A child who does not think about what happens around him and is content with living without wondering whether he lives honestly is like a man who lives from a scoundrel's work and is on the road to being a scoundrel.
-Jose Marti
The poet Jose Marti wrote this in the rumblings of a Revolution. His war of words against Spain echoed the people's discontent and yearning to be free. They eventually got their wish and were freed from Spain but it did not take long before the people realized that the promises of the liberator are the lies of the next dictator. And the next . And the next... Who remembers Soccaro? Baptista? Who remembers that Fidel Castro was democratically elected as Prime Minister and then abolished the government and made himself President for Life?
Here, at home, they are already drafting language to abolish term limits. Here, in Michigan, we have already abolished representative government. We have privatized major governmental operations by fiat. Here, public schools are being gutted so a privileged few can use tax dollars to pay for private, exclusive and segregated education. Many of us weren't fond of Granholm, Engler and on down to Soapy. Remember Soapy? Neither do I. Hardly any of them remember-able and mainly because none of them dismantled our democracy. None of them sold it to the highest bidder and taxed the poor to turn around and give it to the rich. This isn't bipartisan sour grapes, it is a plea, to you, to stop the flat out fascism of Fidel-like proportions.
Fidel, after several years of economic distress, political failure and drastic job loss, was voted in by the people; a man who wrapped himself in patriotism and waxed the words of founding fathers like Marti. Sound familiar. Here at home it is no different. Our new leader said he would 'reinvent government' and, when he said it, he wore the robes of the outsider, the wonk, the nerd. Denim on denim photo ops signaled that he was one of us. Just a guy who wants to make a difference. And he has. He has reinvented government the way Mussolini made the trains run on time...
Corporations get hundreds of billions of dollars from a governor that said we were broke. Hundreds of billions of dollars were cut from education, the environment and our healthcare from a governor who promised they were his priorities. Billions of dollars are being raised by taxing the poor, the elderly and the workers from a man who said he would be their champion. The fellow who loved democracy forgot to tell us that it doesn't apply to everyone. Certainly not if you are poor and/or black. Suddenly 'Pure Michigan' sounds like a eugenics program and not an inviting tourist slogan. The man who wrapped himself in denim and flags showed up on inauguration day in his CEO suit and it was all over. What a difference a day makes. Voting day, that is...
Who's to blame?
Is Snyder to blame? Hardly. This is a democracy. Or it was until we gave it up. We. Did anyone really believe that his life and example was congruent to his promises? Of course they did. How do you think he won? That's how democracy works. We either voted for him or against him or not at all. Can we blame rich old white men? Hardly. Even 93% poor minority in Benton Harbor voted 63% in favor of Snyder and that was true Statewide.
Certainly, we can argue that Snyder is ' man who lives from a scoundrel's work and is on the road to being a scoundrel.' given his relationship to the Kochs and others but it is we who are the children 'who does not think about what happens around him and is content with living without wondering whether he lives honestly.' We are the scoundrels now... The sad part is we were duped into believing he would share his scoundrels' work... with us. Many did not vote hoping he would win and they would be blameless because Virg was boring, we needed a change, he was more handsome, we like nerds and I'm sure i missed ten thousand 'really good' reasons...
Even after the foxes have revealed themselves for who and what they really represent, we don't collectively care. Our most recent local election here had a whopping 12% of registered voters show up. Perhaps I am preaching to the choir but I don't imagine that even fifty percent of those who read this actually voted. The 2010 elections were won not by the Tea Party but lost by Democrats, Independents and Moderate Republicans who did not vote.
We are to blame.
Spin v. Marti
When I was young, I watched a show called 'Spin And Marty' (yeah, I'm that old). Every episode, it seemed, would start with the Poor Spin asking the Rich Marty "Whadda ya wanna do?".
The reply was, "I dunno. Wha do YOU wanna do?" and usually the spoiled rich Marty would lead them into trouble and Spin would have to get them out. Things haven't changed. We just switched places. Now Marti is the poor one and Spin gets us into trouble. I am certain we all believe in our hearts and minds the wisdom of Marti but how easy it is to fall for 'the spin'. To stop thinking and wondering is at the heart of what Marti is telling us. Marti wrote poetry because people wouldn't read his rants. Maybe I should rhyme. No time. lime? lame... blame..No more rhymes now, I mean it. Anybody want a peanut? OK... As you wish...
We need to think.
Do we think that what happened to Benton Harbor and DPS can't happen to us. It can. Do we think that recalling one Governor will make a difference when there is a whole ticket that must go? Who makes the laws? The legislature? Think tanks like the Mackinac Group, ALEC and other Koch/DeVos sponsored entities? What do you think he is doing 'on the road'? He's not reading Kerouac. He is reading a prepared script and showing up for photo ops. Why. Because he believes us to be stupid and we haven't disappointed.
We need to wonder?
Why does Snyder think it is a good idea to be the Grand Marshall of the Benton Harbor parade? or show up in Detroit to tout education? or do a book signing on Earth Day in an Ann Arbor Bookstore? or appear as the keynote speaker at a Non-Profit conference? Because most of us will never watch the footage of that tragic parade, that surrealistic booksigning or hear the hip hop of rapper 'Invincible' rapping Truth to Power - 'hip hop to hype' at the conference. We will only see the photo ops, posing and smiling and shaking hands with us so he can appear Loved, Concerned, Green, Compassionate and more...
Picture = 1,000,000 words and now his denial is plausible. Pretty speeches with canned sound bites already highlighted for the media. "They welcomed me...", "I was there on Earth day...", "Here I am with the common folk..." And the spin continues. Flat out denials with pretty pictures. Kiss the babies, pet the old folks and smile as the workers beg for jobs. Then shake his hand, look at the camera and 'presto!', problem solved. A poet much better than I (or Marti even) said it like this:
The world is still deceiv'd with ornament,
In law, what plea so tainted and corrupt,
But, being season'd with a gracious voice,
Obscures the show of evil?
Thanks Bill. Who reads poetry anymore? We have no time for Marti only Spin. Sound-bytes, empty beats, photos-opped and photoshopped, blurbs and tweets... Sorry. I know. I lost you at 'We are to blame'. (Of course, If you aren't, you have my sincere apologies and can simply repost this and everyone will know you aren't to blame). For the rest of you?
You have a chance now to change things.
RECALL GOVERNOR RICK SNYDER
Regardless of how you voted or didn't in the last election, you have an opportunity to change things. If you're a Conservative, do it for smaller government. If you are a Tea Party adherent, do it because he represents taxation without representation. If you are a Libertarian, do it for democracy. If you are an Independent do it because you believe that your vote should count. If you are a Democrat why do I even have to tell you why? Do something brave. When you see the petitioner at the supermarket don't assume that the 'activists' will take care of it. Be an activist...
SIGN THE PETITION
Then VOTE. For all of us....
Fidel, after several years of economic distress, political failure and drastic job loss, was voted in by the people; a man who wrapped himself in patriotism and waxed the words of founding fathers like Marti. Sound familiar. Here at home it is no different. Our new leader said he would 'reinvent government' and, when he said it, he wore the robes of the outsider, the wonk, the nerd. Denim on denim photo ops signaled that he was one of us. Just a guy who wants to make a difference. And he has. He has reinvented government the way Mussolini made the trains run on time...
Corporations get hundreds of billions of dollars from a governor that said we were broke. Hundreds of billions of dollars were cut from education, the environment and our healthcare from a governor who promised they were his priorities. Billions of dollars are being raised by taxing the poor, the elderly and the workers from a man who said he would be their champion. The fellow who loved democracy forgot to tell us that it doesn't apply to everyone. Certainly not if you are poor and/or black. Suddenly 'Pure Michigan' sounds like a eugenics program and not an inviting tourist slogan. The man who wrapped himself in denim and flags showed up on inauguration day in his CEO suit and it was all over. What a difference a day makes. Voting day, that is...
Who's to blame?
Is Snyder to blame? Hardly. This is a democracy. Or it was until we gave it up. We. Did anyone really believe that his life and example was congruent to his promises? Of course they did. How do you think he won? That's how democracy works. We either voted for him or against him or not at all. Can we blame rich old white men? Hardly. Even 93% poor minority in Benton Harbor voted 63% in favor of Snyder and that was true Statewide.
Certainly, we can argue that Snyder is ' man who lives from a scoundrel's work and is on the road to being a scoundrel.' given his relationship to the Kochs and others but it is we who are the children 'who does not think about what happens around him and is content with living without wondering whether he lives honestly.' We are the scoundrels now... The sad part is we were duped into believing he would share his scoundrels' work... with us. Many did not vote hoping he would win and they would be blameless because Virg was boring, we needed a change, he was more handsome, we like nerds and I'm sure i missed ten thousand 'really good' reasons...
Even after the foxes have revealed themselves for who and what they really represent, we don't collectively care. Our most recent local election here had a whopping 12% of registered voters show up. Perhaps I am preaching to the choir but I don't imagine that even fifty percent of those who read this actually voted. The 2010 elections were won not by the Tea Party but lost by Democrats, Independents and Moderate Republicans who did not vote.
We are to blame.
Spin v. Marti
When I was young, I watched a show called 'Spin And Marty' (yeah, I'm that old). Every episode, it seemed, would start with the Poor Spin asking the Rich Marty "Whadda ya wanna do?".
The reply was, "I dunno. Wha do YOU wanna do?" and usually the spoiled rich Marty would lead them into trouble and Spin would have to get them out. Things haven't changed. We just switched places. Now Marti is the poor one and Spin gets us into trouble. I am certain we all believe in our hearts and minds the wisdom of Marti but how easy it is to fall for 'the spin'. To stop thinking and wondering is at the heart of what Marti is telling us. Marti wrote poetry because people wouldn't read his rants. Maybe I should rhyme. No time. lime? lame... blame..No more rhymes now, I mean it. Anybody want a peanut? OK... As you wish...
We need to think.
Do we think that what happened to Benton Harbor and DPS can't happen to us. It can. Do we think that recalling one Governor will make a difference when there is a whole ticket that must go? Who makes the laws? The legislature? Think tanks like the Mackinac Group, ALEC and other Koch/DeVos sponsored entities? What do you think he is doing 'on the road'? He's not reading Kerouac. He is reading a prepared script and showing up for photo ops. Why. Because he believes us to be stupid and we haven't disappointed.
We need to wonder?
Why does Snyder think it is a good idea to be the Grand Marshall of the Benton Harbor parade? or show up in Detroit to tout education? or do a book signing on Earth Day in an Ann Arbor Bookstore? or appear as the keynote speaker at a Non-Profit conference? Because most of us will never watch the footage of that tragic parade, that surrealistic booksigning or hear the hip hop of rapper 'Invincible' rapping Truth to Power - 'hip hop to hype' at the conference. We will only see the photo ops, posing and smiling and shaking hands with us so he can appear Loved, Concerned, Green, Compassionate and more...
Picture = 1,000,000 words and now his denial is plausible. Pretty speeches with canned sound bites already highlighted for the media. "They welcomed me...", "I was there on Earth day...", "Here I am with the common folk..." And the spin continues. Flat out denials with pretty pictures. Kiss the babies, pet the old folks and smile as the workers beg for jobs. Then shake his hand, look at the camera and 'presto!', problem solved. A poet much better than I (or Marti even) said it like this:
The world is still deceiv'd with ornament,
In law, what plea so tainted and corrupt,
But, being season'd with a gracious voice,
Obscures the show of evil?
Thanks Bill. Who reads poetry anymore? We have no time for Marti only Spin. Sound-bytes, empty beats, photos-opped and photoshopped, blurbs and tweets... Sorry. I know. I lost you at 'We are to blame'. (Of course, If you aren't, you have my sincere apologies and can simply repost this and everyone will know you aren't to blame). For the rest of you?
You have a chance now to change things.
RECALL GOVERNOR RICK SNYDER
Regardless of how you voted or didn't in the last election, you have an opportunity to change things. If you're a Conservative, do it for smaller government. If you are a Tea Party adherent, do it because he represents taxation without representation. If you are a Libertarian, do it for democracy. If you are an Independent do it because you believe that your vote should count. If you are a Democrat why do I even have to tell you why? Do something brave. When you see the petitioner at the supermarket don't assume that the 'activists' will take care of it. Be an activist...
SIGN THE PETITION
Then VOTE. For all of us....
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