Democans and Republicrats

Let's talk for a moment about political evolution. Both the Republican and Democratic parties have moved a long way from their positions in just my lifetime. That's not a particularly earthshattering observation, but it might be worth revisiting right now. If you are wondering about examples, consider this.

The last budget surplus the country enjoyed were the last three Bill Clinton budgets. Before that it was under LBJ in 1969. So, in the modern age, Democrats were better managers of the national purse. Sounds pretty conservative.

But is there a liberal program more derided by Republicans than the Affordable Care Act or, Obamacare? Here's the rub with that. The core idea of an "individual mandate"—requiring people to have insurance—was famously proposed by conservative think tanks like the Heritage Foundation in the late 1980s and similar to a plan in Massachusetts. "Romneycare" as in Governor Mitt Romney, was the forerunner, and its core components—including an individual mandate, health insurance exchanges, and subsidies for low-income residents—formed the foundation for the ACA.

Well, forget healthcare at the Heritage Foundation, unless it's being cut in "Project 2025." And when was the last time you heard a Democrat talk about the need to lower the deficit, much less balance the budget?

Barry Goldwater was considered the father of the modern conservative movement, and back in 1966, he outlined what worried him about the modern Presidency...

Punishing enemies? Assisting big business to get bigger? Trying to affect voter turnout? These things worried Barry G but they are part of the plan now.

And after a national prayer event this weekend that couldn't draw flies on the mall in Washington and featured speakers from only one religion, and only one flavor of that as well, it seems that the old "Church/State" thing is as quaint as the idea of an objective Supreme Court.

That kind of melding of Christian Nationalism with the GOP worried Goldwater as well...

By the way, Barry's father was a Polish Jew, but he married an American Episcopalian. So, Barry was raised Christian but had an immersion, pun intended, in both cultures. Actually, it's not really a pun because we Episcopalians sprinkle, we don't dunk. My wife is Baptist and proofreads my work, so I figured I'd better explain that.

Meanwhile, Democrats were the hardscrabble party of the average Joe, the working class, union members. Folks who did go to church, wanted more for their kids and weren't happy being vassals of a bunch of plutocrat fat cats. But where is that party today? Strategist James Carville has an opinion on one emerging personality,...

It might behoove Democrats to listen to this guy as he did get a Democrat elected President twice, once after admitting an affair. Carville is not a fan of the fixation many have with marginal issues that, may be important to 1% of the public like transgender sports and defunding cops instead of focusing on what matters to most Americans. Cost of living, health care, Social Security, jobs, the effects of AI on jobs, housing, gas, a host of issues that Carville among others feel Dems are missing the boat on.

There is a perception that Democrats are the party of pointy-headed elitist snobs who shop at Whole Foods and don't want you to drive a car you can afford. Climb down from the Campanille at Princeton and explain why the climate affects all of us. Make a working man's case for solar and wind. They cost less, for crying out loud!

And, while it may seem odd these days, the mounting national debt should be a Democratic cudgel after passage of the incredibly irresponsible and fatuously named "Big Beautiful Bill." It is drowning us in debt from which we may not ever really emerge, in addition to forcing Republicans to utter that moronic phrase every time they mention it.

And Republicans, when did you guys become the water boys for Bezos, Zuckerberg and Musk? I know, you don't think you are, but wake up and smell the espresso. Trump is cashing in on the Presidency to the tune of billions, and none of you are saying "Basta!" Well you're not because it's Spanish but also because you have sold your souls. Trump didn't take you guys to China to kiss Xi's ass, he took the guys I just named.

In addition to pissing off every country we deal with, decimating our alliances and making life more expensive for everyone, he also has no plan for this witless conflict we are mired in other than set the 23rd deadline for Iran to give in or else. I'm waiting for him to roll up a sleeve, shake a fist and say,"Why I oughta..."

Come on guys, when the obnoxiously self aggrandizing rhetoric becomes insufferable, get in touch with your inner Bugs...

Right now, the only ones of you with enough huevos to say these guys are the gang who can't shoot straight, are the ones who are retiring. Man up, compadres, and get the right Reverend Mike Johnson to say something other than "I really didn't hear the statement so I can't comment."

Mike apparently doesn't own a TV or have access to the Google machine.

My premise here was that the parties have switched sides in this society, but I may have convinced myself they haven't. They are both on the same side far too much. If you cornered Jeff Bezos and asked who he'll vote for, my guess is he'd have to flip a coin.

And that coin would have Trump's face on it.