House of Eratosthenes

Just about every year at this time, “A Christmas Carol’ shows up somewhere on TV, as do headlines about how one Republican or another is the modern equivalent of the tale’s greedy miser, Ebenezer Scrooge.

“The GOP’s sad Scrooge agenda.” “GOP Protecting Ebenezer Scrooge.” “Maher Likens Republicans to Ebenezer Scrooge.” “Republicans play the role of the stingy Scrooge.”

You have to wonder if these folks have actually read “A Christmas Carol” or spent any time pondering what Scrooge actually says and does. Because if you do, you come to realize that Scrooge more closely resembles a modern liberal than a conservative.

A major clue comes early in the story, when two men collecting for charity arrive at Scrooge’s office. After asking Scrooge for a donation to help the poor and needy, Scrooge responds: “Are there no prisons? And the Union workhouses? Are they still in operation? The Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigor?”

He goes on to say, “I help to support the establishments I have mentioned — they cost enough; and those who are badly off must go there.”

Modern translation: I pay taxes to support the welfare state, why should I give money to you?

Turns out, that’s a decidedly liberal viewpoint.

And there’s more. There, and here, and here and here. Blogger friend Phil presented the same argument a few years back. We’ve said so ourselves.

It stands to reason, really. Like Robert Mitchell said:

The real difference between conservatives and liberals, today:

Liberal: Someone should take care of this! Or, We need a program to take care of this!

Conservative: ++sigh++ It looks like it’s up to me to take care of this…

Prisons and workhouses, prisons and workhouses…programs. Versus, trot your wrinkled ass down to the butcher shop, and buy the Cratchit family a big turkey yourself.

Just went and watched it last night, the good version, to make sure it’s still good. It is. And it’s always rewarding to see a left-winger turn into a God-fearing, fix-it-yourself, rightward-leaning Tea Party guy…even if it is in Victorian England, and the conversion job requires an extra shove from the supernatural realm.

Of course, some people still don’t get it. There it is again: Someone else should do something, someone else should stop worrying about how expensive something is. A liberal is a fellow so nice, he’ll give you the shirt off someone else’s back. But whatever. Merry Christmas to all.

The unrepentant Ebenezer Scrooge was a bah humbug gub’mint luvin liberal, as your (and many other observers’) examples demonstrate.

But since Dickens’ tale is a wonderful journey of redemption, the redeemed Scrooge is a ‘God-fearing, fix-it-yourself, rightward-leaning Tea Party guy,’ as his own words demonstrate: “I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year!”

So, yes, Ebenezer is a republican.

Happy New Year.
- locomotivebreath1901 | 12/27/2014 @ 08:47
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“Scrooge Was A Liberal, Studies Show”Thursday, December 25th, 2014

“Scrooge Was A Liberal, Studies Show”
Thursday, December 25th, 2014