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PDFIs a Patriarchal & Authoritarian Candidate Pressuring You? 5 Major Warning Signs of Abuse (Romney/Ryan Edition)
By Kay Whitlock
As we approach the November 2012 election, we all would do well to ask ourselves: Is there any possibility that persons seeking my vote are patriarchal and authoritarian advocates for an abusive future?
PA abuse comes in many forms: emotional, verbal, physical, and political. And there are obvious “red flag” warning signs to avoid in a potential President and Vice President.
Oh, sure, on the surface those showing the signs I’m about to discuss may initially seem charming. Or at least they think they’re charming, even likeable. Look again to see what lies beyond the smarmy smirk and the shiny, self-confident (to the point of arrogance) façade.
Read about these red flag warning signs, and our examples, and you make the judgment call. Heaven knows too many of our sunshine patriots and fair weather white guys in the mainstream media and blogosphere won’t do it for you.
For purposes of illustration, I present here a quick, regrettably incomplete, parsing of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan.
5 CRITICAL RED FLAGS & HOW TO RECOGNIZE THEM
Red Flag 1: Lying and Deceitful Behavior
Do you see hints that your candidate consistently tells lies about things both large and small? If he or she lies to others, then he or she’s lying to you, too.
Rule of thumb: Is your candidate trying to cover his/her earlier statements/political tracks by assuring you that something you hold dear (such as food, housing, health care, education) will be available to you, even though he/she earlier promised or proved it wouldn’t? If so, take heed.
It’s so hard to know where to start with Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, but let’s start with (racially coded) lies about welfare, for example, here, here, here and here.
And hey! Recently, at the first 2012 presidential debate: Romney lied about many things! Here’s one bold health care lie (his plan won’t cover pre-existing conditions after all)! And another:Romney will, after all, destroy Medicare! After he said he wouldn’t!
Or check out Ryan’s deconstructed acceptance speech at the RNC! Chock-a-block with lies! Even Fox News’ Sally Kohn was taken aback . Non-Fox News accounts here, here, and here.
And after the convention, check out Ryan on abortion in the Republican Party platform
And oops! Guess what!?! The lies-as-strategy for political survival started long before the 2012 campaign. Just ask a lot of folks in Massachusetts who remember the Romney who moved from Utah so he could run for governor: here, here, and here.
And earlier Ryan here, here, and here.
Red Flag 2: Hypersensitivity to Criticism/Differences of Opinion
Fun fact! Ryan tries to minimize the chance any of meeting any of his own constituents who might challenge him. He does this by offering carefully controlled, pay-per-seat town halls, then having anyone who challenges him (and who paid to get inside) hauled out by police.
It’s always possible, of course, that Ryan views this not as hypersensitivity, but as the economically sound privatization of constituent access to elected public servants!
As for Romney, well, let’s just link one more time to that master class he gave in smiling aggression when he was running for governor of Massachusetts when it was suggested he was speaking out of both sides of his two faces regarding abortion.
Red Flag 3: Throws Others Out of Lifeboats to Make More Room for Self
Among those being cast out of the Romney/Ryan lifeboat (not an exhaustive list):
- At least 47% of all people in the United States
- People of color
- Poor people
- Women
- LGBT people
- Immigrants
- Seniors
- Veterans
- Students
- Big Bird
Red Flag 4: Jekyll/Hyde Factor
In front of one crowd, the candidate says one thing; in front of another crowd, something else. What a shock!
Red Flag 5: Mean to Animals, Children, Youth & Adults
Romney says he loved his dog Seamus (now living elsewhere), but you know how that turned out; a terrified dog in a cage strapped to the roof rack of the family station wagon for a long road trip. Be sure to check out Dogs Against Romney, whose clarion slogan, “I Ride Inside!” inspires us all.
While vowing he also “loves” Big Bird, he’s told our big, yellow avian pal that if he, Romney, wins, Big Bird is gone , along with PBS. Children everywhere have protested, wept, and pleaded for Big Bird’s life.
Then there’s the way in which many who demonstrate abusive behavior tell us to “lighten up – it’s just a joke!”
Here’s wacky, fun-loving Romney pushing his sons’ face into the butter when they were growing up, cited by the now-grown boys, sent to talk shows to “humanize” their father, as evidence of good times. Shoved his young grandson’s face into a plate of whipped cream, too! Fun! Laffs! Pranks!
In high school, Romney also engaged in bullying behavior that was never justified as a mere prank. He led an assault on a fellow student he disapproved of – a student who was nonconformist and rumored to be gay.
Later on, as Massachusetts governor, he left LGBT youth being bullied to fend for themselves by abolishing the state’s LGBT youth commission! http://mittgetsworse.org/2012/07/05/governor-romney-slashes-lgbt-programs-and-abolishes-lgbt-youth-commission/
Hmmm…is there a pattern here?
As for Paul Ryan – well, some women targeted for violence can just fend for themselves. He doesn’t think immigrants, Native Americans assaulted on reservations by non-Indians, or LGBT people should be included in an extension of the Violence Against Women Act.
And he does have curious views about rape. And doesn’t think that rape, incest, or danger to the life of the mother are valid reasons for permitting abortion.
WHEN YOU ENCOUNTER A PATRIARCHAL AUTHORITARIAN CANDIDATE
Starting with Romney/Ryan, the only answer to patriarchal authoritarians seeking office is not, “Please, sir, I need some more?” but rather “HELL TO THE F*#ING NO! “ As we mop up the candidates, then we can get started in on the pundits, too. They’re also due.
Oh – and don’t forget. Don’t let them abuse your right to vote!
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