Deb wrote:
> If Bush wins, and if the GOP retains control of Congress, it will be the
> first time in many of our lifetimes that the Repubs controlled the
> Presidency AND the Congress. As scary as Reagan was, he was stymied in
> some of his initiatives because the Dems held the House in those days. Who
> will hold back Bush?
But isn't that all speculative? "What if this, what if that?" People have
a vote, which is more direct (unlike the Electoral College)when it comes to
voting for members of Congress. Colin made a statement to the effect that he
feared our human rights would be taken away if Bush got elected. My point
is that the U.S. system has not only built-in checks and balances, but also
a multitude of "watchdog" and advocacy groups that are always right on any
Govenmental actions that may be going in the wrong direction.
The laws and progressive legislation of the past 40 years is not going to be
overturned in one fell swoop. It just is not going to happen on the Federal
level. Historically, the U.S. evolves and moves forward and ultimately
tends to learn from past mistakes or wrongs.
> Just for some historical perspective, the last time the Repubs controlled
> the legislative and executive branches was THE MCCARTHY ERA.
In truth, there's bad things that have happened from decisions from both
ends of the political spectrum throughout the history of the U.S. One of
the positive aspects of the two-party system is that it provides a balance,
perhaps imperfect, but we are a large, lumbering and diverse country and
there is no way we will ever achieve perfection.
My extended family contains both Democrats and Republicans, mostly
Democrats. Depending on which part of the U.S. they live in, one who is a
Democrat can sound more like a Republican and vice versa. Two of my aunts,
one on either side, have this tradition of arguing politics over the phone
every Sunday night. It always degenerates into "Look at what <insert
Republican name here> did!" and "Well, that was nothing compared to what
<insert Democrat name here> did!" and they go on to recite the same laundry
list of events that happened 50-60 years ago! All the ranting is probably
good in some ways, it can be fun and keeps the two sisters in touch and gets
the blood going, but it's not exactly a reasonable and objective dialogue
that leads to any productive end. They are just ranting at each other and
neither one will ever convince the other of anything. But that's kind of
the American way, I guess ;-)
Kakki
NP: Larsen/Feiten Band - Danger Zone (gawd, I haven't played this one in 20
years - thanks to the list discussion I cracked it out of the archives ;-)
