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| Photo: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP |
Well, it's time. I've put this off too long. Between you and me, I am concerned that when I write this that I will spontaneously-combust (99.94% sure, anyway). Okay, probably NOT the most rational thought pattern, but just to be sure, I have aluminum foil on the floor surrounding my rolling desk chair, I've basted myself with Kikkoman Teriyaki Glaze and... I've got three cups of rice started in the new Rice Cooker up in the kitchen. You know, just in case there is a sudden burst of heat and I 'go into the light' over this one.
With the November, 2012 elections nearly three months in the rear-view mirror, I want to take a break, to slow down, and share with you a few words of praise for the President. Oops, I'm sorry, he's OUR PRESIDENT. He represents all of US, doesn't he?
Yes. Yes he does.
The Constitution works. He won. Time for me to get over it.
And now, a few heartfelt words of praise and thanks for the President for his victory and the hard-fought battle so many made possible...
Now is the time. Now is the place. Now is the post:
Words of Praise for the President of the United States and His Party
The world breathed a sigh of relief and a shout of joy went up clear across the country when Ohio was called for President Barack Obama on election night, putting him over the 270 electoral college threshold to win four more years.
Yet in that shout of joy for a giant people's victory was also the realization that we can't miss a beat going forward in this ongoing battle to wrest the country from the grip of the reactionary, corporate right-wing extremists.
We and the country have been through a remarkable, challenging, grueling, exhausting and exhilarating year, really two years. We have given our all within a maturing, expanding broad electoral alliance and people's movement.
Congratulations are in order!
Our projection that the election was at the heart of the class struggle, that we were at the crossroads for democracy has been born out. Our policy of the need for and commitment to help build a broad united alliance against the extremists is being proven sound.
The election of tea party Republicans to Congress and Governorships and State Houses in 2010, reflecting a racist backlash from the election of the first African American president, brought with it a full blown campaign to undo every democratic achievement ever won by the people of this country. Finance capital was on overdrive to grab every public asset for the private profit of a few at the expense of the many.
The extremes between great hoarded wealth and growing poverty exposed the inequalities of capitalism and gave rise to giant struggles for livelihood and the right to be heard.
Millions became engaged, many for the first time, from the massive fights for workers' rights in Wisconsin and Ohio, to the dramatic protests of economic inequality by Occupy and at Bainport, to the inspiring actions for social justice by the Dreamers, to courageous stands in defense of women's reproductive rights and marriage equality, to determined fightback against racist voter suppression most notably in Florida, Texas and Pennsylvania, and then the realization, in the wake of Storm Sandy, that yes, we are all in this together.
All these challenges, experiences, and organizing drives laid the groundwork for a historic effort by labor, civil rights, women and youth along with environmental and LGBT organizations. The result is majority repudiation of the politics and policies of the 1%, exemplified by the glimpse into raw class warfare as Mitt Romney dismissed 47% of the people.
Romney's outrageous statement blaming his loss on "Obama's gifts" (like healthcare and student loans) to "certain groups" ramps up the class warfare and disrespect.
The media plays up the idea that the election shows a widening racial divide. In reality, what this election shows is a new level of co(m)ing together, of class and social solidarity, of rejecting racism.
It was growing class consciousness that made victory possible for so many progressive candidates and ballot measures which featured anti-corporate arguments in their campaigns.
The high finances and tactics of Karl Rove, the Koch Brothers and company to seize this election did not work. Gerrymandered redistricting, restrictive voting laws, anti-Communist baiting, racist ads, lies and trickery backfired.
These blatant attacks got people's attention. They gave rise to a civil rights style movement in communities across the nation embracing the increasing diversity of our country.
Determination and resolve became the order of the day to overcome all obstacles and get out the largest vote ever. In Ohio the mobilization by African American churches and organizations, refusing to be disenfranchised, filled long lines at early voting stations for a month. On election day, in some precincts the wait was hours long (in Miami-Dade County till 1:30 am!), but people stood it out. In New Jersey and New York, despite the consequences of storm Sandy, voters cast their ballots.
President Obama carried all the tipping point swing states. His electoral college sweep and popular vote win is a tremendous accomplishment made possible by a powerful grass roots on-the-ground effort joining together labor and progressive democratic-minded forces. It set the framework for all the other races.
While the U. S. House of Representatives remains in Republican hands, it is a different House with new dynamics. Republicans won the majority of seats due to gerrymandering, but more votes were cast for Democrats nationwide.
Six tea party incumbents were defeated by progressive democrats. Additional progressives won open seats, although every race was not won. Tea party leaders Alan West, Joe Walsh, Brian Bilbray and Mary Bono Mack are out. Progressives Alan Grayson from Florida, Tammy Duckworth from Illinois, Carol Shea-Porter and Annie Kuster from New Hampshire, Dr. Raul Ruiz from Riverside California, and Mark Pocan, a leader in the Wisconsin walkout, are in.
The composition of the 200 member Democratic Caucus will make history. In the words of Nancy Pelosi, "for the first time in Congressional history -- the majority will be women and minorities. We expect to have 61 women, 43 African Americans, 27 Hispanics, 10 Asian Americans and 6 LGBT Americans in our Caucus."
In the Senate, the Democratic majority has been enlarged to 54. Notorious tea party Republican challengers Todd Aiken and Richard Mourdock went down to defeat. Newly elected progressive women bring the total of women Senators from 17 to 20. Mazie Hirono the first Asian American woman, Tammy Baldwin the first openly gay woman, and Elizabeth Warren who said "the system is rigged against you." Heidi Heitkamp won in North Dakota, Chris Murphy defeated billionaire wrestling mogul Linda McMahon. Sherrod Brown, who was a top target of the right-wing, won re-election in Ohio as did Bernie Sanders in Vermont. Tim Kaine won in Virginia.
...
The attempts to minimize the vote for President Obama and the progressive shift in the overall election is a continuation of the vicious racism since 2008. The 2012 victory was definitive despite every possible tactic used by and on behalf of the Romney/Ryan campaign.
The vote was not spontaneous. It was hard fought and unprecedented. It was the result of millions of conversations at doors, at work, on the phone and on social media.
In the last four days alone, AFL-CIO members from 56 unions made 10.7 million door knocks and phone calls. SEIU members knocked on 5 million doors including 3.7 million in battleground states on those final days.
70% of union households voted for Obama in Ohio, and 65% nationwide. The contribution of the labor movement with its multi-racial, male-female, young-old, gay-straight, immigrant-native born membership to this election cannot be over stated. This includes release time given to staff, mobilization of members, and especially in framing the debate around class issues and exposing Romney/Ryan for undermining jobs, not creating them and threatening the future of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
In battleground states, where Workers Voice, the AFL-CIO super PAC was utilized, union members were freed up to speak with all voters and not just other union members. Nearly 400,000 Workers Voice volunteers made 80 million phone calls and knocked on 14 million doors.
Hearing their message helped shift the thinking of white workers who had been for Romney. In these battleground states, white working-class voters rejected racist appeals and supported Obama at a much higher rate than elsewhere. In Ohio, 65% of white union members voted for Obama.
Working America households, the community affiliate of the AFL-CIO, voted 66% for Obama. In battleground areas where there was extra focus, Working America households voted 74% for Obama.
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Yes, congratulations are in order. So here they are, in black and white, just above, on your computer, tablet, or mobile device screen.
For those of you who have known me for a while, you already know that I did not write the above sections in italicized text. And, you also know that I will never lie to you (well, not knowingly, at least).
Please remember at the beginning of this post I promised to post, "a few heartfelt words of praise and thanks for the President for his victory and the hard-fought battle so many made possible... ".
So, I did. They just weren't MY words. See? I didn't lie to you. Please do not hold me to a higher 'truthiness' standard than you hold the President to.
The words above belong to a group which works tirelessly to advance the principles, philosophies, and precepts of the Democratic Party.
The above text (and more, so MUCH more) were published by the DNC's first cousin, the:
.
CPUSA
For the folks not accustomed this this particular acronym, it stands for "Communist Party USA".
As in... These guys
Yes, the fawning words of support for the President, the devotion to Unions, outreach to the 99%ers, and every fringe wack-group in the country is right here, residing at your NEW (no, not improved) Democratic Party Headquarters the... CPUSA!
"Radical Ideas. Real Politics."
Oh yeah, groovy baby! (Please read the preceding as Austin Powers might, if he was actually a real person.)
The above "Ode to Communism and Nothing But Love for POTUS" was found under an CPUSA post entitled, "The People are Fired Up and Ready to Go!"
I was hoping that I would find the American Nazi Party had weighed in on the President's re-election efforts, but I realized quickly after skimming their site that they're probably NOT tremendous fans of the "man-of-Kenyan-descent" currently in the White House.
So, not surprisingly, they sat this election out.
Hey, better luck next time Aryan Brothers and Sisters! As I ponder this (I often 'ponder' when I'm alone), Hillary COULD pass for a Nazi - she's got the look AND she most definitely has the 'tude Go ahead and Turn Those Frowns Upside Down you happy-go-angry Aryan folks! 2016's Looking good for you and your fellow "Master Racers"!
Hang in their Nazi boys and girls, you'll get your moment in the sun (again)! But just don't get TOO MUCH SUN, because then you'll be hating yourself - ya know what I mean?
So that's it for today, as promised, a few words of praise for the President on his milestone accomplishment (just not MY words), an update on the CPUSA (coming soon to a bunker near you!), and a general update on the lack of any update on the American Nazi Party.
The worst part of monitoring the Nazi Party Website is that I found out they didn't have a Christmas Party announced this year. 2011's I heard that 2011's event was a real Cross-burner...
Oops, did I confuse my Extremists? Sorry, the world of Hate is so confusing to me.
I hope you have a great weekend, and remember, when you have nothing nice to say about someone...
Just go the CPUSA website and they'll give you the words you need to write a post 'you weren't even thinking about' when you woke up this morning.
TTFN
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