Midwest Politicking

I’m in Nebraska with my dad’s side of the family this week.  The purpose of the trip was to see the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, but we stayed an extra couple of days to visit with my grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins and various other relations.  Overall it’s been really fun, and I’ve been run ragged by a group of people averaging 40 years older than myself.  I look forward to the day when I can retire, play cards all day, and open up my first beer at 11 a.m.

Of course, everything isn’t sunshine and roses out here.  The healthcare reform bill passed last night and what had been a pleasant day quickly devolved into heated debate over health care costs.  And then devolved some more into discussion about illegal immigrants and “sluts” who have children by multiple fathers, and drinking wine directly from the bottle. 

On Facebook today, the parlance is no less vitriolic.  I’ve had to muster every fiber of my being to resist jumping in with my own critique, in case I let loose with a few choice words on the intelligence of the opposition.  And here we get to the crux of it.  I don’t think that either side has the patience for civil discourse.  There is no incentive to play nice or find the common middle ground.  There is not even agreement on the basic facts.  And if we can’t agree on a common set of facts upon which to base our policy choices, then we can never get to a point where there is true dialogue.  Instead we resort to accusing the other side of stupidity and ignorance on one side, or facism and hatred for America on the other.  Very depressing.

Of course, I come down HARD on the side of the pro-reform movement.  I’m also stunned at how a few well-chosen deceptions on the part of the “other” side have managed to get otherwise good, thoughtful, kind people to be so spiteful.  Not that our side doesn’t have its fair share of asshats, but on this particular issue I feel pretty good about being on the right side of history. 

Because I couldn’t have said it any better myself, here is a quote from a commenter Grover Dill on Jon Armstrong’s blog Blurbomat.

None of the GOP seemed to dispute Obama’s basic premise: that doing nothing to fix health care would eventually bankrupt the country, which is why I found their stalling tactics over the last year so incomprehensible.

I found myself thinking “Is the country in crisis or not? If not, then please explain in a sensible matter why all the economists are wrong. If it is, then get your ass to the table and help figure out how to fix it.” That the GOP would opt to do neither because of an anti-Obama political calculation is incredible to me.

In hindsight, the role of the GOP during this episode wasn’t one of a legitimate, vibrant minority party, it was one of an anchor. I can’t imagine how Republicans can feel anything other than disgust for their representatives in Washington at the way this ended up playing out.

After going round and round about the need responsibility for each person in our country to be politically active at the local, state, and national scene, it comes down to this: I want BOTH sides to shop shilling to their party and get their act together.  Explain to me what facts both sides can agree on, and discuss the implications.  BACK IT UP WITH INDEPENDENT DATA.  And be ready to give thoughtful answers, not sound bites.  Even if I disagree with you, I’ll respect you.  And frankly, very few that are actively involved in politics right now (be you a grassroots activist, member of Congress, or Tea Party anarchist*) have my respect.

* And seriously, Tea Partiers.  Stop with the racial slurs and homophobic rants.  And please, please quit spitting on people.  With flu season not yet over and your opposition to universal health care, we can’t afford to have your germs all over people.

Comments

[Jeremy]

Reasonable people on the whole don't donate money, knock on doors for campaigns, or even vote in primaries. Hence reasonable people continue to get ignored.

[Mom]

You said exactly what I have been feeling very elegantly. Thanks!