Sometimes, my kids and their friends remind me of tea partiers-
I've tried spend as much time as i can getting to know the kids my kids hang around with. I'm not afraid of how a kid dresses and I try not to make assumptions. I try to listen to their opinions and enjoy some of their arguments. I don't want to be their "friends" but i do like to know who they are and what they are thinking- There's usually a few hanging around-they seem not to mind me and I always preferred having them under foot than worrying about what trouble they could be getting into elsewhere. They keep the leftovers to a minimum.
We live in rural area of a suburban state so there's a mix of politics the county is red, the state was blue until they lost their mind and voted for Cristy- the kids all know my politics – I got a couple to register and vote for Obama- and made them wash my car when they wrote " I voted for Bush" on the back in the dust on it.
In a way some of them remind me of "little tea partiers" a majority don't understand critical thinking- they've been told this is bad and that is bad but they never were really told why something is bad, and never bothered to ask. They tend to either believe or not to believe something, but have no idea why the hold their beliefs. I like to ask them why- I don't make fun of what they think but I do try to make them think about what they think. Some learn the process quickly, others it takes more time- sometimes it's hard for not to be judgmental – sometimes it's impossible- It's hard for me to believe anyone who didn't learn that GW was an ass after 8 years can be learn anything- there are other discussion topics that I have to walk away from. I try and walk away- with these kids there will always be another day – I'm not trying to make them think like me –but I do want my kids to hang out with kids that think.
As I said it's hard for me not to compare them with the tea partiers. I can't help but to think of the many of my daughters friends having problems with a cheating significant other- they get lied to a couple of times and they still try to hang on- till the next time. I heard Ed Gillespie say on Meet the Press last Sunday something about how when they are control again and show how fiscally responsible they can be all will be right with the world I had to laugh- reminded me of one of guys one of my daughters friend dated for far too long- he always saw the light- sort of gives me hope- she finally dumped his ass, but had to catch him more than once. (ironically he's dating a rich girl now who's cheated on all her previous boy friends- sort of makes me wonder what will happen when Corporate America and the republican establishment tires of the tea party movement- or visa versa). Yea, I'll admit some of them are just too set in their ways to learn – and a couple of them hold irrational ideas on who they can and can't date- just like there will always be tea party attendees that will never learn. On some of them all you need is a good argument, on others it takes more time and sometimes you just have to walk away- But I still have hope and I still believe that a good majority given the facts – will one day see the errors of their ways. Democrats have a major problem getting out the facts. I sometimes believe they are ashamed of the facts, they certainly have a problem standing up for them. I see that with the kids too, more worried about remaining popular than standing up for them selfs- and when they finally do stand up they find that most of there peers respect them more.
I sometimes wish we were more like the republican's but i also wonder how long the republican's can keep it up- there are a lot of people that have lost trust in both sides and being more republican isn't going to convince them to come over from the dark side. I have hope that we can learn – like all teenagers have to learn, that honestly is important and that you don't hang on to your friends by playing it safe and always doing what you want to do.
Look- I'm not saying elections can be won by treating Republicans and the media like children-(Actually, maybe i am) Democrats need to work on message message and more message- they have to pay attention to the base and fight back to correct the record- use facts and not get hysterical