This is an except from a letter that George Romney wrote to Barry Goldwater back in 1964 warning against the emerging “southern strategy” and other moves on the part of the GOP. This is just uncanny. One wonders what the father would make of his truth challenged son?
We need only look at the experience of some ideologically oriented parties in Europe to realize that chaos can result. Dogmatic ideological parties tend to splinter the political and social fabric of a nation, lead to governmental crises and deadlock, and stymie the compromises so often necessary to preserve freedom and achieve progress. A broad based two party structure produces a degree of political stability and viability not otherwise attainable.
Certainly I see the problem with dogmatic ideological parties, but I see it as afflicting both the Democrats and the Republicans, pretty much equally. I voted for Obama in 2008 because he sounded as if he wanted the Democrats to reach out to the independent voters (for whom the Republicans hadn’t been doing much); then he got in and was full speed ahead on a liberal/progressive agenda that I detest every bit as much as I do the social conservative agenda. The passage of the health care act, for example, was not the work of a broad-based political movement; it was pushed through in a totally partisan manner.
I see American politics as locked into a grim cycle. Party P gets into office, swept in by voter disgust with party Q. They take their big majority as a license to push through all their pet schemes. A large mass of independent voters turn against them in revulsion and anger, and vote for party Q, to send a message. Party Q gets into office. They take their big majority as a license to push through all their pet schemes. The voters turn against them, and back to start. It’s kind of like being governed by a washing machine with an unbalanced load that thumps back and forth. And it doesn’t matter whether you think the Republicans are P or Q. . . .
I understand your frustration, William, but we’re never going to agree on this. The [u]only[/u] reason I currently have health insurance is because New Mexico put in place a “high risk pool” in anticipation of the new health care law. They can’t deny me because of my pre-existing condition. Because I can afford it I pay a lot each month — almost $700.00, but my high fees are helping finance the low income options that are available to people who are less fortunate then me, and I’m happy to do it. Heath care should not be denied to the citizens of a great nation. A healthy populace is essential to the health of a nation. And considering the health care law was a Republican initiative there was nothing political about it. No Republican backed it because they were determined to destroy his man’s ability to govern. And he still accomplished so much — the Fair Pay Act, repealing DADT, making teacher’s unions more accountable, saving us from a second Great Depression, improving out standing in the world. Getting us out of Iraq. Given the refusal of the other side to assist him in any way I think he’s done a remarkable job. I wish he had repealed the Patriot Act, and charged a number of people in the previous administration with war crimes, but I don’t let the perfect become the enemy of the good.