The "Them-Us" Republican Primary Campaigns

The political Right in this country has always had a Them-Us mentality. It relies heavily on “enemy making.”

Not surprisingly, this doesn’t sit well with “Them.”

As it turns out, “Them” just happens to be in a large majority in this country.

In contrast to the Right, that same majority knows in its heart of hearts that we are all in this together, folks (all beliefs, all races, all nationalities, all parties).

“Them-Us” is a zero-sum game.

What’s happening now in the Right wing-dominated Republican Party is that Mitt Romney is vulnerable to being portrayed as some demonized, alien “Them.” (Harvard, rich, privileged, problem-free, spineless, moderate, non-Fundamentalist Christian.)

In contrast, Rick Santorum matches the Right’s view of itself. Santorum fits the Right-wing Republican “us” simply by being everything that Romney isn’t.

Newt Gingrich, by the way, is so far off the charts that he’s neither “them” nor “us.”

The irony is that all the candidates of both parties are being bankrolled by the very rich, who are about as unlike any of us as they can be. Think: “one percent” without demonizing.

No matter who wins in November, some segment of the super-rich will call the shots.

The good news is that a few of hyper-rich understand that issues like ensuring economic justice, working for peace, and saving the environment will determine the health of their investment in the future.

Whether the view of these few prevails is another question. Financed by short-sighted, self-aggrandizing billionaires and corporations, a congressional coalition of Blue-Dog Democrats and Tea Party Republicans may hold the power. Power and personal riches seem to be the exclusive, shared goals of these politicians and their billionaire backers.

For now, these same Right-wing billionaires and corporate interests are bankrolling the televised rhetoric of the Republican presidential primaries. The commercial campaigns have nothing to do with issues that confront the nation...and the planet.

Instead, the television blitz of sound bites and spooky “visuals” is all about “Them-Us.” The effort is to define who is "Them" and who is "Us."

The approach will only produce a Republican nominee confronted by enemies of his own making.

Be assured that “Them” will be voting in November.

Tax inequity, thy name is Mitt Romney

The Occupy Movement can take political credit for Mitt Romney’s unpopularity with large numbers of voting Republicans.

Romney, whose worth is put at some $250 million, not only is, but acts like, a One Per-center.

No need to list his “Let them land in the safety net” gaffes, starting with his proffering a $10,000 bet (ironically to Rick Santorum, now his resurgent challenger.)

Most recently Romney shared that he’s not worried about the poor because the “safety net” is working. The evidence that the net is full of holes stands at every freeway on-ramp where the homeless beg for handouts.

The lumpen on the Republican Right are understandably not amused. They are no longer besotted by the glories of capitalism. Imagine a conservative Republican attacking “vulture capitalism." The term comes from Santorum, Now he too is reliant on big money donors whose wealth resides in stock market dealing. One in particular is Foster Friess, who also mixes Christian "prosperity" evangelism in with his political support.

Curiously, the term "vulture capitalism" might have come right out of the Occupy lexicon.

Populist Republicans may also be catching on that there’s a connection between over-the-top wealth and controlling the government. What we have, it has been noted, is socialism by and for the rich.

(Many of us maintain that’s true no matter which party is in power.)

The political press has woefully failed to scratch the surface with Romney regarding his views on taxation. The press seems happy to transcribe Romney's self-righteously saying, “I paid what I owed and not a cent more.” He paid at a federal tax rate of 13.9 percent last year.

Has he ever been asked whether what he paid was fair? Never mind its legality. As president would he push to change the tax code to get rid of the inequities that have served him so well and the rest of us unfairly?

And if not, why not?

Those are questions Left and Right can agree need to be asked — and answered.

Romney needs to be reminded that for every cent of taxes he doesn’t pay under the current “legal” system, someone else (you? me? The average voter?) legally must.

No wonder this guy is in trouble politically. If anything he owes us. The gall of asking for our votes!

And who is supporting him? The “establishment” Republican One Percent through their secret mega-campaign PACs. Wonder why....

Before the next primary, and certainly before the Republican convention, reporters must put the tax reform question to Romney. The largest possible audience should hear his answer.

Voters of all persuasions are getting to know this issue well, thanks to the Occupy movement.

Now it has become personified. Its name is Mitt Romney.