Posted by
Sanity 102 on Tuesday, October 17, 2006 3:28:20 AM
As the media expands to include the elites on the Right, sound bites as clever as any the Left have spun is being taught with zero tolerance for disagreement.
Like yesterday's children who chanted "Give Peace a Chance", today's Reaganites demand perfection in any politician wearing the GOP tag, but never stop to ask themselves at what price would one pay to attain the lofty goals set forth by these clever sound bites.
Their use of simple but catchy one liners is rather ingenious...who doesn't want the entire world laying down their arms, coming together in harmony, and banishing poverty, sickness and polution?
Only in order for the world of billions of individuals to live in peace, all would have to share the SAME faith, values, ideals, and sense of justice. There can be no individual disagreement, no thinking outside the box.
In other words, "give Peace a chance" comes with a price tag...freedom.
"Securing the borders" sound sane, practical, necessary. Only the two borders of America are the number one and number two trading partner of the U.S. AND the number one and number two biggest suppliers of oil. Deporting 11 million illegals and creating a 10% hole in our work force will tank this nation's economy.
So again, the wonderful sounding "Secure the borders" have a price tag...our economy and jobs.
"Standing up for one's principles." Wow. Doesn't that bring up visions of brave men dying on a battle field, refusing to betray America and what she stands for? But everyday, people go to jobs they don't particularly like and put up with bosses they loathe...all because they have families to care for and children to feed. No one accuses them of "not standing up for their principles."
Yet, "true" Conservatives are expected to stand on "principle" even if the bill has little less than a grand standing chance of passing and in angering their Liberal colleague, risk obstruction on vital issues like funding for the military and the war on terror and tax cuts that fuel this economy.
Life is always a series of trade offs and no one makes it in the halls of power without knowing how to deal and how to pick one's battles.
So...the frequent price for "standing up for one's principles" is losing...be it a job, a family, a battle, a war...and sometimes a whole nation.
***
Another blogger wrote a post about JFK and how his legacy is beginning to unravel. Time and a new generation is revisiting his presidency and the revision spun by a media that adored his good looks is getting a thorough and critical eye.
Likewise, Reagan's legacy has been rewritten by a new crop of Conservative media...glossed over is his failure to stop what was even then an immigration problem...his record deficits...his O'Connor appointment...his bowing to political pressure and cut and running out of Lebanon..."failures" at least when it applies to the current president.
It is my firm belief that one day, as the old crop of media makes way for the new, unbias, detached eyes will revisit the true Reagan and see not a man of god-like perfect Conservatism...but a leader for his time...as JFK was.
Unfortunately, America cannot wait for this new crop of detached journalists...for like the old media...this group of Reaganites have little tolerance for anyone who disagrees with their version of Conservatism. How many times have you heard that unless you walk, lock step with what they say is right and/or wrong...then you are not a true Conservative?
It is this intolerance for intellectual honesty that cost the Liberals who called on the sacred name of JFK, the base of the American people...the independents that make or break elections.
And it will come to pass, that this same type of intolerance from the Reaganites who call on the sacred name of Reagan who will lose the same base of fiercely independent thinkers.
And in so doing, may cost us all.