I got a call that came up as a private number and decided to take it. What's the worst that could happen? It was Dick Morris in a very moving speech that really didn't say anything outside of rhetorical devices. It asked me to stay on the line to participate in a survey of Tea Party supporters. I figured this could be as much fun as the call I took from the NRA a while ago.
I was informed that Mr. Morris just wrote a book on how to revolt against president Obama and his socialist agenda. Then I was asked which conservative I think led as the best example for us to follow today. I didn't want to let the person know my views yet, so I said Thomas Jefferson. She replied with "Oh, going back in history. I heard Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln.
"I didn't say Abraham Lincoln. I only said Thomas Jefferson," I replied.
"Well, we certainly could use someone like him today," she said.
At this point I refrained from asking what about Thomas Jefferson led her to believe he'd support her side. Instead, I listened to hear how they were planning to take out a full page add in USA Today and if they could count on my $200 contribution to defeat Obama, again mentioning that not only is he the worst president since Carter, but the worst ever. I asked her what he's done to be the worst. She said the car bailouts, to which I asked why were they so bad. The companies are profitable and they paid back all the loans. Then she started talking about fighter pilots in Libya. I broke in and said that I wasn't saying anything about Libya, but why was the car manufacturers bailout bad when they worked.
I asked her what she thought about the bank bailouts by Bush. I asked if they had paid their money back. She said no. I asked what she thought about the bonuses their executives received. She had no reply. I asked her about all of the corporate tax breaks and she said the president had no business doing anything like that. I replied that it seemed like Congress was leading the way there. I was about to ask about all of the state governments selling themselves to business, but she started to thank me for my call and that we weren't going to agree on anything.
I asked her why she didn't want to have a discussion. Did she want it to be a case of I think this, you think that, and let's see who has more people? Isn't that a bit juvenile? She was trying every way she could think of to get off the phone with me without just hanging up. She kept repeating that she was glad I had my opinions. Then I asked how she got my name as a supporter of the Tea Party. She asked if I was so-and-so, who happens to be my brother. I replied, "No, I'm another so-and-so. That's my brother. I'm the owner of this house." Then I let her off the hook. Now I know why they had the name and number blocked. They don't want real discussion. They just want you to agree or not know of their existence.
It was an invigorating, but scary look into the psyche of a part of the American public and their leaders. With no information at all, with nothing but rhetorical devices and scare tactics politicians and lobbyists try and succeed to get vast amounts of money and support. Maybe the answer is to limit everyone to a single term in office. With no pressure to get re-elected, maybe politicians will start to represent people again and not special interests and corporations. I don't know. Our system is broken. I have no idea how to fix it.
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