Did you really think they were going to roll over and play dead?
by David Volk

Did you really expect them to roll over and play dead?

Did you really expect that the Republicans and all their supporters would just willingly give up the keys to the executive washroom, happily leave the halls of power and an endless gravy train filled with money, fold up their tents and go home when Barack Obama took office?

Really?

What would you do if your way of life was threatened?

I'm not talking about someone breaking into your house and menacing your family. I'm talking about someone coming into your office, telling you that you had a new boss, that everything was going to change and that you would probably lose your job because of it.

I imagine you'd put up a fight, wouldn't you? You might work harder, you might work less, maybe beg for your job, dig in your heels or engage in passive aggressive behavior. Heck, when all else fails, you might even resort to petty acts of sabotage.

I'm willing to wager that you'd probably stop at the line between legal and illegal behavior and I'm pretty sure that you'd try to avoid hurting someone just to get what you want.

That's the difference between you and the current batch of Republicans and their supporters. They know the tide of history is against them and that their days are numbered, but they are doing everything they can to hold onto power and they don't care who gets hurt.

Oh, sure, they talk a good game about caring for workers, small business, the economy, patriotism and all that stuff they (and we) supposedly hold dear, but what they say and what they do are two completely different things.

They say they are for the working man and getting folks back to work, but they voted against a job bill that would have cut payroll taxes for companies that hire new employees and the unemployed. The Republicans voted against it. Oh, and don't forget, they also blocked an unemployment extension bill for 8 weeks just because they could. They do support the working man in other countries, though, and favor outsourcing of jobs.

They say they are pro-small business, but they voted against a small business lending bill that would have given locally-owned banks billions to loan small businesses. Republicans voted against it. They do support some small businesses, though. Like Tribune Corp. and Price WaterhouseCoopers, firms so small that you've probably never heard of them…unless you read the Chicago Tribune or need a giant accounting firm.

They say they want the economy to get back on its feet, but opposed the stimulus bill. They were happy to apply for money made available under the program they opposed, however, and are now glad to take credit for the program's successes.

In fact, not only have they been on the wrong side of every issue since Obama took office, they have committed themselves to sitting on their hands or flat out obstructing any positive change in the hopes that average Americans would get so frustrated by Congress's lack of progress that voters would cast protest ballots against the party in power.

In short, they've not only done nothing that should inspire us to vote for them. They've flat out done nothing in hopes they could win by just sitting around, creating an unbearable situation, then benefitting from it and returning to power.

Hey, nobody said this hopey-changey stuff would be easy, but if they're not going to roll over and play dead why should we?

If we show up at the polls, we win.

Please vote next Tuesday.

If for no other reason than it will really piss them off.

From a man who isn't completely happy with the Dems, but knows the alternative is far worse.

David G(otta get the kids up) Volk