I recently saw a post in social media from a conservative who asked what it is about the saying ‘A rising tide lifts all boats’ liberals don’t understand.  He was saying this in support of our current economic system of giving all the money to the richest people and hoping that some of it “trickles down” to the rest of us.

It’s notable that, outside of the conservative bubble, ‘A rising tide lifts all boats’ is most commonly associated with John F. Kennedy.  (Conservatives, you won’t be surprised, think it was Ronald Reagan…)  In fairness, the Kennedy campaign lifted it from a local municipality in New England, if I remember correctly, but Kennedy used it early and often and it kind of became “his.”

I don’t much object to the idea that conservative acolytes have tried to abscond with the phrase as one of their own – it’s what they do.  I AM bothered by the idea that in doing so, they’ve distorted it’s meaning.  They’re using it to defend the sham called ‘Supply Side Economics’ (aka, “trickle down” or “voodoo” economics).  But all you’ve got to do is think about the phrase.  Apply it.  Create a sort of mental picture of a rising tide and exactly HOW it might lift all boats.

If the tide comes in gently, from the bottom up, well, sure, the boats begin to rise with it.  A “tide” trying to lift boats from the top down?  That’s called a Tsunami.  Tsunamis swamp ALL boats.  The ONLY way the rising tide lifts boats is from the bottom up.

That is, of course, unless some asshole is standing on the deck of his grand-daddy’s yacht shooting holes in people’s dinghies…

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Speaking of asshole rich people, the NFL has decided that forcing their players into patriotic displays and squelching their First Amendment rights is probably the way to go.  The NFL says they don’t want the players “disrespecting the flag” and/or insulting the military.

I served.  I’ve noticed that, often, the people who scream about disrespecting the military managed to avoid participating in the military themselves – the brave “other priority” crowd.  Mostly, people who actually served understand that protecting people’s First Amendment rights was part of the job.

I suspect the true basis of the NFL’s objection is the millions of dollars the military pays to the NFL for their faux public displays of patriotism.  Never forget: at all times in this once-great nation these days, it’s only and always about the money.

Now…get out there and take advantage of those awesome, respectful Memorial Day Sales…