I have been estranged from a family member for a few years. Actually several of them. I guess there is a turning point for everyone. The two I am most estranged from are a brother and an uncle, both career military, both officers, both college educated.
Both totally supportive of Bush and his agenda until lately. I got a note in my Christmas card from one which said if they had hurt me they were sorry. Then another called to drop by and talk things over. I said yes, if you can respect me for being a Democrat. So we had a sort of nice visit.
I found out that this brilliant man and his family did not even watch news, were just learning of the events going on as other radio came into this area.
We talked but nothing definite. Today the one who sent the note in the Christmas card sent me an email with the subject line Crow for Lunch:
“I never thought I’d be saying this, but more and more I have come to regret voting for our current president (although I would probably also regret voting for any of the other candidates available at the time). I have contacted both of my senators and my congressman and strongly voiced my disagreement with the latest idiotic move by the White House (the east coast ports operations) urging them to do whatever they can to bring the port management under United States company control.
…..Just thought you might want to know that I can eat crow now and then.”
Maybe we are on our way to some family healing. This is why I have heartbreak at seeing so many say the Democratic Party is not relevant anymore. I say these diehard former Republicans really have nowhere else to go.
When you see those polls go up and down it means that real people are changing their minds. Sometimes it is just a short-term reaction to news from the apathatic. But other times, it is the permanent flip of a person that has seen the light.
because they as military officers trusted their commander in chief are the ones who feel the true wrath.
These are essentially good men who just kept their blinders on too long.
I think these might be pretty permanent flips. It is kind of fury that comes from those who trusted most.
looks like we’ll be set for the election..capture the two houses as the rebellion on Dubai ports begins
The ports issue exposes the Bush War on Terror, diminishing his stature among the hard core 37% support he’s maintained. What cannot be divorced from DPW, is the fact that bin Laden, Dubai, and the Emiriti associated. Bin Laden was treated at a U.S. hospital in Dubai, he visited with the royals.
So, can Bush really succeed in selling this deal to his base? I think not.
There’s nothing that can so sour a relationship than betrayal. And in the eyes of Wingnuttialand Bush’s defense of this deal, having demonized Arabs, is a betrayal.
So on to our next hurdle – defeating Diebold – for an accurate count of what’ll be rightfully ours.
Want to believe that it is permanent. But, like many, I am too dissillusioned and really upset at what I feel is a lack of attentiveness to the social problems at hand. The won’t get solved by ignoring them and pretending that they will go away, although this admin continues to have that attitude. So do some of the dems, unfortuantely. That is the entire reason why I am upset–the lack of response by the elected officials to the cocerns of the public.
Floridagal,
I’ve read your diaries with great interest. I’ve recommended them even when i don’t agree because I realize these discussions are important to have. I haven’t commented in any of them till now because I figured there wasn’t much I could say that wouldn’t sound like piling on. I’ve felt bad watching you try so hard to convince people to stay. I respect your ideals, your heartbreak at the thought of so many abandoning the democrats. I feel like I’ve been abandoned but I’m not so self centered to believe that all my needs are so important in the big picture. I’m still one of the fortunate ones who has a job, a home, and so on. You say that those diehard former republicans have no where else to go. I think I can safely say that many diehard former democrats, me included, have felt for a long time that we had no where else to go.
There is no point really in my comment here other than to let you know I’m paying attention. My eyes and my ears are open and that It’s my fervent hope that we can all come together somehow, from within and from without, to turn this awful mess around.
Peace
If that is what satisfies them, then that is their right. I have asked a lot of times who will stand up for such issues as healthcare and the economy when we destroy what we have. I don’t get real answers, just that it will make them feel better.
Your words are very kind, and I appreciate them a lot. Since I became moderate again, I don’t get many of those.
But I understand, and I appreciate your words.
This is great news, floridagal; great for you personally and great for our country.
I have seen some softening lately among the Republicans at work. A few are, I’m sure, still really rabid, but they have stopped talking. My coworkers call me the “resident communinist”, but some are approaching me now to discuss current events. They like it that I can supply background on the things that are looking so fishy that they have to question the administration propaganda.
Since I don’t want to lose these folks just as they’re starting to come around, I’m sticking with a method that has been working for me.
It’s the “They’re Not Real Republicans” approach.
I can, with a bit of effort and time travel to the Lincoln administration (well, Eisenhower) enumerate Good, Solid Republican Values like thrift, hard work, self reliance, and personal responsibility. These are things my friends at work have believed, for many years, their party stands for. I would be shooting myself in the foot to tell them they shouldn’t be Republicans, because they ARE Republicans and they believe that Republicans are good.
So I validate all the misgivings they are having about the Bushies not being Real Republicans, and low and behold, one of them said last week, “That Russ Feingold talks more like a good Republican than the goddamn President.”
Whoopeee !
I don’t know whether to cheer or pull my hair out over that one.
After working with these guys for many years, I understand them a little.
My parent were Republicans, buy they joined the Democratic party in the 60’s when it became obvious to them that the Party of Lincoln had become a racist party.
These guys didn’t have that epiphany.
They feel that Republicans are John Wayne, real men with traditional values. They think women don’t need abortions because a real man would marry any women he got pregnant, just like they did. They think liberal men are leering, exploiters who wank off to porn all day, and who want to get their daughter drunk, fuck her, take lewd pictures of her, let her walk home, then laugh at her and post the pictures on the net. (After some of the comment at dkos during the pie wars, they may have a point in a few cases.)
They believe in the mythology of the white, male Republican: an independent guy who stands up for what’s right, don’t take nothing from nobody, protects his family, goes to work every day, and saves his money.
Even on a personal, let alone party, level this is patently untrue.
They grouse about injustice, as they perceive it, but are powerless to affect it. They get lots of benefits from being straight, white men, but don’t recognise them. When they try to “protect” their families, they are slapped down as bullies and control freaks. They go to work every day, but fear their jobs could disappear any minute, and they are all deeply in debt.
Coming from one of these men, the Feingold statement was a compliment.
One at a time! I’m glad that they’ve turned and that you can once again be a family again. I hope that they both start reading the papers, blogs, magazines and get a wide swath of sources.
I too am experiencing this with my republican sister. She was just here for the weekend and we actually were able to talk about a couple of issues. We are still far apart politically. What amazes me though is the issues that are turning them. She is very bigoted against foreigners. I won’t even repeat what she says about “those Mexican illegals” so it was evident to me when she expressed total disgust with the port deal and that Bush has been making some big mistakes. See to someone like her, it isn’t about national security, it is about “those Arabs” running the ports.
I don’t see her voting dem any time soon but she is waking up a bit. One person at a time.