Red and Blue, Indeed.

So I've been thinking. Maybe we need to hang sneakers on the telephone poles around Washington D.C. Why? More on that later. To put it simply, it's about to go down. The issue: health care. President Obama wants a new health care bill before Congress takes it's August recess. He doesn't seem to be able to get it. We're still seeing the same partisan stalemate that has led to the mess that we call politics and red tape to this day. It's sickening. People are disagreeing merely to disagree, with very few individuals actually providing alternatives to the measures and lines that they disagree with in this and other bills that come up for votes in Congress. Read the full story here.
Once again, I tend to lean to the left - but not so far that I miss the truth. Democrats and Republicans both have certain valid concerns that they address, like they do on most issues. After they address them, nobody budges! Nothing happens! Democrats seem to be more bent on spending rather high amounts of money to distribute health care to everyone and make it affordable - whether government or employer-provided. Republicans, however, seem to be most concerned with the amount of spending and the fact that taxes will be raised for the nation's highest earners to pay for it. These are supposed to be some of the best and brightest people in the nation. The nation-changers, the world changers, who take vows and give us their word that they will honor their party's core principles while reaching across the aisle.
It appears that their arms are broken, as there is very little reaching going on.
Back to those hanging sneakers.
So what are these politicians doing instead of reaching across the aisle to compromise?
They're hurling insults and criticisms of each other's plans with both sides refusing to acknowledge the merit in the other's concerns and views. Republican Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina is quoted as having said the following about this health care bill:

"If we're able to stop Obama on this, it will be his Waterloo. It will break him."

Nice. See the problem here? We've got people in office who are too preoccupied with trying to break the President to even begin the process of fixing health care. Ain't that a you know what? By the way, is it just me, or are Republican sons of the south screwing up in politics these days? Thought so. I can't stop there. I feel the same way about this as I feel about the many people who have expressed their "hope" that the president fails (and that includes Rush Limpballs, as I call him). Who is their audience? Who are they talking to when they say this stuff? That was NOT a rhetorical question. There's not only shame in saying this vicious and venomous crap, there's also shame in agreeing with it or refusing to challenge it when it is heard. These politicians obviously feel comfortable saying these things in front of people, and that's our fault as the American public. It signifies that there is an audience for such ridiculous rhetoric. Obviously, someone agrees and is cheering this mess on. My money is on those earlier-mentioned Republican sons of the south, but keep that between you and I. Someone should have been willing to say, "And just what do we stand to gain from a "broken" President in a country that is feeling the effects of going broke? Don't we need him to succeed? Shouldn't you, as a public servant, care enough about your constituents to want the best for them regardless of what party or individual is the source of the solution? If not, why the (insert controversial and offensive four-letter word here) did we ever send you to the Senate in the first place? I don't know, but pack your stuff in time for the next election because you don't have to ever worry about coming back."

That's what someone should have said, and had I been in the room when this ignorant and arrogant FOOL uttered this despicable nonsense, believe you me, I would not have hesitated to deliver the message in all my mean-muggin', I'm-about-to-kick-your-so-and-so glory. That's right, I would have used the sensibilities, attitude, and demeanor that come from our neighborhoods and families and communicate our aggression so well (and are exploited throughout mainstream media on a continuous basis). In other words, Chris J The Genius would have remained quite articulate, yet would have proven to be straight-up stereotypical.
Believe that.

One down, one more to go.

Next, there's Michael Steele - or MC Steele as I call him due to his expressed affection for rap music and his belief that hip hop can be used to sway minority voters to the Republican Party.

Riiiight. So the same party that makes it clear time and time again with words and deeds that they don't give a rat's rear end about us will be able to win us over with the right hook and the right beat? As opposed to.... actually engaging minority voters in conversations to see what we want from any political party that wants our support or at least having party leaders to watch their mouths in public so that they can give the appearance of giving a curse word? Wow, that Michael Steele sure is a competent guy. He's just what the GOP needs. Like the Titanic needed that iceberg. On the other hand, this dead hip-hop that so many of us listen to on the radio and already imitate along with the lifestyles glorified within the so-called music says to me that Steele may have a point. Anything with the right beat and right hook seems to fly with us (a la "Every Girl In The World").

Sorry about that, back to health care. MC Steele accused the President of trying to push along a "multi-trillion dollar experiment with our health care" and added that the plan not only risks our economy, it risks every American's health too." He finished with the following: "Under this plan, costs are going up, and you, the American people, are going to pay."

This George Jefferson-lookalike Brotha (and I use that term loosely) most likely passed out the RNC's demo tape after that, which probably featured a "hit" entitled "Holla At Our Health Care Plan."

First of all, I don't hear his proposal for a health care plan, or any suggestions to improve the current one, for that matter. This seems to signify that the plan is to do whatever is necessary to disrupt the President's plan. Thus, "breaking" him, as the fore-mentioned honorable senator from South Carolina said earlier. Secondly, this dude is crazy. Accusing the President of experimenting with "our health care." That's a see-through gimmick. Let it be known that the majority of Republican constituents are wealthy, older and pigmentally-challenged men and that MC Steele is most likely "stackin' that paper" as party chairman. He's a fool if he thinks for one second that I believe that his interests and mine are even remotely the same as far as health care. He's in a different income bracket under totally different circumstances. Statistically speaking, so are most Republicans (and politicians in general, for that matter) - one of the main reasons that many of the American people are worried about affording health care and many of the politicians are worried about having to foot the bill in taxes and the interests of small businesses. See what I mean? Completely different interests under completely different circumstances. I must also say, however, that the Democratic Party would be remissed and would prove incompetent or unworthy of the power they have come to wield in Congress if they neglect to compromise and make sure that these issues are addressed before moving forward. Third, he says that the current bill "risks every American's health, too." Hmmm... Oh really? Just like the political back-and-forth that delays a bill from ever being passed!? People are dying and getting sick or worse while they continue to bicker with each other. It's inexcusable. On his last quote, saying that the costs are going up and the American people will pay, doesn't he sound just the least bit hopeful that his words will come true? He certainly does to me. Put it to a beat and pop champagne to it and maybe it'll work for you, dawg.

Once again, back to the sneakers hanging in the streets leading up to the Capitol and the White House. Hanging shoes represent gang affiliations and the usual criminal activity that accompanies them (drug dealing, shootings, robbery, prostitution, etc.). With that said, I must tell you that I find it quite fitting that Republicans and Democrats represent themselves with the colors red and blue, respectively. These are the same colors as the Bloods and Crips (again, respectively), two of the most notorious gangs in the world -not to mention bitter rivals. These colors fit both parties because they follow the same traditions of tribalism that terrorize inner-city streets and neighborhoods. Crips and Bloods harm each other physically and kill each other. Dems and Repubs harm and kill one another politically and professionally (or should I say they "break" each other, Mr. DeMint?). Crips and Bloods cannot see past the colors on each others' bodies to realize that they all have a great deal in common, want the same things out of life, and are part of the same struggle. Dems and Repubs cannot see past their party affiliations to tackle the issues that affect us the most and make this country a better place for the People, a job that they are all called to do and have in common. In regards to this issue, they can't see past red and blue to the American people who do not have time to continue to suffer and wait for adequate health care for themselves and their children. Once again, politicians do not know this situation firsthand as they are well taken care of, and fail to understand, recognize, or acknowledge the urgency. They certainly don't act with any urgency on this or any other issue, either. Don't like the bill? Fine! Never has a bill been written that didn't have the capacity to change based on compromises, ideas, and solutions discovered by a meeting of the political minds. So change the bill. Amend it to include the things that it lacks and redact the things that prove unnecessary. When did politics become all about whining because we don't like the first draft of legislation? We don't have time for fruitless and frivolous arguments and political assassination attempts. We've got doctor's appointments and corresponding bills to pay. Rich, mostly white, and well-dressed. Doesn't sound like the typical suspect description on the 10 o'clock news, does it? However, it does describe most of our politicians and government officials. Unfortunately, it appears that they can also be described as territorial, loud, obnoxious, tribalistic gangstas. They're not playing around either. They're set trippin' and representin' their cliques and whatnot. Be on the lookout for hand signs and graffiti, and maybe even a drive-by or two. Before I go, somebody tell MC Steele to grab his microphone. It's time for him to battle a Genius. The cipher never closes.