In William Shakespeare’s play The Tempest, a line in Act II, Scene II says, “Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows” that is a common idiom relating to politics. The idea that people with opposing ideologies who normally dislike and avoid each other will work together if they think it is politically useful defines the phrase “politics makes strange bedfellows.” This idea is different than bipartisanship where two sides work together for a common good, and as usually is the case, one side unknowingly works against and betrays their own ideology because they are blinded to the machinations of the opposing true believer willing to use any means to achieve their goals.
Over the past few months an odd pairing developed between alleged progressives and a libertarian racist that Julian Assange claimed is one of the most “principled” members of the U.S. Congress. In fact, Assange said Kentucky Senator Rand Paul and libertarians represent the only hope for America. Assange joins an expatriate journalist living in Brazil in aligning closely with Paul, but there are reasonable explanations why the trio are in bed together. However, where it gets strange is the naiveté’ and willingness of the professional left to jump in bed with the libertarian Rand Paul through their adherence and near-idol worship of Glenn Greenwald and Julian Assange because they support fugitive from justice Edward Snowden.
First, there are Americans who are justifiably concerned over recent revelations their electronic communications may be under surveillance, but the practice did not begin with the NSA and it is curious that so many progressives and liberals forget they lost their privacy in 2001 with George W. Bush’s Patriot Act. In particular, President Obama, an Illinois state senator in 2001, has taken the lion’s share of the blame for the Patriot Act and resulting surveillance tactics, and it is in no small part due to the careful planning and infiltration into progressive ranks by the libertarian journalist in Brazil. In 2001, Greenwald said he trusted George W. Bush when it came to national security and supported his signing the Patriot Act, but since 2009 he has been obsessed with demeaning the President and likely it informs his relationship with Rand Paul. Unfortunately, so-called EmoProgs and the professional left have set aside their abhorrence of Rand Paul because Assange and Greenwald have convinced them Paul is a civil libertarian. Make no mistake, Rand Paul and Glenn Greenwald are libertarians and there is nothing civil about their conspiracy to undermine the progressive movement, Democrats, and President Obama.
It is curious why anyone on the left, Emoprog or not, can identify with Rand Paul except that he is closely related to the so-called civil libertarian in Brazil. Doubtless, most progressives understand libertarianism that Rand Paul espouses, and why they are able to put aside his position on issues that adversely affect every American citizen is a true mystery. For the record emoprogs aligned with Rand Paul tacitly support; racism, voter suppression, opposition to gun safety laws, belief that churches should “boldly politicize the pulpit,” opposing the Violence Against Women Act, and believe the contraception mandate in the health law is a Presidential assault on corporate religious liberty.
The real problem is not Greenwald, Rand Paul, or even Julian Assange for that matter because they, at least Greenwald and Paul, have always been pro-guns, anti-Semitic, and most of all anti-Obama. It is the anti-Obama agenda that unites emoprogs with their newfound bedfellows and apparently they cannot see the inherent danger in aligning with Rand Paul because he is united with their hero in Brazil. It is important to remember that the “Hamwalds” and “firebaggers” latched on to Bradley Manning’s offenses to convince emoprogs that Barack Obama personally tortured the convicted felon and drove many to sit out the 2010 midterm elections. Their handiwork helped usher in the most fanatical and extreme batch of maniacs in Washington and the states that have put the country in greater peril than any time in its history. It is also worth noting that the so-called “civil libertarians” are partially responsible for women, minorities, the poor, elderly, and students losing their civil liberties when teabaggers swept into office (including Rand Paul) and immediately began imposing extreme libertarianism the people are suffering from today.
As unfortunate as it is, and it is unfortunate, the same events that lead to the 2010 electoral catastrophe are repeating themselves again and it is the same cast of characters inciting opposition to the President. Opposition, by the way, from a segment on the left who are laser focused on something Barack Obama is unable to correct with a wave of his magic wand. What is eerie is that the same Emoprog focus on the President applies to their hero in Brazil and it makes one wonder if they willingly overlook the racism, pro-gun advocacy, anti-semiticism, and support for the Citizens United he shares with Rand Paul as they rush into bed to defend men guilty of stealing from the United States government and jeopardizing national security. Just because a politician, or a journalist, takes up one cause that appears to be worthwhile, it does not erase myriad other positions that even dyed-in-the-wool Emoprogs should abhor, or justify opposing their staunchest ally on issues liberals support.
President Obama was not remotely involved in enacting the Patriot Act the Emoprog hero supported in 2001, and he does not have the power as President to eliminate it unilaterally. The President also did not push Bradley Manning or Edward Snowden to violate their security clearances and steal data from the United States government any more than he enacted laws making their acts illegal. What the President is guilty of is being African American that surely incited the witch-hunt and persistent opposition from the Emoprog provocateurs, and it begs the question; is racial animus driving Emoprog opposition to this President, or is it that he lacks Constitutional authority to grant every Emos whim? One thing is certain, neither Rand Paul nor his cohort in Brazil support real liberal issues and just because they claim to be civil libertarians does not mean they believe in civil liberties. They are libertarians first and foremost and it is a mystery why so many on the professional left are jumping in bed with them.
Born in the South, raised in the Mid-West and California for a well-rounded view of America; it doesn't look good.
Former minister, lifelong musician, Mahayana Zen-Buddhist.
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