The phrase “Moderation
in all things” is a common extrapolation of Aristotle’s Doctrine of the
Mean. It is based upon finding the mean,
or middle ground, between excess and deficiency. Today, however, particularly in the world of politics,
seeking moderation in any way, shape, or form is considered to be a cardinal sin
by Republicans and conservatives.
This past
November, the Republican National Committee (RNC) outlined ten key conservative
principles that it wanted potential Republican candidates to abide by. Essentially, it was a conservative “purity pledge”
for Republican candidates. In case you’re unfamiliar with these
Republican tenets, they are:
(1) Smaller government, smaller national debt, lower deficits, and lower taxes by opposing bills like Obama’s “stimulus” bill
(2) Market-based health care reform by opposing Obama-style government run healthcare;
(3) Market-based energy reforms by opposing cap and trade legislation;
(4) Workers’ right to secret ballot by opposing card check
(5) Legal immigration and assimilation into American society by opposing amnesty for illegal immigrants;
(6) Victory in Iraq and Afghanistan by supporting military-recommended troop surges;
(7) Containment of Iran and North Korea, particularly effective action to eliminate their nuclear weapons threat
(8) Retention of the Defense of Marriage Act;
(9) Protecting the lives of vulnerable persons by opposing health care rationing and denial of health care and government funding of abortion; and
(10) The right to keep and bear arms by opposing government restrictions on gun ownership.
What I find interesting is that in all but three of the principles, the word “opposing” appears. As I see it, the Republican party is positioning itself as the party that opposes anything and everything Obama, no questions asked.
But
there is yet some hope. There must still
be some moderate sensibilities somewhere within the Republican party power structure, since
a few months later, in January of this year, the party rejected the purity
test. Instead of approving a plan
that would have required GOP
candidates to meet at least eight of ten policy questions to receive national
support and funding, the RNC approved a rule that only urges party leaders to support nominees who back the party’s
platform.
I’m not sure how
things got to be this way, how seeking to find a middle ground on virtually any
matter whatsoever has become such a contemptuous act to those on the
right. But these days any Republican, no
matter how conservative, is in the crosshairs of Tea Partiers and ultra conservative
right-wing activists if he or she in any way engages in discussions with “the
other side” or seeks compromise in the interest of getting something
accomplished. Such actions are apparently
considered to be disloyal at best and treasonous at worst.
As a result, for
the upcoming mid-term elections in November, a number of moderate Republicans
are in deep do-do. Three-term Republican
Senator Bob Bennett of Utah lost his bid
for the Republican nomination when Tea Party activists prevailed at a state
convention. Bennett apparently sometimes
cavorted with the enemy (Senate Democrats) in his misguided efforts to solve
problems. He was found guilty of
reasonable behavior and political compromise.
Even the venerable
John McCain, who, during his run for the presidency claimed with pride to be a
“maverick” and now denies ever having so claimed, is in jeopardy
of losing his Senate seat. McCain is clinging
to a very narrow lead for the Republican Senate nomination in Arizona against
Tea Party fav J.D.
Hayworth, who, before serving in Congress for 12 years, was a TV
sportscaster and conservative radio talk show host
Praise Allah, pass the ammunition
Is it any wonder
that the Republican party is so screwed up?
Texas governor Rick Perry, a Republican, blames God for
the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. “From
time to time,” Perry is quoted as saying, “there are going to be things that
occur that are acts of God that cannot be prevented.” Okay, to believers in God, Hurricane Katrina
could be considered an act of God. So is
that erupting volcano in Iceland (I’m not even going to attempt to spell its name) an
act of God. But this oil spill, Governor
Perry, is an act of man...and a preventable act of man. Duh!
And in something
that I find totally Bizarro, Republicans, who oppose the notion of reading suspected
terrorists their Miranda rights, letting them talk to lawyers, or pretty much
giving them any human rights whatsoever, believe that their right to buy firearms must be protected!
Kowtowing to the NRA position that limits of
any kind on gun ownership should be opposed, Republicans
rejected a proposal that would have restricted suspected terrorists from
buying guns...any kind of guns...even assault rifles. So Republicans feel that, while the laws
prevent convicted felons from buying guns, Islamic extremists, even those on
the FBI’s watch list, should not be prevented from exercising their “God-given
right” to buy and own firearms. Or is
that their “Allah-given right”?
Yes indeed, the
inmates are running the asylum.
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