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Random Thoughts
BJP &
Republicans:
Obsessed, Senile and Out Of Touch
by
Gaurang Bhatt, MD
The BJP was routed in the
Indian elections just like the Republicans in the US. India is a poor
country with 70% of its people living on less than two dollars a day.
The Congress which is as corrupt and incompetent as any other party or
the Democrats in the US, does not have a stupid leadership or election
strategy. It forgave the bank debts of farmers and guaranteed certain
minimum work hours and pay for the rural poor. BJP idiots destructively
harped on Hindutva, had no coherent strategy and no goodies to offer the
have-nots.
The Republicans in the US
monotonously obsessed with more tax cuts for the wealthy, endless war,
and completely oblivious of the economic meltdown suffered by the
average American met a similar disaster, even in more affluent and
developed US. In India, the affluent rarely take the trouble to vote and
the poor vote, sometimes more than once and guided by their pocket book.
In America, the poor skip the vote while the affluent and elderly vote
in larger proportions. The former vote on the basis of emotional issues,
while the latter two vote for their economic interests.
The victors in both countries renege on their pre-election platforms and
promises, cater to their campaign contributors and waste public money to
bankrupt their respective nations by double digit budget deficits. Debt
relief for farmers in India maybe helpful to some extent but most
farmers borrow from local moneylenders at usurious rates and remain
crushed by debt inspite of the forgiveness that applies only to
nationalized bank loans and lead to burgeoning budget deficits. Obama
strong armed Chrysler creditors and coerced them to give up their legal
rights to be paid in full for their senior secured loans before the
unsecured claims of the UAW. The Senate voted trillions of taxpayer
money for banks, insurance companies and auto companies but killed the
right of bankruptcy judges to modify the loan principal of scammed
homeowners. The same politicians have passed bills forbidding unilateral
retroactive increase in interest on previous debts without cause, but
allow the Federal Reserve to loan money to banks at 0.25% per year and
charge up to 32% annual interest to credit card holders.
As I have explained in previous writings, people are more interested in
their economic status. Those of Indian origin turned down the ability to
return to India and continued to live in South Africa under apartheid,
because they made more money under the despicable regime. Lincoln tried
to move the emancipated blacks to Africa, but very few left inspite of
being subjected to forced labor, terrorism from the Klan and widely
prevalent lynch mobs, ignored by the state and federal police and
justice departments. A rightist party has a poor immediate future in
India and even the US, after the global economic meltdown. The BJP rode
to power behind the resentment towards Muslims and their pandering by
Congress once, but concentrated on the urban middle class while ignoring
the plight of the urban and rural poor who make up the majority. One
swallow does not a summer make. Now they have wised up and refuse to be
fooled just as the proverbially unthinking electorate in America has
reached its limits of being baited by abortion, gay marriage, terrorism
fears, affirmative action and welfare queens driving Cadillacs. Cheneys,
Limbaughs and their fellow scum buckets may scream themselves hoarse,
but people realize that the first is trying to save himself from being
investigated and the second for personal enrichment.
Leopards do not change their spots and politicians cannot erase their
character flaws. See how Obama uses the Bush tactics of secrecy, widens
the war in Afghanistan, refuses to bring the troops home from Iraq,
suppresses the torture pictures from Iraq, delays closing Guantanamo,
does not wish to prosecute anyone for torture. The solid Democratic
majority in the House and Senate continues supplemental war funding,
increases the defense budget, will not consider single payer government
health insurance for all. All political parties should be denied the
right of issuing preferential tickets to selected candidates. In India
we need open primaries, in America no anointed chosen candidates and a
ban on caucuses. There should be a ban on corporate campaign finance and
a strict low limit on campaign expenditures. It is the nature of
politicians to be venal, corrupt, power hungry and devoid of decency and
character. An exaggerated sense of self-importance fuels their desire to
run for elections. After winning, even the vestiges of shame are lost.
Look at the scandals and bogus expense accounts of British MPs and
recent resignations after being exposed. We need not only term limits
which the misguided US Supreme Court threw out, but they should be given
only minimum wage and basic public housing and must at all times wear a
cap stating that I am a servant of the public, to cultivate humility in
them and evaporate their arrogance and hubris. They should hold regular
town hall meetings and forbidden from making speeches except three
months before elections and barred from cutting ribbons at opening
ceremonies. Finally their police and security privileges must be
terminated and they should have the same protection as an average
citizen.
The only good thing I can say about the Indian elections is that the
poor showing of regional, caste and language based parties, reveals some
green shoots of sense in the Indian electorate. Now that the Congress
has a near majority, if it fails to deliver, the bums should be thrown
out and a majority given to another party that promises to deliver.
May 17,
2009
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