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Nov. 7, 2004 It was said to me that it was Massachusetts liberals that gave birth to our freedom; that there were no cowboys in the bunch. I was both pleased and troubled by the content of this joke. Call me too engrossed in my passion, but I ponder things like this when I’m driving home, walking down the street, or going out to dinner with my significant other. There is a basic, fundamental wall between Democrats and Republicans. The parties no longer symbolize policy differences, but entire ideological chasms, the bridges of which, moderates, have been thrown out of Congress in favor of the Coburns, DeMints, Pelosis and Kerrys. Both sides, like it or not, contribute to the strength of this damaging divide. Republicans in Congress have rammed through a majority Conservative agenda these past four years, and have rarely extended a hand to Democrats. With the exception of McCain and Feingold, moderation was pushed aside. They have abused their Congressional majority and spurned bipartisanship as something like a waste of time. But why shouldn’t they? Republicans won the 2002 and 2004 elections without extending their hands to Democrats. That signal seems to say that bipartisanship isn’t necessary when winning elections. Republicans have won elections solely based on the fact that they are not willing to reach out to Democrats, and Democrats have won elections much the same way. Congressional demigods like Frist, DeLay and Santorum represent a radical but controlling effert within the Republican Party to finally wrest it from the moderate and principled leadership of the Doles, McCains, Specters and Lugar. Just as Democrats must resist this movement from the Pelosi-Boxer-Kerry contingent, so must Republicans resist it from their partisan bedfellows. Had Republicans been responsible and offered bipartisanship on more than simple, token issues, perhaps people who were lighter shades of red would be more understanding. The 2004 gains have only proven to men like Santorum that they can be popular while staying partisan hacks. The threat to the Republican party now is that they may, with their new power, overreach their bounds as the Democrats did. That is when the lighter shades of red will have had enough. Republican victories in Congress should be held responsibly, but probably will not be. The Republicans must still reach out to Democrats and be willing to compromise, but all signs point to an even less compromising White House and Congress over the next two to four years. They must be willing to see the other side on bills and policies, but for the sake of their majority, this probably will not happen, either. McCain, Lugar, Specter and Chafee will be increasingly marginalized. No, Republicans will probably still cram the legislative sessions with their wedge issues and agenda, bipartisanship and amiable cooperation be damned. The gains that can be made by both sides compromising will fall at the feet of the mighty partisan monster that is being given new life. What else is new? ------------ About the author: Max Burns is a 17-year-old Democrat with moderate, centrist ideals. He blames John Kerry's 2004 loss on John Kerry, and is authoring a pamphlet on how to refine the Democratic Party for Victory in 2008 and beyond. For more information, check out The New Democrat. Read the fantasy-fiction novel "Alcardia". Email: DeMBurns@gmail.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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