^ “Secesh” 1860s style : Confederate troops fighting for slavery

The word “secesh” hasn’t been heard much in America since the 1860s, but we read and speak it more and more these days as a small band of rabid anti-government congress-people push the Federal government to a shut-down and a Federal debt default.

In 1860-65 “secesh” referred to the southern states that seceded from the Union, and to their troops. It was northern, Unionist talk, and it still is so, and for very similar purposes.

Then, the issue was slavery. Today it is a whole lot of stuff : Obamacare, Federal debt, immigration reform, minimum wage legislation, food stamps, voting rights, marriage equality, gun control, even the Obama presidency itself : all of which 21st century “Secesh” despises.

^ Robert Barnwell Rhett : the 1860 Secesh “fire eater” — like today’s Secesh voices, he was a media man (newspaper editor)

In 1860, “Secesh” left the Union rather than accept restrictions on slavery. But by LEAVING the Union, 1860 Secesh actually strengthened it — unified it — and made Secesh’s defeat almost certain.

Today’s Secesh is smarter. Instead of leaving the Union and thus making it stronger, Secesh is staying in the Union and destroying it from within. Secesh today is ABLE to do so because, unlike the 1860 Secesh, it is being copiously funded by corporate goliaths through huge-money PACs  and “think tanks”and through ownership of many media outlets, on which the funds-givers program talk show demagogy with a broadcasting reach that 1860s Secesh couldn’t even dream of. Because of this vast broadcast reach, today’s Secesh has supporters in far more states than the 1860 Secesh had any chance of.

^ Secesh 2013 : Charles Koch, the money behind ALEC and much of the shut-down media

In 1860 Secesh in Congress didn’t have the filibuster or the majority caucus or a “Hastert Rule” (in the House) by which its minority view could be forced upon the entire Union. Today’s Secesh has all of those procedural artillery pieces and plenty of media ammunition with which to fight the nation from within.

^ Bryan Fischer ; Secesh 2013’s version of R B Rhett

President Obama and the majority Democrats could give in, but they have chosen not to. At some point a stand must be taken. Obamacare is the law of the land, and good that it is. Gun control measures must come., Immigration reform will come. Minimum wage legislation should come. Voting rights must be assured to every citizen and expanded, not suppressed. Marriage equality kust come to the 36 or so states in which it still remains unsecured. Federal debt should be seen for what it it is : the world’s economic glue, the safest investment, one which almost every financial institution depends upon, and a no-brainer given today’s near-zero interest rates costing the Federal Budget less than 2 % of its total expenditure.

The President and his party are to be congratulated for refusing to let America’s future be extorted by its enemies.

This is America’s future. A nation welcoming, diverse culturally, more economically fair, secure fir those who live with great insecurity, confident of its currency, cleansed of guns and ammo. If Secesh wishes to stop the future — OUR future — let it try., It will fail. Ignominiously.

—- Michael Freedberg / Here and Sphere