The Anti Party – Hut!

Now republicans want to be known as the party of Trump and the party of anti gay rights.

The Trump data is reported from poll results conducted the week of May 16^th. The Anti gay issue occurred in full view of the American people on Thursday, May 19^th in the House of Representatives in Washington DC. Live on camera. With shouts of ‘Shame!’ At least we had the shouts.

So going forward republicans have to deal with both discrimination AND with Trump.

How on earth did they get into such a pickle? And now the NRA, too?

Let’s see how they got here. Later we can ask the question: “Is this their final destination or just a rest stop?”

From what I can tell the self promotion model Trump employs is simple: determine what is popular to hate within our culture, then spout an extreme solution, or better yet, complain loudly about the problem but don’t offer any solution to the problem.

Example: Illegal immigration. Throw ‘em out. Send ‘em back! Build a wall. Make them pay for it.

It isn’t that simple. We all know it. If it were we would have done it by now. No. The fact of the matter is small government people say ‘protect me’ but you can’t move 12 million illegals without budget, buses, international law support, etc. To get all of that will take even more money. And money is the tool of big government people, so no, small government people block access to the solutions.

Bill Clinton tried a compromise approach; denied. George W. Bush tried a compromise approach with lots of project management support from John McCain; also denied by congress which was republican at the time and on a roll. Obama at the beginning of his presidency invited bi-partisan ideas to solve the problem. Only Democrats replied; republicans shrugged their shoulders and turned their back. I guess they were saying at that early hour – “No way are we going to help Obama accomplish anything.” And they stuck to that mantra.

Now I know this makes Obama look weak. But there is a boomerang fact: In the American democracy of fame and fortune, it takes a trilateral government of checks and balances to get anything done. It does not fall on one person. Or one party. It requires engagement by all parties to do the work that benefits the American nation and its people for the long term.

And that’s the failure. Right there. The blame does not stick to Obama. He has tried every manner of strategy and compromise to entice the republicans out of hiding and into engagement to manage the nation’s issues. All to no avail.

At that point the blame does shift and stick: to the republicans, their elected representatives and their leaders. In fact their very ideology is on the line. This isn’t about big or small government, or conservative versus liberal ideology, either. It is simply about getting the right things done for the good of the American people. If that work is not getting done, then the barrier people are at fault and it’s time to call them out on it.

Trump is a symptom and result. He is not the cause. Blind ideology and Not In My Backyard ideology is to blame.

So, what to do at this late date?

I have an idea: stop talking about people and candidates. Start talking about problems and issues that matter. And begin the arduous task of figuring out solutions for the short and long term. It will take years to get us out of the mess we are in. But I believe we can do this if we do it together.

Usually that stratagem works only if threatened by an external enemy. Well this time, the enemy is us and it is a powerful one! To slay the beast we have to step outside of ourselves for the good of all of us, and get to work fixing things.

Let’s start with education both local and national. Then let’s work on international affairs. Fixing roads, bridges, infrastructure would put a lot of people to work and build a base upon which business and industry and continue to work and compete on the world stage. Rebuilding our energy structure including both electrical and natural gas, would re-position us away from oil and toward renewable energy resources. That's four big projects to focus on. Easy! So let's get with it.

If we set our people free to create and work hard I have faith that we will move mountains. If we only take the time to talk to young people, talk to drug addicts, talk with fresh entrepreneurs, women breaking free of age-old stereotypes and all the other creative folk in our midst, I think you would come away with an ebullient and positive mindset. We can do this. We are a great nation. We have been idling while the world has marched on. It is time we got in stride and marched to our own cadence.

Hut – two – three – Hut – three – four – Hut – four – five – Hut!!

Now we’re getting somewhere!

May 23, 2016