icarus: Snape by mysterious artist (Rodney b-w by artconserv)
[personal profile] icarus
SGA Fic: And Liberty For All
Pairing: John and Rodney, Gen-ish, though I think it's slash. ;)
Rating: PG
Summary: "You're a Republican?!"
Notes: Inspired by Brownstone's laughable candidacy for 2008.


And Liberty For All
By Icarus



"You're a Republican?!" Rodney was aghast.

John gave a patient tilt of his head as he explained it to the nice man. "I believe we need to be fiscally responsible."

"You're a Republican?!" Rodney repeated. He was beginning to sound like a broken record.

"Plus, they're usually strong on defense which is very important to me." A plaintive note had crept into John's voice. "Clinton now, he started cutting everything…."

"How did I not know this?" Rodney asked the air, throwing up his hands.

"There're not a lot of chances to vote when we're all the way over here," John pointed out. "I don't think many of us voted in 2004, do you?"

"Yes, and look of the mess they made of things while I was gone!" Rodney huffed. He turned a chair around, straddling it as he sat down across from John in the lunchroom. "You are not allowed to participate in any sort of politics in the Pegasus Galaxy."

John frowned. "Why do you care? You're Canadian!"

"Hello?" Rodney raised a hand. "Hubble? Funding cuts ring a bell?"

John made a face, eyes slanting to the side. "It's an orbiting piece of space junk."

Rodney's mouth opened and closed in horrified silence, long eyelashes blinking rapidly. John smirked at him and crossed his arms, raising his eyebrows in defiance.

"I don't usually mention it because it's not a popular party around here," John muttered defensively. "But I figured since, you know, you're Canadian…." He gave Rodney an accusing look.

Rodney said, waving a hand, "Okay, we'll get back to setting you straight on the greatest boon to astronomy and astrophysics later. How could you possibly vote for—oh, I don't even want to say the name. I mean—Iraq?" His eyebrows rumpled in real distress.

John rolled his eyes and sighed, slumping a little. "Relax, Rodney. It's not like I ever voted." He shrugged and squirmed uncomfortably. "Never really had the time. But tacitly…." He bobbed his head.

Rodney stared off into space, eyes glazed.

"Golf," he said suddenly, snapping his fingers. "I should have known from the golf. Only Republicans play that wasteful, stupid game."

"Hey!" John said, finally taking offense. "I'll have you know virtually every medal of honor winner played golf."

"They did?"

"No idea. But they were almost all Scottish, so I like to think so," John said, amusement glimmering under the surface at successfully derailing Rodney.

He stood, picking up his lunch tray. "Anyway," he added as a smug parting shot, "my dad left me a little something and I'd like to see it grow." He gave a little mocking nod as he turned away.

"Ah." Rodney picked up his tray and followed him. "I begin to see whose fault this is. I'll cure you of your lemming ways yet. Daddy was wrong about a lot of things."

They both dropped off their trays with a clatter, and John ignored him as he headed for the transporters, passing bubbling tubes of water and Ancient art deco architecture. It was almost surreal to have this conversation here. But Rodney was unshakeable.

Rodney trailed after him, calling out, "Aid for the homeless?"

"You can't help everyone," John fired over his shoulder, not looking back.

"Massive deficit spending?"

"Fiscal responsibility, remember? The neo-cons abandoned the basics." John lengthened his stride, trying to put some distance between himself and Rodney.

Rodney cast about himself helplessly. Then he pointed at John, victorious. "The environment!" He pulled out the big guns, stopping. "Drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge."

John paused with a wince. He looked back at Rodney. "Okay. I kinda disagree with them there. That's the last American frontier. I always wanted to live in a cabin in Alaska, just for one year, see if I could hack it."

Rodney trumpeted his victory, pumping his fist. "Aha, leverage!"

John rolled his eyes. He stepped into the transporter and hit the location for the gateroom. He said dryly, "Right about now I'm kinda glad you don't have access to the internet." Because there was no way a kid who'd build a nuclear bomb knew that much about the environment.

"I don't need it," Rodney said cheerfully, eyes alight with glee. He spread his arms. "I have an entire botany department!" John groaned.

As the transporter doors shut, John heard Rodney talking on his radio.

"Hello, Katie? Yes, well, drop whatever you're doing because this is an emergency."

Date: 2007-01-23 02:18 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] icarusancalion.livejournal.com
The neo-cons or "neo-conservatives" are a particular branch of the republican party in power with Bush. Paul Wolfowitz (sp?) who was in charge of the rebuilding in Iraq is one, as are most of Bush's cabinet up to and including Cheney. They have an evangelistic idea and believe in establishing the American way across the world -- by force if need be. They've been accused by 60 Minutes and others of having Christian zealotry driving some of their beliefs, that they'll defend Isreal right or wrong for religious rather than political reasons.

They had "think tank" back in the early 90s that published a paper laying a strategy to be the only world superpower. They also justified pre-emptive strikes where this interest (being the world's only superpower) might be at stake.

This is in stark contrast to the other republican stripes that are far more concerned with affairs back at home, like reducing taxes, deregulation, eliminating welfare (under the excuse of eliminating welfare "fraud"), revamping social security, balancing the budget, while maintaining a strong defense. Bush largely won their votes in 2000 on his campaign pledge to resolve the social security financial crisis.

The more usual republicans were against Clinton sending the military all over the world as an international police force. They tend to be more isolationist, think other countries should deal with their own problems. The fact that the neo-cons have us involved in Iraq, Afghanistan, even while we're still deployed in Bosnia and South Korea drives them absolutely crazy. The new rules and invasiveness of the Patriot Act are against everything these guys stand for -- many of these republicans are NRA members, believe in Americans' right to bear arms to have the government out of their personal lives. They also think that "Big Government" is wasteful, pointless, and expensive.

Anyhow. John's family was of the NRA card-carrying, financial conservative republicans.

Icarus

Date: 2007-01-23 03:00 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cetpar.livejournal.com
Thanks for the clarification. I was aware of that particular subgroup in the Republican party (how can you not be?), but I hadn't heard that term used to describe them.

And I have to agree with you (or maybe it was another commenter):most of the Republicans I knew in the military subscribed to the Sheppard family, "usual" Republican party ideals. Not necessarily suprising given their occupation. Interestingly enough, though, is that I'd say my military friends were pretty evenly split between Republican and Democrat.

That "think tank"? Do you remember the name? I want to say it starts with an "R" but I'm completely blanking.

Date: 2007-01-23 04:06 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] icarusancalion.livejournal.com
Oh hell, I'm not sure. [livejournal.com profile] wildernessguru might know.

*asks*

No, he doesn't remember either. I'm spread a little thin right now or I'd look it up. It's a very innocuous name for a group bent on a James-Bond-evil-villain plan to rule the world.

Date: 2007-01-23 04:20 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cetpar.livejournal.com
No problem. Thanks for asking. After pondering it, I *think* it might be the Rand Corporation. Or maybe that is just one of the other think tanks the govt. uses. Oh, well.

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