that was the case until a certain congressman named Bart -- Bart Stupak, of Michigan -- compromised himself and our dear America, in every stretch of the imagination, just in time for Christmas.
One man, just one man, paved the way for a monstrosity of health care entitlements to take hold -- you know, the one being hailed only by a slim margin of Obama/Pelosi/Reid die-hards, having been kicked to the curb over the mid-term elections in utter embarrassment of it all, that now sits, lifeless, waiting for the Republicans to file in and do something about it.
Mitch Albom, an author I very much admire normally, wrote for The Parade weekly magazine in the Sunday paper had, to my disappointment, a totally different take -- simply titled, Mr. Smith Flees Washington, with Bart's disheartened mug looking down in shame. Not for anything he did, of course, but for what "Washington" has become.
As Albom quickly pointed out (although quite certain he would not agree with my angle) -- if not for the executive order that President Obama flashed under Bart's nose, the one that would, in theory, prevent federal funds to be used for abortion, the entire political landscape would be different; kind of like how the leftist pundits, and maybe even a few staunch GOP elitists, having unfairly gravitated to the belief that "Palin cost the GOP the Senate" -- you might say, Stupak cost the democrats the mid-terms!
For it was this moment in time -- after months of townhall meetings, after months of laying the grassroots groundwork for the Tea Party, after months of being denied and dismissed as the able bodied electorate who firmly disagree with the direction this country was headed -- that changed everything for the American people.
Stupak, in one fell swoop, became an overnight (bad) sensation and made us sick to our stomachs; while in Washington, he received a not-so-kind reception in the House, having even been called "baby killer" from the floor one day. I don't believe the right has any regrets for that, they should have chosen a higher road to take to communicate their true feelings, but no matter now -- a simple look at the glut of unintended consequences seems to speak for itself.
As we have all came to know, and continuing with Albom's narrative, Stupak decided to leave Washington shortly thereafter, realizing that he was just not cut out for the divisiveness and ugliness that has taken root, saying "every boundary of decency has been crossed."
well yeah, but sorry to say, you're right there along with it, Bart. are you kidding me?
Later, Albom adds this for color,
"Stupak sighs. 'Remember Mr. Smith Goes to Washington? Those days are gone.' "
Hold up while I get my tissues...
Last word from Albom comes with a heavy dose of nostalgia going down with the sweet syrup of a wish, posing a modern day can't we all just get along message, ending with a question:
"Can we become real-life Mr. Smiths and change the ugly tone of our national conversation?"
Maybe we could, Mitch, if we sent real-life decent people to Washington. Maybe we could, Mitch, if, once we send them, they don't change and get caught up in earmarks and perks, and make the back room deals and turn on a dime -- or 300 million. Maybe we could, Mitch, if we actually had real-life Mr. Smiths get there in the first place; while once there, perhaps even after NINE terms, we would still find them clinging to the exact principles and values that got them there. Perhaps then, we might have something to write home about.
Stupak sold out -- and for what? To make it appear that he never wavered, never faltered, never fell from one of his highest tenets of his policy and politics -- that being pro-life? The Executive Order is, at its best, a feel good action that does nothing more than sound legitimate, even if in the real world of appropriations and funding, it does nothing to protect real life from somehow finding a way around it...it is Washington, you know.
Bart caved -- and he knows it -- and that is why he is about two steps out the door already.
He is disappointed way more in himself than the environment he is leaving behind -- way. It is written all over his face.
Washington is a mess, yes; but I see a different version of Smith coming in to save the day. It might be more like a Mr. Paul or a Senor Rubio -- or someday, maybe even a Mr. Christie (who's so close I could taste it); but clearly, Washington will not change until we change the people we send there (stealing a line from the Carly for California campaign...yes, this girl is still crying over that).
While, as luck should have it, we don't even need to send them there to affect change -- case in point, a Ms.Palin; now, anytime you wanna have a conversation about the difference one woman can make upon a political landscape, call me.
Ever since she burst out on stage, overshadowing the tired Senator from Arizona in a nano-second -- she has swept the American people off our feet -- "never mind if you disagree with [her] voting record" or not, piggybacking on an Albom thought once again. Love her or hate her, she has turned heads and is (nearly, solely, contagiously) responsible for the revolution we see going on in Washington, and in every corner of America, today.
The GOP was bowing their head in shame, as a whole -- and Palin changed everything, overnight; while for America, she has never been quite the same since. We find once more, America, to be a place where reality and nostalgia meets on a red, white and blue silver screen -- and it's got a name, too -- it's called pulling a Mrs. Smith without ever having to be there, in a yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clause, sort of way.
How ironic for Albom to pick Stupak as the source for his lamentation, of all people, of all moments of the last two years, after Pelosi hit a new low saying that "we must pass it [Health Care Law] in order to know what's in it!" , after all that's been said and done and manufactured and destroyed... we get Albom comparing Stupak to Mr. Smith -- the Mr. Smith.
that's a good gig if you can get it.
happy wednesday with just a girl and...
Make it a Good Day, G
"I think that, over the course of two years we were so busy and so focused on getting a bunch of stuff done that, we stopped paying attention to the fact that leadership isn't just legislation. That it's a matter of persuading people. And giving them confidence and bringing them together. And setting a tone. And making an argument that people can understand. And I think that we haven't always been successful at that. And I take personal responsibility for that. And it's something that I've got to examine closely as I go forward." Obama
Oh, we understand. And, we get it. Where we went wrong, is having mistaken you to be a Mr. Smith, and...it's just that.... over the course of two years we were busy watching -- so focused on watching a bunch of stuff get done, we stopped paying attention to the fact that our leadership makes legislation. That it's a matter of persuading politicians to run with the will of the people. And giving them confidence we will re-elect them when they truly listen, when you bring both sides of the table together. And setting a tone. And making an argument that a politician, such as yourself, can understand. We haven't always been successful at that. And take personal responsibility for that now...it's just something we have got to examine closely as we move forward.
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