That we should live in Interesting Times...

I have often thought of how it would have been to live in a different historical era, one with more clearly drawn lines between right and wrong, such as our grandparent's Great Depression-WWII generation, or that of our great-great grandfathers, forced to chose between region and Union. But as you study history, while maintaining an avid interest in it's "first draft"; today's Murky News, you discover that those crystal clear definitions of right and wrong were not any more obvious to most contemporary observers of past events than they are to us today.

Just as Rosa Parks was unaware of the seminal importance of her actions in not giving up her seat on the bus to a white man, California may have done something last Tuesday and be unaware of its true significance for many years.

When I observed the victory celebration for the Governor formerly known as "Arnold!", I was shocked to watch as the Kennedy family took over the California Republican Party. The Demo nominee for Vice President in 1972, George McGovern's running mate Sargent Shriver and his spouse, JFK's sister Eunice, were front and center with George Shultz, Tricky Dick's Treasury Sec'y and some guy doing a pretty good Pete Wilson impression, all backed up by a phalanx of Democratic little Shrivers...

And today I watched as the biggest gasbag in American History was struck dumb. But unfortunately not speechless...His Pomposity has done a Betty Ford, revealing a human side which is oddly appealing. I know we a being "spun", the heroic Rush will emerge from the hell of withdrawal, indicted, but a stronger man. After all, we are all only human...Yada, yada...

I refer Mr. Limbaugh and anyone else who is tempted to climb up on a Soapbox and profess to ultimate knowledge and pure thought, to the lessons of history, starting with the Greek Myths, with a special look at those great figures of our fairly recent past, Father Coughlin, Aimee Semple McPherson and A.A. Allen. For you see Jimmy and Tammie, William "The Slot Machine" Bennett and Mr. Limbaugh are the heirs of a great tradition of hubris, for pride cometh....

I see in the confluence of these two events an opportunity to truly change the tone of political discourse, for I truly wish both of these gentlemen well and am hopeful that they both grow and change as they move into new roles. A chastened and humbled Rush Limbaugh might not be so quick to harshly judge his ideological opposites, he might become an instrument of reconciliation and real political progress if he was inclined to move the debate forward, rather than forever fan the prejudices of his base audience for his advertisers and political masters.

And I see in Arnold Schwartshisegger a new political animal, at least one of a variety not seen in high office since 1984 or so, a Liberal Republican. Not as polished as Nelson Rockefeller or as rich, he doesn't have the resume of an Earl Warren or even of a Pete McCloskey, but if RFK was alive today, he might have very well been up there on that stage last Tuesday with his sister Eunice and Sargent Shriver.

Read your history, the Kennedy brothers were hardly Socialists, not even "Liberal" as defined today. Devout Irish Catholics rarely are...even those with long Democratic traditions. I may be proved wrong but I don't see this guy being lumped with Tom Delay or even the Rovian Dynasty. If he puts up a large enough tent, we may all be better served than we would have been if Gov. Bland had triangulated his way through the next 3 years. That we need fiscal reform and a more balanced system of taxation is obvious, only the political will has been lacking, the willingness to take a risk for what is right, rather than what is expedient.

Are you listening Mr. President?

R.G. Johnson
San Jose CA
10/10/03   ¶ 6:56 PM