I have always considered the Democratic Party of the United States as the “mother” of our republic, while our “father” was best represented by the Republican Party.
“Mom” coddles, but sets rules just like “Dad,” but mom shows more mercy, more tolerance for her erring children, indeed, she is desirous of always protecting her children, and so while Dad has more stringent rules and is thus the more disciplinarian, mom likes to set up programs, or safety nets just in case her children stumble from time to time.
Dad believes more along the lines of self-dependency, to learn to stand on one’s two feet and to not look to the parents for support unless it is an emergency. Dad also believes his children should be strong and able to defend themselves from those who will take advantage. Dad believes tough love leads to wisdom.
Mom the merciful always has an extra loaf of bread for her children; she minimizes the suffering and supports her children’s dreams no matter how fanciful, how unorthodox. She wants what’s best but also encourages her children to explore new limits.
Dad, the pragmatist believes something broke isn’t in need of fixing and is thus more traditional, his mantra is to “build upon the foundation of what’s trusted,” that there are absolutes. Mom encourages dreams. Dad is rooted in tangibles.
“Stay alert!” he says, meanwhile mom says to “follow your dreams.”
Today, and after 50 years of just about every kind of revolution you can think of, Mom is decidedly in charge. The children decided to follow her example.
Metaphorically, Our two parents have divorced and the children live with mother while dad continues to pay alimony as well as the mortgage. Meanwhile, mom keeps racking up credit card debt while Dad is going broke.
What are the children doing? They want more money to spend and they are really busy having fun living in a house without any rules. Mom is happy to have the children home with her so she can keep an eye on their safety. The kids love mom but they are not so happy with dad. Oh, sure, he keeps sending money but he has all of these rules and he keeps making mother sad. His judgment of her – as well as the kids makes him seem ugly and hateful.
Dad doesn’t know what do to. He loves his children but they won’t listen to him. They appreciate the house, the clothes, the comforts and the car, but why all of the anger? why can’t he just “accept us for who we are?”
The children sing a new song, “We are liberated and your rules, Father, do not apply.”
Dad says you can’t make up rules to fit your wishes, the world doesn’t work that way. But of course mom is there to give them group hugs and tell them everything will be okay, because mom knows as long as she has the kids, dad will continue to support her.
This is how I see America today.
There is the America run by social democrats who use dependency to keep “the children” dependent so they will always give mommy the power she needs, and that is the America that Republicans can no longer control. “Our rules no longer apply because the children, at the behest of mother, have made new rules.”
Dad is forced to support his children, but he knows eventually there won’t be much left as resources continue to be exhausted.
Because mom let the children squander the resources, because mom relaxed the rules and because Dad could no longer tell the kids what to do, the home divided and fell to disrepair. The bills became unsustainable, the power was shutoff and the children became homeless.
Dad now sits on the porch of his run downed apartment (all that he can now afford), and watches day become night, watches as other fathers do the same. “Ah, the Republican Party,” he whispers, “once a great and inspirational party, it fostered emancipation, suffrage and innovation,” but the party could not survive under the weight of its spoiled children’s needs.
Mom and Dad have long since stopped speaking with each other, the family now torn apart, with the cries of the children saying “it’s your fault Father, you were supposed to protect us from ourselves!”
Of course they are right. And that was the failing of the grand old party. It heeded to the less wise, even to their own demise.
Oh, America, how great were thee, the father weeps.
Jim Watkins is the host of Your Wake-Up Call 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. (ET) on Tampa Bay’s AM 820 News, WWBA and on NewsTalkFlorida.com
