Character counts.
For me, as a moderate Republican for the past 40+ years, the last ten or so have been a struggle. I belonged to a political party that stood for smaller government and lower taxes, law and order and the rule of law, states’ rights, a strong military, and equal opportunity for all. I was proud to consider myself a Republican.
Most of my immediate family is liberal. I wondered how my parents could tolerate the Democrats’ trend toward an ever-growing bureaucracy, the ever-increasing government presence in our lives, and the continuous give-aways to so many seemingly undeserving groups of people. If you agreed to take on a student loan or a mortgage on your home, didn’t you know you would be expected to repay that obligation? Nobody picked up my college costs or offered to forgive my mortgage payments.
I went to work for a huge company, and after moves from Lansing to Atlanta, and then to New York, I brought my family back to Michigan. I eventually left corporate life for entrepreneurship. I started three different companies, hired people, bought a small office building, built company structures, paid a lot of taxes, and believed that if I helped make my staff successful, I would have some success.
I was a Republican.
I voted for Bush, and the other Bush twice, and McCain, and Romney. When the tea-party evolved, I was concerned, but I was a conservative. Then came MAGA.
There used to be a line, in politics, in business, in life, that no matter your belief system, there was still humanity, some integrity, a little professionalism, and a measure of respect. There was a line you did not cross, out of decency.
Where is that line today? Prior to last week’s State of the Union address, the Speaker of the House, according to one GOP Congressional member, reminded his caucus that “Decorum is the order of the day.” Mr. Johnson wanted to ensure that there were no embarrassing outbursts by his members during the president’s speech, so he cautioned them in advance. How did that work out for you, Mike?
Congressional heckling has certainly not been an isolated incident in the past decade, but what would the response to outbursts like that have been in years past? Can you imagine anyone at the 1936 State of the Union showing up to heckle FDR while wearing Herbert Hoover swag?
I deal with business-owners, bankers, and entrepreneurs every day. I cannot count the obscenities I hear daily in normal conversation. These people aren’t angry at me (usually), but they use obscene words as normal adjectives or adverbs in everyday conversation.
Watching a comedian on TV, like Seth Myers, can become uncomfortable when the jokes often include a “f **king” descriptor, to provide emphasis. It seems unnecessary to me, and network TV always bleeps it anyway, but Myers still feels the need.
Have you watched live TV with your kids lately? Isn’t it a joy to see the advertisement with the lady who seems to have body odor EVERYWHERE, or to talk about bent carrots or the razor that’s designed to “shave down there?” Yikes!!
Back to Congress – I heard an interview this week with my Congressperson, where his State of the Union assessment was that he agreed with the President that retail products were providing less chips in the bag for the same price (shrinkflation is today’s term). But he disagreed with every other point made in the 60+ minute speech. Really? You could not find one thing to support from “the other side,” other than there are less potato chips in the bag? Come on.
Today, if a Republican says ANYTHING, every Democrat condemns it. If a Democrat expresses an idea, every Republican checks with Donald Trump to see how they should oppose it. Maybe both sides should be checking with us.
And guess who just announced a November run for Congress – George Santos.
Now I get it. The line is not blurred, the line has not moved; we’ve just erased the f**king line.
Was that funny?
Curt MacRae is a resident of Coldwater, MI, and publishes opinion columns regularly.
Tweets @curtmacrae — comments to rantsbymac@gmail.com
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