Grow The Economy

A comrade convinced me to participate in a "discussion" he organized and it was a truly painful ordeal. He had invited local Representatives to our state legislature and a couple of wanna-bees, along with folks who work in social services. These folks were hurt by state budget cuts and would tell their stories. Sounds interesting so far, right? My comrade had expected this confrontation to somehow shame the Republican (who is chairwoman of Appropriations) but instead we all got a lesson in how "ideological rubble" has totally buried US society and any sane notions of political-economy. We are left with a ritualized performance of absurdity and confusion which is almost impossible to watch unfold.

My comrade, who calls himself a socialist but is willing to rely on liberal arguments in mixed company, actually seemed to believe there exists some magic logic which will instantly illuminate the contradictions in Conservative ideology, like Tiny Tim getting Scrooge to "see the light". He felt himself capable of rhetorical ju jitsu which would expose the paucity of the oppositions argument. He also believes in the old Patrick Leahy model of "reaching across the aisle", of pragmatically offering concessions and compromise, as if it were actual politics and not theater. Man, did he get his ass handed to him.

After hearing the sob stories of social workers, of the hellish crisis which is the everyday world of poor and damaged people (and the people who try to help them) the Conservatives simply did their Newt Gingrich impersonations- No New Taxes, Stop Enabling People, Tough Love Works, Entitlements and Bloated Bureaucracy and Accountability and Job Creators, you know the litany and they have it memorized word for word. What can a bleeding heart liberal say in response? Why, he can only nod and concede all those points and then ask: well, what is your solution?

And here is the where the magic part of the show begins: Grow The Economy, stupid! Lift All Boats! I keep looking at the clock, nine o clock and I haven't eaten dinner. Fuck this Spectacle. All agree that of course we need "responsible" growth but neither Amazon nor Boeing are moving here so the Repubs like mining and timber and my stomach is growling and the Dems like tourism and my head will soon explode if I don't get up and leave. And my comrade continues his social justice non-profit roadshow to the next town or village. Come Back Woody Guthrie!