Discouraged by recent extortion tactics of Congressional right-wingers in Washington, a normally upbeat, rational, forward-thinking friend asked me what I assumed was a rhetorical question: How could anyone vote to send a Republican to Congress?
I told her I’d consider doing it. In fact, I’d enthusiastically cast a ballot for one who’ll state the following:
“I feel morally compelled to acknowledge that my party and I are largely responsible for the current depressed state of our nation. We held the White House from 2001-09, and wholly controlled Congress for the first six of those years. We ardently backed our president, but today most of us with consciences are honestly too ashamed to even acknowledge his existence.
He and his advisors psychologically manipulated Americans by encouraging fear and suspicion, citing doctored ”˜intelligence,’ and ceaselessly spouting outright falsehoods in order to instigate a Middle Eastern war of choice on behalf of the military-industrial complex, hoping to create a permanent Republican supermajority.
“Unfortunately the transparently incompetent, often immoral, and willfully corrupt handling of that armed conflict not only made our nation an international pariah, it was combined with lax regulation and unprecedented wartime tax cuts to turn an inherited government surplus into a record-setting deficit while simultaneously increasing the national debt exponentially.
And since the current president entered office, my party’s movers and shakers have done everything possible to undermine him and to sabotage his efforts to initiate economic recovery, putting loyalty to their party and corporate donors far above the welfare of our nation and its citizens. I apologize for my unwitting and ultimately unhelpful involvement in all that. I was wrong. But I’ve learned from it.
“I’d further like to state that Heritage Foundation members and tea party zealots blinded by rigid ideology are no different from fanatics in other parts of the world. The refusal of any individual or group to compromise on any issue whatsoever ultimately invites their opposition to utilize similar strategy, and what results from that is invariably chaotic and disastrous.
“Certain organizations and individuals currently affiliated with my party make me ashamed to be a Republican, although I remain proud to be American. Grover Norquist doesn’t speak for me; neither does any pontificating talk-radio host, avaricious corporate lobbyist, or scripture-spouting televangelist. Too many people on both the left and the right are being force-fed high-decibel distortion, deception and disinformation 24/7 by profit-driven entities far more efficient at brainwashing than the Soviet news agency TASS was during its heyday. The only difference is that those poor Russians didn’t have the option of ignoring all that propaganda. We Americans still have the freedom to think for ourselves, but unfortunately, far too many of us intentionally or subconsciously choose not to.
“Please don’t associate me with the blow-dried infotainers and failed politicians who masquerade as commentators on Fox; they’ve just grown addicted to the greed, fame, wealth and privilege that come with celebrity. I will always try to remain above partisanship and do what’s best for my country and my constituents. There will undoubtedly be instances when I’ll disagree with my party’s leadership, and other times when I may find myself in accord with some Democrats, but on those and all other occasions I pledge the actions I’ll take will reflect common sense, the best interests of my constituents, and my own values, in that order.”
My dispirited friend shook her head. “No such person exists,” she said sadly.
It would indeed take a courageous Republican to publicly criticize the high-visibility, influential extremists who’ve hijacked the national GOP. And given the realities of politics, it would probably have to be a high-profile elected official from a small state whose popularity makes her (or his) re-election a virtual given.
Sen. Olympia Snowe’s term expires next year. She’s never gotten less than 60 percent of the vote in three previous senatorial runs. Might she be inspired to show a little backbone? Hardly; this is the same Sen. Snowe who in a October 2004 op-ed piece for Maine’s largest newspaper (co-written by fellow “moderate” Susan Collins) endorsed the re-election of a demonstrated incompetent Republican president, gushed, “(George W. Bush)”¦ is a leader who has made difficult decisions, and is taking decisive action to protect America from those who would destroy our way of life at any cost.”
Four years later, Snowe smilingly accompanied the GOP’s inarticulate, intentionally divisive vice-presidential nominee when she appeared here.
Eventually thoughtful, progressive Mainers will find a Republican worth voting for, assuming they live another three decades or so. But it’s doubtful that candidate will be Snowe, Collins, or any other cowering member of a GOP currently being totally dominated both nationally and locally by a shrill, out-of-control right wing cabal intent on pursuing their ill-considered, dogmatic agenda by using their nation’s future and a submissive host party as pawns.
— Andy Young teaches in Kennebunk and lives in Cumberland.
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