So, this is my first diary, and I'll try to keep it brief, I guess. I got to thinking this morning about the conversations I've been having lately with some of the people in my orbit, and I wonder if others are having the same experience. I went to a baseball game the other night with a friend, a die-hard Republican who is very active in local politics and a generally knowledgeable guy. It was a 2 hour car ride, and we got to discussing politics by way of talking about a mutual friend who is running as a GOP State House candidate we had both done some work for (hey, I do freelance web design, you take what you can get.) The thing that surprised me as we got around to the Presidential race was his clear resignation to the fact that John McCain is doomed in this campaign, as are many Republican members of Congress. It's an interesting theme that I've heard repeated by many of my Republican friends.
While this would seem to be a good thing on it's surface, I wonder why it's not being used to Democratic advantage.
The conversation turned to the reasons why the Republican party is going down in flames, and really it amazed me that not only did we agree on what has effected such an exodus from the Right, but we agreed on the underlying problems as well. Imagine a guy who has a picture of Reagan in his living room expressing concern about the GOP being too much in the pocket of Corporate America. We talked oil, and he told me how frustrated he was that the government hasn't put pressure on automakers to bring down the price of hybrid and electric vehicles. He wants to buy a Prius, but thinks they're too expensive, and knows full well there are plenty of folks who aren't in any position to consider one at all. We discussed the ridiculous state of the automotive industry in this country, and agreed that if American companies don't start making $10,000 hybrids or EV's in the next five years, you can be damn sure the Chinese will, and American dollars will pour overseas even faster as we buy them all up. I conceded that the auto workers unions in places like Detroit who have been hit so hard economically in the last ten years would have a lot more luck getting high wages and benefits from the Big Three if they actually produced a product that they could turn a profit on. We found common ground.
It mirrored a half-dozen discussions I've had with intelligent, hardworking people who self-identify as Republicans, including a couple lobbyists, folks who work for conservative advocacy groups and other traditional GOP interests. They all seem to acknowledge that the country is headed in the wrong direction, and that something needs to be done. While they aren't people I'm going to be able to convince to vote for Obama, I wish the general dialogue about this election was more like the talks I've had with Republicans lately. It's my sincere hope that we're going to win this thing, but I'd love to see the Democrats avoid the self-importance and pomposity that accompanied the GOP's takeover in '94, which in turn led us slowly to the shitstorm we see today. The buzzword of this election is CHANGE, and I really think if the Democrats hit the ground running next year, there are a lot of people out there that will respond to their proposals and leadership, but only if they avoid the mistakes made in the past, and put partisan bitterness behind them.
There are about 100 days left, and I really fear this may be one of the ugliest Election Seasons ever. I'd just like to remind everyone, it's not about whether you can beat out your Republican neighbor in an informal debate, or dismantle the GOP talking points they regurgitate. It's not even about knowing we're right, we've been right all along, and celebrating the fact that things are fucked up enough in America that most people are finally waking up to that idea. It's about working with each other to fix this country. It's about finding common ground, and using that mutual understanding to create a better life for one another. It's about time to realize that we can still lose, even if we win.
So, go talk to your favorite Republican, or one you don't even like that much. Find something you agree about. I don't think it's really that hard, and you'll be a better person for it in the long run.