02-18-2012, 03:51 PM
Let me relate a personal story on this subject of "old" vs "new" Republicans.
Years ago, back in the late 70s, I had the chance to become personal friends with a US Senator. He was a Republican, and I was not, but that didn't seem to matter much. He became quite successful in Washington. But after serving several terms, he decided not to run for reelection. I called his office and asked the obvious question, "Why?"
The answer surprised me. Remember, this was in the late 90s. He felt that politics was shifting to polar positions rather than consensus. People were no longer talking WITH one another to solve problems, they were beginning to talk AT each other. The work of the Senate was becoming more about political parties and less about the American people.
By chance one night, he met another Senator in the empty Senate Dining Room. My friend confided his doubts about what could be achieved in the Senate and why. The other Senator listened, and surprisingly agreed. Since the other Senator was a Democrat, and since he had been elected at the same time my friend had, he offered to not run for re-election as well.
"We came in together. We came from each party. We balanced each other out. Let's go out together." A hand shake, and history happens.
But the thing I have always remembered, and SDGuy has reminded me of, is that these two men saw the future roaring at them like a freight train nearly 20 years ago. They saw the futility of giving up consensus problem solving for meager political gain and empty talking points. These two men went to Washington intent upon doing good for their country. The system began to change in such a way that they could no longer meet the obligations of their Senatorial oaths. These men had the clarity to understand what was happening and what was going to happen. They also had the courage to not play that game.
These men are true American heroes.
PS: For those of you with HBO ...
On last night's "Real Time with Bill Maher", author Alexandra Wentworth talked about growing up in Washington DC as a young girl in the late 60s/early 70s. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton now lives in the same house Wentworth grew up in. Wentworth told a story about Henry Kissinger giving her piggy-back rides while swimming in their backyard pool. Yes, that Henry Kissinger. The man, Alexandra's mother had warned her and her brothers about, who had tapped their phones fearing their father might be a spy for England. But that was back in the day when you still could hold separate your "professional" life and your "personal" life. Back in the day when people talked WITH each other at cordial cocktail parties and backyard BBQs, not AT each other via sound bites on cable TV and blogs.
Bottom line, yes, all politics has changed in the last 20 years, but the Republican Party sold its soul to the religious right for political gain - and what we have now is the result.
Years ago, back in the late 70s, I had the chance to become personal friends with a US Senator. He was a Republican, and I was not, but that didn't seem to matter much. He became quite successful in Washington. But after serving several terms, he decided not to run for reelection. I called his office and asked the obvious question, "Why?"
The answer surprised me. Remember, this was in the late 90s. He felt that politics was shifting to polar positions rather than consensus. People were no longer talking WITH one another to solve problems, they were beginning to talk AT each other. The work of the Senate was becoming more about political parties and less about the American people.
By chance one night, he met another Senator in the empty Senate Dining Room. My friend confided his doubts about what could be achieved in the Senate and why. The other Senator listened, and surprisingly agreed. Since the other Senator was a Democrat, and since he had been elected at the same time my friend had, he offered to not run for re-election as well.
"We came in together. We came from each party. We balanced each other out. Let's go out together." A hand shake, and history happens.
But the thing I have always remembered, and SDGuy has reminded me of, is that these two men saw the future roaring at them like a freight train nearly 20 years ago. They saw the futility of giving up consensus problem solving for meager political gain and empty talking points. These two men went to Washington intent upon doing good for their country. The system began to change in such a way that they could no longer meet the obligations of their Senatorial oaths. These men had the clarity to understand what was happening and what was going to happen. They also had the courage to not play that game.
These men are true American heroes.
PS: For those of you with HBO ...
On last night's "Real Time with Bill Maher", author Alexandra Wentworth talked about growing up in Washington DC as a young girl in the late 60s/early 70s. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton now lives in the same house Wentworth grew up in. Wentworth told a story about Henry Kissinger giving her piggy-back rides while swimming in their backyard pool. Yes, that Henry Kissinger. The man, Alexandra's mother had warned her and her brothers about, who had tapped their phones fearing their father might be a spy for England. But that was back in the day when you still could hold separate your "professional" life and your "personal" life. Back in the day when people talked WITH each other at cordial cocktail parties and backyard BBQs, not AT each other via sound bites on cable TV and blogs.
Bottom line, yes, all politics has changed in the last 20 years, but the Republican Party sold its soul to the religious right for political gain - and what we have now is the result.