hands off of their stack and who cares about little people who were not ‘smart enough’ to get on the gravy train or ‘work as hard’ as they have. Rick Scott is a giant POS who gave birth to the small turd De Santis, better known as Death Sentence when Covid first hit. I truly rue the day I thought it a good idea to return to life in Florida. Hugs, Jill. Stay safe and well.

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  5. Jill, as Mary notes, fear is the currency used. An extremist on one side firmly believes everyone’s rights are unequal and that those for one race take precedent. Those in that party who let this kind of bigotry stand unfettered, are greasing the skids for violence.

    The other side called radical by the above group firmly believes that everyone’s rights matter and are equal. While that mission statement is more altruistic, there are a few who are more zealous and are prone to violence. That also needs to be condemned.

    Violence must not be condoned no matter who does it. But, setting that aside, tell me again which group is more radical? Keith

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    • You are so very right in all you say, Keith. Never before has it been so obvious to me that the one side cares not one whit for the average Joe beyond what Joe can give him.

      Speaking of violence, I read tonight that there are rumblings that another attack on the Capitol is being planned for the first time President Biden addresses a joint session of Congress … date not yet set. I begin to wonder what this country is … it is not the country I once knew, for sure.

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  6. Republicans play to fear. Fear of socialism, fear of non Christians, fear of minorities, fear of women getting to much power, fear of losing their wealth and having it more evenly distributed. Everything about them, if you look closely, is negative. All their thoughts, emotions and persuasions.
    And evidently fear and negativity play well with people who don’t take the time to think, research or read. Lazy people are easily manipulated and this is at the core of control.

    Scott is as crooked as they come. I’m in Fla. And I know all about him. Big Medicare fraud case in the past.

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    • You are so right, Mary. They create an illusion of a threat, as the former guy did with his speech about Mexicans, thus instilling the fear, then propose solutions that benefit them and their wealthy donors, such as the contractors who bilked us for billions on the wall. Yes, I’ve heard enough about Rick Scott and also your current governor, DeSantis, to make me quite ill. I don’t understand how these arseholes keep getting elected! Sigh. Good to see you, my friend!

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