Will McAvoy is still on point 4 years later

[CincyDem]

caveat: a couple NSFW language moments in the video.

Watching this again today, through the lens of the Bernie vs. Hillary discussions, gives it a different spin. On first watch in 2012, I heard his list of "what we were" as a conservative longing for the good ole days. Today, with the experience of the past 4 years, the rise (and apparent fall) of Occupy Wall Street, the continued erosion of our middle class...today I hear the second half as the modern day definition of socialism and a wistful acknowledgment that socialism got us where we were - when we truly were on top.

WE built things.
WE learned things.
WE cared for our elderly.
WE cared for our youth.
WE did big stuff that could only be accomplish through collective (aka socialist) commitment.

Seems to me we are at critical turning point where we have to define American Socialism. Many throw the term "socialist" around with a tone that carries the political equivalent of child molester. But step back. We are, and always have been, a socialist country. That is, of course until Lee Atwater and his mouthpiece Ronald Reagan launched the "government is the problem" mantra. They didn't reposition the Republican party...they birthed the Anarchy Party. Instead of One for All and All for One, they gave us the I Got Mine Now Good Luck Getting Yours philosophy of government.

From the biggest, most obvious things (like bridges, airports, and the interstate highways) to social programs (Medicare, SS, etc) to the most trivial obscure technologies (the code that drives video conferencing, FaceTime, and video chat)...all that came from us as a socialist country drawing from all to benefit all.

Obama's defense of socialism got lost in the "You didn't build that" meme but it set the stage for Bernie (and Warren) to begin the long march back to American Socialism. Republicans taught us that government was the problem, established themselves as the government and then proceeded to demonstrate how government was the problem. It's time to reclaim pride in GOOD government and recognize that when done well (as has been done in the past) we...the bottom 1%, the middle 98%, and the top 1%...we are all better off.

PS - and let's stop being so f'ing afraid of everything. Want to have fun - try describing the candidate you support for 5 minutes without using the phrase "I'm afraid that..." (and no fair expressing the concept of fear with some other convoluted language). Enjoy. This is always a fun one.

Standard long form disclaimer needed for safe posting this primary season:

I'm in Ohio. By the time the show gets here for our March 15 primary, it's like Highlander (There can be only one) so when people ask who my candidate is the answer is easy...the one with the little donkey lapel pin. I can't care right now because thoughtful Dems in 21 other states will have their opinions heard before mine. They will do the heavy lifting of sorting out who among the Dems will be our candidate. If they pick HRC, she gets my vote. If they pick Bernie, he will get my vote. If they pick Bugs Bunny, the rabbit gets my vote (ok - maybe I'll think more about this one). My point is not that I don't care. It's that living in Ohio, I've got work to do in the general and I can't get confused by wishing there was some other Dem on the ballot in November. It's counterproductive and a crazy maker.

[flamin lib]

1. K&R for the disclaimer (and the best 3 1/2 minutes in television). nt

[Liberal_in_LA]

2. Kick