Okay guys, you know I don't like writing about politics these days, but I just have to get this off my chest. And I'm only gonna say it once, so listen up.
In the last two elections, we all laughed at the Republican clown car; but the pendulum of history is ever swinging to and fro. Now it seems to me that the Democrats have piled into one of their own, and look even more ridiculous than the other guys did.
I will say two things, without elaboration:
1. There is no one on the Democrat side I want to vote for. Joe is a great guy, with all the requisite experience and plenty of political savoir-faire, but too old. Pete is a very promising newcomer, but too young and has no national experience. Elizabeth and Bernie each have some bold ideas, and their hearts are in the right place, but neither one is presidential material. Your mileage may vary. So be it.
2. The babble-rabble snowflake Democrats are driving this party out from under me. I'm not riding with them. They're too shrill, too smart-ass, and too juvenile. And that's my very carefully considered opinion. You are welcome to formulate your own, of course.
Having said all that, I note with approval Joe's essay today about the current temper of the Democratic party, and his reminder of what is really, truly important, above all other considerations. Excerpt:
The other day I was accused by one of my opponents of running in the wrong primary. Pretty amazing. On one level, it is kind of funny.Full essay here.
I have fought for the Democratic party my whole career. I know what we stand for, who we stand with and what we believe. And it’s not just policies or issues. It’s in my bones. That’s not something everyone in this primary can say.
But at another level these kinds of attacks are a serious problem. They reflect an angry unyielding viewpoint that has crept into our politics. If someone doesn’t agree with you — it’s not just that you disagree — that person must be a coward or corrupt or a small thinker.
Some call it the “my way or the highway” approach to politics. But it’s worse than that. It’s condescending to the millions of Democrats who have a different view.
It’s representative of an elitism that working and middle class people do not share: “We know best; you know nothing”. “If you were only as smart as I am you would agree with me.”
This is no way to get anything done. This is no way to bring the country together. This is no way for this party to beat Donald Trump.
I am a Democrat, by which I mean, a believer in all the best ideas of the New Deal, the Fair Deal, the New Frontier, and the Great Society. I believe in liberty and justice for all. I believe in an America where a black man can be elected president, and gays can marry, and everybody gets to dance. An America that is always becoming a more perfect union.
But it is a very curious thing that despite nearly 90 years of progressive thought and legislation, which have improved the lives of many millions and made the nation bigger, better, stronger, and fairer, still half the population is unconvinced and even hostile to all that is meant in this country by liberalism - which in fact is very nearly a four-letter word now.
Somehow the message has not gotten across. As if somebody held a big sale, but nobody bought the goods. What happened here?
I don't exactly know the answer myself. But I do know one thing: it's no good leading a charge if the troops don't follow you, ya know what I mean, fellas?
The Dems have just one year to turn it around. If they don't give the people - and I mean the whole people, not just the cool kids - something to love, something to want, something to stand up and cheer about, something to vote for, then all this political mouthing and moaning is a sheer waste of time. And that is very, very sad.
Dangerous too. Because if the Repubs and Trumpistas are not turned out of the highest offices next year, God help us all. It may be a long, dark, and ugly, ugly night before ever the sun rises on America again. It is already dim and gloomy now.
Somewhere along the line, the Dems have not gotten the message across. They'd better get with it, if it's not too late already, and start trying to win over those unimpressed hearts and minds by appealing to their own self-interests, if nothing else. Which of course requires lots of honey, not vinegar.
And that's all I have to say. Let him who has an ear, listen.
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3 comments:
We are living in a different time, a different world. Whether what we are seeing, hearing, experiencing is a symptom of some deeper and more insidious dis-ease or some "swing of a pendulum" will be for history to discern. You say we "have one year to turn it around." I don't know if that is optimism disguised as a warning, but it's taken us many long years to get to this sorry state, so I am not optimistic about turning anything around. Democrats are not the democrats of FDR and Republicans are just not republicans anymore.
From the NY Daily News: “I’m here supporting my president ...”I don’t really care what the man says or how he talks or how he acts. You know, what I’m more concerned with is what he’s doing for our country,” said Joanne V. a New Jersey resident.” This is the mindset of nearly 50% of our citizens. The other nearly 50% are likely just as adamant in their opposing opinions. Impasse, dead-lock, whatever, it may very well take an asteroid from space on a collision course with earth to bring people together, and even then, I'm not optimistic.
People want everything in black or white, either/or, pure and simple.
A neighbor of ours says she will NEVER shop at Home Depot because (whether true or not) she says the founder and former CEO pledged to support building the boarder wall; yet Home Depot is rated highly on LGBT issues, so maybe deserves our support. So what to do?
And in general, when shopping do we stop to consider whether each product we are about to purchase is produced by a company that is environmentally friendly, LGBT friendly, contributes to political causes we support, pays their CEO obscene salary, makes obscene profits, etc., etc. ad infinitum? We would be paralyzed in the store and likely have to resort to self-sufficiency. But even that might not be a "moral" choice.
I read recently about corporate sponsorship of LGBT Pride events. Many of the corporations donate to rabidly anti-LGBT political candidates - not because the corporations are anti-LGBT (some actually score high on LGBT issues) but because those politicians are "good for business". Nothing is simple; there is only a lot of grey and we are constantly faced with making decisions and choices which may in some way compromise our beliefs and values.
Perhaps it is, as the Fundies believe, the beginning of the end. The end is near and the sheep and the goats are sorting themselves out inadvertently so as to make the task easier for the Almighty when the time comes.
So, bottom line for me is to make an informed choice whenever possible, based on available information, but to keep in mind that we cannot know all and in the grand scheme of things, we might take the words of Max Ehrmann to heart:
"And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy."
Peace, my friend.
Oh Frank, what a tempter you are! You just supplied me with so many springboards for ranting and raving, I could sit here all night long pounding out a reply on the keyboard. But get thee behind me, Satan. I will try to spare your eyes and my fingers with only a few brief responses to your very insightful comments.
You are of course quite right to say that today's parties are not those of FDR's time, which is long gone now. Even Jimmy Carter’s presidency is as remote from the younger generation today as Herbert Hoover’s was when you and I were in school. And I am very aware of having outlived my time: a stranger in a strange land. So I content myself for the most part with posting items of beauty and thoughts of peace in the BT these days – my tiny contribution to what’s left of the sanity and happiness of the world. Insignificant, of course – but perhaps, like the widow’s mite, not without value somehow.
The truth is, I am not at all optimistic about the state of the world. I have read a great deal of history, and in mental vision have seen the rise and fall of great civilizations of the past, as well the direction of the ongoing trend in ours – which includes much, much more than who is in or out of politics, or how many votes go this way or that. And I’m sorry to say that I think things will probably get worse before they get better - maybe much worse – perhaps catastrophic, even – and if and when they get better, there will be such a new and different state of things that I will simply not fit into it, nor would I want to.
But no doubt by that time, my ashes will have long since mingled with the dust from which they came. Which is actually rather a pleasant thought, for several reasons. The infirmities and sorrows of old age teach us not to cling to life when it can no longer be useful or enjoyable.
At any rate, the world has always been full of fools, frauds, and fanatics – and even sensible men and women may fall prey to the sins of self-righteousness and hypocrisy, puritanism and scrupulosity. Sometimes I just have to get things off my chest, as in this post – but then I realize I can control no one but myself, and that with difficulty – my ranting and raving serves no really useful purpose, and helps no one. So I’m shifting gears here in the Blue Truck, and trying to express an attitude of peace and gratitude for the good things I do have, and if that helps anyone else, I’m glad.
That’s why I have posted the Peace Prayer at the top of my sidebar – which is another way of expressing the beautiful thought of the Desiderata, and I thank you for reminding me of it. I think we are pretty much on the same wavelength here. Pax tecum, amice.
If I were able to write as cogently as the Head Trucker, I'd say you took the words right out of my mouth - in this case you took them right out of my mind. I'm not sanguine about the next election - at all - and though I have my own self interests at heart, my life will not remotely be effected in the ways that the next generations will be. God help us and God save America.
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