Common Sense

Common Sense

Common sense: A phrase that for most of American History has represented what most felt was a great advantage for America. Our democratic traditions have encouraged the public to believe that they had a unique perspective that somehow led to intelligent decisions.

Common Sense: Thomas Paine used that as a tittle for one of the many pamphlets that he wrote to encourage the American Revolution.

Common Sense: A sense that no matter what, Americans would somehow get it right, and marked them as different from the "Old World" who had got it so wrong in the past.

The Tea Party Patriots represent this notion. Somehow they have "common sense" that distinguished them from other groups, and sees the American political reality in a way that other cannot see.

Part of the mythology of "common sense" is that Americans were somehow separate from Europeans and had a unique, American perspective that saw things as others could not see. For example, "common sense" meant that Americans saw Hitler for what he was earlier than others, not being sucked into appeasement that led to ruin and war.

Of course, this was nonsense. Americans in the late 30s were as fooled as the rest of the world by Hitler and his fascist, expansionist policies. But, the mythology persists.

In the 21st century this myth persists in the Tea Party. Somehow, they don't say exactly how, the Tea Party members have a unique American perspective in political reality that supersedes all others. Leaders of this highly conservative movement somehow have a refreshed, new world view, that if followed, will return the nation to its past glories.

Mythology can be a powerful thing. It can distort reality, distort perceptions, and cloud decision making.

That is exactly what is happening today with the Tea Party and its alleged corner on "common sense". The facts do not support reality.

To maintain the many illusions that are essential to the "common sense" con, lies have to be told. Propaganda techniques are used to "fill in the gaps" of truth.

An industry has grown up, supporting the illusion that tea party members have a corner on "common sense".

And, in their desperate attempts to conform a reality that will non cooperate; the Tea Party lies.

The worst thing that could have happened to this "con" was when the Tea Party members got elected to Congress. It was so much easier to tell lies about political reality. When you get elected, simply saying that you have a corner on "common sense" is not enough. As an elected official, you must govern, make laws and make "common sense".

Yesterday this out of touch reached a tipping point, when Tea Party sponsored legislation concerning the debt ceiling was passed with the provision that if it was not approved by the Senate it would immediately become law.

This of course is unconstitutional. It represents a loss of touch of both common sense and reality that is startling. Americans are suddenly confronted with a political party that seems to have lost touch, is doing silly things that are at odds with "common sense"..

Of course, these gaffes are pointing to huge disconnects in Tea Party political philosophy. In fact, their world views are more fascist than anything else, common sense is just a propaganda tool to gain middle class support.

Hitler was most afraid when the German people started to figure it out and applied "common sense" to the propaganda that was engulfing them. Tea Party members, whose political behavior is basically fascist, are of the same mindset.

As their propaganda is exposed, then push harder to lie and deceive.

The results are the same, if we compare the 30s in Germany to America today. As the "con" is exposed, Tea Party members get more belligerent, more violent, as they desperately attempt to maintain their "common sense" lies.

Americans need to splash their faces with cold water, stop watching Fox News 24/7 and realize that the "common sense" con is just that; a con. Lies are being told.

Tea Party Patriots, who were elected with copies of the Constitution in their pockets, pass laws that are blatantly unconstitutional and just plain silly.

Could it be that the real motivators for their political zeal are greedy corporations who will do anything for political advantage (another fascist behavior) Could it be that forces are at work that hate democracy no matter how much "common sense" they avow?

You be the judge. Take a deep breath and wonder, is this common sense or is it B.S.?

It won't take very long to reach the correct decision because remember, American have always had "common sense".....