Zealotry

This guy is a knucklehead.

But this guy is an idiot

If you've been reading this blog for any amount of time you know I'm totally not a fan of our President.  Don't really like anything about him.  His leadership style is alien to anything I've ever been exposed to.  He is a divider.  He doesn't listen.  His naivety is dangerous.  But...he's our President so he gets to set the agenda and run the government.  That's the way it is.  The people spoke twice and he got the most votes.  Simple as that.  If those of us on the other side don't like the things he stands for or has inflicted on the country, then we can try and influence change at the next election.  But you know all that.  Or you should know all that.

But then along comes the likes of Ted Cruz and Mike Lee.  They want to defund Obamacare.  They want to force a shutdown of the government.  They are as far to the right as Obama is to the left.  And that is simply not good for the country.  In fact it's terrible.  We've got to get to a place in this country where we are implementing policies that are achieved through compromise and are the best that they can be for the largest majority of our citizens.  These guys cow-tow to the right wing Tea Party loonies.  And as a party if we allow them to be our voice we're going to be on the outside looking in for a very long time.

Now don't get me wrong.  I'm not remotely, not even a little bit, in agreement with the vast majority of the policies and decisions of Obama.  I believe he has been terrible for the country.  From the economy to national security, he has been a disaster.  You name the issue and it's worse under him.  And he just doesn't have the skill to influence people.  With him it's simple...my way or the highway.  There have been many, many things that I don't agree with and very close to the top was his ramming through Obamacare with not one Republican vote.  The fact is that engineering that level of social change with only one side's agreement is a recipe for continuing acrimony.  The folks on my side will never, never, ever agree with the government take over.  But at the same time the folks on my side do see a need to make changes.  Many of them are willing to make compromises to get to progress on health care.  But the way it was shoved down their throat, the arrogance of the majority, the damage to the economy...it's just too much to take.  So they'll fight for change and they'll vote for change at the first opportunity.  Hopefully we have enough people with the leadership skills, legislative skills, and logic to win the day and take the country to a better place.

But fighting for change doesn't mean shutting down the government.  It doesn't mean swinging the pendulum all the way over when you don't have a majority.  That's because it's simply not going to happen.  Just because the House voted to defund, the Senate won't vote the same way in a million years with it's current makeup.  And if we ever get to a position of shutting down the government, as sure as the sun comes up in the morning, the Republicans will be blamed.  The average American is not interested in these stupid squabbles resulting in all the ramifications that come with government shutdown.  And it makes them look stupid in the eyes of the average American.  And honestly, they aren't far wrong.

This is no way to win elections.  This is no way to exhibit leadership.  This is no way to chart a course to the future.  Instead keep fighting the fight.  Keep making your case.  Come up with good and reasonable solutions.  But don't be idiotic.  There is no honor or glory in maintaining a losing position that results in wasting everyone's time and looking stupid.

If they keep this up, we will lose.  And lose big.