Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Radical Politicians and The Press hate Moderates

Good luck finding a talking head that has anything good to say about moderates who make win/win compromises. Welcome to the age of ABSOLUTISTS who can't stand to give or lose an inch. Remember that when these folks are arguing against legal abortion, universal healthcare, really saving social security, creating healthier environments, allowing religious freedom, etc.

This purism, this absolutism is consistent with Bush's view of Roosevelt at Yalta--he's telling us that if there's any downside to a negotiation then it's not worth making. As my brilliant husband observed, the United States would not have come into existance but for the compromise that our Northern forefathers made over slavery and our consititution. It was ugly, slavery is immoral, but the agreement formed our union, with many holding hope that slavery would end--and it did--but not before the slave trade was, quite sadly, written into our original constitution.

This is why I distrust anyone who is a "strict textualist," someone like that could cite original intent to defend slavery today. As Judaism teaches me, our texts and our religion are both very old and new (or the active verb: reform).

I will offically convert to Judaism tomorrow. I'm thrilled!

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