Gonna send a message, are you? Gonna teach those darned Republicans a lesson, huh? Because they aren't acting like good, conservative Republicans, right? And, after all, once those naughty Republicans see just how mad we are, they'll hunker down and do what's right, won't they?
Of course in the interim the Democrats will have taken control of the House of Representatives, or the Senate, or maybe both, and will be setting their sights on the White House. And is that really what even an angry Republican wants to see? Is that the outcome you hope for? How will that improve this nation, I ask you?
Look, the Republicans have weathered quite a few "moderates" in their ranks over the years. Pennsylvania has given us Arlen Specter, for cryin' out loud! We had Jacob Javits and Lowell Weicker! Both of them were well to the left of the conservative heart of the Party. And who could point to Lincoln Chafee with pride, eh? Was Jim Jeffords worth a single vote?
Yet, the Party continues to fight for what is right, despite the need to compromise at times. For no matter what you or I may think our representatives in government should be doing, and how they should be voting, for any man or woman to be effective, they must be able to work with others in government. And that means they cannot always stick to their principles, but must compromise. For that way leads only to marginalization.
Granted, we are healthier as a Nation when our government does little. Government does very little well. As a protector of our rights, the government is slow, often in error, and ponderous in action; truly an elephant in a china shop. But as long as conservatives can look to the government and see the two branches - Legislative and Executive - in the hands of the Republicans, we can breath a tad easier. If you doubt that, look to the decades of the 60's through the early 80's. Tell me that the Republicans would have done as badly as the Democrats. You can't.
It took a long time for the Republicans to figure out that they were actually in power. Some still govern as if the Democrats were in power. That's the saddest part of the present US government. Republicans are in control but are afraid to lead as the Democrats did from the Eisenhower administration until the Clinton administration. The Democrats ruled! They were in charge and didn't ask anybody's permission to decide what to do. Today's Republicans need to learn that. They have to decide to lead from power, and ignore the nibbling of the minority.
Want to teach the Republicans a lesson? Vote them back into office. Then email and snail-mail them often! Keep them mindful that they are there only on your sufferance. And if they continue to hem and haw, if they continue to act like they need the Democrats' permission, if they still act like the media matters in the governance of this nation, then come next election, vote for the Republican challenger. Kick the incumbent out in the primaries.
Because once the general election comes around, Folks, it is too late to punish anybody but your fellow Americans. And they don't deserve another Democrat Congress. Lord knows we cannot afford that! The World cannot afford that!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Laura Lee Donoho has something to say about this, too, at the Wide Awake Cafe!
Of course in the interim the Democrats will have taken control of the House of Representatives, or the Senate, or maybe both, and will be setting their sights on the White House. And is that really what even an angry Republican wants to see? Is that the outcome you hope for? How will that improve this nation, I ask you?
Look, the Republicans have weathered quite a few "moderates" in their ranks over the years. Pennsylvania has given us Arlen Specter, for cryin' out loud! We had Jacob Javits and Lowell Weicker! Both of them were well to the left of the conservative heart of the Party. And who could point to Lincoln Chafee with pride, eh? Was Jim Jeffords worth a single vote?
Yet, the Party continues to fight for what is right, despite the need to compromise at times. For no matter what you or I may think our representatives in government should be doing, and how they should be voting, for any man or woman to be effective, they must be able to work with others in government. And that means they cannot always stick to their principles, but must compromise. For that way leads only to marginalization.
Granted, we are healthier as a Nation when our government does little. Government does very little well. As a protector of our rights, the government is slow, often in error, and ponderous in action; truly an elephant in a china shop. But as long as conservatives can look to the government and see the two branches - Legislative and Executive - in the hands of the Republicans, we can breath a tad easier. If you doubt that, look to the decades of the 60's through the early 80's. Tell me that the Republicans would have done as badly as the Democrats. You can't.
It took a long time for the Republicans to figure out that they were actually in power. Some still govern as if the Democrats were in power. That's the saddest part of the present US government. Republicans are in control but are afraid to lead as the Democrats did from the Eisenhower administration until the Clinton administration. The Democrats ruled! They were in charge and didn't ask anybody's permission to decide what to do. Today's Republicans need to learn that. They have to decide to lead from power, and ignore the nibbling of the minority.
Want to teach the Republicans a lesson? Vote them back into office. Then email and snail-mail them often! Keep them mindful that they are there only on your sufferance. And if they continue to hem and haw, if they continue to act like they need the Democrats' permission, if they still act like the media matters in the governance of this nation, then come next election, vote for the Republican challenger. Kick the incumbent out in the primaries.
Because once the general election comes around, Folks, it is too late to punish anybody but your fellow Americans. And they don't deserve another Democrat Congress. Lord knows we cannot afford that! The World cannot afford that!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Laura Lee Donoho has something to say about this, too, at the Wide Awake Cafe!
7 comments:
Very well said.
I'm more inclined to voting the ruling party out of power every 2 years, putting term limits of 2 terms, tops; and keep flip-flopping party leadership so that no one party is in control long enough to do ANYTHING and thus leave well enough alone. An in-active and grid-locked congress, ... is the best congress of all.
... alas, my voice is in the minority... that much I know for sure.
Mike, this is excellent. I'm going to link this post with mine, as it is on the same subject.
I'm all for the term limits idea.
Sad that things have degraded to where we have to choose the lesser of two weevils [sic]...
I say get rid of pensions. Why should politics be a career? Why should we let them get cozy and get the bennies after they're out?
Sure, give them medical while they're in, and pay towards a 401k they can roll over when they serve their terms, and those should be limited as well!
After all, our founding fathers had jobs and trades. Why shouldn't they?
Can I get an AMEN?!
Excellent post!
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