Opponents—Not Enemies

05/16/2008

Paul Munnis


Our nation has become used to the politics of hate and division as practiced by the GOP over the last decade. So much so that they think that political opponents must all hate one another and that this is the American Way.

The GOP message has been: “If you are not with us then you are against us and so we must destroy you.” That ethos has been complemented with messages like: “Compromise is for the weak and a sign of surrender.”

Both messages are exactly right for the U.S Marines but all wrong for the political scene where political Parties must work together for the good of the Country. Failure to work together leads to chaos and gridlock and prevents progress in both the social and legal realm. The GOP has put the good of their Party first and foremost – all else can go hang. If GOP legislators try to follow their conscience they are kicked out of the party or otherwise punished. That is why the GOP is coming unglued in my opinion.

CNN noticed with incredulity that Clinton seemed to be supporting Obama against the Bush attack over foreign policy yesterday. It was simply amazing to them that the two Democrats are not out to slay one another at a personal level. According to the tone of the CNN report Hillary should have ignored it all and let Obama be weakened by Bush.

If true, then CNN and much of the media just don’t under Democratic Party politics at all. As Democrats heard the Bush attack they were hearing an attack against the Democratic Party and our approach to foreign policy. What CNN hears is that “the criticism was directed at Obama even though Mr. Bush did not criticize the candidate by name.” Someone has a listening problem and I submit it could be CNN. They appear to be trying to craft a GOP campaign theme: “Democrats are weak on terrorism.” Hillary blew that attack away – and so did Obama --good for them.

While Clinton and Obama are not soul mates and do disagree with one another it’s not as sharp as you might think. Both have been struggling to differentiate themselves for months now for there is not that much that separates them. What does separate them technically is mostly stuff that Congress will likely have to legislate and so before it becomes law it will be chewed over and digested so much that the ideas, notions, and proposals, will all be thoroughly vetted. In terms of policy these two are so close together that the campaign has tried to separate the two candidates using force of character and that is proving difficult. Democratic Party types are more interested now in what candidate can beat McCain and the polls seem to say that either one can.

What is going to be even more amazing to the media is that when the Democratic Party choice becomes unanimous then the other candidate will support the chosen candidate and work to help to get them elected. If that were the GOP then the candidates would be bitter life-long enemies sworn to take the other out in the future. Twenty years from now they would still citing election differences and trying to convince historians that they were right all along.

It is right at the point of Party candidate selection that the tone of the campaign changes. It becomes less about the candidates as individuals and more about the candidates as Party torch bearers.

Politics is a battle of ideas. When the ideas are in general alignment then something is needed to separate the players. That is what campaigning is about. That is what is going on between Hillary and Barack and that is how it should be.

When the differences become much larger as between Democrats and the GOP then the race becomes tense. At that point what people want is fairness and a level playing field for both Parties and Candidates so that the differences in Party ideas can be examined. The contention is then really between the Parties and the candidates who carry the Party message are the foils. There is also a contest at that point to reach the uncommitted and the Independent voter. They are appealed to on the basis of Party differences as expressed by the two candidates. At this point third parties enter the fray in support of their Party, and groups such as the Swift Boat people come forth committed to do the Party’s dirty work and destroy the opposition candidate by changing public opinion in negative ways directed against Party and candidate.

Yes, even right now Hillary and Barack could step out of the limelight, have a snack together and have a cold beer, share some laughs, and not go away mad at one other.

Wouldn’t that just ruin the media’s news day? How would they ever sell dog food without something to take a commercial break over?

The great statesmen of our nation are people who could find ways to bridge the differences between Parties and make peace between opponents and thus advance the American dream. They seek to keep the American dream alive and not make it into a national nightmare. The spirit of “blessed are the peacemakers,” has been their aim and those who achieved peace between political opponents and the ideals that they represent have become national heroes. The GOP’s politics of hate and division has lost that spirit. It is now proven to be a failed GOP principle. It is a good part of why the GOP is in free-fall.