In light of the recent government shutdown, I think it is time for the people of the United States to take a step back and really analyze what the Republican party is doing to the image of our country from an international image standpoint. Watching the news has become dangerously similar to watching “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” in recent years. Absurd statements and proclamations from those within the party have made American politics somewhat of a farcical from a media standpoint. You seen characters over the years like (the infamous) Sarah Palin, Michelle Bachman, Rick Santorum, and most recently Ted Cruz, who almost single handedly caused the buildup in the House that led to the 16-day government shutdown that is projected to cost our economy $24 billion. Now, I’m saying that the Democratic party doesn’t have it’s characters (the wonderful Anthony Weiner) and it’s miscues; I’m just saying that the GOP has far outdone the Democratic party in public embarrassments in recent memory.
If the GOP wants people to really get behind their message and policies then they need to do better in quieting many of these characters who insult our President and make statements that are so far to the right, that even the most ridiculous American citizen cannot even take the party seriously.
You can take the cynical view and say that most Americans are unaware of what is actually going within our government (which is unfortunately true for the most part) or that the only people that would take any of these outlandish statements, such as, “If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways of shutting that whole thing down.”, courtesy of former U.S. Representative Todd Akin, are the folks in the backwoods that drink Budweiser, exclusively hunt rabbits, and wholeheartedly believe that Big Foot exists (which is also probably true). But the problem is that all of these missteps are not only seen and hears between our shores, they broadcast around the world. This only further perpetuates the view that the United States is filled with lazy and ignorant assholes. This is not the notion I want of my country around the world, I would like the United States of America to be viewed as free, not idiotic.
So to my Republican politicos, please get your stuff together because lately your behavior has been frustrating to the American public. I know you guys are against socialism and whatnot, but maybe a little Stalin-esque discipline is in order.