We brought our son up to believe in helping others. To reach out to those less fortunate. To respect women and a woman’s right to choose. To be respectful of other people’s choices and lifestyles. He doesn’t see gay or lesbian, black or brown, rich or poor when he meets someone. He has friends from the entire range of the socio/economic spectrum. He rescues animals. He is a good and respectful grandson and a loving and giving son.
We are incredibly proud of him. He is smart, well-traveled, articulate, and very informed for a twenty-year old. He isn’t sure what he is going to do with his life yet, but one thing he hopes to do, eventually is to run for office. If you knew him, that wouldn’t surprise you. What would surprise you and perhaps even shock you is that he considers himself an independent, who will probably run as a Republican. Why?
Because in his words “Democrats are the least loyal people on the planet. You believe in all the right things, but you regularly eat your own. Let Obama or any senator or congressman step the least bit outside the line and you are ready to crucify them. At worst, Democrats are like a bad Monty Python skit – constantly screaming witch, witch at the people in your own party. Who can take that kind of disloyalty on a daily basis? Not me. I’d rather run as a Republican and then convince people to do the right thing, because once a Republican gets elected they can do no wrong.”
“But what about the Tea Party,” I asked. “What about all the Republicans brought down by the Tea Party?”
“Come on Mom.” I feel a lecture coming on. “You are an historian. You more than most people know that the Tea Party cannot and will not last. Look at the Know Nothings, look at the Grange movement. All these movements eventually get subsumed by the party. The Republicans will loose seats in 2012. Maybe not the majority in the House, but seats none-the-less. Murdoch’s influence is faltering, even before the current scandal, the numbers at Fox were way down. Even Limbaugh is losing listeners. People are tired of the division. The Republicans will HAVE to become more moderate. They don’t have a choice. Look at the polls. Most people want their leaders to compromise. To work WITH the other party. Moderate Republicanism will emerge again and I’ll be ready.”
“But couldn’t you run as an independent,” I am starting to beg now. “Or as a moderate Dem?”
“And put up with all the whining from Dems about everything I’m NOT doing for them? Even if I have given them 80% of what they wanted? No way! What a thankless job that would be. No, I’d rather run as something I’m not and accomplish a lot for a lot of people, than run as something I am and never have the people who are suppose to support me recognize any of my accomplishments. Frankly I don’t know how Obama puts up with Democrats on a daily basis. He gave us the first real healthcare reform ever and a great political cost and all Dems talk about is how he failed on single payer. He reformed the military and has ushered in a new acceptance for gays in the military, but it hasn’t been fast enough for gay rights groups. And seriously, don’t even get me started on the other thirty or so things he has done since taking office and how it just isn’t good enough for Democrats.”
“I get it,” I tell him. And, I do. Liberals are never satisfied. We push and we push and we push. We expect everyone to bend to our will, to our standards, because after all, we are right! If only we ran the world. If only everyone could see what we see. Forget about the sixty percent of moderate Republicans, Independents, and moderate Democrats who don’t agree with us. They are simple wrong! Obama isn’t doing enough. Neither is Nancy Pelosi or other Dems in the House and the Senate. We want more! Hmmmmm. Who does that sound like? The only difference is that when you have an R after your name, you can say anything, no matter how stupid and you will stay in office or get elected by Republicans.
Do I believe that unfettered support without thought or consideration of a person’s ability to serve, or their grasp of the issues is a good thing? No! But neither is unfettered disloyalty to someone who is trying to do the right thing. Maybe if we weren’t so quick to rush to judgment every time we read a report in the Wall Street Journal (Murdoch’s) or a headline plucked from Politico or the Huffington Post. Maybe if we just once in a while gave Obama or others the benefit of the doubt, rather than racing to make judgments. Maybe if we stopped to think that if we were in the room, privy to the information Obama is, responsible for so many people and the country as a whole. Maybe just maybe if we stopped acting like small children and had more confidence in what is accomplished and reacted less to what hasn’t happened. My son might decide to run as a Democrat.
Judging by the reactions here, I doubt that will happen. But I can dream.