Labels have ruined our politics. I could parcel out which side does it better or more often, but what would be the point exactly? The general problem is that I can throw a label at you and immediately brand you as something positive or negative just based on the connotation that the label has. In many instances the definition in people’s minds aren’t even accurate. So, following are a group of statements that fit as definitions for terms thrown around in public.

1. Different races possess distinct characteristics, abilities, or qualities, especially so as to distinguish them as inferior or superior to one another.
2. Men should hold the power and women should largely be excluded from it.
3. Most of the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.
4. A political system headed by a dictator in which the government controls business and labor where opposition is not permitted.
5. The enforced separation of different racial groups in a country or community.
6. People should be able to marry whoever they want regardless of race, gender identity, religion, or age.

If I spent enough time focusing on it, I could likely craft a series of statements that those on the left would subscribe to and those on the right would subscribe to. It would be interesting to see how many statements we could get people to agree to. Would people that consider themselves as progressive or conservative actually continue to support progressive or conservative ideals?

I’m sure many of you recognized fascism and socialism above. Obviously, the first issue is that many in the political sphere know that the common person has no earthly clue what those things actually are. So, they can throw that label at anyone and have it stick because the label can fit anything. Since the label is harmful then using the label becomes a weapon.

This is also unfortunately where we descend into questions of good and evil and what those terms really mean. Does the mere belief in something make someone good or evil? Or, do we have to wait and see how those beliefs manifest themselves to determine if the individual is good or evil? Certainly, I think we can acknowledge that numerous people believe numbers one, two, and five.

We could throw number six in there too, but I added a little something extra to six to make it a much more difficult statement to support without qualification. I suspect a lot of these statements have “yeah,,,but” thoughts attached to them. That’s what makes politics so difficult. The world is rife with “yeah…buts”. No matter what personal moral code one follows, they all would agree that what we do is far more important than what we say. I have a sinking suspicion that if we allowed people to openly accept or reject such simple statements we’d see much more agreement overall and many of our politicians would be left in the cold looking for a place to land. Then again, I could be wrong.

Yesterday, the Texas Supreme Court cemented in vigilante law by affirming that SB8, which our radical rightwing government rammed through during the last legislative session and permits anyone to sue any person they accuse of getting, giving, or assisting in any abortion anywhere in Texas.  The law exposes ALL Texans to vigilante action with zero protection of the personal rights of anyone deemed to be involved in a medical procedure that is constitutionally protected.

The notion that his law passes any legal test is outrageous on the face, yet the radicalism that has taken over the courts has driven them to look the other way while lawlessness of a tiny group of partisans wreak havoc to everyone else’s lives.  The Supreme Court and the Texas Supreme Court now say that they have no role in protecting the individual rights of Americans including privacy, equal protection, or voting.

I say, OK, let’s play.  If vigilanteism is now the rule of law in Texas, let’s go after:

1. Fox News, OANN, and Newmax – allow anyone to sue anyone else they accuse of watching those channels.
2. Carrying firearms – allow anyone to sue anyone else they accuse of carrying a firearm.
3. Loud  Pickup Trucks – anyone can now sue others who they believe are driving a truck that’s too loud.
4. Voting – let’s sue anyone who can’t prove they voted in all elections.
5. Donuts – let’s sue people who eat donuts because it’s not healthy.
6. Churches – let’s sue people who darken the doors of churches we don’t like.  Plaintiff’s choice as to which church they don’t like.
7. Snow shovel brims on cowboy hats and goofy square-toed boots – let’s sue anyone wearing those because they’re morons.
8. Flags on pickups – $10,000 per flag, $50,000 if the word “Trump” appears on any flag.
9. Toby Keith songs – because I’m sick of them
10. Dancing with the Stars – $10,000 per episode because you’re an idiot to watch and it causes brain damage.
11. Any piece of clothing that has a MAGA logo – because…you know why.

You get the point.  The courts are now nothing more than observers to single party rule and fascist laws that permit spying on fellow citizens and accusing them of whatever the plaintiffs don’t like.  Let’s turn it around on them.

Texas is lost.

On Saturday, Richard Parker laid out a great argument for restoring our Republic, using history as his guide.  He’s virulently anti-Trumpism, but also opposes Bernie, and for good reason.  Tough read, but a good one.

HOLY JESUS

Variety is reporting that the long used Whitehouse comment line has been shut down and an automated message tells callers to use a non-existent Facebook messenger account.  That’s right, public comment can no longer reach into the Oval Office.  Fascism comest to America.

For 8 years we’ve heard screwballs, fueled by weird conspiracy theorists, rail about “tyranny” from the Obama administration.  That “tyranny” was going to come in the form of gun confiscation, US Army invasion of Texas, and “false flag” mass shootings performed by actors.  The “tyranny” also came in the form of the federal government not permitting social warriors to persecute people different from them. There were a lot more idiotic assertions, but you get the idea.  None of those predictions came to pass, of course, but that didn’t stop the onslaught on BS pouring out of dozens of extremist websites and talking heads.

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