Letters: Save us all from the progressives

As I read the column by E.J. Dionne Jr., “Mobility inequality challenging conservatives” in the July 16 issue of The Advocate, I marveled at the intellect of such a clever progressive writer who has the vernacular of words down to a science.

Mobility inequality? Would that be in the same lexicon as income inequality? Or job inequality? Or housing inequality? Or body image inequality? Dionne thinks that what “we the people” need is, “a more active and thoughtful government.” What we have now is a more active government that would really like to be much more active in the day-to-day life of us little people. “Thoughtful” and “government” in the same sentence is an oxymoron!

He speaks in glowing terms of Denmark, Australia, Norway, Finland, Canada, Sweden and Germany with strong union movements, more-generous welfare states, affordable higher education and higher taxes, etc., as though these countries with populations ranging from 5 million to 90 million are America’s answer. The United States has a population of over 300 million. What works for those countries has been tried in the United States with dismal results. He avoided mentioning Spain, Greece, Italy, France, the United Kingdom, Russia and North Korea, the epitome of the progressive ideal of a “more active and thoughtful government.”

It appears the progressives have been doing a lot more than “talking about the importance of family breakdown.” They have been helping to speed it up with their support of the many government programs that relieve the “baby daddies” of the responsibility of actually caring for the children they sire.

Occupy Wall Street? Surely you jest, Mr. Dionne. How much damage was done to the parks and surrounding areas? How many rapes, drug arrests and thefts occurred? OWS is the “dark” compared to the tea party’s “shining light.” OWS supporters want what they want and want someone else to pay the cost. But then the OWS narrative fits the progressives’ playbill.

Katherine Kyle Gandy

administrative assistant

New Iberia

Comments

1) Comment by 8.3 - 30/07/2012

ok. the irony was lost. The point was that a wholesale condemnation of "progressivism" condemns a lot of very good things that define America, like child labor laws, anti-trust, etc. etc. which basically temper excessive greed and an amoral exploitation of others. If this is a Christan nation as many claim, exploitation of others contradicts Christian principles. Either there is not a clear understanding of history or intentions are not compatible with Christianity. These principles transcend party. Why must everything be an us against them scenario which historically results in chaos and ultimately, human misery and bloodshed? Perception of "useless individuals" is anti-Christian and anti-American, I do not know about native American principles but "doing away" with them has historical precedent. Please explain how this complies with the imperatives of the Great Spirit. It is wise to be careful with one's mouth, advice I certainly agree I should heed more. '

2) Comment by nimby? - 28/07/2012

8.3 , shall we also reinstate the literacy and intelligence tests for all registered D voters ? if we are to do away with those useless individuals who are a burden of society , waste of resources I know where to start ...

3) Comment by Whatnow - 28/07/2012

@8.3 Great ideal on the testing, but SO many you would be left out. Why don't we just put the older folks out on an iceberg to die? Or take them up in the mountains to let them starve? Luckily, I'm not on Social Security yet. I certainly hope your parents or grandparents aren't either.

4) Comment by chem - 28/07/2012

Correction: Pollution would increase WITHOUT regulation.

5) Comment by chem - 28/07/2012

The current crop of neo-cons, the ultra-right Republicans want a different kind of capitalism. They want unfettered capitalism. No regulations of any kind. Businesses should be free to do whatever they want. What a disaster that would be. Businesses need to be regulated, and some, like banking, investment firms, and chemical companies need to be strictly regulated. The Republicans' idea of capitalism would be a disaster for everyone except the very few at the top. Pollution would increase with regulation. Auto safety would decline. Pharmaceuticals would be dangerous. Capitalism isn't the utopia that some think.

6) Comment by Dawson - 28/07/2012

Yes we owe it all to the wonderful progressives (democrats). By the way, which party was it that fought against civil rights? Which party had an active congress member that was also an active member of the KKK? The only form of economics known to man that has generated the most abundance and gives anyone the chance to move up or down the economic ladder is capitalism. Only these great progressives are the ones that can't figure that out and want to continue to implement ideas that are proven failures. You know the definition of insanity....apparently these great progressives do not.

7) Comment by Art Vandelay - 28/07/2012

@jedleland. You are completely dillusional if you believe your own load of ***** "Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." -Martin Luther King Jr.

8) Comment by 8.3 - 28/07/2012

Whatnow, I agree, we need to reinstate the literacy and intelligence tests for voting that the "progressives" got rid of. Plus old folks on social security are too feeble to think clearly, so there should be old age limits on voting as well.

9) Comment by Whatnow - 28/07/2012

A strong, competent government? Don't hold your breath. They'll just make a new program to fix the one that they can't control already.

10) Comment by 8.3 - 27/07/2012

Absolutely, save us from such progressive ideas as women's right to vote, women's place is in the home. they are too silly for such activities as voting or serious political discourse.

11) Comment by nimby? - 27/07/2012

jedleland . was it progress that led the U.S. government to make war on a people who wanted only what they already had , wanted to be left alone ? a mere obstacle in the way . we had clean water , air . no one went hungry . widows and orphan were cared for . the word of a woman carried the same weight as that of a man . there was no word for "gay' . the old were respected , the touched honored . the ms-characterization of a people who fought defending their homes , families .... advances in science and technology are astounding , but have done little for the character of man . the internet has given new ways to be cruel , p@rn surfing ,trolls and cyberbullies . the term smart phone should be an oxymoron . we have art without artist , music without musicians , thought without knowledge , actors/singers who can't , accept political commentary from entertainers . created a system of dependency that instills a sense of defeatism , as if why even try . sorry to confuse , but there are still those who harken to a quieter , simpler time ,slower paced . another product , stress , seems common in most of the population . this is good ?

12) Comment by nimby? - 27/07/2012

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13) Comment by jedleland - 27/07/2012

thats all great and good for you but that’s not what I asked you is it the letter writer has a go at progressives and half the people who waste their lives on these chat sites agree that govt gets in the way and progressives get in the way and no good comes of them. The little story I posted mocks that selfishness pretty well and shows just how much progressives help people like the administrative assistant that wrote the letter, who doesn’t have to worry about not getting paid according to overtime rules or has some legal standing if she is sexually harassed or can even just go and vote all that thanks to meddling progressives. You said you would like less interference in your daily life I asked you for five examples and you come up with your rural regimen and your ethnic origin which doesn’t answer the question at all. I didn’t ask what you grew or where you were from or about your septic tank. I didn’t ask how you stay out of the way of the govt. You said you wanted less daily govt interference but you cant even come up with five simple examples. well done for taking care of yourself but I dont care and didnt ask I asked for how govt intrudes on you daily like you said it did. I don’t think it does and your answer tells me it doesnt and ending every post with an ellipse is a pretty obvious affectation and doesn’t make you look smart or contemplative or thoughtful no matter how you try so you might want to give that a rest as well now 5 concrete ways that big govt got in your way today or don’t bother at all

14) Comment by nimby? - 27/07/2012

by the way , no subsidies or grants were provided by the government ...

15) Comment by nimby? - 27/07/2012

jedleland , I am Lakota , grew up at Pine Ridge ; where would you like me to start on what the government has/hasn't done . as a retired teacher now farmer I can tell you how I stay out of the governments way ; I dug and maintain my own water well/septic system . raise and butcher my own meats , grow my fruits/vegetables ; dairy products , milk , goat cheese , butter . and make a pretty good peach brandy . I maintain my gravel driveway off a gravel road I am forced to maintain out of neglect . month ago installed solar panels 0n the barn roof . I sell on local markets , donate to the local food bank . I'm not a survivalist but someone who doesn't want to have to depend on my fellow man or the government . gets down to who to trust ...

16) Comment by DMJ - 27/07/2012

It's easy to criticize the government - when it works, it's silent (that's the whole idea), but when it fails, it's a huge story. Think about it.... someone not getting sick from drinking clean water is not a story. FEMA failing to evacuate thousands of people after a hurricane IS a story. Not having a major banking crisis from 1930-2007 isn't a story. Government allowing commercial banks to also act as investment banks, thus tanking the world economy...now that's a story. Of course, government failings usually happen because of de-regulation (financial crash), ineptness (FEMA after Katrina) or purposeful underperformance (MMS not inspecting deepwater drilling rigs). What I don't understand is how someone like say....Mitt Romney would, with a straight face, argue that the key to not having another financial crash is LESS regulation. That's just bizarre. Of course...some people eat it up. Like I said...it's easy to blame the government. Saying we want "less government" makes us feel good about ourselves. We feel independant. Acknowledging that we need strong, competent government makes us feel hypocritical. It's an absurd spectacle that plays out every election cycle.

17) Comment by jedleland - 27/07/2012

I didn’t say joe was helpless cause he isn’t clearly he has a good job and good medical insurance and helps take care of his dad that’s the point he thinks all his comfortable lifestyle and all the good things he enjoys are just his own work but if it were for that selfish mindset he couldn’t breathe that clean air or drink that water or take those meds or eat that food or drive that safe car or that safe plane and the list is thousands of pages long. Calling him helpless is just garbage try reading next time. im not talking about welfare moochers im talking about right wing fools insisting that big govt and scary progressives get in their way when they help them every single day in more ways they can ever understand and then they still go on about their rugged individualism and how the markets should be left alone and all will be just great. Well that’s garbage corporations have to be forced to not pollute and keeping water and land and food clean is expensive and cars and planes need to be safe and medicines they would all save a lot and profit more if they didn’t have to. Don’t believe me go down to mexico or any third world country where corporations have no restrictions and see how people live and what they eat and drink and life expectancy. You talk about interference but that’s baloney no govt interferes with me every day or any day and you neither. im free to go where I want and do what I want just like you. thats just a cranky old man complaining cause he doesn’t have anything else to do, give me five examples of how govt interferes with your life every day

18) Comment by nimby? - 27/07/2012

jedleland , familiar with the term 'profiling' ? or the word hypocrite ? maybe some of us aren't as helpless as joe , and would like less interference in our daily lives . then there are those able bodied citizen whose existence depends totally on government support , and has for generations , without the lift of a finger .no consequences , no motivation to improve , acceptance of mediocrity , no sense of individual achievement/thought . sheep bleating to the tender of the flock ...

19) Comment by nouveaurouge - 27/07/2012

Ms. Gandy, did you want to be more than a secretary when you contemplated your career options? Are you paid what you are worth? How exactly is ultra-conservatism helping you achieve your life goals? Progressive=progress=forward thinking=equal opportunity.

20) Comment by jedleland - 27/07/2012

godd@mn right that was all progressives all of those things are stuff right wingers cant stand and think govt should get out of their lives and let the market decide and let profits drive everything. all of those things are not profitable and only happen cause goverment made it happen and right wingers like the guy in the story benefit every day from those things even though if they had their way corporations wouldnt do a thing about clean water or air or food or rural electricity or medicare cause it all eats away at profits which is all rightwingers care about even though the pretend to be caring christians. all they care about is worshipping their money and rich people and hating gays. tell me which of those things in that story was a right wing idea i'll give you a clue it was none of them its all "big government welfare nanny state" getting into peoples lives but right wingers still benefit from it every day. right wingers love big government when they get something out of it but then they are stupid enough to pretend they did it all themselves like the guy in the story what a crock.

21) Comment by jedleland - 27/07/2012

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22) Comment by Whatnow - 27/07/2012

Hey, jedleland, it was just the liberals who did all that? You are delusional.

23) Comment by jedleland - 27/07/2012

i copied this from the internet but it tells you a lot about progresrsives and liberals and people pretending to do everything by themselves and how selfish right wingers really are and how forgetful and ungrateful too "Joe gets up at 6:00 AM to prepare his morning coffee. He fills his pot full of good clean drinking water because some liberal fought for minimum water quality standards. He takes his daily medication with his first swallow of coffee. His medications are safe to take because some liberal fought to insure their safety and work as advertised. All but $10.00 of his medications are paid for by his employers medical plan because some liberal union workers fought their employers for paid medical insurance, now Joe gets it too. He prepares his morning breakfast, bacon and eggs this day. Joe’s bacon is safe to eat because some liberal fought for laws to regulate the meat packing industry. Joe takes his morning shower reaching for his shampoo; His bottle is properly labeled with every ingredient and the amount of its contents because some liberal fought for his right to know what he was putting on his body and how much it contained. Joe dresses, walks outside and takes a deep breath. The air he breathes is clean because some tree hugging liberal fought for laws to stop industries from polluting our air. He walks to the subway station for his government subsidized ride to work; it saves him considerable money in parking and transportation fees. You see, some liberal fought for affordable public transportation, which gives everyone the opportunity to be a contributor. Joe begins his work day; he has a good job with excellent pay, medicals benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation because some liberal union members fought and died for these working standards. Joe's employer pays these standards because Joe's employer doesn't want his employees to call the union. If Joe is hurt on the job or becomes unemployed he'll get a worker compensation or unemployment check because some liberal didn't think he should lose his home because of his temporary misfortune. It's noon time, Joe needs to make a Bank Deposit so he can pay some bills. Joe’s deposit is federally insured by the FSLIC because some liberal wanted to protect Joe’s money from unscrupulous bankers who ruined the banking system before the depression. Joe has to pay his Fannie Mae underwritten Mortgage and his below market federal student loan because some stupid liberal decided that Joe and the government would be better off if he was educated and earned more money over his life-time. Joe is home from work, he plans to visit his father this evening at his farm home in the country. He gets in his car for the drive to dad's; his car is among the safest in the world because some liberal fought for car safety standards. He arrives at his boyhood home. He was the third generation to live in the house financed by Farmers Home Administration because bankers didn't want to make rural loans. The house didn't have electric until some big government liberal stuck his nose where it didn't belong and demanded rural electrification. (Those rural Republicans would still be sitting in the dark.) He is happy to see his dad who is now retired. His dad lives on Social Security and his union pension because some liberal made sure he could take care of himself so Joe wouldn't have to. After his visit with dad he gets back in his car for the ride home. He turns on a radio talk show. The host keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good. (He doesn't tell Joe that his beloved Republicans have fought against every protection and benefit Joe enjoys throughout his day) Joe agrees. "We don't need those big government liberals ruining our lives; after all, I'm a self made man who believes everyone should take care of themselves, just like I have."

24) Comment by Whatnow - 26/07/2012

Great letter, Katherine!

25) Comment by nimby? - 26/07/2012

on a lighter side ; look at the television , where it came from to where it is today , a marvel of science . now if there were something worth watching ......

26) Comment by chem - 26/07/2012

If you look at any single data point, you may see an up or down tick. Looking at a graph of the stock market, for example, there are certainly ups and downs for a single day, week, etc. But when a smooth curve is drawn through the data, it shows a clear upward trend since the market's inception. Similarly, starting from the beginnings of recorded history, a smooth curve drawn through the data would show that there is a clear trend upward regarding freedom, education, less hatred and bigotry, and greater secularism. Looking at a single day, year, or decade will show advances and retreats, but will not give a true indication of the overall graph. Marching through history up to the present, one cannot rationally deny that humans have achieved more freedoms and thrown off the chains of oppressive influences. While there are still pockets of slavery in the world, such a thing is anathema to virtually everyone. The same can be said for the subjugation of women, homosexuals, liberalization/repeal of repressive laws over time and a slow but steady decline of religion in the world, which has been one of the most oppressive/repressive influences on humans since its beginnings. So yes, the world, thankfully, is progressing.

27) Comment by Scrooge - 26/07/2012

GoldenSage says: "Read Atlas Shrugged". Disregarding the fact that Atlas Shrugged is a tedious and mediocre work of fiction, Ayn Rand's principles are not compatible with Christianity or most other major religions of the world and are therefore quite at odds with the tenets of "our founders". Easy to verify, search for Ayn Rand and Christianity, there's even a convenient Ayn Rand youtube vid with Mike Wallace. Ain't the internet great? A much better work of fiction might be "Infinite Jest" and a greater danger than "progressives" (that shadowy enclave of sinister villains bent on the take over of Fox news) are the ignorati, who unfortunately comprise a majority but can provide great sport albeit with a handicap.

28) Comment by 8point6 - 26/07/2012

Wow! dmj has been busy! He/she must have made over $20 today getting paid a nickle per comment from this medium. Good job! Thank you, Katherine!

29) Comment by nimby? - 26/07/2012

wondering , are the recent local headlines a by-product of progress , moving forward ?

30) Comment by chem - 26/07/2012

Progress: Advance or development toward a better, more complete, or more modern condition. Regress: Becoming less advanced; returning to a former or less developed state. So, how far back should we regress? The 1700s? 1300s? 2500 BC? As others have said, should we go back to owning slaves? Should the right to vote be taken from women and anyone else who is not a white male? Should we return to the time when the "church" made the rules and stated what people should "know?" Perhaps we should "progress" to a point where we believe the Earth is flat and the sun and universe revolves around the Earth?

31) Comment by nimby? - 26/07/2012

it might be interesting to go back in time , ask men of conscience what they think of our "progress" ...

32) Comment by DMJ - 26/07/2012

Ayn Rand was the world's biggest hypocrite. She was on Medicare and Social Security when she died. I guess, when it was convenient, she found it easy to demonize the "parasites" until she became one herself. She was also a paranoid who thought government warnings on cigarette packages were part of a government conspiracy. She died of lung cancer. I'll read her book....when I run out of other books to read. I still haven't started Harry Potter...or Twighlight....or even started in on the How-to section....

33) Comment by DMJ - 26/07/2012

Yes, the founding fathers set up a free country, a democracy. Unless you were black....or didn't own property...or were a woman... If the founders came back today, they'd probably ask where the nearest place to buy a slave was. Who cares what 200 year old dead people would hypothetically think?

34) Comment by chem - 26/07/2012

Atlas Shrugged -- the work of fiction by the goddess of the lunatic fringe on the right.

35) Comment by The_Host - 26/07/2012

Actually Nimby is people had some cognitive abilities to comprehend and were to read even a few pages from say the Federalist Papers. The wisdom and knowledge and pure thought to the individual that our founders possessed is simply astonishing. To think of their words then to think of Pelosi, Reid, McConnell, take your pick from either side of the isle it doesn't matter. We were setup as a country by brilliant men thinking in the most strictest terms of what a free country should be. They even told us what to watch out for in the future. But no one is heeding their words. The people we have running the place now are complete idiots and fools with nothing but themselves and their party as their master, mainly themselves. There is no doubt in my mind if our founders came back to like today they would look at us all and ask what the............ have you allowed to happen here? Then they would probably call for the people to rid the country of these parasites we call our leaders.

36) Comment by nimby? - 26/07/2012

and your "valid opinion" of a smart person is ? sorry you don't get it ; simple message , direct , to the point , no wasted words . suggest reading some of President Trumans' speeches , not much fluff there ...

37) Comment by GoldenSage - 26/07/2012

Great letter. Well, done. Progressives are tearing up the country because they "want" something better, BUT do they know what is better, NO!!! They have no "real" plans or thoughts on a system that works, because the past shows progressive plans don't work, especially it wouldn't work in the U.S.A. Of course, their plans might work if they CHANGE the U.S with HOPE. "HOPE and CHANGE", where did I hear that one before. Progressives need to get "real". They talk about reality but the facts are they do 'not' have the skills and abilities to get things done, so they play political games with those that can do. Read Atlas Shrugged. Progressives, if they win, will destroy this country.

38) Comment by DMJ - 26/07/2012

Nimby, what's with the weird grammar? Are you telegraphing your comments? I know you're a smart person; act like it. And to those who like the Tea Party and don't like Occupy....relax. You guys won. You got a bunch of Tea Party members of Congress now. You have Mitt Romney pandering to Tea Party rallies. Sure, the Tea Party ruined Congress, but hey...you guys still won. Enjoy it...I guess.

39) Comment by nimby? - 26/07/2012

paranoid delusions ; an entitlement system readily accessible , easily taken advantage of , impossible to police , continued dependency creating a lap dog mentality into a fourth generation with no end in sight ; estimates of fraud near 30 percent . apologist will critique those citing such yet excuse physically/mentally able individuals needlessly taking advantage while others suffer .....

40) Comment by nimby? - 26/07/2012

from what I have seen most "tea party" people are older , white conservatives . pretty dull , boring lot . and I can see how a city would prefer a large group of unemployed out of staters interrupting services , causing a financial strain to that of an employed taxpaying workforce ...

41) Comment by mcarter - 26/07/2012

I'm not a tea party member and I not using what some of you want to call "foxnews talking points". I'm just telling you like it. The very "liberal" state of Oregon is not very about happy about what "occupy Eugene" left behind.

42) Comment by Lannonmac - 26/07/2012

Pure hogwash, drawn from the standard Republican manual on “Class Warfare”. Same old ***** where all Progressives/Liberal/political moderates are evil, socialist, commies, out to impregnate your daughters and take your guns. I would prefer dealing with the Occupy Wallstreet crowed any day of the week when compared to the gun toting, xenophobic, Tea Party bully boys. Evey notice that you don’t hear Occupy participants advocate insurrection, whereas the Tea Party bunch commonly advocate secession and their beloved 2nd Amendment solution. Why don’t you guys try talking about real issues, rather than basking in paranoid delusions.

43) Comment by DMJ - 26/07/2012

There is no Tea Party. There is only the Republican Party. No Occupy Wall Street "member" has been elected to Congress. There is no Occupy caucus. And, excuse me, but do you judge the whole movement by the actions of its worst members? Do a Google image search on 'racist tea party signs' real quick.... Are all Tea Partiers racist? Of course not. This is another false equivolence argument, the laziest form of argument. Oh, and exactly how is North Korea "progressive"? I don't get the point of this letter, other than to vent about progressivism without actually knowing what it is. You'd think I'd get used to yahoo conservatives by now. I guess I am...but you never get used to irrational arguments. Oh well....

44) Comment by The_Host - 26/07/2012

Yep those Tea Party extremists camping out defecating in the streets, smashing windows and painting on buildings as they roam around wearing masks. All of our problems decades in the making are directly due to the Tea Party evidently. Not a single problem was ever created by those other two parties right? That is like saying automobiles killed more people in the year 1215 than Genghis Khan did.

45) Comment by nimby? - 26/07/2012

progress isn't necessarily better , just different . last time I checked most "Tea Party" people were busy at their job . and the fox news boogey man reference appears early today ....

46) Comment by InPVille - 26/07/2012

@mcarter & BigHug: Other humans are the reason for the saying: "The more I know about people, the better I like my dog".

47) Comment by Bighug - 26/07/2012

Well, mcarter, it couldn't be any worse than here in LA, where we have to deal with the Tea Party all over the state.

48) Comment by chem - 26/07/2012

Wow. Talking points right off of Fox news. More right-wing lies and exaggerations.

49) Comment by mcarter - 25/07/2012

And speaking of OWS, I am in Oregon right now and i asked a local about the numerous homeless people i have seen. Their response, "they came for 'occupy Eugene'and never left. Now we have to deal with them all over the state.