State of Their Union

or, why I won’t be watching my television tonight.

In their Union, the U.S. is bringing freedom and democracy to the Middle East

Reality: Middle East terrorism is rising, U.S. military death toll is rising, Iraqi civilian death toll is rising, Middle Eastern democracy doesn’t always turn out the way it was envisioned (think Palestine and Hamas), Syria, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and our pals the Saudi’s are recruiting new terrorists faster than Bush can spell “freedom,” thanks to our bullying, murderous tactics in the region.

In their Union, the confirmation of Sam Alito to the U.S. Supreme Court marks a triumph of a twenty year old conservative agenda to demonize and eliminate judges who would apply checks and balances to the executive branch of government.

Reality: The Dems have rolled over and played dead, a woman’s constitutional right to obtain contraceptives or an abortion will be further restricted or eliminated, human rights here and abroad will be eroded under the guise of ‘national security,’ the separation of church and state will disintegrate to meaninglessness.  So, go ahead and celebrate. This war is far from over and I’ll be damned if I’m going to watch you dancing on tabletops.  There’s too much resistance work to be done.

In their Union, gay partnerships will be targeted as a monstrous threat second only to the formation of terrorist cells.

Reality: Gay partnerships threaten no one. It’s a manufactured issue designed to lather conservatives who might not bother to go to the polls on election day.  Maybe it’s just me, but when I’m confronted with a non-issue that targets a single group of people and attempts to restrict rather than expand their human rights and legal benefits, I can’t help but think of the political climate in Germany in, say, 1932?  And, a separate note to gay Republicans: how much self-hatred does it take to support a political party that would prefer to see you eliminated from the face of the earth?

In their Union, health savings accounts will be the answer to the nation’s health care crisis.

Reality: Rather than construct a genuine solution to the problem, Republicans have devised another tax cut benefit for those who already have the financial resources to pay for their medical care.  HSA’s are a sham.  They will be of no help to the working poor.  It’s a blatant attempt to placate employers who are looking for ways to limit their role in providing health insurance coverage for workers.

Must I go on?  No.  I won’t be watching my television tonight.  But, I’ll be watching, and waiting, and working to change the direction of Their Union so that it will once again be Our Union; inclusive and free and fair.