centrists listen, unify, and roar!

A media frenzy has been brewing over the mental state of Hillary Rodham Clinton supporters. Will they rally behind Barack? Will they vote for McGruff the Crime Dog? Will they sit this one out? Will they work for the Democrats this time or plot strategy for 4 more years until Hillary can rise again from the ashes of Hope. Will they give Barack their cell phone number?

I think one of the big problems that's emerged in the last 20 years, especially in national politics, is this fear of confrontation within a given party. Once the primaries are over, the centrists take charge and with them a growing fear that unless everyone is on the same page, then the party isn't unified and can't win.

The Republicans, who know how to goose-step when they need to, have shown the Democrats that being simple-minded can be useful, and much to my dismay, the Democrats have gone soft-in-the-head and followed headlong into this strategy. If Al Gore would have spoken during his 2000 run like he spoke in An Inconvenient Truth, George Bush would be a ballpark beer salesman instead of running this country. Democrats fear that a roll-call vote this week could weaken Obama, as though the Democratic process somehow weakens those who partake in it.

It's a common problem, one only has to re-read "All the King's Men" to see how this works. A candidate gains attention because they aren't afraid to stand up to the powers-that-be and then the closer they get to the center of power, the more difficult it becomes for them to do so. Party unity. It's all about party unity. At least the center of the party.

We, as a culture, no longer truly embrace the different views that are represented in this country - we see the lack of unification as a chink in our armor. And this approach isn't good for the country. Two-party politics has led us to a national mall bookended by 2 major chains both selling largely the same wares and staffed by lobbyists who care more about the product than the customers.


So in the spirit of party unity we offer this tidbit from The Midnight Special. We know you haven't heard this one in a while. And you'll notice that the styles are the same today and they were back in 1972 when this was a number 1 hit.

Section 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.

Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

Section 3. This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification.

Text of the Equal Rights Amendment sent to the states in 1972 for ratification. Although 35 states ratified the amendment, it never achieved the 2/3's majority to become part of our constitution.