PrintOctober 1, 2010
The Naysayers' Folly
You've got to hand it to those conventional powers that be. They have come to provide a constant source of amusement.
Last week, the mainstream media acknowledged that independent voters are disaffected. That is, it so happens that it is not only Republicans who strongly object to the way the country is being run.
Earth to the establishment -- or should we call you the elite ruling class? -- none of this is news! The rather sizable disconnect between "the people" and the power brokers in this country (politicians, mainstream media, academia, big corporate) has been very real for quite some time. After Rick Santelli's rant in February 2009, the dam burst wide open, and the flow never stopped.
Of course independents are disaffected. They have always constituted much of what is commonly known as the "Tea Party" movement. For over a year and a half now, people have continually shown up in the streets and public squares to protest their government -- one that they justifiably view as out of control, seemingly unchained from any limitations on spending or authority.
The average citizen is simply telling big government and its denizens that he has had enough of their unruly behavior.
And what have the people who run this country done? In every instance, they have reacted by giving us more government, often demonizing their detractors along the way.
What we have here is a tired and aging champion, determined to hold on but beginning to flail aimlessly against a high-spirited and increasingly effective young challenger.
The members of the old guard are so blinded by their own bias that they literally cannot see that which physically manifests before their very eyes. The extent to which they miss the point altogether, while laughable, is beyond alarming.
As it turns out, a beautiful thing happened on the way to socialism in America. All the formulas are changing, paradigms are shifting. All of those convenient little boxes are being deconstructed.
Something truly historic is happening. Ignore it, dismiss it, vilify it, and miscast it -- none of that changes the discontent that is swelling across America. In fact, the naysayers serve only to fuel the fire of what might be best described as a citizens' uprising.
While many of the naysayers assuage themselves by casting the debate as Republicans versus Democrats, in reality, this is a people-versus-government thing. To the extent that the GOP plays a role in the matter, it is a conduit, a tool to be used by "the people" to move the ball forward.
To be sure, there is a grassroots revolution taking place inside the Republican Party, but distinctions between political parties are largely becoming secondary. This battle is more about accountability and responsibility. It is about the fundamental values held by a wide majority of the American people. It is about the rule of law. It is about the Constitution.
In its purest essence, the shift taking place in our country, a shift that has only just begun, reflects man's ongoing struggle for freedom and self-determination. What is playing out is man's natural resistance to the authoritarian nature of government.
For those who remain determined to resist or deny the public displays, the never-ending protests and rallies that have become a ubiquitous feature of Americana, there is much more going on behind the scenes to be worried about.
Citizens are meeting, they are teaching both themselves and others, learning how to work together. They are studying the Constitution and how government works at all levels. They are discovering mechanisms of power, how they can chip in and make a difference, produce results. This is all taking place on an epic scale.
Though inexperienced upstarts, they've already fired numerous shots across the bow of the ship of state. From town hall events to unforeseen electoral victories, the challengers are quickly learning how to be effective.
Their efforts have spawned countless alternative media outlets and strengthened existing ones. They are helping to drive what some have come to call America's next Reawakening.
In Houston, a Tea Party group recently exposed a network of rampant voter registration fraud in their community, leading what will prove to be a massive charge to insure integrity in our elections. The "Tea Party's" list of achievements goes on and on, and still the naysayers scoff.
On November 2, those doubters, along with the rest of us, will witness electoral power exercised to a degree that perhaps most of us have never seen. The people of America are going to unleash a wave of volleys via the ballot box that will prove impossible to ignore.
On November 2, those doubters, along with the rest of us, will witness electoral power exercised to a degree that perhaps most of us have never seen. The people of America are going to unleash a wave of volleys via the ballot box that will prove impossible to ignore.
Still, what happens on that first Tuesday night of November will not represent a total victory. Far from it -- it will amount to the first touchdown by the underdog in a long and fierce battle.
There will be stumbles and setbacks along the way, but make no mistake: a majority of Americans have had enough. Some things are about to change.
George Scaggs is a writer, commentator, voice actor, and audio-video producer based in Austin, TX. You can find his work at Bargain Citizen Media, Ramparts360.com, and TexasInsider.com.
