Remember:
It’s not R v. D. It is Reformers v. The Combine.
That said, most of the time R > D.
So think tactically.
Don’t make an imaginary best the enemy of a tangible good.
Don’t make an imaginary better the cause of a tangible harm.
Don’t personalize or hold grudges: We don’t just want to change people, we want people to change. Welcome it when it happens.
But remember:
The long game is make the GOP the reform party.
I no longer think in terms of ideologies and foreign policy is my main focus. IMO, R is not greater than D in this aspect, although they are barely better, if often equally bad.
I do not see myself returning to either party, but looking at each candidate and issue individually.
I wish others well, but this is where I go my own way :)
Be well, all.
Hmm, that is confusing. I have zero interest in maneuvering this way or that. The best policy or truth is not held by one party or one ideology. I am done with all that. The unthinking, IMO< hawks are back in the GOP–or never left–and I so I go my own way.
1)
If we are getting mathematical, lim [R-D] —>0. The difference is approaching zero, especially at the national level where collusion between the two in acting against the interest of the country and its citizens is becoming the norm.
2)
We do not have enough time left as a nation for a game that long.
I pick my candidates individually also. Granting that I have yet to find a contemporary Democrat at any level who is not an enemy of the Constitution, but they are depressingly common amongst Republicans too.
Subotai Bahadur
OnParkStreet, go your own way. You are not an activist and you are not trying to influence the public conversation. So, you have one vote. Use it as you see fit. To people who do want to have an impact, I stand by what I have written here. One party is reformable and can become an instrument of change, and is in the process of doing so.
SB, by and large the GOP at least professes things I far prefer to what the Ds profess. And the Ds are at this point mainly the party of the public employees unions. I stand by, R > D, most of the time.
I agree with Lex, there is no possibility of a limited government reform movement within the D. At least there has been some such effect within the R over the last several years by both libertarian and tea party activists. Those are both in lower case for the obvious reasons.
Crony capitalism within R is easier to root out than progressive statism fueled by broad direct-entitlement constituencies in D. This simply based on the economic power of small business owners who are practically attracted to the broad positions in R. The only debate within D is how entitlement and statist do you want to go. No hope there. They do have a big enough tent to include the crony capitalists in a nice national socialist Brave New State.
I’d venture that guess that the more opt out of trying to reach critical mass in reforming R, the more it will be D takes it all. They may do so anyway, but if the only other team in town walks off the field, they win by default. I’m not optimistic as the long game may prove to be too long, but I won’t stop trying so long as there is any hope. Is there really any other alternative? Just how did those few Revolutionaries win our independence. They might have been the most surprised group involved.
Mike
Mike, I disagree in part. There are plenty of people on the Left who genuinely want the government to help people who need it. Getting them to understand a few things could generate some push for reform. 1. Government support of those in need requires a thriving private economy to pay for it, 2. the existing arrangements are not working and need to be fundamentally reformulated, not just funded at higher and higher levels, 3. being captives of the public sector employees unions makes the Ds ineffective and non-credible spokesmen for public policies and for reforming the public sector, and 4. crony capitalism is against their most basic principles.
There is a lot more but that is something to get started with.
We are in the late 1840’s and will soon be in the ’50’s.
The chasm between the collectivist vision of life and the individualist’s is not capable of being bridged by discussion or rational pleading. It is, as it’s current ally of convenience, Islamic fascism, a total system of living which intrudes into all areas and mandates all things, both physical acts and intellectual beliefs.
We have, through our own folly and naivete’, allowed both of these serpents to hatch and grow into their modern, poisonous adulthood.
This confrontation will not be resolved by friendly persuasion. (And if your wondering if that is a movie reference, it is, and a very pointed one, at that)