Why is Ignorant Winning?

[eggwards]

"[Pelosi] is committed to her global warming fanaticism to the point where she has said that she's just trying to save the planet. We all know that someone did that over 2,000 years ago, they saved the planet -- we didn't need Nancy Pelosi to do that," - Michele Bachmann, Minnesota Republican Congreswoman.

I'm so fracking tired of idiots with the keys to the car. My dream of the elections of 2008 is that the idiots like this are sent packing. I don't have a lot of hope here, but good god we're running down a path that leads to oblivion.

This isn't a Republican/Democrat thing. This isn't even a religious problem to me. Sure, her quote brings up her religion, which she's more than happy to promote and even more so happy to hide behind. She's using religion not to uplift, or to understand the world, but to hide behind her ignorance, nee, stupidity. She's saying, I don't have a solution to the climate crisis, or any crisis, but I don't have to worry about that, my beliefs are enough to make me right on this issues.

It's more than just a shaking head response I want to give. I want to just scream out loud.

I want the people running this country to be smarter than I am. The problem is they don't run for office. They sit behind the scenes and get into the administration through the back doors, either through lobbying, working for a candidate or being appointed to positions within the administration, but since they are smart, they don't run for office. There's too much work in having to play to Joe and Janet Sixpack, who would rather vote in a buddy than someone they would consider elite or a brainiac.

Our founding fathers seemed to understand that the masses weren't to be trusted totally. They made roadblocks in selecting a representative government, including having the Senate be appointed by state legislatures and of course the electoral college.

Growing up I think we were looking at the last dash of time where the intelligent, the truly smart were seen as heroes. The engineers and scientists that brought us a better life, better understanding, brought a trip to the moon and the most fearsome weapon known. We still feted these people, but since then we've tried to play the Fanfare for the Common Man, and at this point, it seems to our detriment.

I'm tired of seeing people like Al Gore played by the media as a fool. He brings up actual, rational arguments, and we get responses like Bachmann's. Oh, we don't need to do anything. It will all go back to normal. God wouldn't let us mess up the world beyond repair.

I think Gore's arguments get shriller and more doom-filled just because he is trying to be heard above the masses of people who don't understand science and work to put down what they don't understand. We get arguments that we shouldn't teach evolution and should replace it with mysticism. It's taking an evolutionary step back because somewhere along the line...well, let's just say that it seems DEVO was right.

What I don't get from those who would use religion as a way to hide from the world's problems is that the world's religious texts have a great respect for our planet and urge their followers to be good stewards of it. Free will seems to be coupled with a responsibility that is not longer followed. If it really does come down to the earth in the Balance, and we really do reach the tipping point where life on the planet is endangered, are you just going to wait for the Rapture, are are you going to wonder why we didn't do something about it earlier.

I don't get this bit where we just need to keep using fossil fuels, and we don't need to do anything further. To me it's giving up, a failure of a society to change and grow, but yet that's one of the main arguments of this political season.

We've done ourselves a great disservice electing congress people and presidents more on their average joe status "He's like one of us! He likes the Olympics!" than actually being able to deal with a crisis. I need people who are able to work through the problems and actually take action on the difficult issues, not just enjoy their status as lawmakers. We already have celebrities. (Yes, I realize that argument can be damaging to both current presidential candidates, and yes, I realize that both the movies Idiocracy and Wall-E have touched on these themes)

It's funny, we keep saying that we are a nation of common people, and we prize that common man, but what is popular in our entertainment and sports culture? Superhuman people, beautiful people. In some ways we still prize the above average in strength, speed and beauty, but we don't seem to do the same when it comes to intelligence. What's wrong with us?

Comments

[jkusters]

I don't have any answers (other than perhaps that the powers that be know that they can more easily manipulate stupid people so they encourage stupidity) but did want to say that I thought your entry was well written and right on the money.

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

There may be some truth to the "dumb down the masses" sentiment. Heck, look at how much emphasis we put on public education these days!

(well, to be fair, conservatives have been gutting the public school system, trying to ruin it so they can come in with their school choice and school vouchers proposals so they can look like saviors. It's all a part to try to get rid of the "liberal" school system and the teacher's union.)

Re: are we not men?

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

It really wasn't. Basically the system failed though. Suddenly education wasn't prized, but being common was. Freedom from Choice, is what you need, indeed.

[gadgetguy.livejournal.com]

There was a time when Minnesota was known for its progressive, liberal stance. I miss those days and seriously question the alleged wisdom of my fellow citizens. Trust me, there are many of us who are mortified that she was elected and continue to be embarrassed by her ignorant outbursts. The day she's voted out of office will be one to be celebrated, indeed.

[musicbearmn.livejournal.com]

Amen! You summed up my thoughts exactly.

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

We'll see how far progressive goes with Al Franken. I'm sure it's hard to get behind a celebrity candidate like that. Still, I like Jessie Ventura and thought that was a great choice.

Here's hoping the people will see how embarrassing Bachmann is to the state and will vote her out. I take it she won her primary race, though.

[closeted2.livejournal.com]

Very well said. There is really no one to vote for in the up coming presidential election. No matter what they say, or promise, they are not saying their own words, but those of speech writers. And when they get in, policies are set by those who have vested interests. As far as religion goes, it seems that the "Taliban" whether Muslem, Christian, or Jewish are taking over, and people are following them. There has to be a middle road somewhere, in both politics and religion.

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

Yes, it amazes me how people can't see that some of the same fundamentalist tactics and philosophies apply to all of the Judeo-Christian-Islam religions. of course the Jews and Christians also don't want to be reminded that Islam has the same roots at the other two. They wish they could just put the moslems in with the other heathens like Hindus, Buddists, Shintoists, etc.

Yes, there are many manipulators behind the scenes, many with very destructive agendas. Most of the good candidates, well you don't see the handlers, but that's what makes Bush come off so poorly, you can tell he has difficulty communicating and is just an empty suit used by others in the administration.

[barak.livejournal.com]

Congresswoman Michelle Bachman is rather an embarassment to Minnesota... Its like she got elected and lost the filter that kept all kinds of stupid from coming out of her mouth.

If I had been there I would have loved to give her the sharp end of my tongue for those idiotic comments.

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

I would ask, did she ever have that filter? Perhaps she had good campaign handlers at the time. Lord Knows they weren't there when she tried to hump the president after his State of the Union speech.

If your tongue is so sharp, you may want to get a doctor to check that out! :-)

[leiny.livejournal.com]

man that was well said

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

Yes, it does seem that there is a political will to create an idiocracy. To make anyone with a smart opinion about getting out of Iraq unpatriotic and to keep our status quo in big oil by continuing to promise results if we give those companies breaks for oil that's more expensive to drill, even to the point of being financially unobtainable at this time. I've never understood this idea of using up future resources, then leaving the problem to others, but it seems easy for them.

I'll actually give Ronald Reagan some credit. He wasn't this great master as people poetry him to be, but I think he knew how to use America's soft power, and was able to do some things wih it. His domestic policy was crap, and we are dealing with that problem today, but he wasn't terrible on the foreign policy, in my book. Oddly I see some of the same strategy in Putin in Russia today.

George W. Bush however has let his neocon administration overreach and now that soft diplomacy power has been ruined. You especially see it when he talks about Georgia. "Countries don't invade sovereign nations in the 21st Century." Oh really George? There's no leg to stand on anymore, and everyone in the world knows we've over-reached.

[blachubear.livejournal.com]

The problem is that Americans are so dumb down that they don't care & don't want to know what the fuck is going on. Look what happened recently, Obama went to Europe & Iraq with positive vibes and hope for the future. What McCain & his campaign has done? Have a commercial saying Obama is compared to Britney & Paris. Sure McCain is a idiot, doesn't know what he's talking about. But according to the media, after that commercial, McCain is up in the polls. It doesn't matter if McCain is an old fool, the media is going to cover it up by the way. Look what CBS has done to cover up McCain's mistake by just doing a little slice & dice with a videotape. Americans has been dumb down(and the media will make sure they'll stay that way), don't want nothing to do about it & probably votes against they own interest. Unless they want to change things in this upcoming election. We'll see. Keep your fingers cross that people will use their common sense.

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

Well, there's a lot of anti-european sentiment in this country that's been drawn up by the conservative media (Freedom Fries anyone?). Somehow in the quest for creating a "New American Century" thought, they've managed to make Europe, the Gulf Oil States, and China stronger. When will the majority of Americans see this and decide it's time to change course? Oh no, we're still thinking USA #1! You are right, people aren't paying attention, but then again, they aren't encouraged to do so, either.

McCain is the media darling, certainly more of a celebrity than Obama is, but since he can't run on his record, can't run on the new positions hes taken over the last year, and can't excite anyone with his plans for the country, all he has is trying to take down his opponent. This isn't a two-man presidential race, it's a referendum on Obama. McCain is just the no-vote.

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

Well, we'll hope for the best, but the Republicans have done their job to try to create solidly Republican voting districts like yours as a pert of their overall strategy for a continual Republican majority in Congress. It hasn't totally worked out, but still some districts will be pretty safe.

Let's hope that she pulls out something truly embarrassing in the next few months, and that there's a really good opponent from the Dems there.

[cubziz.livejournal.com]

We need to change tracks, but our country doesn't WANT to change even though we need to, sadly.

Gore is getting more doom filled, but I think it is dual focused. 1) It gets MORE people involved (as something that is more urgent gets more people to notice) and as you say 2) to be heard above the crowd.

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

You have to shout to be heard. What's sad is no matter how much you shout, it seems like common sense has totally left the building. When I see that John McCain is gaining in the polls, I really wonder if it's worth trying to fight. Maybe it's time to chuck it all and say "I told you so" when it does go down the crapper.

Damn I'm frustrated.

We deal too much with people who don't want to work for anything, and bitch if they have to pay more for the stuff that's manufactured in China. They are worried about their freedom, but not concerned for the work struggle it takes to get that freedom (work like economic, manufacturing, etc. No, we want someone else to do the work and we'll just reap the benefits. Well, China's earned a lot of money off us, and wow, suddenly they look a lot stronger than us, how can that be? More Starbucks for you sir?

grr.