The political conventions are over and but a blip on our collective memory at this point. News of other events have replaced convention coverage, 9/11 tributes have us reconsidering our priorities, and life has carried on. I watched parts of the Republican National Convention, the main events at least. I think it’s important to know what all sides are talking about so I can make decisions based on facts, my own experiences, and the paradigm I come from. I admittedly watched the RNC with skepticism and found myself yelling at the television a lot. My political counterparts would likely say the same thing. See, we do have things in common! I was fortunate to go to the Democratic National Convention, so my personal experience certainly skews my perspective on both affairs.
While in Charlotte I was wrapped in the folds of shared sensibilities. It was refreshing to be among so many like-minded people, fierce advocates, risk takers, and regular people who simply want to be heard. I was admittedly a bit smitten when I saw Chris Matthews, Barbara Mikulski (who has been my hero since I was a teenager), fellow mothers on a mission, and of course, the President and First Lady themselves. It’s a trifle embarrassing to geek out over political figures, right? What floored me the most at the DNC was the diversity in the crowd, on the streets, in the stadium, at every single venue. I saw men in turbans, women in red hats, gentlemen in seersucker suits, young mothers, grandfathers, veterans, college students, and people of every shade in the Crayola box of multicultural crayons. The faces represented the kaleidoscope of people that make up America. To be in a sea of people from all walks of life was profound, especially since I am often the one brown face everywhere I go in my corner of the world.
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The RNC lacked diversity on so many levels. I found it unnerving when the camera panned the crowd. I even heard some foreign correspondents from Europe talking about this very thing. They too were alarmed at the lack of diversity in Tampa. Their vision of America was different than what they saw. Based on visuals alone, I cannot help but wonder if the Republican party really is the party to govern, lead, and represent all Americans. My sense is that it has become a party for the white and wealthy. Many who identify themselves as Republican are going to vote against their own best interests. Party affiliation and convention hoopla aside, we should be examining both parties based on issues, not just the branding of the party.
Republicans are faced with showing Americans that they truly are the party of inclusiveness rather than exclusivity. If it’s not a genuine assertion, this shall prove difficult. Democrats need to stick a steel rod in their backbones and speak authoritatively on the issues that weigh down America. Jobs. Economic growth. Military support and veteran services. Education. Health care. Equal rights. We don’t need cheerleading as much as we need leadership.
This post is part of a weekly conversation with our Moms Matter 2012 political bloggers. To see the original question and what the other writers have to say, see Which Convention 'Won'?
Image via Ilina Ewen
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Comments 45
I'm a college educated Hispanic woman.
Democrats would be humiliated about themselves if they had enough goose-sense to do so.............
Ninnies..................
Mistake number one. Try an open mind next time.
"I was admittedly a bit smitten when I saw Chris Matthews, Barbara Mikulski (who has been my hero since I was a teenager), "
Interesting. Two people who have made a career out of race and class warfare and hate political agit-prop. Sadly, that says a lot.
"The RNC lacked diversity on so many levels. I found it unnerving when the camera panned the crowd."
Let me guess, you watched it on MSNBC? Where they carefully edited out all of the non-white speakers and audience camera shots, because the democrats are heavily pushing their "Baaah! Baaaah! Republicans are the party for the white and wealthy! Baaah! Baaaah!" mantra this election?
"Many who identify themselves as Republican are going to vote against their own best interests."
Ah yes, that tired old worn out democrat propaganda slogan...
Dearie, perhaps over 40 months of 8+% unemployment (post WWII record), $16,000,000,000,000!!,!!!,!!!,!!!,!!! in debt, an utterly stagnant economy, the disastrous "um, um... present!" foreign policy, totally ignoring the US Constitution, "pay for play" kickback scams, and unprecedented corruption are in your best interest; but little of that is in anyone else's best interest; outside of a handful of left wing special interest groups and those who are profiting (legally or illegally) from government largess.
"we should be examining both parties based on issues, not just the branding of the party."
Is that why you just wrote an article that did not address any issues, but was "Based on "visuals" alone"?
"Jobs. Economic growth. Military support and veteran services. Education. Health care. Equal rights. "
Oh, wait! We included a list where those words are recited at the end, even though there is NO discussion of any of them! So let's do that:
"Jobs."
Once again, over 40 months of 8+% unemployment, and rising!* This is a post WWII record, and is also a record for the slowest job growth of any recovery following any recession. Don't worry though, I have heard that OWEbama is going to "focus like a laser" on jobs... soon... OWEbama has not met with his jobs panel in nine months.
* "and rising"- US Bureau of Labor Statistics numbers, not OWEbama re-election campaign "numbers"...
"Economic growth."
Under OWEbama we have also set a new post WWII record for the slowest economic recovery ever following a recession. GDP is completely stagnant. This is in spite of pouring trillions into the economy (creating trillions in debt) in an attempt to "stimulate" it.
"Military support and veteran services."
OWEbama is in the process of gutting our military to levels that we have not seen since prior to WWII. Any student of history can tell you the disastrous unpreparedness of that period. These are levels that none other than Jimmy Carter has characterized as "dangerous".
OWEbama is unilaterally cutting our nuclear deterrent without asking for a single concession from any other nation, at a time when Russia, China, and India are all doing large rapid buildups, all are deploying new modernized ICBM and submarine fleets. And several new extremely US hostile nuclear powers are emerging.
"Education."
The OWEbama administration, in direct contradiction to US Federal and Constitutional law, has granted "waivers" to the Kennedy/Bush No Child Left Behind Law, to over half of all states. (to states that have provided his campaign with strong union financial and campaign manpower support) Though eliminating performance measurements for teachers is supported by the Teachers Unions, the result is that the requirement to simply bring students up to grade level by next year will not be achieved. Will your child be left behind?
Smitten with Chris Matthews. Wow. I thought even the looniest of the Lefties knew that dude was out in orbit. After that confession, the rest of the article, opinions and positions are not even worth reading. The good news is that you'll probably get a phone call from Matthews - I hear he likes to personally thank his handful of followers.
"Equal rights."
While there has been no civil rights legislation in recent years, as your own article demonstrates, the divisiveness of the OWEbama administration in it's effort to make political hay by playing class and race warfare have set back race relations in the US by decades.
Wanna try for "Energy Policy" and "your energy bills will necessarily skyrocket"? The "Green Kick-backs"/Political Donor Pay-offs? The defiance of court orders in regards to drilling permits? The Keystone pipeline?
How about the rule of law, and adherence to the Constitution? We can talk about the "OWEbama waivers" to federal law for politically selected people and groups. Wiping their rump with court orders? Or perhaps about the Fast and Furious Scandal?
Actually, I would prefer not to talk about spending, the deficit and the debt any more. I am worried about wearing out the "," and "0" keys on my keyboard...