General Thoughts, Things to Keep in Mind, Long Term Strategy

[Cary]

I offer up some thoughts on where "we" are right now, precipitated by the January 6 protest. It might have been nice to see a unified Democratic statement against the election procedures in Ohio. It might have been nice, but maybe not the best strategy for the long run.

Bush was just elected.Republicans are naturally feeling their oats.It is disconcerting, but it is the way it is and it needs to run its course. Given that "they" are riding high at the moment, the timing of the unified statement just may not be right. Mind you, I don't know. But I don't blame the Democrats that didn't join the fray.

Hearing some of the Republican legislators railing on Democrats for being this or that, and having no ideas, my first reaction was anger. "They" are trying to crush "us" and our institutions and they will take every opportunity to do so. Such is the nature of "their" current hubris. All of "them" seem to have shifted to the right for some strange reason. Perhaps that is a natural validation of "their" decision to retain Bush?

The irony is, of course, that there really is no "them". "They" are "us". Plenty of them will suffer as much or more than "us" as a result of policies that favor the constituencies of the only real winners: those who hold office because of the Republican victory and those who benefit from having the best government their money can buy. Those of "them" who serve in Iraq, or are wounded or killed, will pay a huge price indeed.

Of course "we" can't prove our way is better than "theirs". "We" know it is, but "they" are beyond reason. They're drunk with a "victory" they think "they" won. "Their" elation is that of a fat couch potato cheering on the home team.

Would "our" elation, if the shoe were on the other foot, be any less vicarious? Well, only because "we" look at the issues and judge them rationally instead of having a knee jerk, reationary analyis. So "we" know "we're" right." But "our" politicians aren't really any better than "theirs", per se.

More cogently it occurred to me that "our" situation is more profound than "theirs" at the moment. "They" are having "their" day in the sun. "They" will implement "their" policies as "their" victory plays out. That will be what it will be.

"They" have that, but "we" have the real test. How are "we" going to deal with "our" current situation? Will "we" wallow in it? Will "we" bring out the long knives? Or will "we" rise up and answer the call?

Are "we" a "we" at all?