Interview With The Democrat

What a blessing it is to have friends that don't agree with me.  The best way to learn the strength of your positions is to discover the weak points in that of your opposition.

I had a wonderful discussion today with a former teacher who has also worked in school administration and now continues working for education through another capacity.  Back during the campaign he sported a pro-Obama bumper sticker on his car, as did many of the other cars in the parking lot.  As aggravated as I was about this, I never challenged his allegiance to the Democrat party despite their increasing left-ward lean because he is a significant client who offers ongoing business and friendship.  But somehow today the conversation got started.

I asked him, "One can't help but notice that teachers, professors, universities and so on always lean liberal.  Why is that - is it because of the unions?"  To my surprise, he said that it really had nothing to do with the unions, but had more to do with the fact that their careers have been made in caring and educating children, and that the Democrat party has traditionally been the "huggy" party, fighting for unilateral equality, taking care of the "working man" and so on.

I thought that was an interesting perspective, but I had to retort, "Are you suggesting that the party of family values and, especially of late, faith and spirituality, isn't "huggy" in nature?"  He replied that it hasn't always been that way.  He suggested that the parties have been changing profoundly, that the Democrat party and Republican party are not what they have been traditionally.

I then asked, "I understand that the Democrat party has always been the 'working man's party', but The New Deal was probably the biggest enemy to the working man in history as it created a massive welfare state that it took Reagan, Bush I and Clinton to clean up.  Now in less than 100 days the Obama administration threatens to redistribute wealth and create an even larger welfare state than FDR started and Jimmy Carter fed voraciously.  At what point do you draw the line and stop feeding the monster, and tell the monster to put forth a little effort to go feed himself?"  He agreed that a line must be drawn but the argument for him is where it should be drawn.  He then volunteered, "Look, I'm not in lock step with the guy."  Then I got to hear what I wanted to hear... that he is not in favor of a one-world government with Obama as supreme leader, that the huge amount of spending is a catastrophe.  Then I got the money shot.

I mentioned to him how I feel about things as a business owner.  He said, "Look I can understand how you feel.  In all the years I've worked, never once have I gone without a paycheck.  I've always essentially worked for the government.  I have no idea how you feel as a person who owns a business."

I can tell you.  I can't ask for a levy from the taxpayers to make sure I get that paycheck.  If there's not enough money, I have to axe someone and I'll probably go without a paycheck.  So the paycheck he's always gotten came from the government, i.e., the taxpayer.  In a non-education scenario, that paycheck has to come from someone, a business owner, who may have gone without a paycheck while building that business.  Now Obama is rebuilding government dependance programs with the "huggy" idea of evening out prosperity, no matter the effort it takes to gain that prosperity.

I suppose if I always got a check no matter what, and if taxpayers paid for my insurance and benefits, and if a union "had my back" if the evil, nasty employer (that pays me) gets on my case in any way, I might look at things a different way as well.

But I have gone without a paycheck.  I can't ask the taxpayers for my salary.  I have others who receive paychecks from me and worry about mandated tax increases and health care that may cost them their job.

I appreciate my friend's ability to look beyond the rose-colored glasses that many Obama supporters put on last year and refuse to take off. 

I get that Dems hated Bush.  I get that Dems hated the war.  I get that Dems tend to believe in global warming and advocate green energy.  But Dems must be willing to do what I have done.  Get to know the other side.  Ask questions and engage in healthy conversations, free of debate and argument, so learning is possible.  Similarly, articulate your position, and do it without threatening or minimizing your opponent's opinion.

You may find, as I did, that you have a lot more in common than you might expect.

And that's the way I see it.