COMMENTARY | In 1970, I was 10 years old and my father became the youngest U.S. attorney in the United States. When he took up his post, my dad took on the corrupt Seattle Police and his office toppled the Seattle Payoff System, earning him a place in Who's Who in American Law. He was my hero, and he was a Republican.
When I studied government at school, I asked my dad what party he belonged to. He said that he was among the last of a dying breed, a liberal Republican. He was opposed to the "fiscal waste" of the Democrats, but he believed in giving people the tools they need to help themselves. He believed in fairness and integrity. This is why when big business tried to bully the Northwest Indians out of their fishing rights, guaranteed by the state of Washington under treaty law, my dad fought for the underdog because it was right. I shudder to think what Dad would say about today's Republicans.
What do today's Republicans believe in?
Mitch McConnell, speaking for Republican lawmakers, said "The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term President.". Wow. Really? More important than jobs? Health care? A world free of terrorism? Seriously? No wonder we're still in this mess. Even a second grader knows that to get something done you have to work together.
Mitt Romney says it's time for "An American Century". I lived overseas for three years, and I am most certain that the rest of the world has had quite enough of American arrogance. I was in Malta on 9/11. I was stunned when people told me quite seriously that we had it coming.
High priorities on the Republican agenda are: reversing Roe vs. Wade, banning Gay Marriage, and undoing Obama's work on health care. Rick Perry has been criticized for supporting the HPV vaccine for girls. Evidently Republicans feel that it is more important for girls to be good than to be protected from a deadly cancer.
Maybe these concerns are Really Important to many people, but I have to ask, is micromanaging the personal lives of Americans more important than the future and stability of our country?
Do we advocate for unborn children when we aren't feeding the ones who are already here?
Does it matter who my neighbor marries when Americans are turning out across the country in protest? Oops, I forgot...the Occupy Wall Street Protesters are a ragtag mob.
Can't this current batch of Republicans find something productive to do instead of just undoing the hard work of decades? Am I the only one who sees hate and racism here? Anybody else see this elephant in our national living room?
Show me a Republican candidate with a clear head and a little heart and he might get my vote. Unfortunately it appears that the breed of Republican I'm looking for is long gone.
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