Our system is a two party system. The deadlock in Minnesota politics, reflected in Washington, is the ultimate product of the Christian Right bringing religion into the work of the political process. They have imagined themselves as the only ones with morality, which demonizes anyone who disagrees with them. Their hectoring pal Ann Coulter has actually called the Democratic Party Demonic in her new book of that title (Available by the pound at Costco). In the strident world of Who Yells Hardest is the Most Passionate and therefor the Most Right, the strident passionate arguments of these well-meaning folk is that if they are voting from their faith, that means anyone who disagrees with them is Satan. They have gone from Right (conservative) to Righteous (religiously motivated and informed) to Self-Righteous (We are the Christian Soldiers, marching as to war). And the self-righteous are famously hard of hearing.
This batch of Republicans in Minnesota was elected on the promise of No Compromise, which is like saying "We will not participate in a Democracy. Compromise is wrong and Bad, and in fact is a sin." Former Republican Governor Arne Carleson, a good Republican in my book (like Durenburger, Eisenhower, Roosevelt, and Lincoln) has tried to lead by example by going out into Center Field with Mondale and a few others who grew up believing in an American system based on Inclusion, not self-righteousness. You are not in a conversation if you are not open to hearing what is being said to you, and open to being changed by what you hear. The opposite of a conversation is Hectoring.
A one-party system is called Fascism, or Communism. As long as the Republicans act like the Supreme Soviet, nothing will happen. And, in the words of David Books of the New York Times, they will prove they are not fit to govern.
Good points. Very good. Now to get the word out...
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kyle. I am kind of a first grader on the interweb, so I try and ship it out a new way every day. Feel free to forward. DJS
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ReplyDeleteI like your comments about the GOP, that their stance is becoming more uncooperative and self righteous. I’m afraid that a large majority of fundamentalist Christians think that self-righteousness is a Christian virtue, and that people who don’t take their side are either heathen or demonic. When we counsel self-righteous people, we don’t put a lot of effort into convincing them that they are full of it or are acting phony, because they think they are right and better. They just won’t listen. After such a person suffers some kind of defeat or humiliation, then there is a better chance of getting through to that person. If the GOP, Tea Party and Christian Right continue down this road, I believe God will send them a defeat. Like you say, in a 2 party system the Republicans and Democrats are supposed to make compromises and cooperate with each other. I think the GOP stance is discouraging, but the news media seems to be going nuts speculating that lawmakers will not be able to compromise and agree on the budget.
ReplyDeleteCompromise is the worst position. You're either right or wrong. Let's take one path and see how it works. The left's historical record is not good. I can only cite Germany, Italy, Cambodia, Vietnam, N. Korea, China, Cuba, Venezuela, pre-Thatcher U.K. even, etc. etc.
ReplyDeleteYou say "you are either right or you are wrong." Only time will tell. Consent of the governed means that all viewpoints are heard, and the system only works in compromise. Your description of "the Left" does not include Franklin Roosevelt, whose jobs program in the Depression did work. Germany's economy is expanding faster than ours because the government invests in job creation. Greece is failing because they are tax evaders. You opinions are not backed up with any sources- are you just making them up?
ReplyDeleteTe: Peter's comment above:
ReplyDeleteYour insight on the need for self righteous people to suffer a defeat before they are open to broadening their perspective is a valuable one. Here in MN I really get the feeling that 85% of people understand we need to raise taxes, that the GOP has over-reached, and that this is going to be true on the national level as well.
I was having a very hard time with this environment until the Murdoch Hacking Scandal broke. Right now they are hemorrhaging power, and it might go that way for weeks. Our current Foxified Wall Street Journal and the general environment is going to have a hard time drawing readers and viewers if they aren't covering this thing, and they can't possibly cover it well.