So right Keel. I wrote something similar on Facebook recently. Though I’ve never voted for a Republican candidate, I was never frightened about the outcome of an election. Generally two reasonable people were running and, though my views may have been more closely aligned with the Democratic candidate than with the Republican one, I felt safe with either one in office. No more. I’m terrified that either Trump or DeSantis will be the Republican candidate for president. Or someone just as bad. And our state legislature. What a disgrace! Where are the moderates indeed?
On point, Keel. The lack of those voices that you lament were those of what I called "Main Street Republicans". They were the ones that saw and improved local situations, be that the need for a new city park or county-wide library expansion. Now, it's all taking coup and braying about it. Let's hope the rising young voters make better choices than we have.
Every now and then I begin to think that a common sense moderate could find a lane in today’s political arena. Then I wake up and realize I was dreaming. A man can hope.
All the names you just wrote about. are all the names I grew up with and my family was apart of all of them. Are we related? I grew up as a Buford Ellington, Frank Clement democrat. OMG! Can't believe all the names you dropped meet the same context for me. My grandmother worked for Governor Ellington, Governor Frank Clement and many others along the way. Speak, brother, speak!
Trump and DeSantis have learned that bullying is effective in getting what they want and demand. Pre-Trump, no one that I can recall governed by bullying - at least not in our country. I pray that it’s not the blueprint for the future.
Newt Gingrich is credited for much of the change. He made a living truly hating Democrats.
And there's also the religious extremism that is much more political than it used to be. There is no issue that is so utterly divisive as religion. People's opinions are all but impossible to move, and everyone who believes differently is Satan.
Excellent observations. The moderate to liberal-leaning Republicans seem to have lost their voices in today's world. Surely there are still moderates living, just not willing to buck the tide. The future for Tennessee looks much like a black hole.
As usual on target observations Keel. Of course it works both ways with Democratic extremist pushing the opposite direction. Just my opinion of course but if one could miraculously eliminate the many issues around “wokeness” (however you may define it) one may find tensions mitigated and moderate compromises more evident.
"Wokeness" is the scare word. It's a way of covering up that they're hurting people by blanketing all of it in this nebulous "ideology" that they're fighting against. If it wasn't "wokeness" it would be something else.
They NEED "wokeness" to exist. To DISTRACT from the fact that they do nothing to make our lives better. It's a totally made up thing so they can justify hating Democrats and get votes.
Americans aren't happy. We're not getting better lives from the people in power. So Republicans have made up a scapegoat.
Rather than take on the big money interests that are controlling washington, they pick on the LEAST powerful groups. This is a strategy used all over the world by anti-democratic movements and dictators.
No Oxford commas? Noooo! You lost a point with me, Keel. =)
In all seriousness, I can tell you where the moderates have gone. We're all still here, but the Two-Party System has left us. They've found it's more profitable to demonize the other side than get anything done. (Not saying there isn't anything to demonize... this extremism is reprehensible.)
A huge part of it is our medias. The camps and echo chambers we get stuck in. Maybe we need the "Fairness Doctrine" back.
But our medias have changed what it means to be "moderate" in the first place. What's moderate now isn't the same as what used to be moderate.
REAL moderate is "what most people want." But media in 2023 will tell you something different about moderates.
They've switched "moderate" with "corporate." This shell game has been decades in the making. Look at who the medias prop up as "sensible moderates". And look at who they get donations from. Giant corporate Super PACs.
When 85% of campaign funds comes from a couple billionaires, who are they going to listen to? The people or the billionaires?
People's lives aren't getting better, and it's because our representatives are paid to do nothing.
So we need a reason. Media steps in and blames wokeness on the right and racism on the left. We're being pitted against each other as a DISTRACTION.
A DISTRACTION from them doing nothing to help us.
(I don't mean the extremism isn't important. This bullying and power-at-all-costs is toxic and disgusting. All the more effective of a distraction if it's a real danger, right?)
So right Keel. I wrote something similar on Facebook recently. Though I’ve never voted for a Republican candidate, I was never frightened about the outcome of an election. Generally two reasonable people were running and, though my views may have been more closely aligned with the Democratic candidate than with the Republican one, I felt safe with either one in office. No more. I’m terrified that either Trump or DeSantis will be the Republican candidate for president. Or someone just as bad. And our state legislature. What a disgrace! Where are the moderates indeed?
On point, Keel. The lack of those voices that you lament were those of what I called "Main Street Republicans". They were the ones that saw and improved local situations, be that the need for a new city park or county-wide library expansion. Now, it's all taking coup and braying about it. Let's hope the rising young voters make better choices than we have.
Every now and then I begin to think that a common sense moderate could find a lane in today’s political arena. Then I wake up and realize I was dreaming. A man can hope.
All the names you just wrote about. are all the names I grew up with and my family was apart of all of them. Are we related? I grew up as a Buford Ellington, Frank Clement democrat. OMG! Can't believe all the names you dropped meet the same context for me. My grandmother worked for Governor Ellington, Governor Frank Clement and many others along the way. Speak, brother, speak!
Makes me want to cry.
It’s heartbreaking Keel. GOP/Party of Lincoln is gone.
It’s especially sad and embarrassing that many of GOP leaders in our legislature are threatened by #KidsWithPaperSigns.
Grateful that Lew Conner was quoted in the NYTimes. Tennessee is better because of Lew Connor’s service.
I think this is THE question that needs to be asked right now. Thanks Keel. What next?
Trump and DeSantis have learned that bullying is effective in getting what they want and demand. Pre-Trump, no one that I can recall governed by bullying - at least not in our country. I pray that it’s not the blueprint for the future.
Newt Gingrich is credited for much of the change. He made a living truly hating Democrats.
And there's also the religious extremism that is much more political than it used to be. There is no issue that is so utterly divisive as religion. People's opinions are all but impossible to move, and everyone who believes differently is Satan.
Excellent observations. The moderate to liberal-leaning Republicans seem to have lost their voices in today's world. Surely there are still moderates living, just not willing to buck the tide. The future for Tennessee looks much like a black hole.
As usual on target observations Keel. Of course it works both ways with Democratic extremist pushing the opposite direction. Just my opinion of course but if one could miraculously eliminate the many issues around “wokeness” (however you may define it) one may find tensions mitigated and moderate compromises more evident.
"Wokeness" is the scare word. It's a way of covering up that they're hurting people by blanketing all of it in this nebulous "ideology" that they're fighting against. If it wasn't "wokeness" it would be something else.
They NEED "wokeness" to exist. To DISTRACT from the fact that they do nothing to make our lives better. It's a totally made up thing so they can justify hating Democrats and get votes.
Americans aren't happy. We're not getting better lives from the people in power. So Republicans have made up a scapegoat.
Rather than take on the big money interests that are controlling washington, they pick on the LEAST powerful groups. This is a strategy used all over the world by anti-democratic movements and dictators.
No Oxford commas? Noooo! You lost a point with me, Keel. =)
In all seriousness, I can tell you where the moderates have gone. We're all still here, but the Two-Party System has left us. They've found it's more profitable to demonize the other side than get anything done. (Not saying there isn't anything to demonize... this extremism is reprehensible.)
A huge part of it is our medias. The camps and echo chambers we get stuck in. Maybe we need the "Fairness Doctrine" back.
But our medias have changed what it means to be "moderate" in the first place. What's moderate now isn't the same as what used to be moderate.
REAL moderate is "what most people want." But media in 2023 will tell you something different about moderates.
They've switched "moderate" with "corporate." This shell game has been decades in the making. Look at who the medias prop up as "sensible moderates". And look at who they get donations from. Giant corporate Super PACs.
When 85% of campaign funds comes from a couple billionaires, who are they going to listen to? The people or the billionaires?
People's lives aren't getting better, and it's because our representatives are paid to do nothing.
So we need a reason. Media steps in and blames wokeness on the right and racism on the left. We're being pitted against each other as a DISTRACTION.
A DISTRACTION from them doing nothing to help us.
(I don't mean the extremism isn't important. This bullying and power-at-all-costs is toxic and disgusting. All the more effective of a distraction if it's a real danger, right?)