Fmr Republican: Bob & Sue want. Do they have?

In his/her diary, our newfound convert MC71 overs his insight into a hypothetical Republican Bob & Sue's wishlist -- breadcrumbs for their Hansel & Gretel journey to feeling good about themselves and a possible vote for mystical Democratic approaches.

I'm a tad cynical here, but I'm reminded of a drowning man thrown two life preservers, one serviceable, one in flames, and he refuses the useful one because it has a union label.

Still, after the jump, I've tried to address Bob & Sue in as compassionate but firm a way as possible. To suggest that, to borrow the words of Paul, that ultimate right winger and mysoginist: When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

joooomp!

The Republican Bob and Sue:

1.    Bob and Sue love America.  They will not listen to anyone who THEY believe does not.  One of the main reasons that they are afraid of Liberals is that they act above them on an intellectual level.  Bob and Sue don't like that too much.  They read too.  They just don't have time.

B&S should be gently reminded that Love does mean having to say you're sorry. Love means high expectations and also forgiveness of most differences. And that it requires hard, often unglamorous work to maintain. In many cases, that work is understanding and the search for it. Or it is mere acceptance of difference and contentment with our non-understanding. B&S should gently be encouraged that not "knowing" is not reason for insecurity, because, as a wise man once said, "The more I come to know, the more I know I don't know." Down that path of true humility lays power and patience. A busy life doesn't entitle one to certitude and obstinacy any more than a satchel of Diplomas should.  And certitude is seldom any more useful than ideology in a world known for change. But B&S might consider that "lack of time to keep up with ones reading" is seldom a wise answer when questioned about one's poor choices, and pretending that knowledge or experiences do not matter or effect outcome would be foolish. Another wise man once said: "An error doesn't become a mistake until you refuse to correct it."

2.    Bob and Sue cannot define why we are in Iraq.  They once knew, but the reasons evolved and changed so often, that they no longer know.  They do know one thing.  Tom, Sue's brother has an 18-year-old son over there.  Bob and Sue are torn on whether to support or oppose this war, given that Tom's son will be there for the next year either way.

What B&S once "knew" was never a factually supportable reason for rushing to war, merely a somewhat imperfectly human but compelling action in response to the gross insult they felt at 9-11. I don't have an imaginary relative, I have a real one, who did 5 hops in OIF and Afghanistan. And he just retired, after 20 years, out of frustration--the last 18 months working on the joint anti-IED task force--knowing full well that the C4 in many IEDs came form overlooked and unguarded bunkers like those at Al Qa Qaa from the early post-war fall. B&S need to take a deep breath and allow that their suspicion of government ought to extend to the senior levels of military leadership if they truly worry about troopers well being.  

3.    Bob and Sue voted for Reagan in 1984, not against Mondale.  Twenty years later, they voted against Kerry, not for Bush.

B&S voted against taxes in 1984, not for fiscal discipline. Remember the "hard work" part of love, and loving ones country? Pay as you go, invest in the future, are fundamental to a reciprocal bond like love. Twenty years later, they voted against reasoned examination of the facts, and they did so out of embarrassment--hoping against much reasonableness to be vindicated, to have their misguided and manipulated belief in #2 above rescued from the trash dump of history.

4.    Bob and Sue hate when their tax dollars are wasted.  They work hard.  Besides, who can spend their money better:  Bob and Sue, or Uncle Sam.  This issue is one of the main reasons Bob votes Republican.

Bob votes Republican so he can tell himself he's being a "practical man." B&S should be shown the balance sheets of Medicare and those of Cigna, Aetna, USHealth and others. They will find that private sector healthcare companies are ravenous bureaucracies with administrative costs and "waste" levels 4 and 5 times of government run medical services. B&S should be told that investment in infrastructure creates roughly 6 private sector dollars for every 1 public buck spent. That that money creates downstream economic development, job and cultural benefits to local communities far better than using it as targeted tax givebacks to stadium and big box developers. B&S should be reminded of one of their favorite head-nodding cliches: There's no such thing as a free lunch.

5.    Bob and Sue worry about retirement.  Bob will point out that the stock market is up well over 33% from its low point following September 11th and the corporate accounting scandals.  In fact, he just checked today, the Dow Jones Industrial Average hit an all time high.

Bob and Sue should be told to worry about an Investor Recovery containing weak Job Creation and ask why their wages are comparatively flat since the 70s when inflation--reality--is factored in. They should ask why all the "bragging points" of the Middle American success story are all floating away on the wind for people who paid their dues? Delta pensions, US Steel, GM, the lot are bailing on their promises and a Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation that's supposed to backstop the failures is broke. B&S should ask why financial services cos got a bankruptcy bill that protects their silly and greedy strategic business choices? Why are they--Citi, Cap One, MBNA and BoA--allowed to dump easy credit with lots of fine print on many un-savvy or (traditionally) un-creditworthy folk, and those people are now left to twist in the wind? Garnishment for the poor or average, and do-overs for the stockholders and executives of the Banks?

6.    Bob and Sue own a gun, and love their rights as American citizens.  They fear liberals taking away their guns.  After all, what else is left if you cannot protect yourself from your government?

B&S need to ask how their .303 Winchester is going to do against Microwave crowd-control weapons, Depleted Uranium rounds and reactive armour equipped SWAT vehicles. (Not to to mention FLIR-quipped Apache helicopters with hellfire missiles.) B&S need to consider that if their arsenal of pop guns is all that's available, a better solution might be to work to rein in an Armament- and Police-state happy Republican party. B&S can keep their guns, if they register them the same way others register cars, dogs and wedding patterns and show ID for pharmacy prescriptions.

7.    Bob and Sue love the environment.  Recently, they took a trip to the Grand Canyon.  It was a remarkable experience.  But they get pretty upset when Democrats talk about "dirty fuels".  You see, Bob works at a coal company.  Will the Democrats practice what they preach when Bob gets laid off?  Sue is skeptical.  Besides, similar to Iraq, Sue doesn't believe the Democrats have proposed a rational alternative.

Democrats propose, Republicans dispose. The ideas are plentiful and economically exciting -- new industries and opportunites that would breathe fresh air and vitality into flagging, wheezing--in many ways--maturing industrial sectors. And most are DOA because they deny what made this country great up until now--an explorer's courage and curiosity and the drive to create a better life out of unknowns. B&S are happier, safer, better fed and doctored, more entertained and pampered than any human binegs this planet has ever seen. In short, thanks to previous generations' hard work and sacrifice, they have evolved into something they tell their own children never to be: Complacent, and unambitious.  B&S need to ask, "Do I Tell my kids 'No pain, no gain'?" We know the answer, yet some how they follow leaders who tell them fairy tales that circumvent their wise parenting. Progress without sacrifice leads to entitlement and brittle arrogance - it leads to poor character and jealousy over losing that which you are not sure you deserve, or can create for yourself. It leads to pessimism. If B&S choose to call others who urge them to greater heights of freedom, equality and opportunity "pessimists" or "socialists", they must consider that they do so only to feel better about their own lowered standards.

8.    Bob and Sue are slightly afraid of Muslims.  They know in their heart that an entire religion cannot be evil.  Yet, Bill O'Reilly had this story on the other night about Muslims burning American Flags because of some cartoon.  Sue was pretty scared.

And we renamed a Belgian-invented food, called French Fries here, out of simple pique with an uncompliant ally. And we belittled our "Old Europe" allies who've lived through millennia of ego-fired vengeance, rubble and decimation our young country has little inkling of. Bob and Sue aren't slightly afraid, they are quite afraid--because they have been told to be very afraid; except when they're being told to be tolerant but vigilant--vigilant of people who look like our "good friends" the Saudis or our "not freinds" called Iranians who look and sound like the Saudis. B&S know that when in doubt, trust little, and only friends, and suspect all others. B&S notice that the group called "All others" now includes people who exercise frustration with a government that abandons entire cities to floods called "Biblical vengeance" by some.

9.    Bob and Sue are slightly afraid of illegal immigrants.  To her credit, Sue has made some progress.  She's made a friend at the local Church who has three jobs, and wants to become a citizen some day.  Bob is skeptical.  "Which part of `illegal' do you not understand?"

Bob and Sue are aware they are supposed "be afraid" of illegal immigrants, and see more of them than they used to, but probably have little interaction with any number of them. B&S probably have names like Perino, O'Relly, Dufresne, Donough, Knox, Young, Alexander, Kane, Carroll, Pantele, Jonson, Brady, Yost and Korthuis. They might ask why so many Smiths, Joneses and Browns. Not so many Whiteclouds or Shotekas, Oglala, Chumash, Maricopa names. "Which part of illegal" is a fine question, Bob and Sue. As is, which part of immigrant or indigenous history is conveniently forgotten?

10.    Bob and Sue want change.  They admire the Democratic Party that they grew up with.  Bob cried when President Kennedy was shot.  And his brother.  In recent years however, they tend to believe Sean Hannity's assessment more and more: That the Democrats cannot be trusted.

Yes, trust is the key. It must be granted as well as earned, in small steps together, toward a common and honestly stated goal. But the only way trust can be sustained is by its not being mistaken for a series of hoops of infallibility which one must jump through that certain others need not. Trust is truth, and Truth is trust. Both assure fairness of outcome. I must show good faith to you, and you must reciprocate. But neither should fool the other, nor feign some pretend ideal while actually living another, lesser, but more humanly imperfect existence--a more honest and real one--when out of sight. When the word "trust" is used as coinage in these kind of imbalanced and impossible relationships, resentment and revenge overcome possibility and humanity. Should-be friends become unnecessary enemies because "Take" overpowered "Give."

Bob & Sue might ask, Do we want change? Or do we really want convenient change, which is an historical myth. They are grown, and good parents and workers to boot. But they allow their "busy" lives to excuse "outsourcing" the critical thing that makes America possible: Thinking for ones self. They fall prey to short cuts and glad handers who promise to exalt Bob & Sue's ideas and ideals, then mug them at the first opportunity. They might wonder how we came to this pass, one where mistaken wars and inept security, failed disaster relief and false morality or virtue, advantage to the most comfortable and America viewed as global pariah all bundled together into a package that has them saying: "Good thing the Democrats haven't been in charge these last 5 presidential or 15 congressional years."

Bob and Sue might wonder. They might consider that virtue is an internal choice and one should not need to be chided or cajoled into hearing its call. And they perhaps ought to remember, once again, the words of the man over whose death Bob shed a tear:

"An error doesn't become a mistake until you refuse to correct it."