Stoopid Stuff

My Speech Before the Democratic National Convention

Ladies and Gentlemen.

Mikey!!

[Crowd goes predictably wild]

*AHEM*

Hate. Fear. Greed.

There's powerful motivation in the base emotions. We hate what we fear. We fear what we hate. We want what we don't have, and we hate and fear those who have it or want to take it away.

It's hate that conquers continents. Fear that builds tribal and national unity. Greed that builds wealth. We would not be who we are today, we would not be sitting in the wealth and comfort and safety that is the envy, yes, the desperate envy of so much of the world, without those motivations.

But now? Now there's nothing left to be conquered. Nationalism, ethnicism, tribalism only limit our ability to interact with the rest of our species both within our nation and globally. And greed? Greed creates structures to protect and preserve wealth. Without legal constraints on greed, a wealthy class is perpetuated, and the dream of becomming wealthy is nothing more than that - a dream.

Folks, it's been a long time since Hate, Fear and Greed were a way to move a society forward. Now those same base emotions are used to perpetuate the status quo, to compel people to use their vote to preserve the position of the wealthiest, against the best interest of that voter. Manipulated, divided, scared.

The united states of america spends more on the military, on machines of war, tools of war, warriors and wars, than the rest of the world COMBINED. And that goes unquestioned. I'm asking the question. Is that the best way to invest your tax dollars? Do you suppose, if we all got in a room, sat down around a table, and figured out how to spend the tax revenue of the wealthiest economy in the world, that at the end of that dialog we would arrive at that figure? To say that it is insane is to grossly understate the case. For the taxpayers themselves to agree to it, to agree to it ACTIVELY, is ten times insane.

We stand, now, at an historic fork in the road. We are not being asked to choose a president. We are not being asked to commit to an ideology. We are not being asked to decide on a personality. We are, here and now, being presented with two paths. And we must choose one. Two paths forward, neither has a guarantee, neither leads to a clear outcome, neither assures a perfect world.

One path is the path of Hate, Fear and Greed. It is the path of more wars, more military spending, more arbitrary, unilateral international actions. More support for the corporation at the expense of the worker. More degegulation, more limitations on unions and workers rights, more opportunities for corporations to profit, without any requirement for those profits to roll down to the workers who create them. Without any promise that a successful, profitable corporation will reward it's workers with even the continuing promise of a job.

Another path is one of strength, courage and unity. It is a path that rewards the people, that recognizes and accepts the responsibility of government to contribute to the well being of it's people, to help them achieve success, raise their families, educate their children, and retire in security. It is a path that takes us to a peaceful coexistence with our international neighbors, working together to bring poor nations into prosperity, eradicating disease and improving lives. It is a path that rejects war as failure, not success, and reduces American strategic military spending by two thirds. Immediately. It is a path that makes certain that no American is hungry, that every american has the best health care available in the world, and every American child is educated to the extent he or she wishes to pursue.

So the choice to be made, the decision demanded by the moment, is simple. Will it be Hate, Fear and Greed? Or will it be hope, courage and solutions? Will it be wars and imperial occupations, or will it be domestic growth and help for people like you and me. Will we choose to squander our remaining wealth on international adventurism and foreign entanglements, or will we choose another way to spend our national treasure?

It seems like a simple choice. It seems obvious. It seems easy. But so many of the American people have chosen instead against their interest, in order to choose hatred, military intervention and authoritarianism. This is a drive that cannot be understood by people who cherish liberty and American Values, but if this drive cannot be redirected, America will perish.

It's time for America to grow up. You have a responsibility. Read the positions of the candidates. Think about how they might affect you. Make a decision with your head. Not your heart. And not your genitals. Look at the costs of the policies of the last eight years and think about what YOU would do differently. And think about what Barack Obama brings to you. Then make your choice.

I have no doubt that you will make the right decision.

Thank you, and good night...

posted by mikey @ 6:27 PM