Sunday, December 03, 2006
STAY IN THE MAINSTREAM
Were the leaders of the new democrat majority in the Congress to ask the Militant Moderate for his advice, it would be the very simple principle: STAY IN THE MAINSTREAM.
The people of the country wanted a change. They were tired of a government that would not listen nor heed their voice. They were tired of a war with no goals relevant to them, and no end in sight. The were tired of government which catered to only one sector of America -- the business and social elite. The people were tired of incompetence and ineptness. They were tired of a government which did little to control either its own fiscal extravagances or the rapacious pillaging of public and personal budgets by special interests. They were tired of a government which would neither enforce its own immigration laws nor protect its own workers and home industries in trade laws and outsourcing.
But democrats must be cautious lest they become distracted by the siren songs of the disenchanted minorities in their midst.
This win was not an opportunity for the pursuit of the gay/lesbian agenda, nor was it an endorsement for the enlargement of the victim and protected categorizations. This was not a victory for the "finger in the face" attitudes and legal challenges of those who disrespect traditional societal views, national symbols, or authority of any kind. People actually do resent usurpation of the meaning of marriage, and many still find public display of gay affection disturbing. Eventually most may become tolerant, if not accepting, of certain more limited domestic contracts, but this is not the right timing.
The election was not an endorsement for abortion, although it may have been something of a repudiation of government intrusion and interference in private and family affairs (as per the Schiavo case). This whole issue is more one of freedom and liberty. It has to do with efforts of some to (unconstitutionally) "establish religion" into the laws of the nation, thereby seeking to criminalize certain of our liberties and our freedoms. Americans must remain free to "pursue life, liberty, and happiness," values inherent in our republic. Americans must remain free to live their own private lives and to die with dignity in their own time -- free from government intrusion based upon someone else's religious creed. This issue needs to be reframed positively in the public forum.
It is important that democrats stay in the mainstream on the issue of immigration. Nobody favors illegal immigration, and everybody wants border security. Few really expect every illegal immigrant over the last two decades to be rounded up and deported, but nearly everyone expects the most recent trasgressors to experience just that fate. Everybody expects strong employer penalties and strict enforcement. Everybody thinks that illegal immigrants should be registered, enrolled, accounted, and traced.
The people have rejected the republican "fix" for Social Security, which had a marked resemblance to the life-changing procedure the veterinarian performs on pets. However, there are simple adjustments that may be made in Social Security, which will preserve it in its traditional form as a safety net for all workers. Be cautious with this one.
There is a mainstream on most issues, and democrats should be careful of political tangents off that mainstream if they expect to compete for the hearts and minds of the electorate in 2008.
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
The people of the country wanted a change. They were tired of a government that would not listen nor heed their voice. They were tired of a war with no goals relevant to them, and no end in sight. The were tired of government which catered to only one sector of America -- the business and social elite. The people were tired of incompetence and ineptness. They were tired of a government which did little to control either its own fiscal extravagances or the rapacious pillaging of public and personal budgets by special interests. They were tired of a government which would neither enforce its own immigration laws nor protect its own workers and home industries in trade laws and outsourcing.
But democrats must be cautious lest they become distracted by the siren songs of the disenchanted minorities in their midst.
This win was not an opportunity for the pursuit of the gay/lesbian agenda, nor was it an endorsement for the enlargement of the victim and protected categorizations. This was not a victory for the "finger in the face" attitudes and legal challenges of those who disrespect traditional societal views, national symbols, or authority of any kind. People actually do resent usurpation of the meaning of marriage, and many still find public display of gay affection disturbing. Eventually most may become tolerant, if not accepting, of certain more limited domestic contracts, but this is not the right timing.
The election was not an endorsement for abortion, although it may have been something of a repudiation of government intrusion and interference in private and family affairs (as per the Schiavo case). This whole issue is more one of freedom and liberty. It has to do with efforts of some to (unconstitutionally) "establish religion" into the laws of the nation, thereby seeking to criminalize certain of our liberties and our freedoms. Americans must remain free to "pursue life, liberty, and happiness," values inherent in our republic. Americans must remain free to live their own private lives and to die with dignity in their own time -- free from government intrusion based upon someone else's religious creed. This issue needs to be reframed positively in the public forum.
It is important that democrats stay in the mainstream on the issue of immigration. Nobody favors illegal immigration, and everybody wants border security. Few really expect every illegal immigrant over the last two decades to be rounded up and deported, but nearly everyone expects the most recent trasgressors to experience just that fate. Everybody expects strong employer penalties and strict enforcement. Everybody thinks that illegal immigrants should be registered, enrolled, accounted, and traced.
The people have rejected the republican "fix" for Social Security, which had a marked resemblance to the life-changing procedure the veterinarian performs on pets. However, there are simple adjustments that may be made in Social Security, which will preserve it in its traditional form as a safety net for all workers. Be cautious with this one.
There is a mainstream on most issues, and democrats should be careful of political tangents off that mainstream if they expect to compete for the hearts and minds of the electorate in 2008.
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
