Archives for March 2017

The Horrors of Bipartisanism: A Tomi Lahren Story

March 29, 2017 by Southpaw 27 Comments

Last week, Tomi Lahren was suspended from The Blaze after identifying herself as “Pro-Choice” while appearing on The View. Her initial suspension led to her termination just a few days later. As a liberal, you’d think that I’d be happy that Tomi isn’t throwing out her hyper-conservative jargon any longer, but I’m actually upset. To start, I can tell you for a fact that I haven’t once agreed with this woman. Our viewpoints are nothing alike, and I think her voice as a provocateur is more divisive than helpful. However, I loathe bipartisanism and the weight that it carries in this day and age. Whether you’re a Republican or Democrat, it is almost expected that you align yourself with every stance held by your political party. If you fail to do so, you’re viewed as a fraud.
It’s well known that many self-identifying Republicans are “Pro-Life” and have adopted that viewpoint due to their religion. Now, I could delve into the issue of religion and politics, but I don’t think anyone wants to read a 35 page essay. Now, there are Republicans like Tomi Lahren who believe that women should possess the right to control of their own bodies. She cited limited government to be her reasoning behind it, which sounds like a perfectly legitimate reason for anyone to hold that viewpoint. If Tomi believes in her right to choose, then she should be granted that right. However, The Blaze didn’t see it that way, so the network immediately threw her a suspension.
Let’s take a moment to separate from issue of abortion and focus on the principle behind the action committed. The Blaze ultimately suspended Tomi because she strayed away from traditional Republican Party lines, which has to be the most ridiculous reason to punish any employee, let alone a journalist. If you share 100% of your party’s beliefs, you’re either completely ignorant or grievously misinformed. Our roles as members of a given party are not to blindly accept a system of beliefs. We must also be critical of the party we’ve chosen to align ourselves with and not let our moralities be completely molded by liberalism or conservatism. Once we hold the beliefs of a political party to be self-evident, then we neglect to ask the necessary questions. If we fail to ask these questions, we are unable to create progress.
Tomi obviously still holds a majority of her conservative beliefs, but that doesn’t mean that she should have to share the same bullet point stances of her party. Punishing her for breaking the mold is a glimpse the horrors of bipartisanism in this modern age. If we neglect to hold true to a certain system of beliefs, we’re deemed frauds instead of thinkers. We are traitors to our party because we have developed our own individual system of beliefs. As Americans, we shouldn’t condemn those who break the mold; rather, we should laud them for their ability to think freely. I personally praise Tomi for her ability to openly express her stance and break away from the traditional label many have openly accepted.

Not Hardly a Defeat

March 26, 2017 by Pops 27 Comments

These things take time.

The leftists are giddy with glee over the failure of the House to get the Trumpcare bill to a vote. Hillary, dillary and doc are all beside themselves with sniggers and raspberries about how the Republicans couldn’t get a vote on the repeal of Obamacare. The great Trump debacle, so they say. Sadly, they have no idea that their actions say more about themselves than it does the conservatives.

Democrats will always march lockstep to the party drumbeat, doing what they are told, when they are told. Like the mindless bots in the audience for the classic 1984 Apple Macintosh Super Bowl commercial. Look at Obamacare – it was hideous legislation, cobbled together and largely unread, yet railroaded through in the dark of night on Christmas Eve by lemming Democrats. A very costly and unmanageable mess that has wreaked havoc on our healthcare system.
Republicans, on the other hand, are proving now to be able to think for themselves. “Yes, we really really want to repeal Obamacare.” “Yes, we want to make healthcare better for Americans.” But they don’t agree on how it can be done. Some are less concerned about the effect on the budget, others refuse to pass anything that won’t cut costs. So, they disagree. And that is a good thing.
It is better to do it right – slowly if necessary. It is a given that all good things take time. And, should it not be possible to have great healthcare for everybody at less cost, and make it self-supporting, without adding debt or more burden to the taxpayers, then so be it.

There is nothing to be gained by doing something just for the sake of doing something.

Should Stars Talk Politics?

March 26, 2017 by Southpaw 27 Comments

It’s a subject that I have gone back and forward on for several years. To this day, I haven’t been able to form a decisive opinion on the subject. Professional athletes and Hollywood personalities may not have been born into privilege, but it’s difficult to see people so widely praised for their fame and wealth droving out opinions as if they’re their insight is a gift to the general public. At the same time, I understand that everyone is entitled to their own opinion as an American, and believe that their spot in the public eye can be used to spread awareness on a given topic. Here’s my take on it.
Against:
Despite being liberal myself, I believe that Hollywood Liberalism is one of the most atrocious forms of Liberalism on the planet. It’s often self-indulgent and provides critique without solution. One of the worst forms of Hollywood liberalism came from an actress who is immensely talented and brilliant in her own right, Meryl Streep. As someone who loathes Donald Trump, I figured that I’d love whatever this woman had to say about our elected president, but I actually found her speech to be pompous and grossly misinformed. Her primary point touched on immigration and its impact in Hollywood. She pointed out various actors who emigrated from other countries, praising them one-by-one. To start, Republicans aren’t trying to prevent immigration in this country. They are trying to prevent illegal immigration, which is something that actually leads to economic inflation. I was against the notion of building an impractical wall and putting a temporary ban on people from primarily Muslim countries, but I am not against us enforcing the law. People spend time working to come to the US legally, so others shouldn’t be able to cut in line.
Her most memorable statement was, “If we kick them out, we’ll have nothing to watch but football and mixed martial arts, which are not the arts.” I have an issue with this for 2 reasons: 1. The colleagues that she was referring to in her speech have remained in the United States legally by obtaining green cards or have been granted citizenship. 2. She created a massive disconnect by inferring that Hollywood is our primary means of obtaining culture. It alludes to the notion that we’d be stuck watching crude and mindless television without Hollywood, an institution that consistently pumps out plenty of crude and mindless entertainment… Individuals on both sides of the political spectrum can’t relate to people like this, because those within the public eye consistently put themselves on a pedestal. I have no problem with public figures spreading awareness or providing their opinions, but the American public does not rely on them for guidance.
For:
Colin Kaepernick protesting social injustice in a peaceful manner (while also donating millions to several different causes), Ashton Kutcher using his fame to promote awareness of and prevent human trafficking, Leonardo DiCaprio’s work for environmental conservation, and several others have done it right. What I enjoy most about these stars is that they use their fame to spread awareness, while investing their own personal time and energy into a cause. They aren’t merely providing criticism or implying that they’re a beacon of hope for each of us to follow. They’re acting as an example, but most importantly, they’re actually doing something to create change. Through these actions they immerse us in a cause and hope to get us all involved.
So, it seems that the disconnect lies within those who merely preach a message and those who act as the message they’re seeking deliver. I learned at a young age that talking will only get you so far. I also learned that talking too much will eventually make you look like an asshole. Talk is cheap. Those who sit at the podium and merely speak about how things should be, are not the individuals we should be listening to. Those who are willing to get their hands dirty and put themselves on the same pegging as the common man are the ones who deserve an attentive ear.