As a movement, liberals tend to adhere to values such as, oh, facts, scientific principles, empathy, understanding and, oh yes - reality. Well, we hold the pursuit of these objectives to be important, anyway. We measure our success in words and deeds by these standards - as do our progressive peers.
Most of all, even if we quarrel (sometimes willfully), even if we (sometimes very willfully) alienate natural allies because, dammit, this time WE are absolutely in the right... we mean well. We want good things - we work toward the greater good, for ourselves and our posterity (a la the Preamble) and, even though they are set off into a frenzy over it, we do what we do for the benefit of our brethren on the right, too.
We adhere to a moral code - as once, though by a very different path, our conservative brethren once did. But not anymore, for they have been steeped in a condition that you just want hear liberals often use:
They're wicked. And I don't mean "wicked smaht" (nod to mem from somerville for that one). I mean steeped in wickedness.
Perhaps the Republican party was ever thus, just smarmy about it. No more. They're loud and proud about it - if it hurts the weak, deprives the poor, injures the sick further, endangers the vulnerable, ends the dying, condemns the accused, harms any one in any way particular or generic - they are now for it.
The Rise of the Wicked Republicans
They weren't always like this. A bit stiff, perhaps - I mean, that's what being conservative is for. Judgmental - heh. That's never been different. But they were never so ... openly, so casually and enthusiastically vile, to the point that
- kicking indigent patients into the street to die was cool.
- lying to get justification to obliterate non-threatening nation-states was righteous
- obliterating civilian populations of said nation-states in the six figures was a success metric
- throwing one in five going on one in four U.S. children into poverty was not a flaw nor just a feature but a selling point of active policy
- telling pregnant women to keep on walking ... til they die, and their babies with them... was the height of pro-life excellence
This last point, this horror show anti-choice bill that the House passed this week, was the limit for me.
I've been quiet diary-wise for a while - there is a lot to say lately, but other voices were doing a fine job saying it. Also... I, like many of you, deal with a mix of ethical dilemmas. For example, I support #OWS, big time... but my paychecks are signed by a member of the wider financial services industry. I can't be in the streets.
But I can determine the difference between differences of opinion around the pursuit of the greater good - and outright villainy.
And I can raise that distinction to others.
The Republicans have successfully branded good as evil and painted themselves, cheerfully, into a corner where the way to prove one's conservative bona fides is to be as much of a monster as the Overton Window allows - and then a bit more.
They have become a party that wants to deconstruct every good thing in American society - precisely because it means well for all Americans. If it's Social Security (despite that 60-70% of recipients voted GOP in 2010) they want it gone, gone gone. If it's parks - national parks like Yosemite and even private ones like Zuccotti (heh, many especially so!) - they want them restricted from access by the rabble.
They don't want teachers teaching, or firefighters protecting lives and property, or peace officers enforcing the laws in peaceful peacekeeping ways.
They want commissars indoctrinating, they want to burn out the poor - where they go is of no account to them - and if you want a peek at what the GOP has in mind for law enforcement in their ideal America, ask the legal observer guys with the neon green hats all about it.
The Republicans have long been a totalitarian movement - they feel themselves to be the sole legitimate leaders of this great country. That their principles are the only ones worth defending. That everyone else should just shut up, sit down and let their gods, the rich, dictate things with as little interference from distractions like regulations and laws and individual rights of person and property... except for the privileges of their gods, the rich.
Sure, the Republicans want good things just for themselves, you might say - you won't like the idea (it's the height of selfishness) but it's an attitude within human and historical norms, at least.
Thing is.. the modern GOP has become something hostile even to its own supporters - most self-ID'd Republicans are north of age 45. This age range is doing nothing but getting older, a demographic trend accelerated by the sharpening, ever-accelerating divergence from the GOP agenda and any pretense of being about securing the greater good.
For some reason, "ourselves and our posterity" - meaning young voters and the generations of young voters yet to be - are just not with the GOP program.
They are increasingly, not with a Democratic program that includes a large dose of accommodation with a Republican party that this past August, lest anyone in the room forget, was close to deep-sixing the entire planetary economy...not just because it was sticking it to Obama but because it was singularly important to stop government from too easily helping too many people.
That is why no jobs bill.
That is why Eric Cantor is especially insulted by the very idea that extra disaster relief funds should be secured to help tornado and hurricane and flood victims without offsetting cuts.
It's not just sticking it to Obama; he's just one person. It's about sticking it to as many people as possible.
The point is not votes or even pinching pennies for Republicans. It is about the exercise of power and denying the opposition (everyone else) the opportunity to do the same.
And the Republicans, from top to bottom, from moderate edge to deep off the reactionary cliff, are in accord on this one point now: Power is more easily wielded to block and to harm than to build and to aid.
Thus the Republicans have chosen the path of wickedness.
Not just the path of obstructionism, but the path of active, enthusiastic, loud and proud endangerment of the peace, tranquility and welfare of these United States of America.
Not because they're traitors - but because they're just absolutely, through and through wicked.
They weren't always like this. Many of their voters aren't with that. They are starting to wonder why things even Republican base supporters need (Social Security, Veterans benefits, Medicare, Unemployment, Food Stamps, subsidized housing, roads and schools that work) are being ditched.
The Republicans, I decided a few weeks ago, would sell their harsh tone and tactics and agenda as ... chemotherapy. That government is the cancer in American society. .and they are the cure. That, if it hurts, it's showing it's working. So stop being a (pejorative for weak, whining person) and take it.
Thing is, a society is not a cancer. And eliminationist rhetoric by definition is wicked.
But wicked is what our right wing brethren have become.
They might wave the cross and the rattlesnake flag ("Don't Tread On Me") but they care nothing of divine or secular moral right. They care only for power.
And wielding power to harm is easy, and it is what these wicked fools have embraced.
Let this distinction stick with you, if nothing else does:
There is NO comparison between Democrats of any variety and these wicked things on the right.
Anyone who started with the Dems and truly was this wicked is either gone from the party (think, Lieberman) or found out in 2010 the actual consequences of treating in good faith with wicked people - they don't lay off the opportunity to stab you in the back the moment you are electorally vulnerable.
So criticize the leadership, every chance they have it coming.
And defend the leadership, when there's just no case against what they are doing.
Advocate from both sides - get into the dust-ups and the debates as advocates of the greater good. That's what Democrats do.
We have a long way to go to overcome the past schisms. Many of us are as broken from one another, from natural friends and allies, as we are from our .. this is the word to use.. our enemies. This is not right. And I am gratified to see the time of fence mending is back, now that the wickedness of the right is so overt.
All the more reason to be strong, together.
This very last is a personal note: To those I myself have, well, alienated in the past ... my utmost apologies. It's been a rough couple of years here and at different points the tensions got to me. I am aware that I have lost the trust of more than a few; I would like the chance to make it right. But we are in a deadly serious contest with the Republicans and belatedly I see there is not much point in dialogue at any level, with any of their number. I myself have done my bit in trying to reach out...but they are as a nation apart. So I have concluded that Republican voters will have to come to their own conclusions; we cannot persuade them.
What we can do to win them over is demonstrate what we are for - the greater good, in partnership with others who (even if their ways are occasionally annoying) are likewise for securing the well being of the commonwealth.
We're doing this. We just need to keep at it... and rid ourselves of distractions that, somehow, the two parties are the same side of the same coin.
Because last I checked, only one party was into turning preggers women away from hospitals to die with their babies in the street.
Because last I checked, only one party was into letting (a la Katrina) cities, no entire regions of the country, lie in ruins after storms.
Because last I checked, only one party openly called for the self-destruction of the Federal government by default (double entendre).
Because last I checked, only one party was all for branding public teachers as Untermenschen.
Because last I checked, only one party was about overturning local elections, one after the other, in the name of financial crisis.
Have the quarrels - please. We need them. But never, ever forget - there is evil in the world.
And it looks like a herd of rogue elephants, and it's dangerous even to other elephants.