The United States of America was born, back in the 18th century, of compromise. Many of us seem to have lost sight of that fact. Compromise is not a bad thing; it is simply a way of overcoming the fact of disagreement. The results of compromise are not always pretty … but they are always a way to move forward. If the founders of our country had not been able to compromise we would not have come into being. It took a united front against England to earn our independence.
The most egregious failing of the conservative/extreme rightist/Republican movement (choose your segment) is its inability to compromise. I use the word “movement” in preference to Party because it is essentially a movement, incorporating into itself the Republican Party, the Tea Party types, and numerous “extreme rightists” … this last including those who espouse “no government”, even to the point of anarchy. Taken together, you can readily see how rough the edges are where these different ways of thinking rub up against each other.
Still, were these politically disparate groups able to compromise with each other it is conceivable they might have evolved into a new party … even if they simply adopted the name of the old Party. As it is, many Republicans, myself included, are simply jumping from a badly fragmented ship. It seems to many of us that the movement, as I have styled it, does not represent the brand of Republicanism I grew up with; worse, it does not represent traditional America. Instead it demands its way on everything, no compromise permitted on anything. Taxes will not be raised; social programs (such as health care, for example) will not be expanded or even supported, immigrants will no longer be accepted unless they have acceptable religions. It would be easy to go on, but it's simpler to just say these folk apparently believe that we ought all to carry on by our own devices, somehow without any involvement (especially financial) of government.
This actually sounds sort of good, you know? How nice it would be to not have to pay income tax. Not only does it take a heck of a lot of time and effort, but that's MY money and they are giving some of it to the unworthy and wasting the rest of it on government corruption and inefficiency. So, stop taxes. Period. At least, that's the thinking, best I can make out.
OK. Stop bridge building; infrastructure (sewage systems and the like), road construction and maintenance, loans for students, police departments, sanitation workers, mental health services, all manner of health care (including veterans, but also including disease control, emergency services and a lot more).
Is this really a good approach? Do we really think roads and bridges last forever, or are maintained by God? Or leprechauns? When the sewage overflows in our streets (as in our country's early days, before the evil scientists got the upper hand) what Harry Potter magic trick will keep the plague from putting us six feet under?
Talking of evil scientists: you know, those evil scientists that have been predicting global warming … aren't they being paid, often enough, through government grants? Don't we realize it's all a grand scheme to …..? To what? To pay scientists to pretend? Why? Who wins? Just to scare us? Again, why? Well, heck, we're too smart for that; we're not going to be scared of such a ridiculous idea. How dumb to believe that humans could have such a dramatic effect on the world. Of course, we could just blow it all to hell in 5 minutes with nuclear weapons … that we understand. In fact, we almost did that once, and maybe we will yet. In any event, you may have noticed that, despite all the ludicrous denials of climate change by people (mostly politicians who have staked their political future on such denials) we still have the new, and increasingly scary, weather to contend with; and it ain't good. Yeah, you can still find the solitary scientist (some on coal's payroll, but many just lousy scientists) who still denies it all. But, do you really think it's a good idea to bet on the odd man out? Do you really want to believe the questionable figures of a handful of contrarians when matched up against a world-full of scientists? Unless, of course, you do truly think that scientists are in fact evil and all caught up in a world-wide conspiracy. In fact, many of us know people who think that way. To them the Nazi's didn't kill the Jews; rather, it's all just a made up story, a Jewish conspiracy. To them America's slaves were happy being slaves; and, they liked being beaten, and their children sold away and their mates taken; and the Civil War certainly shouldn't have been fought, especially since it had nothing to do with slavery; that's just a made up story, another conspiracy. People who think this way believe President Roosevelt conspired (with the Jews, of course) to bring about World War II by causing Pearl Harbor; yeah, the President was part of the plot. And, 911 was committed by our government, and by our military, just one more secret plot. With people like this you can't reason, you know? I even know somebody who chalks unusual cloud shapes up to government secret weapons. Can you beat that one? Now, that's real science.
I seem to have wandered from my central premise: willingness to compromise with those you disagree with is an essential component of political machinery. So, let me wrap up; compromise is what makes the political world go 'round. Without it you have either anarchy or tyranny. I don't know about you, but I prefer democracy. Let's compromise on that. Republicans, take heed.
The most egregious failing of the conservative/extreme rightist/Republican movement (choose your segment) is its inability to compromise. I use the word “movement” in preference to Party because it is essentially a movement, incorporating into itself the Republican Party, the Tea Party types, and numerous “extreme rightists” … this last including those who espouse “no government”, even to the point of anarchy. Taken together, you can readily see how rough the edges are where these different ways of thinking rub up against each other.
Still, were these politically disparate groups able to compromise with each other it is conceivable they might have evolved into a new party … even if they simply adopted the name of the old Party. As it is, many Republicans, myself included, are simply jumping from a badly fragmented ship. It seems to many of us that the movement, as I have styled it, does not represent the brand of Republicanism I grew up with; worse, it does not represent traditional America. Instead it demands its way on everything, no compromise permitted on anything. Taxes will not be raised; social programs (such as health care, for example) will not be expanded or even supported, immigrants will no longer be accepted unless they have acceptable religions. It would be easy to go on, but it's simpler to just say these folk apparently believe that we ought all to carry on by our own devices, somehow without any involvement (especially financial) of government.
This actually sounds sort of good, you know? How nice it would be to not have to pay income tax. Not only does it take a heck of a lot of time and effort, but that's MY money and they are giving some of it to the unworthy and wasting the rest of it on government corruption and inefficiency. So, stop taxes. Period. At least, that's the thinking, best I can make out.
OK. Stop bridge building; infrastructure (sewage systems and the like), road construction and maintenance, loans for students, police departments, sanitation workers, mental health services, all manner of health care (including veterans, but also including disease control, emergency services and a lot more).
Is this really a good approach? Do we really think roads and bridges last forever, or are maintained by God? Or leprechauns? When the sewage overflows in our streets (as in our country's early days, before the evil scientists got the upper hand) what Harry Potter magic trick will keep the plague from putting us six feet under?
Talking of evil scientists: you know, those evil scientists that have been predicting global warming … aren't they being paid, often enough, through government grants? Don't we realize it's all a grand scheme to …..? To what? To pay scientists to pretend? Why? Who wins? Just to scare us? Again, why? Well, heck, we're too smart for that; we're not going to be scared of such a ridiculous idea. How dumb to believe that humans could have such a dramatic effect on the world. Of course, we could just blow it all to hell in 5 minutes with nuclear weapons … that we understand. In fact, we almost did that once, and maybe we will yet. In any event, you may have noticed that, despite all the ludicrous denials of climate change by people (mostly politicians who have staked their political future on such denials) we still have the new, and increasingly scary, weather to contend with; and it ain't good. Yeah, you can still find the solitary scientist (some on coal's payroll, but many just lousy scientists) who still denies it all. But, do you really think it's a good idea to bet on the odd man out? Do you really want to believe the questionable figures of a handful of contrarians when matched up against a world-full of scientists? Unless, of course, you do truly think that scientists are in fact evil and all caught up in a world-wide conspiracy. In fact, many of us know people who think that way. To them the Nazi's didn't kill the Jews; rather, it's all just a made up story, a Jewish conspiracy. To them America's slaves were happy being slaves; and, they liked being beaten, and their children sold away and their mates taken; and the Civil War certainly shouldn't have been fought, especially since it had nothing to do with slavery; that's just a made up story, another conspiracy. People who think this way believe President Roosevelt conspired (with the Jews, of course) to bring about World War II by causing Pearl Harbor; yeah, the President was part of the plot. And, 911 was committed by our government, and by our military, just one more secret plot. With people like this you can't reason, you know? I even know somebody who chalks unusual cloud shapes up to government secret weapons. Can you beat that one? Now, that's real science.
I seem to have wandered from my central premise: willingness to compromise with those you disagree with is an essential component of political machinery. So, let me wrap up; compromise is what makes the political world go 'round. Without it you have either anarchy or tyranny. I don't know about you, but I prefer democracy. Let's compromise on that. Republicans, take heed.