Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel's dialectic was most often characterized as a three-step process, "thesis, antithesis, synthesis. Two forces would collide producing a new syntheses. This is similar to ancient Chinese philosophy, life is the balance of yin and yang. Yin, the feminine force and yang, the masculine are complementary opposites rather than absolutes.Balance is an important concept in politics, but one of the political parties in the US lacks it.
President Barack Obama understands the importance of political balance. In almost every speech, he positions himself not as an advocate but as an arbiter. During his speech in Cairo last week made a conscious effort to acknowledge the terrible truth of the Holocaust and the awful plight of Palestinians who have lost their homes and were never been compensated for their property.
In his speeches, Obama positions himself rhetorically in the center, and looks at both sides of the argument before making a decision.
Obama’s balance strategy is not restricted to speeches. He consciously and publicly lives a moderate and balanced life. He makes time to work out, to go on dates with his wife, to do homework with his kids and even to sneak out for lunch to get a cheeseburger. The president almost seems too normal at times.
If you look at the Democratic party, it is also balanced. There are liberals, moderates and conservatives in the Democratic party. It s is a bigger tent that the one that shelters the GOP. There are the Blue Dog Democrats on the right and the loyal Yellow Dog Democrats on the left.
The GOP could be better defined as having a vociferous right and a weaker but distinguished center. The right is represented by Rush Limbaugh, Anne Coulter, and Dick Cheney. The moderate Republicans are represented by Colin Powell and Michale Steele.
Asked Sunday how the Republican Party should deal with conservatives who advocate "ideological purity," former House Speaker Newt Gingrich had simple advice: "You shrug them off."
Rush Limbaugh has a different view: Okay. For the record, . . I'm not a purist. We're conservatives, plain and simple, Newt. Now, we conservatives don't always agree with each other. Yeah, Ronald Reagan got a lot of independents and Democrats, but how did he do it? He didn't pretend he was one of them! He didn't pretend to be a Democrat. He didn't pretend to be an independent. Reagan persuaded them. Reagan made them want to join him. Reagan did not change who he was to attract those independents and Democrats. . . .
Many Republicans like Limbaugh are purists and have an authoritarian attitude that sounds something like this: it's my way or the highway. Don't try to confuse me with the facts. When Jeb Bush was elected as the Florida governor, the GOP cleared the decks and fired both Democrats and Republicans in the State House. When Republicans protested, they were told they had been contaminated by the Democrats who had been in power.
Newt Gingrich is also considered to be one of the most authoritarian speakers of the House. When he became speaker, he abolished the committee system based on seniority and installed committee chairman loyal to him. He also advised Republicans in the House to avoid contact and not to socialize with the their Democratic peers.
“When Gingrich took charge of the House in 1995 as Speaker, he imposed authoritarian rule unlike that of any Speaker before him. His bullying, demanding style provoked antagonism and incivility, and made demonizing one's opponents standard operating procedure. Gingrich eliminated the seniority rights of Republicans in the House, and he personally selected committee chairs who would be loyal to him - and who could help raise money, using their posts for the good of the GOP. Gingrich lorded over the House, telling members not to bring their families back to Washington, and even suggesting which books they should be reading.”
Attacking the president or the first lady directly and personally is counterproductive. Most of the personal attacks are disingenuous, petty and mean. The right wing suggestion that Obama is Islamic or was not born in the US is good example of this. This is sore loser-ism.
The GOP is fragmented and recent polls indicate no GOP politician has been identified as the leader of the party. Nealy 60 per cent of the GOP wants a shift to the right but this will assure party remains a regional party with permanent minority status. The moderate Republicans are essential to recovering the independents.
However, the Democrats seems intent on snagging as many of those GOP moderates as they can. Jon Huntsman, the governor of the state of Utah, was an up and coming moderate Republican who Obama appointed as the ambassador to China. President Obama named Republican Congressman John McHugh as the 21st Secretary of the Army, further diluting GOP strength in New York.
The GOP needs to become less authoritarian and more accepting of moderate Republicans. If it doesn't it will remain in the political desert for 40 years. That is the prediction of James Carville who believes the Democrats will lead the country until 2050.
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