The Moral of DeMint's Fairy Tales

I was pleased to see our own Senator Jim DeMint take center stage for two whole pages in Thomas Frank's slender new book, Pity the Billionaire.


He very clearly describes DeMint's twists and turns in attempting to create a reality that conforms with his own self-serving belief system.


DeMint sings his eternal chorus of "socialism bad -- capitalism good" when he invents Europe's decline after World War II due to the adaptation of socialist programs (like national health care).  As Frank points out, France, Italy, Belgium and Sweden actually thrived during those postwar years.


But how can this be???  Simply, to Jim DeMint, it can't be, because it is not supposed to happen that way.  His reality is that Europe declined after their move toward socialism.


And Frank notes that DeMint does not ever offer proof of his claims; he merely tosses out inflammatory accusations to which his followers respond predictably, with fear and anger, and of course, loyalty to DeMint and his cause.


We see it over and over in the republican right wing.  Facts are shunted aside like an annoying gnat, while the rhetoric is repeated, as though the repetition makes it so.  And Senator DeMint, while not the brightest star in the firmament, like ex-President George W. Bush, knows how to tell a story.


As Frank says, DeMint's "fondness for fairy tales" combines simplicity (or simple-mindedness) with a moral rigidity that becomes ever more rigid as its tenets are questioned.


The success of this method is apparent as voters continue to support and elect those whose policies have failed, and which policies have torn down institutions we have for generations held as essential to our American democracy.


How do we fight this wave of delusion?


Fighting the fallacies will only work to a point.  President Obama, turning the tide of his presidency in the past several months, has demonstrated how to convince people that he, and not Boehner and DeMint and the rest of the right wing-nuts, is protecting our rights and freedoms.  He has done it through action.  Upon action upon action.  From recess appointments to enacting programs that will help turn the economy around and protect the American people, Obama has proven through his actions that he believes this is the way to get us back on our feet, and subsequently, it is working.


And, ironically, by standing up to the moneyed interests, he has also increased confidence and growth in the business community.


So we have learned something important from idiots like W. and DeMint.  We have learned that we too need to speak loudly and clearly about our values, and we need to act towards making those values once again central to our Democracy.

Rally God for DeMint

I was disappointed to learn that, after praying on whether he should take his turn at this Republican primary season's game of Whack-a-Mole, our own Senator Jim DeMint has decided he can defend the wealthy and righteous better by remaining in the U.S. Senate.


I would think that God would certainly want DeMint to at least initiate a run in the presidential primaries, although not necessary for the reasons DeMint might imagine.  I doubt very much that God sees Jim Demint as the American hero he himself sees in the mirror.  God being partial to modesty, for one thing.


Senator DeMint is just too happy living in the shadows, surrounded by his stacks of money, and his stacks of wealthy friends and gullible Tea Partiers.  I believe God may just be feeling a bit left behind by Jim about now.  God may be wishing, as are many of his constituents, that he actually stepped out where we could actually have a good look at him, and announcing that he is considering a presidential run would be just the thing to bring that about.


If you recall, not so long ago, after The Donald was the flavor of the week, all that sunlight began to turn up some not so sweet odors, like his foul mouth, bad business deals, and decidedly undiplomatic plans for China.  I would truly like to hear more from Jim DeMint than what he himself has scripted.  And I believe God has the same desire.


So, if you want to take a moment to appeal to God to knock some sense into Senator DeMint, maybe he'll decide to run after all, and we can all get a good look at him.

You've Got Mail

If you write to Senator Lindsey Graham, even if it's just to sign a petition online, he will give you the red carpet treatment.  You will receive, through the US Postal Service a letter on attractive letterhead stationery, telling you how important your letter is to him.  Then he will tell you why your opinion does not  make one bit of difference in how he is going to vote.  And the best part of all this is, you pay for this service.


I'm not sure if this is better or worse than Senator Jim DeMint's response to your letters and emails, which is no response at all.  However, before you are allowed to send him an email, you must give him your phone number, I imagine just in case he is totally impressed with your opinion and wants to give you a call.  Actually, what I really think is that he pretty much wants to eliminate the riff-raff who don't own phones.


Now today I got an email from John Boehner, in response to an email I sent him.  Unlike most other representatives, Boehner has to accept email from everyone in the country, because he is Speaker of the House.  So if you go to his website, www.speaker.gov (no, really), and then scoot down to the bottom of the page, to send a message you will be able to let John Boehner know what you are thinking.


And he will reply.


I received an email from Speaker Boehner today, which was distinctive, not in that I read it, but in that it was written in a font that one would use to communicate with a first grader.  He was quite warm and friendly in thanking me for writing and assuring me he really wanted me to keep in touch.


Sadly, I sent it to trash, and now only Google has a record of it, somewhere in cyberspace.  Otherwise, I would have included it.


Since I can't show it to you, you'll just have to contact Speaker Boehner yourself.  He will be delighted to hear from you, and I can assure you, he would love to hear your opinions.