Greed: One Republican Advantage We May Never Overcome

I was reading a recommended diary by Dr. Bob called Strong Indications that Dean & Netroots Are Changing the Game, which talks about the enaction of the 50-state strategy and suggestions that it's starting to work.  Of course, this is all faboo, but it got me thinking that the Republicans will always have one advantage over us: they'll always be the party of immediate self-interest, and if there's one thing people are good at, it's voting for self-interest.

Doesn't it seem that way to you?  Take universal health care.  If you took the "who is going to pay for it" question out of it and looked at it strictly from a moral standpoint, I think a vast majority would say "yes, in one of the richest countries in the world, it is shameful and immoral that people, even (especially) children, do not have some form of health care."  If you take the money issue out, it's hard to make a reasonable argument against universal health care, isn't it?

However, after a brief resurgence in the 2004 election, universal health care has kind of dropped out of view.  I think part of that is when you say "universal health care," most people who are on the fence think "I'll have to pay more in taxes," followed immediately by "I already have health care," and, the coup de grace, "I don't want my money going to someone who is just sitting there not working for a living" (assuming that once gets health care through employment).  It's very easy for health care industry-backed politicians (OK, usually Republicans) to push people over to the dark side: sure, it's morally wrong, but I'll only vote for it if I don't have to pay for it.

You can prtactically see the cartoon angel on the left shoulder and the cartoon devil on the right, can't you?

You can make similar arguments for a bunch of issues.  The estate tax, public broadcasting, homelessness --- you can make a pretty good list if you put your mind to it.  As Bradley Whitford was screaming on Real Time with Bill Maher, "Where's the Christianity?"

That's one reason why I visit DailyKos so often, and why I call myself a progressive: although the progressive movement isn't necessarily a religious one (which is good, because if there's one thing this administration has illustrated, it's the danger of the intermingling of church and state), it doesn align itself with Christian teaching.  If you took most of the Republicans I know and forced them to live by "do unto others as you would have them do unto you," I'm pretty sure they'd just wilt.  (Which is funny, because they'll teach their pre-school-aged children to share.  I guess it stops in adolescence.)  One of them in particular, a friend of mine, believes that the only way for this country to financially compete is to do away with minimum wage.  Really?  THAT'S the direction this country should be headed?

I think this progressive movement is the right path, because it's a mature way to live and govern.  It rewards the achievers, but doesn't leave people behind in suffering.

Now, if only the rest of the country would grow up, for a freakin' change, we could actually get somewhere.  :)