Boy, are my mother and father uncharacteristically angry of late.
I made the mistake of visiting them while they watched the cable news. Democrat Sen. Chris Dodd was on the tube blaming the market collapse on Bush. Father jumped out of his recliner and began barking at the TV.
"You dirty, rotten blankity blank blank blank!" said Father, shouting words I never heard him say before — words he never permitted in our Christian home.
Father complained that Dodd, and other Democrats in Congress, pressured lenders to originate subprime mortgages, then pressured Fannie and Freddie — government-sponsored organizations — to buy up packages of the risky mortgages.
"They kicked off the mess we're in," shouted Father, "and now they're benefiting in the polls from the economy they helped to destroy!"
There wasn't much time to discuss the matter, however. An interview with Democrat House Leader Nancy Pelosi came on. She also blamed our current woes on Bush.
"You blankity blank blank blank!" said my otherwise dear, sweet, classy, church-going mother. She spit out words I never heard her say — words that would make a trucker blush.
Mother cannot understand how the public would want such Democrats running the White House, House and Senate.
"Pelosi wants to spend $300 billion on another stimulus package when the last one didn't work!" said Mother. "Liberal Democrats are going to raise taxes and spend billions more on top of the trillion or more we're already spending to bail out the financial industry!"
There was little time to discuss Pelosi, however. Another Democrat congressman was on the tube explaining why taxpayers must bail out people who took on mortgages they cannot afford.
"You blankity blank blank blank!" said Father, jumping out of his recliner again.
Father told me he and Mother spent their lives scrimping and saving and living within their means. He worked hours of overtime to meet his obligations. What right does the government have to take his tax contributions and give them to people who made bad decisions?
About then a plumber at an Obama rally named Joe popped up on the tube. He asked Obama why he should be punished, through Obama's tax increases, for working hard. Obama said it will be good for everyone for him to spread the wealth around.
"That's a load of blankity blank blank blank!" said Mother. "Haven't we learned by now that socialism doesn't work?"
There was no time to mull over her argument, however. The next news report explained that the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN, was accused of fraudulently registering voters.
"They registered Mickey Mouse," said Father, jumping out of his recliner again. "Every stolen vote disenfranchises someone else who plays by the rules, those lousy, cheating blankity blank blank blanks!"
Thankfully a commercial break came on the tube. I was unable to calm Mother and Father, however.
They told me why they're so angry. They raised six children. They played by the rules. The America they know rewarded hard work and thrift and punished stupidity.
They said they don't want the government to tax oil companies more to send subsidy payments to people who buy gas. It's not a subsidy. It's a bribe!
They said it isn't right for the government to take more from people who earn it and give it to people who don't. It's not a tax break. It's a bribe!
They said it's insanity to jack up capital gains taxes, especially when countries we are competing with — China, Singapore, Taiwan — have zero capital gains taxes, which are fueling massive investment and growth.
They said they are frustrated that so many Americans are favoring politicians who will take us the wrong way — frustrated that the simple middle-class values upon which America was built are under assault.
"We can't understand why more people aren't angry!" said Father.
The commercial break ended. Democrat Rep. Barney Frank popped onto the tube. Mother had but one thing to say to that:
"You dirty rotten blankity blank blank blank!"
