In his first address to the Loudoun County Republican Committee, the new chairman referenced political opponents as “enemies” to be defeated. Now, that first meeting was a train wreck for many reasons, but I want to focus on this one word because I think reveals, perhaps inadvertently, the mindset of the new leadership of the Committee.
“Enemies,” to my way of thinking, are Osama Bin Laden, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Kim Jong-Il, cancer, and lima beans. Democrats are not “enemies.” They have a different agenda based on a different set of beliefs relative to the role of government. They do not seek to destroy the nation. They are not trying to kill us. Now, like lima beans, they may make us gag from time to time, but most elected Democratic politicians seek to do what they believe is best for the country, state or county.
The vitriol spewed from the chairman, intentional or not, simply engenders the divisiveness that has, at its highest level, both paralyzed Congress and marginalized the role of the minority party. It has no place in politics at any level. Indeed, the language used by the chairman and others calls to mind George Washington’s warning about political parties as creating “ill-founded jealousies and false alarms.”
My fervent hope is that our new chairman can keep the proper perspective on politics and parties for everyone’s benefit.
“Enemies,” to my way of thinking, are Osama Bin Laden, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Kim Jong-Il, cancer, and lima beans. Democrats are not “enemies.” They have a different agenda based on a different set of beliefs relative to the role of government. They do not seek to destroy the nation. They are not trying to kill us. Now, like lima beans, they may make us gag from time to time, but most elected Democratic politicians seek to do what they believe is best for the country, state or county.
The vitriol spewed from the chairman, intentional or not, simply engenders the divisiveness that has, at its highest level, both paralyzed Congress and marginalized the role of the minority party. It has no place in politics at any level. Indeed, the language used by the chairman and others calls to mind George Washington’s warning about political parties as creating “ill-founded jealousies and false alarms.”
My fervent hope is that our new chairman can keep the proper perspective on politics and parties for everyone’s benefit.
Excellent post, Lloyd. Expect more, not less, of that kind of flaming rhetoric.
ReplyDeleteWhy all the hate towards lima beans?
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Lloyd. I agree 100%, including the lima beans. Bleck.
ReplyDeleteI should have listed lima beans first on my enemies list.
ReplyDelete