Civility Plea to Candidates: Bring Us Together
February 07, 2020
The political divisiveness of the moment is undermining our democracy.
Its roots are too often in hate, anger and win-at-all-costs rather than a fair and good-hearted rivalry.
Historians tell of moments of hate-filled hyper-partisanship at turning points — the Civil War, World War II, the Vietnam debacle, and so on.
After his election, they tell us, Eisenhower said, “My job is to unite the country.” None of that for Trump.
We are at a turning point now, with a president who believes his impeachment acquittal has vindicated him, who performs his hatred by lambasting opponents and challenging their faith during prayer breakfasts, who is side-lining the distinguished Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman who testified against him, and who creates an aura of anxiety that keeps Republican senators from voting their conscience out of fear of ostracism.
Sadly, the President’s lies, narcissism, and reality-show temperament is shaping Republicans into a Party of Trump, with its Senators leading the way. They trade their conscience for what Sherrod Brown (NYT editorial, 2/6/20), calls a “stay-in-office-at-all-costs” mentality. Trump learned his lesson, some say, and will change.
No chance.
There is no civility in his bones.
It is up to his Democratic opponents to show the way, to bring us together. David Brooks (NYT opinion column 2/6/20), tells us that “[t]his is the year to run a values campaign, one that champions policies to make America more socially mobile, caring, and interdependent.”
Makes sense. Yes, Republicans will be saying they bring us economic prosperity. Yet at the same time our social and moral prosperity is under threat.
Democratic Presidential candidates must say at every turn: “Trump’s diatribes are the language of hate. We will not act out of fear and derision. We are the party that sticks to our principles. We will build a social and moral prosperity that sustains us and gives meaning to our lives. We are the party of human values.”
The Democratic Presidential candidate that segues to that message will win the votes, along with the hearts and minds of those who take their citizenship seriously, who have civility in their bones.
Its roots are too often in hate, anger and win-at-all-costs rather than a fair and good-hearted rivalry.
Historians tell of moments of hate-filled hyper-partisanship at turning points — the Civil War, World War II, the Vietnam debacle, and so on.
After his election, they tell us, Eisenhower said, “My job is to unite the country.” None of that for Trump.
We are at a turning point now, with a president who believes his impeachment acquittal has vindicated him, who performs his hatred by lambasting opponents and challenging their faith during prayer breakfasts, who is side-lining the distinguished Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman who testified against him, and who creates an aura of anxiety that keeps Republican senators from voting their conscience out of fear of ostracism.
Sadly, the President’s lies, narcissism, and reality-show temperament is shaping Republicans into a Party of Trump, with its Senators leading the way. They trade their conscience for what Sherrod Brown (NYT editorial, 2/6/20), calls a “stay-in-office-at-all-costs” mentality. Trump learned his lesson, some say, and will change.
No chance.
There is no civility in his bones.
It is up to his Democratic opponents to show the way, to bring us together. David Brooks (NYT opinion column 2/6/20), tells us that “[t]his is the year to run a values campaign, one that champions policies to make America more socially mobile, caring, and interdependent.”
Makes sense. Yes, Republicans will be saying they bring us economic prosperity. Yet at the same time our social and moral prosperity is under threat.
Democratic Presidential candidates must say at every turn: “Trump’s diatribes are the language of hate. We will not act out of fear and derision. We are the party that sticks to our principles. We will build a social and moral prosperity that sustains us and gives meaning to our lives. We are the party of human values.”
The Democratic Presidential candidate that segues to that message will win the votes, along with the hearts and minds of those who take their citizenship seriously, who have civility in their bones.