Escaping the politics of anger
By Michael Reagan
I realize the Democrats took over the House, which is not new news.
But I’m tired of hearing Nancy Pelosi and other liberals in Congress say that now we need to start working together. Now they say we need bipartisanship.
Really? Where have they been for the last umpteen years?
Since at least 2016, I haven’t noticed the Democrats clamoring for compromise and cooperation in Washington or on CNN.
Suddenly, Nancy Pelosi wants to practice bipartisanship? Yeah, right.
I agree with President Trump.
Now that Democrats are in charge of the House and looking under every bed for excuses to impeach Donald Trump, they also need to start writing some legislation.
No matter how “bipartisan” their bills are, of course, they probably won’t get past the U.S. Senate or the president’s desk.
In other words, for the next two years, we’ll have gridlock. Nothing major will get done on issues like immigration reform or our trade deals with China.
Meanwhile, out here in California, we’ve been burying the victims of last week’s mass shooting at the Borderline Bar & Grill and wondering if there’s any place left in America where we can take our families that’s safe.
When I was growing up in the 1950s, all I had to worry about in school was diving under my desk once a month in case the Russians dropped a nuclear bomb on us.
Today, my son Cameron, who’s a stay-at-home dad, has to worry about sending his kids to grade schools where they are holding active shooting drills.
Who ever thought 50 years ago that we’d have to be concerned about this danger?
We now have a whole generation of parents — and grandparents, too — who are worrying about where they can go without being shot down by some madman.
A movie theater? A baseball field? A grade school? A synagogue?
Liberals, issuing their usual simplistic knee-jerk reaction, say the problem is guns and the solution to mass shootings is to get rid of all of them.
But the problem is much deeper than guns. I think America has lost its soul.
Spirituality, morality, kindness, the better part of our natures, love for your fellow humans no matter what their politics — it’s getting harder and harder to find in our daily lives.
Everyone’s angry on TV. Left or right, Fox or CNN, it doesn’t matter what side you’re on.
Social media and cable networks overflow 24/7 with hatred, not calls for political compromise.
They thrive on ratings, clicks, and anger — not civility and compromise — to generate their profits.
In my father’s time in the 1970s and 1980s, we debated important political issues, but we did it without trying to destroy our opponents’ careers or reputations.
Now everything in politics is personal and nasty.
We don’t merely say we disagree with a person’s position. Instead, we say, “You’re a racist. You hate women.”
There’s hardly anywhere you can go in the mainstream media to hear an uplifting spiritual message or an inspiring leader who rises above petty politics. There’s almost nowhere you can relax and make yourself feel good.
I tweeted the other day that people should turn off the news and the cable channels for a night and watch the annual Country Music Awards.
That’s what I did. It was just country music and awards. No politics. No anger. No name calling.
It was entertaining and pleasant — an oasis of civility in our angry world. It was something all of us could all use a lot more of.
The viewpoints expressed above are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Independent.
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Dear Mr. Reagan.
I have a few comments on your opinion: Escaping the Politics of Anger.
You are 100 percent correct. The Democrats did take over the majority in the House. They have not taken over the majority in the Senate (fixed that omission for you).
For the last two years the Republican Party has held a majority in both housed of Congress, have a Republican President, and have a conservative majority on the Supreme Court. Yet you claim it’s the Democrats who haven’t been clamoring for compromise and bipartisanship.
So, where in the past two years is all the wonderful legislation passed by Republicans with their majorities? So, now you claim it will be the Democrats fault. This is known as passing the buck, a trait which seems to have become an art form with our current administration
So, you wrote that, “No matter how “bipartisan” their bills are, of course, they probably won’t get past the U.S. Senate or the president’s desk.” So much for Republican compromise and bipartisanship!
You complain about the lack of spirituality in the mainstream media, and that social media and the cable networks overflow with hatred 24/7. Well, my question is, who does all his politicking and bullying and complaining through social media and a cable network? Yes, you are correct, it is our President Trump. Is this leading by example?
“In my father’s time in the 1970s and 1980s, we debated important political issues, but we did it without trying to destroy our opponents’ careers or reputations.” Perhaps you have forgotten the Watergate affair?
“There’s hardly anywhere you can go in the mainstream media to hear an uplifting spiritual message or an inspiring leader who rises above petty politics” Yes, it would be nice if we had a president who was uplifting and inspiring…and perhaps even spiritual, and even one who told the truth on a daily basis or did not demean political rivals and other people with whom he disagrees.
I note that you are upset about the increase in gun violence, but yet you complain about “Liberals, issuing their usual simplistic knee-jerk reaction, say the problem is guns and the solution to mass shootings is to get rid of all of them.” That seems to be a pretty divisive comment from someone who wants more compromise and cooperation. Furthermore, liberals do not want to get rid of all guns…and you, of course, know that fact very well.
Suggestion. If you are not happy with all the discord and animosity in politics and social media, why are you fanning the flames with such one-sides, biased opinions?