Confessions from a former Republican: I have always been an Independent, preferring to vote on issues and individuals, rather than follow any straight party line, just because one or two facets of the ideology appealed to me. When we moved to Florida, based on my dissatisfaction with specific things I felt were mishandled with the stimulus/bail-outs and our economy, I voted as a Republican in t
he Primary.
I never joined them, but was initially attracted to the Tea Party, because I saw it as a grass roots rebellion to "the way things had always been done in Washington", and several of their core mission statements appealed to me. That being said, the vitriolic nature of the rhetoric I was reading on Face Book from members of the Tea Party directed at Democrats and the President of the United States completely turned me off. At one point the images and captions got so personal and so insulting and so angry, that I either dropped the people posting them from my Friend list, or I turned off their feed so I wouldn't have to see it every day. I'm one of those old fashioned people that has witnessed in my life time the highest reverence for the office of the President deteriorate into open scorn and disrespect. Yes, I believe in Freedom of Speech, but I also believe when we diminish the highest office in the land, we in fact diminish ourselves as a country and as a people.
It was at that point that I truly felt I didn't want to vote for either candidate. Then there were the scandals, and almost unbelievable quotes from politicians - quotes that made me ask, "What century is this person living in that they don't know basic human biology?"
My Republican friends - I could give you a list of a hundred reasons why I cannot understand your unwavering allegiance to your political affiliation, but in that statement is the reason why I know it would not make a difference to you, not budge you from your belief that the President is evil, that Democrats are evil. Don't even get me started on Bush, what two wars that were going on before Obama took office have caused our country in lives and money.
On the other side of the coin is my disillusionment with the system itself. All Presidential candidates spout a list of promises during their campaigns that conveniently over look the simple fact that without bipartisan cooperation, very little can be accomplished when they assume office. Let's also not forget how much large contributions during a campaign can affect future policy. That's the reality of today's politics; so much of it is determined by money and special interest groups, on both sides of the aisle.
My fervent prayer now is that the Republicans realize that their efforts to derail Obama the past four years, to put up as many road blocks as they could, and to try to distort facts in the pursuit of their desire to get rid of him has backfired as evidence by his re-election. You have to redefine who you are if you want to unite this country, and you have to come up with a different approach in terms of advancing your party's goals for the future. What you have done in the past isn't working.
Yesterday I heard several political pundits say as much. I heard political leaders acknowledge what missteps were made and what changes have to occur if they want the support of the country; things like including women, Latinos, and African Americans more in their focus.
In the meantime, I echo many of the sentiments I have read this morning from people urging their friends and colleagues to accept the choice made by the majority of the country and stop insulting and bad mouthing the President.
Honestly, the politician I have the most respect for today is Chris Christy, a Republican. He showed amazing honesty when he acknowledged and thanked President Obama for his swift response in cutting through the usual red tape associated with getting help to the areas on the East Coast affected by Hurricane Sandy. When he popped up on Fox News (the conservatives’ favorite TV space) and was asked if his party’s candidate should also tour the damaged areas of New Jersey, Christie retorted, “I have no idea, nor am I the least bit concerned or interested. I have a job to do in New Jersey that is much bigger than presidential politics. If you think right now I give a damn about presidential politics, then you don't know me.”
That kind of candor and honesty was refreshing, especially coming from someone who previously was extremely critical of the President.
Let's follow his example and all take the high road for a change.
My name is Stu Cassell and I support this message (I should, I wrote it).
I never joined them, but was initially attracted to the Tea Party, because I saw it as a grass roots rebellion to "the way things had always been done in Washington", and several of their core mission statements appealed to me. That being said, the vitriolic nature of the rhetoric I was reading on Face Book from members of the Tea Party directed at Democrats and the President of the United States completely turned me off. At one point the images and captions got so personal and so insulting and so angry, that I either dropped the people posting them from my Friend list, or I turned off their feed so I wouldn't have to see it every day. I'm one of those old fashioned people that has witnessed in my life time the highest reverence for the office of the President deteriorate into open scorn and disrespect. Yes, I believe in Freedom of Speech, but I also believe when we diminish the highest office in the land, we in fact diminish ourselves as a country and as a people.
It was at that point that I truly felt I didn't want to vote for either candidate. Then there were the scandals, and almost unbelievable quotes from politicians - quotes that made me ask, "What century is this person living in that they don't know basic human biology?"
My Republican friends - I could give you a list of a hundred reasons why I cannot understand your unwavering allegiance to your political affiliation, but in that statement is the reason why I know it would not make a difference to you, not budge you from your belief that the President is evil, that Democrats are evil. Don't even get me started on Bush, what two wars that were going on before Obama took office have caused our country in lives and money.
On the other side of the coin is my disillusionment with the system itself. All Presidential candidates spout a list of promises during their campaigns that conveniently over look the simple fact that without bipartisan cooperation, very little can be accomplished when they assume office. Let's also not forget how much large contributions during a campaign can affect future policy. That's the reality of today's politics; so much of it is determined by money and special interest groups, on both sides of the aisle.
My fervent prayer now is that the Republicans realize that their efforts to derail Obama the past four years, to put up as many road blocks as they could, and to try to distort facts in the pursuit of their desire to get rid of him has backfired as evidence by his re-election. You have to redefine who you are if you want to unite this country, and you have to come up with a different approach in terms of advancing your party's goals for the future. What you have done in the past isn't working.
Yesterday I heard several political pundits say as much. I heard political leaders acknowledge what missteps were made and what changes have to occur if they want the support of the country; things like including women, Latinos, and African Americans more in their focus.
In the meantime, I echo many of the sentiments I have read this morning from people urging their friends and colleagues to accept the choice made by the majority of the country and stop insulting and bad mouthing the President.
Honestly, the politician I have the most respect for today is Chris Christy, a Republican. He showed amazing honesty when he acknowledged and thanked President Obama for his swift response in cutting through the usual red tape associated with getting help to the areas on the East Coast affected by Hurricane Sandy. When he popped up on Fox News (the conservatives’ favorite TV space) and was asked if his party’s candidate should also tour the damaged areas of New Jersey, Christie retorted, “I have no idea, nor am I the least bit concerned or interested. I have a job to do in New Jersey that is much bigger than presidential politics. If you think right now I give a damn about presidential politics, then you don't know me.”
That kind of candor and honesty was refreshing, especially coming from someone who previously was extremely critical of the President.
Let's follow his example and all take the high road for a change.
My name is Stu Cassell and I support this message (I should, I wrote it).
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