I'll take diversity of thought over GOP group think, thank you

Posted 5/27/22

To the editor:

Some witticisms, true then, are true now.

Cowboy wit Will Rogers once said “I am a member of no organized political party. I’m a Democrat.” Sure enough, the …

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I'll take diversity of thought over GOP group think, thank you

Posted

To the editor:

Some witticisms, true then, are true now.

Cowboy wit Will Rogers once said “I am a member of no organized political party. I’m a Democrat.” Sure enough, the Democratic Party (aka the ‘Democrat’ Party, according to Republican orthodoxy) remains disorganized. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Central party GOP talking points have that slight Soviet odor to me. There seems not to be any individual Republican viewpoint or hypocrisy. A Mitch McConnell hypocrisy, for example, is embraced by all, whether about Supreme Court nominees or flip-flops on Trump’s misdeeds. Group think is the rule, and the path ahead seems to be a narrow one that turns back to the past.

Democrats, while in a shrinking party as to membership, like the big tent, welcome a diversity of interests and viewpoints, and seem energized by arguments about the priorities and pace of progress in our country. Characterized as radical/liberal by Republican leaders, Democrats (most are centrists, no kidding) probably seem that way to GOPers who have shifted so very far right. A Democratic agenda supporting renewable energy, better public schools, expanded health care for the poor, revitalized infrastructure, and supplemental help to the police seems centrist and sensible to me.  How to move forward as a largely cohesive people is an important and interesting question.

That will not occur with the cascade of ridiculous assertions on Fox TV and of GOP leaders like Hawley and Cruz, to say nothing of Trump.  Spoiler alert!  Democrats do not hate America.  Biden is not using illegal drugs and waves of undocumented immigrants to kill and replace Trump voters.  Voting fraud is a myth.  Sadly, COVID-19 is real.  The vaccines are not making Fauci wealthy.  That these lies are so frequently spread and believed is proof positive that the Democratic Party is disorganized.  Else, it would wage a real campaign to debunk and discredit them.  That work seems to be an important focus of the main stream media, or as Trump would have us believe, The Enemy of the People.  

And so we thrust and parry, with truth and progress left by the wayside, while the crowds roar, many politicians dissemble, and the nation totters.  Can we do better? That should be an easy question to answer.  

Will Newman

Tiverton

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A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.