How often have you heard the refrain in this diary title from a friend or acquaintance that the Democratic and Republican parties are indistinguishable, that they are "all the same"?
While this Naderesque view is a meme oft-repeated by the politically uninformed, sadly a significant number of US citizens do have this perspective, and it's no more evident than in the abysmal voter turnout performance that plagues this nation election after election.
Even despite the abject corruption, incompetence and world-image devastation the Bush-Cheney administration has wrought upon this wonderful country, many citizens remain ambivalent about politics, perhaps the result of either lack of intellectual curiousity or just a malaise-like disgust reflected in a "one-person-can't-make-a-difference" attitude.
How many people do you know like this?
More on the flip...
Recently one of my best friends, a semi-radical independent, responded to a politically disinterested acquaintance who sees politics in the view that "there's no difference between Democrats and Republicans".
I thought his message would be worth sharing with this community. It represents both a template others can use to communicate with those who hold similar negative views toward politics, and also provides insight from the perspective of a strong political independent who understands that the Democratic Party, warts and all, may well be the only viable institution that can return this country to sanity.
Letter below is used with the author's permission:
Dear xxx,
Regarding Republicans vs. Democrats, I know how you feel when thinking that there seem to be 'no differences' between them . . . that's why I voted Independent in 2000. And although they both, to a large degree, seem to 'feed from the same trough', I still think that fundamentally there is still a difference between the two Major Parties. While there are always going to be Politicians from both sides who get caught doing questionable, immoral or illegal acts (and the Republicans are quick to point out these instances: e.g. Democrat William Jefferson of Louisiana and his recent stash of $90,000 of frozen cash), the difference that I have observed is that with the Democrats, the illegal activities usually reflect the moral failings of an individual. The Republican corruption has (de-)evolved into something more sinister and systemic. It is definitely a 'culture of corruption' which is extremely organized, structured, and administered from the top down. Think of Dick Cheney, Karl Rove, Tom Delay, the 'Permanent Republican Majority' of former Senator Rick Santorum's 'K Street Project', etc., etc. The GOP is and for a long time has been the Party of 'The Ends Justify the Means'. Only difference is that like a really bad virus, they mutate into something much more virulent with each passing generation. We expect dirty tricks, Cronyism, Corruption and lies from them (remember Nixon?), but have never seen it on a scale like this.
They have become masters at spinning to the public what they know will elicit a mostly emotional, positive response - God, Flag and a twisted, hypocritical version of 'morality'. They are Machiavellian, almost in a pure sense. It should be so easy for those who will simply take a little time to use some analytical reasoning to conclude that these people are almost always the exact opposite of what they purport to be. Healthy Forests = clear cutting; Clean Skies = rollback of Air Quality Laws; No Child Left Behind = no WEALTHY child left behind - etc., etc. Think about the history of this despicable Party. So many of the things we take for granted as rights or expressions of the decency, compassion and fairness of the American people, they have actively fought from the very beginning. Examples: Child Labor Laws in the early 1900's, a Woman’s Right to Vote, Social Security, The Civil Rights Act, Medicare & Medicaid, The Minimum Wage, Campaign Finance Reform, Strong Public Schools, Equal access for Gay Americans to serve their Country in the military, affordable Health Care for all - the list seems endless. And while some Democrats were against these things as well, it was the Democratic Party that ultimately became the Champion and Administrator of these issues. Yet somehow the G.O.P. has successfully managed to frame themselves as 'moral' and more outrageously, through inference, as 'the Party of God'. Don't know about you, but any person or Group that says they are more Godly than anyone else, I usually run from. Their TRUE religion is that of the almighty dollar. Almost always has been and unless some drastic change occurs, always will be. They are to me, by definition, fascists, because their goal is the fusion of Government, Big Business and Religion. As Sinclair Lewis wrote 'when fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross'. It's a sham. The Republicans' one shining moment was at their Party's inception - when they were the 'Party of Lincoln'. Lincoln nor Jesus Christ would get through their front door today.
So when I'm told by a frustrated friend that 'oh, well - they're all equally corrupt', I have to vehemently disagree. The muddying of the waters of the perception between the Parties is yet another tool that helps perpetuate the GOP's control over the Electorate. A hopeless, apathetic people will not turn out and vote; the 'freedom and democracy-loving' Republican Party has always benefited from and encouraged the suppression of the people exercising such freedoms at the ballot box (they benefit from low voter turnout). When uncomfortable, frustrated, rank and file Republicans try and give today's GOP a pass with the 'oh, they're all the same' excuse, I feel it my duty to attempt to recap all the horrific things this Administration has done and use the 'shoe on the other foot' analogy; that is, what would they think if a Democrat had done the same things? Would they still feel that these two parties share equally in the treachery that today's GOP has inflicted on our Country, our Constitution, our reputation and today’s military? I doubt it seriously. So while I am extremely frustrated with most Democrats for their relative inaction, unfortunately for us all, it would seem that the only slim chance we have of regaining any semblance of a functioning Democracy is to work with them, light a fire under their collective asses, and hold them accountable for defeating the Death Star that is the GOP.
An Independent, working with the Democrats
p.s. – try this; be persistent – WRITE LETTERS (hand written) – make phone calls . . . and chill every now and then . . . don’t allow frustration to overwhelm you. You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish! Be positive!
Another perspective I gained from this letter is to make a conscious effort to prevent/avoid the insularity trap that we progressives can occasionally fall into...e.g. we sometimes seek a natural comfort level by associating only with like-minded people. We must avoid this insularity. Progressives must reach out to the ambivalent, the disenchanted, and the disaffected to take back our government.