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The Kamikaze Republicans

It is sheer suicide for any public employee or retiree on Social Security and Medicare or woman that cares about her equality to vote for a Republican.

Near the end of World War II, in an act of fanatical desperation the Japanese employed a tactic of deliberate suicide against Allied ships; they came to be called Kamikaze.

These young Japanese pilots acted as sacrificial dive bombers and died in vain like sheep to the slaughterhouse, all for the good of the ruling class and the emperor. To this day experts try to unravel the political psychology employed to convince the Japanese that sacrificing their lives and future was somehow a noble cause and the cry, “Long live the Emperor” was worth dying for.

World War II is in the past, but is there an equivalent to the Kamikaze in the Republican psyche today? Why would someone vote for a party that consistently attacks their own financial security.

It is sheer suicide for any public employee or retiree on Social Security and Medicare or woman that cares about her equality to vote for a Republican. Could these misguided voters that cast their ballot for a Republican just be another form of Kamikaze and like lambs to the slaughter give the Republicans the power they need to destroy the financial security of young and old alike?

All public employees, especially teachers, police, and firemen have been targeted by the Republicans. Attacks on their collective bargaining rights, attacks on their pensions, and attacks on their health benefits is a core GOP strategy. Republicans have used an army of bankruptcy attorneys to find ways to allow municipalities and states to cut financial obligations to retirees and void existing contracts. Republicans have openly advocated bankruptcy as a means to strip retirees of their pensions and benefits. Why then would any public employee become a political kamikaze and vote for a Republican that seeks to destroy all they have worked for in their lives, including the future financial security of their families?

And those retirees on Social Security and Medicare, the Republicans have over and over again attacked these vital programs. How many times will the Republicans propose privatization of Social Security and vouchers for Medicare before you realize that there is a GOP burglar at your door that wants to take everything you value and drive you to the poorhouse? If there is a burglar at your door you don’t unlock the door with your vote and let him in, instead you protect yourself and your family. These Republicans are not Ronald Reagan, Reagan wanted to preserve Social Security, the Republicans today want to destroy Social Security and you with it, don’t help them by voting them in.

Women, please, listen to former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright when she says to you; “I can't understand why any woman would want to vote for Mitt Romney, except maybe Mrs. Romney." Romney is a relic of a bygone era in which women were subservient to men. Romney expects women to put their career ambitions aside and has never once spoken out in support of equal pay for equal work. Don’t allow the Republicans to drive women back into the Dark Ages, vote for your rights and the future of your daughters. Don’t commit political suicide by voting for a Republican.

Don’t be like the World War II Kamikaze’s that sacrificed their future for the good of the ruling class and emperor, don’t sacrifice your vote for a Republican with the cry, “Long live the Billionaires”.  Vote for yourself and vote for the future financial security of your family. Vote for the Democratic Party.

Editor's note: The opinions expressed by Local Voices contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Patch. Blogging is open to any interested residents; click here to apply.

jerseyswamps September 7, 2012 at 08:53 am
It's easy to confuse Bob with Brian F. who's running against Chris Smith. They both cite the same Democrat play book.
David White September 7, 2012 at 04:58 pm
Bob---did some fact checking and yes some republicans did question the constitutionality of child labor laws. But this highlights how things are being distirted. They questioned who had the right to issue the laws not the laws themselves. State vs. federal...sounds like something else doesn't it.....ohhh it's a penalty, no tax, no penalty...opps can't get by as a penalty it's a tax.
Victor September 7, 2012 at 06:51 pm
I leaned for Obama last time because I believed the hope and change speech, but with his dismal record I am not getting fooled again. it's the old fool me once, shame on you but fool me twice, shame on me. Now it really is time for a change.
lyn roberts September 8, 2012 at 01:07 am
" Republicans are not only trying to walk away from their own stupidity when it comes to Child Labor Laws" Stupidity?? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!
jerseyswamps September 8, 2012 at 08:43 am
Bob, you are disingenuous. Newt was talking about about how classic liberal Democrat solutions have failed people. Like the poor urban child in public school. Your answer is more money for publicly employed teachers [which also means more teacher union dues for liberal Dems.] And then more entitlements for the third or forth generation of this child's family. Newt was talking about trying to expose these children to something that is alien to many of them. Work and the what's involved in doing a job. Getting to a place on time, being part of a team that helps something run properly, being responsible, the value and self worth of having others depend on you for something, etc. Our urban youth and our youth everywhere might be able to learn some of these values at our schools if we think out of the box. Newt did not say fire janitors or cafeteria workers and make the kids do the work. The kid on welfare in our cities hasn't seen someone go to work and earn a paycheck in generations. What's Obama's and your response to that miserable failure? Did Obama inherit this mess from Nixon and Obama needs four more generations of more welfare to make it right?
jerseyswamps September 8, 2012 at 08:57 am
BTW, Bob. I don't recite talking points from political manuals like some here. I speak from experience as a social worker, 32 years in the streets. Mostly on the streets of Abbott districts where we have poured lots of extra money in welfare and extra school funding. In my caseload I've had 3 generations of welfare. Some of the teens when I started are now grandmothers. Too bad none learned to push a broom or fill a lunch tray.
Bob Griffiths September 9, 2012 at 02:00 am
Change for the good of the people is never easy, as being the catalyst of change is not for the faint hearted, but President Obama is up for the challenge. Romney offers nothing but the same old Republican policies that failed in 1929...failed in 2008...and will fail with Romney. I also feel that the economic solutions proposed by the President have been consistently blocked and obstructed by the Republicans in Congress, Republicans that put their political ideology before the recovery of the American people and their families.
lyn roberts September 9, 2012 at 02:12 pm
I would like to know why these posts make the board? Calling the opposition stupid and ignorant is ok but my posts do not get approved. Guess the moderators are biased. Not cool! I thought Patch is trying to exand it's readership..You know what word of mouth can do....cant say I will say anything good about a site that is one sided
NBew Jersey Art September 9, 2012 at 06:54 pm
If Hoover had been reelected in 1932, the Depression would have ended by 1934 instead of lingering on until 1941 when Roosevelt got us into WWII. The Democrats failed in 2008 by blocking Bush's attempts to stop the absurd notion that everyone should have a house regardless of whether they could pay for it or not. Remember the Democrats controlled Congress from 2006 to 2008. You are right that for the past two years, since 2010, the Republicans in Congress have been blocking Obama's economic "solutions." Thank God they did. It is unimaginable how much worse shape we would be in if Obama controlled Congress like he did from 2008 to 2010, when he did nothing to get us out of the recession. The only thing he did then was pass Obamacare which when it starts to be fully implemented in 2013 will make things even worse. We can only pray that Romney is elected, Obamacare is repealed, and real health care reform is implemented. Among the first laws we need is one to limit medical malpractice cases, something the lawyers hate but which would dramatically help to bring down health care costs.
Donald J Borst September 11, 2012 at 05:54 pm
I would like to know how many eligible voters in the area vote the party and not the candidate. My wife and I over the years have crossed party lines many times in hopes of getting, who we thought, was the best candidate elected. Some party line voters would vote for a chimpanzee if it was running on their ticket. We have also voted, many times, for the lesser of two evils because many times we are hard pressed for decent candidates on the ballot. We will vote for Romney this time around, because he is DEFINITELY the lesser of two evils,after the last four years and may hopefully get some order back into the American taxpayers lives. GOD BLESS AMERICA. Bring back the GOOD OLD DAYS!!!!!
SmallTownAntics September 16, 2012 at 12:23 am
OMG I can't believe you're talking about child labor laws. Talk about a non-issue.
Carol September 20, 2012 at 04:43 pm
NEWS FLASH: The Golden Goose is dead. The U.S. is broke, owing three dollars for every dollar that is borrowed. Grow up, Bob. It's time to throw away your love beads.
Donald J Borst September 22, 2012 at 08:07 pm
Victor
THANK YOU for admitting your mistake. Most who voted for the disaster will never admit it. The problem today is that the voters believe everything that comes from the mouths of those who are running. How much of what they promise is fulfilled? Now is the time for REAL change. GET HIM OUT!!!!
Uncle Moe September 22, 2012 at 10:41 pm
I'm not sure if you guys knew already, but CHRISTIE is having a town hall meeting on the 27th. Let's expose this job killer with a protest. OCCUPY CHRISTIE, see here https://www.facebook.com/events/536371506390042/
Spirit September 23, 2012 at 02:59 pm
Why do you think highly educated university academics support the President, while the opposition is seen as red-neck hillbillies with tea bags on their hats, saying "keep government away from my medicare?"
clamdigger September 24, 2012 at 09:39 am
If a Liberal needs health care,he demands that the rest of us provide it.
If a Conservative needs health care,he shops for it or finds a job that provides it. If a Liberal is down and out, he wonders who is going to take care of him. If a Conservative is down-and-out, he thinks about how to better his situation.
oldsoldier September 24, 2012 at 12:47 pm
Well, I know I am coming into this topic very late. Mr. Griffiths, I must complement you on your writings. Very articulate, and your history is grounded in some facts. Isn't it amazing that the very historical pattern you criticize (1929) has been taking place for several years? Specifically, Hoover (Republican was president during the beginning years of the Great Depression - Which spread all over the globe. Then FDR (Democrat was president during most of the remainder) took over, and continued the same policies Hoover enacted. Work programs (infrastructure), government backed loans, and other government driven programs. Bush (Republican during the beginning of the "Great Recession") brought introduced the government driven stimulus, TARP. Obama (Democrat) continued Bush's policies. Despite the criticisms one can levy against all the above, they accomplished the same thing on the domestic front (I want to stress - On the Domestic front) I do not want to make any comparisons concerning wars/foreign matters that these men had to contend with.
It was not until Eisenhower (Republican) - Possibly one the the greatest military men to have lived, took office and enacted domestic policies (and continued several work programs from the previous administrations) that brought us out of the Depression. He reduced the size of the military, and gave us a surplus budget. and warned us of unjustified government spending and the miltary industry. Now its time for a Republican, in my opinion,
Bob Griffiths September 24, 2012 at 02:04 pm
Well, oldsoldier, it is nice to meet a rational Republican with some understanding of history, not that I agree totally with your interpretation, but none the less, you do make me think about your position; in my book that is what it's all about, "thinking" that is. What many of these "newcomers" to politics don't understand is that I have had many political discussions in my life, some heated, but in the end we pour another drink and one of us changes the topic to sports. In the final analysis we can be on different sides of the political clothsline but we can still have a civil debate in the backyard.
Now, about that Hoover/FDR perspective...Hoover was fond of asking the business sector of our economy for "voluntary" cooperation in dealing with the Crash of 1929. Hoover was too focused on the corporate sector and not the household level, which is exactly where FDR focused and was elected to 4 terms as our President by those same "households". Republicans like to talk about the "grassroots" of our nation but I don't think they have a bit of understanding of the importance of "households" to the overall economic stability of our nation. In that way, the Republicans of today are making the same mistake Hoover made, ignoring households, some prople might use the term middle class instead of households. Hoover's top to bottom responce to the Great Depression is exactly why he lost to FDR in 1932.
Bob Griffiths September 24, 2012 at 02:14 pm
By the way, Eisenhower, well, we owe so much to him, although he was a reluctant politician, but maybe that is what made him a good elected official, he didn't really want the job, but he did it for the good of the nation. By today's standards Eisenhower would be way too liberal for the "new" GOP.
Mrgrumpass September 24, 2012 at 06:11 pm
BG as I see you are an inspiring politician, that’s why your writings are so misleading and downright wrong (or I could say lies) you parse FDR for getting the country out of the Great Depression when FDR’s own economist have put it writing that FDR’s plan was a failure (as is BHO’s) the only thing that got the country on its feet was WW2! And we can forget the national Ponzi scam SSI another of FDR’s great achievements (or we could have called it The DC Slush Fund) Filled with IOU’s from both the D’s and the R’s. You man in the Peoples Office is a looser economically as well and internationally the world knows a good joke when the see one! 40+ months of over 8% unemployment. The nation’s credit ration falls twice the mutt’s in the Middle East are urinating on us! I have to go or I would fill the page with facts and d truths about BHO but I have to go back to work OH by the way I am self-employed I did it on my own! BG why don’t you try to become a COMMUNITY ORGANIZRE!
Bob Griffiths September 25, 2012 at 12:42 am
Relax...the only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.
Spooner September 25, 2012 at 03:32 am
What are you talking about...height of Depression, unemployment was near 26%. In 1938, unemployment dropped to under 12%. . . and your calling FDR's economic programs a failure?. . .I won't even mention the infrastructure that was built back then. . .that we're still using today.
frank rizzo September 25, 2012 at 06:59 am
bob its always interesting to watch you rile up those with tea bags hanging from their daniel boone and thomas jefferson hats. why not ask them if romney will get rid of his swiss bank accounts and the money he made sending american jobs to china like he and ryan said they would on 60 minutes.and even today bain is still doing it. they just laid off 170 factory jobs for sensata technologies and to rub salt in the wound these american workers in illinois will have to train their chinese replacements. when these dopes on this thread find out the tax loopholes romney says he will talk about closing after the election are actually their mortgage interest deductions and deductions for each child dependent. let romney win these people deserve what they get even if the rest of us in america have to suffer just so they finally get it. by the way romney thinks you should be able to open windows on airplanes hasnt he ever seen james bond in goldfinger?
frank rizzo September 25, 2012 at 07:07 am
heres the mantra of those like jerseyswamp and every other republican. if they have success they built it (as well as the schools and roads they used to have their success). if they failed the govt ruined it for them. if they get a break they deserved it. if you get a break its a handout and entitlement just like romney's own dad who got welfare for years before hitting it big.
frank rizzo September 25, 2012 at 07:11 am
jersey art gm is the top car seller in the world and even sold more cars to china than toyota did. plenty for you to complain about there right? instead of buying cars from china we are actually selling cars to them. saudia arabia and china have invested billions in solar while these " colonial re enactment players" whine about solyndra which was a program started by bush to get businesses loans.
frank rizzo September 25, 2012 at 07:17 am
the gop just blocked a billion dollars in funding for vets programs and things like suicide and post traumatic stress counseling as well as job traing programs. thats the thing with republicans they stick a " i support the troops" sticker on the back of their toyota suv and that covers their obligations. republicans love sending people to war. but once those shattered troops come home they get bupkiss from republicans. they didnt even mention them once at the rnc convention. romney mentioned them though as part of the freeloading 47$ who dont pay income taxes as active service members dont pay income tax. those bums.
oldsoldier September 25, 2012 at 10:33 am
I too enjoy a good political and historical discussion, where both sides listen to each other. All too often one side only wants to hear themselves and nothing else. That said, I think the one thing the presidents of old did not have to contend with (unlike the presidents of today), is welfare. What they worked with back then were types of "workfare". I don't believe that any president up to Kennedy would have supported entitlements as they are today.
Today's Democrats and Republicans are more alike than different. Carter, while a nice guy (and smart) was an ineffective president. Reagan (in my opinion our greatest modern day president) encouraged domestic growth and defense spending. Clinton (when you separate scandal from man) was a good president. He reduced miltary and welfare spending. That is why I say: Vote for the person, not the party. Obama has shown himself to be ineffective. He too has been focused on the corporate sector like Hoover (except he poured billions into it ala Solyndra). He has also been indecisive as commander-in-chief like Carter (Afganistan, Iraq) - I say that because he has not done what he claimed he would do. To Mrgrumpass - I agree that FDR's policies did not bring us out of the Depression, however I disagree with you about WW2 doing it. It would take another thread to discuss that. However, may I suggest that you read about the Baby Boom. Again - Vote for the person, not the party.
Mrgrumpass September 25, 2012 at 03:52 pm
BG thee only thing to fear is 4 more years of BHO at the helm!
Mrgrumpass September 25, 2012 at 04:10 pm
Frank
Since the end of ww2 the Democrats have bin mostly in control of our government, they are the group that have legislated away veterans benefits, don't blame today's legislators for not reinstating benefits that should not have been diminished by past Liberals.
Mrgrumpass September 25, 2012 at 04:25 pm
Frank
As for the Republicans sending people to war FDR, DEM WW2. HS Truman, Dem. Korean, JFK,DEM. Nam, and both the D's and the R's agreed with GW to go to the middle east, so your point is not veiled. But I am in support of giving these young vets all they need, god knows my generation of vet got screwed!

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Sheryl Claus June 4, 2013 at 01:03 am
Hi Patch! Where is my comment/response? I submitted it on Mon. 5/27 and it was not nearly asRead More inflammatory as some I have seen, just concerned and inquisitive. It read as "pending" after I submitted it (who makes that judgement, I do not know) so I am curious...
outofthere June 8, 2013 at 06:27 pm
Stephen may I remind you with a PH! is in Town Hall!! You aren't his main focus so I wouldn't worryRead More about him. He makes you work like dogs so he gets another feather in his hat.
outofthere June 8, 2013 at 06:29 pm
P/off employee-Said it all! Your turn Stephen!
short&sweet June 1, 2013 at 08:14 pm
You would do good if your were silent. You make very little sense and misstated the facts in justRead More about everything you said from landfill stickers to recycling to water revenue. What about when you needed a job, who gave you one? With the Director gone work will start going to contractors again. Everyone will pay. Taxpayers and employees. Did you read the article he wrote? If you didn't maybe you should. You too, nobody special. Who hired you? You will be picking up trash real soon. Are you going to grieve that too?
GETR DONE June 8, 2013 at 05:36 am
GET R DONE...Public Works LABORERS get paid peanuts for all the work they do.They work in allRead More temps/rain or shine and are always working hard,from building sports complex's to bulk pickup to brush/leaf pickup snow removal paving roads etc,however i never hear anything at all nice said about them!why is that?When are THEY going to be in photo shoots cutting ribbons!I Residents want their moneys worth from their hard earned tax dollars.....lets start with the top heavy supervision.
short&sweet June 9, 2013 at 02:53 am
Director Stanziano has been singing the praises of his workers for years. Did you read ANY of theRead More past articles on the Patch and in Manchester Times? How about his articles in magazines with pictures of his workers? He wrote about how his workers saved the town money. HE got them all raises, NOT the union. Yes let's start with TOP HEAVY supervision. Start at the TOP on the 2nd floor of town hall. Time to cut some of the FAT!