The Sage Forge

Not so surprising is this, one supposes. Political science paints a picture of a world in which one can preach to the "rabid" political types to gain an office and then run to some Nirvana-like middle ground to actually govern. This image of the political world was fashioned in a universe in which the "rabid" folks were people who wanted the government to take care of all their problems. In point of fact, though, as long as the world didn't fall apart between elections and things did get a little better for them these 'take care of me' people really didn't pay a whole lot of attention. Politics could be a game of marshalling small groups of people to gain incremental advantages in getting what the government could give to the friends of the powerful. The rabid types, in this view of the world, are really kind of scary. One tells them what they want to hear so they will vote. This is good because one can be sure they will not vote for those who occupy the opposite end of the political spectrum.

There is a fly in this soup, though. Political science appears clueless about conservatives.

Conservatives have figured out a little secret about the middle ground so beloved of politicians. It empowers politicians. This is what troubled them about Democrats. The power they had acquired exploiting the pain and insecurity of the needy went primarily into making government big, luxuriant, and safe.  And, oh yeah, it made their friends very rich. 

Republicans gained power by assuring people angry with this imposition on us by our employees that government would become smaller, leaner, more effective with our money, and more responsive to our desires. When they gained the upper hand did they throw a lasso on the government? No. They ran to the all-important middle ground and started empowering themselves and enriching their friends.

Democrats used to tell us that we peons didn't understand the workings of (your favorite capital city here) so we should leave governing to the experts. Over time we threw these usurpers out and replaced them with Republicans. Now the Republicans tell us we peons don't understand (your favorite capital city here) and we should leave governing to the experts.

Well, now we have a humorous choice, at least. We can choose the people who insult the intelligence of those who want govenment to make their lives easy, or we can choose the people who insult the intelligence of the people who want the government to get out of the way of those who actually make the economy function. In as much as we find them occupying pretty much the same dank alleys when they get down to governing the question seems to have come down to whether we prefer being mugged by our enemies or people who call themselves our friends.

Here is a proposed train of logic. See if you agree. The person who is observed to be mugging you is probably not your friend. It is logical, therefore, assuming you have the power to choose in whose presence you will be, to cause the person who is mugging you to depart. Then you can at least try the company of another person. Repeat this process until the person with whom you keep company does not mug you. This may not win friends in every instance, but it would seem to be a good way to reduce the number of muggings to which you are exposed.

Republican office holders could also look at it another way. When choosing whom to insult, go with the people who care less. Otherwise people around you may be whispering "Remember Pennsylvania" in your ear.

Lee Jamison can be reached for comment at lee@leejamison.com