Posts filed under 'According to Luke'
(Village Square intern Luke Inhen is a political science graduate student at Florida State University. You can read Luke’s other contributions here.)
Exodus has always been one of my favorite books of the Bible. The story of a boy born into slavery only to be saved by the royal family, then leading his people against that same royalty into the Promised Land, all through the power and guidance of a divine hand has something so romantically fascinating about it to me.
Something equally as fascinating but maybe less romantic is the current exodus of moderates in American politics these days. This past week centrist Democratic Senator Evan Bayh announced he would not be running for re-election in November.
“Congress is not operating as it should,” Bayh proclaimed at a news conference in Indianapolis, adding there’s too much partisanship and “the people’s business is not getting done.” Bayh went on to say he loves public service, but does “not love Congress” and is “not motivated by strident partisanship or ideology.”
A brief scan of the American electorate would reveal the strident partisan ideology Bayh was talking about. Tea Party activists, Glen Beck loyalists, progressive letter writing campaigns and my beloved Keith Olbermann are all results and examples of the strident partisan ideology gripping our nation these days.
Something even more interesting to me was what Bayh wrote in a letter published in the New York Times entitled “Why I’m Leaving the Senate:”
“When I was a boy, members of Congress from both parties, along with their families, would routinely visit our home for dinner or the holidays. This type of social interaction hardly ever happens today and we are the poorer for it. It is much harder to demonize someone when you know his family or have visited his home. Today, members routinely campaign against each other, raise donations against each other and force votes on trivial amendments written solely to provide fodder for the next negative attack ad. It’s difficult to work with members actively plotting your demise.”
Truer words cannot have been spoken. That lack of any personal chemistry between members of Congress is alarming. Congress is certainly the poorer for it, but the true losers on the other end of our strict partisan divide are the people. People like the single mother working two jobs to make ends meet, or the unemployed father trying to remain strong for his family; the 46 million people who lack healthcare, and the more than 15 million people who are jobless.
Our history has been defined by people or small groups coming together to enact change. Part of the American Dream is that one person can make a difference. The Village Square is just a drop of water in the ocean. We the People, need to stand up and let our voices be heard.
Personally, I think it is a shame that Senator Bayh is leaving. If he is as passionate about bridging our differences as he says he is then now is no time to give up. We need people like Evan Bayh in the Senate.
What we need more is for everyone else to wake up.
(Photo credit.)
March 2nd, 2010
I’m sure many on the left side of the aisle were watching the election results from the Massachusetts special election Tuesday to replace Senator Ted Kennedy in dismay. For 40 years, Kennedy stood and fought for the people of Massachusetts as their senator. Before that his brother John, the other Kennedy, held the seat.
Most TV pundits and political experts are calling the election a referendum on President Obama. Many more are wondering how a seemingly decent and likable woman made such a bad candidate, and late night talk show personalities find it hilarious that the Democrats just lost to a man who modeled nude for Cosmopolitan magazine in the 1980’s. No doubt Republicans are happy that Democrats no longer have a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate and can no longer get their healthcare overhaul through on numbers alone.
Majorities, like victories, come and go. The Democrats dominated early 20th century politics for nearly 50 years. The “Solid South” earned its name because of it propensity to consistently vote for Democratic candidates. Our state of Florida used to be under solid Democratic control. The fact that the Republicans finally won a Senate seat in Massachusetts isn’t appalling, just unexpected. It’s part of the natural ebb and flow of American politics.
The thing I found more upsetting about the results Tuesday is the current state of our political system. What’s so bad about having one Republican and one Democratic senator? I’m positive not everyone in the state of Massachusetts is a Democrat. It should really be the same way in Washington. Nowadays whenever one party gets a majority, they use it to shove their agenda down the throats of the opposing party. Equal representation has turned into a race to the majority. The losers are the American people.
It’s a shame that Democrats can’t pass comprehensive healthcare reform without 60 votes to stop a filibuster. As backroom deals are cut and egos are massaged, 46 million Americans still don’t have healthcare. It’s a bigger shame that something as helpful and needed as healthcare reform is slowed down with the threat of a filibuster anyway.
I’m not ranking sins. Both parties are guilty.
Americans are now more deeply divided than ever. Elections are held for the purpose of getting more people than the other guy, and then the winners use that majority to put forth whatever agenda they want. Supporters of one group or party paint their opponents as unqualified at the very best and often as unmentionable vulgarities.
For all Ted Kennedy did for the American people, he did just as much for Republican fundraising. Republican’s have bragged about their fundraising under current House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. After Joe Wilson shouted “You Lie” to President Obama he recorded massive fundraising gains, as did his opponent.
After the 1856 Presidential election, in which Democrat James Buchanan beat Whig John Charles Freemont, Abraham Lincoln said of his party’s defeat:
In the late contest we were divided between Freemont and Buchanan. Can we not come together in the future? Let bygones be bygones; let past differences be as nothing; and with steady eye on the real issue, let us re-inaugurate the good old ‘central ideas’ of the republic. We can do it. The human heart is with us; God is with us.”
People don’t talk – or act – like that anymore.
-Luke Inhen
(Photo credit.)
January 23rd, 2010
Somewhere on the path to the Tea Parties and Town Halls of today where
civility is left at the door, we forgot about… well, civility.
America was founded on the idea of the community. The first tea party was a bunch of our ancestors dressing up like Indians and showing King George just what we thought about his taxes. Americans were united, for a cause. From that famous tea party in Boston, to town halls all across the Northeast, we learned to listen to each other, and began to realize that maybe the people who thought differently than us weren’t all that evil. (If the Greeks could do it in robes and sandals, surely we could!)
In the south, county fairs served as the main social event of the year. Once
a year the fair would roll into town and people got together to ride rides,
eat some good southern cookin’, and check out the show on Friday night. They baked pies to sell and put on their best pair of jeans with the hopes that maybe some southern belle would catch their eye. County fairs turned into political platforms. Candidates for local and national office would stump on the stage in between acts. People from all across the county came out to listen to what they had to say.
We used to read newspapers; we used to join bowling leagues and the PTA. We used to have bake sales and lemonade stands. But then something happened. This brand new thing called the television came out, and all of sudden we could find out everything we needed to from the comfort of our own home. We could watch the shows we wanted to and listen to the people we agreed with, and we could even ignore the people we disagreed with.
Then we started demonizing the people on all those “other” channels. We the People, became Us vs. Them. We assigned red or blue colors to friends,
families, and neighbors. We gave 30 second blurbs to each side then let them argue for the next 20 minutes. All of sudden the great American Democracy looked like an elementary school playground.
Today, at Tea Parties and Town Halls we’d just rather yell louder than
someone with a different view than actually listen to what they have to say.
County Fairs are no longer the great social gatherings they once were.
Tailgates are the last great American neighborhood. That’s right, tailgates. On Saturdays in the fall, tailgating means having a party with thousands of your friends. It means seeing old buddies and making new ones. College campuses are full of makeshift tent communities, where there are no privacy fences separating neighbors. It’s just a bunch of folks having some drinks, grilling out and actually talking to each other. If a fan from the other team walks by, you may trade the occasional barb, but it’s all in good fun. Come game time you leave your tent and chair unattended, hoping nobody bothers them, and for the most part they don’t.
Why can we come together around something like football, but can’t seem to agree about how to take care of the sick in our society? How come we feel no worry to leave our tailgate unattended but lock our doors and windows at night?
Bill Clinton once said that there is nothing wrong with America that can’t
be fixed with what is right with America. We didn’t forget how to be civil. We learn how to share and respect our elders growing up. We didn’t forget how to live in a community or the emotional rewards of having a unique bond with a complete stranger.
Sometimes we forget how to be grown-ups. I’m sure our founders weren’t
perfect either, but they were smart enough to remember that we are all in
this together. Win or lose, just like a tailgate.
So bake a pie, throw on your best pair of jeans. Sip some tea and put on that jersey, let’s go spread some civility!
–Village Square intern Luke Inhen is a Political Science graduate student at Florida State.
(Photo credit.)
December 19th, 2009
The Tea Party Movement is flexing its electoral muscle in a New York special election that could lay the ground work for the Republican Party’s nominee for President in 2012. New York’s 23rd Congressional District hasn’t been represented by a Democrat in more than 85 years. Parts of the District haven’t been represented by a Democrat since the Civil War, and yet it may be just that, a civil war within the Republican Party that allows a Democrat to recapture the seat.
Washington insiders and party leaders are calling the race a referendum on President Obama and the enormous spending being under taken by Democrats in Congress, pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into each campaign. Moderate Republican Representative John McHugh of New York’s 23rd has resigned his Congressional seat to accept a position in President Obama’s cabinet as Secretary of the Army. Republicans quickly nominated State Legislator Dede Scozzafava. Democrats have selected a political newcomer in Bill Owens and Attorney from upstate New York. However the Conservative Party, upset with the pick of Scozzafava, has nominated their own candidate Doug Hoffman.
Political infighting in the Republican Party has ensued. Conservatives are upset with the pick of Scozzafava, a politically moderate woman with a liberal record on abortion and gay rights. The Conservative Club for Growth has endorsed Hoffman and poured nearly $250,000 dollars into his campaign. In the recent weeks Republicans Sarah Palin and Governor Tim Pawlenty have come out in support of Hoffman, bucking party leaders like Newt Gingrich and Representative John Boehner, who support Scozzafava.
The Conservative Party and the Club for Growth have definite ties to the Tea Party movement in general and the growing ultra-Conservative movement in particular. Both Palin and Pawlenty are thought to be presidential hopefuls in 2012, and could be using this election to better position themselves within that part of their electorate. Gingrich believes between 20-30% of Republicans would vote for either candidate, but that “you need 50% + 1 to win an election,” and they can’t get that support.
That leaves Bill Owens. If the Republican vote is split, it will almost assure the Democrats and Bill Owens the seat. If Scozzafava wins, Republicans will call it a referendum on Obama, but might damage ties with the more conservative part of their party for 2010 and 2012. If the Conservative Candidate Doug Hoffman wins, it could be a huge step forward for the conservative Tea Party movement.
Let the conversation begin.
–Luke Inhen
October 28th, 2009
America, we have a problem. Ok, so it doesn’t sound as good as that classic line from Apollo 13, but hear me out.
America was founded on the idea of freedom of speech. Our founders thought it was so important they wrote it down in some document we call the Bill of Rights, that just SOUNDS important. From the belief in the freedom of speech came town hall meetings or county fairs for the Southern readers.
In the old fashioned town halls, everyone would speak their mind, and the leaders would listen and then make decisions based off of the concerns of their citizens. Many small towns in the Northeast still meet this way. One town in New Hampshire has to approve the budget for the entire city through a town hall. Sounds like Democracy in action right? Well today we have more of Democracy inaction than anything.
At the beginning of the week it was leaked that an organization called Freedom Works was distributing a document entitled “Rocking the Town Halls – Best Practices.” If you haven’t read or seen in the news, some folks are getting pretty upset at their representative, and instead of talking to them like adults they’ve resorted to shouting matches at town halls. Imagine if George Washington had gotten into a shouting match with Joe Schmo, would your image of him be tainted?
In the document, Freedom Works gives supporters a plan of attack on how to handle their representative. My personal favorites come from the “Inside the Hall” section where supporters are instructed to: “Spread out in the hall…The objective is to put the Rep on the defensive” or to “Rock the boat early in the Rep’s presentation…Watch out for an opportunity to yell out and challenge the Rep’s statements.”
Yesterday, the Left struck back with its own plan of attack. In their playbook, supporters were instructed to get to the events early and to “form a wall around the Representative.”
Is that what we have come to America? Is this honestly how low we have sunk? Not only are we planning strategic attacks on our Representatives through yelling, protests, and in some cases violence, but we are planning counterattacks on the attacks.
I’m all for the marketplace of ideas. That is the foundation this country rests upon, but there is a difference between disagreeing with someone, and working together to find common solutions or agreeing to just disagree, and planning a strategy that blatantly disrupts the conversation.
In America we have a way to get rid of Representatives you don’t like. It’s called the ballot box. It’s a lot easier to yell and scream at someone than it is to have a conversation with them, but that’s what makes us uniquely American: We were never afraid to have that conversation before. Let’s work out our differences through conversation, try to find common ground, and at the end of the day if we still don’t agree than we can agree to disagree. That’s the America I know. Or you could just yell and scream.
–Luke Inhen
(Photo credit.)
August 6th, 2009
Photo shows President William Howard Taft riding in carriage with Woodrow Wilson, on the way to Wilson’s inauguration at the Capitol in Washington, D.C.
I know we’ve just elected a new president, and with the current state of the union it seems silly to even be thinking about this, but with the recent resignation of Sarah Palin, I started thinking about the 2012 election.
The 2012 election will be the 100th anniversary of the election of 1912, an election that some say changed America. This was the election that Theodore Roosevelt broke from the Republican Party (who nominated Taft) to start his Bull Moose Party and run for a third term. The Democrats nominated Woodrow Wilson instead of William Jennings Bryan who was the party’s candidate three times prior, and the Socialist Party ran Eugene Debs for the third time. Obviously as we all know Wilson was the victor, and helped, along with Roosevelt to usher in the modern presidency and continue the progressive reform of the early 20th century.
How fascinating this must have been at the time; but far-fetched 100 years later right? Current polls show Barack Obama’s initial popularity is wearing off, and if the economy doesn’t turn around pretty quick he might be looking at larger group of competitors for the nomination. I don’t think liberals are stupid enough to nominate someone over a sitting President, but our recent political history is full of surprises. Of course the Dennis Kucinich’s of the world wouldn’t have a chance but maybe an Al Gore, or even Hillary Clinton; perhaps Howard Dean will resurrect from the dead YEAARRRGGGHHH!!!
On the other side, the Republicans find themselves void of leadership. The candidate that emerges from the field in 2012 could say a lot about the future of the party, whether it is indeed becoming a regional party, or if it will regain its national dominance. Enter Sarah Palin. While her approval ratings aren’t high enough for a successful run right now, she does have that “It” factor. She is definitely well liked among conservatives and will not have as much trouble rallying the base as John McCain.
Maybe Ron Paul will mobilize a more formidable third party opposition with his popularity? Or perhaps someone like Joe Lieberman could mobilize from the middle?
Roosevelt, Taft, Debs, and Wilson meet Obama, Gore, Palin and Paul. What an election that would be. It’s the stuff that makes graduate students in political science squeal with joy. Of course it is a long shot. But 100 years ago nobody expected it either.
–Luke Inhen
July 18th, 2009
