Dumb-ocrats vs. Repug-licans

As soon as I was old enough to vote, I registered as a Democrat. In my naïve view, I saw the two party-system as just two different mindsets. The Republicans were all about less government and less regulation for business, while the Democrats were more about creating programs and services to help people. While I’m all about opportunity, my mindset at that time (and now as well), is that we really DO need to take care of our own – particularly because there are many, many people out there who are physically and/or mentally incapable of doing so.

Fast-forward to today. I have grown and gained a lot of life experience, and the two parties have morphed. And truthfully, I cannot say that I am overly thrilled with either party for a lot of reasons. The Democrats failed to move and strike while the iron was hot in so many ways, and the Republicans have disgracefully just acted as the party-of-no working hard to block every idea our President has had, simply to be obstinate. Both sides share the blame. I do not believe that because a person is in one party or the other that it labels the person as “Good” or “Bad”. There are brilliant and wonderful people in both party, and there are complete asshats. If we are to evaluate someone, it should be on his or her own merits – not because of the company he or she keeps. And that brings me to the subject of this post – Bush.

I’ll be honest, the idea of another “President Bush” really makes me shudder. I was not particularly thrilled with GH Bush, as I saw him as a watered-down and wussier version of Reagan. And I REALLY could not stand GW, whom I believe to be the most misguided, ineffective failures of a President that this country has seen since… since… ever? But does that mean that I should automatically dismiss baby bro, Jeb? My kneejerk says, “the apple can’t fall far from the tree”. But the mature part of me says that isn’t right. When he was governor in Florida when I lived there, I have to say that he actually used his authority to make some smart decisions (such as declaring a state of disaster BEFORE Hurricane Andrew hit), so that help would be waiting right on the state border to come in immediately. (UNLIKE his stupid older brother during Katrina).

I have to be fair.
I have to look at him for his own stance.
I have to defend him against friends and allies who attack him just because of his name and his party.

But then, I read the nail in the coffin. When asked his stance about the national legalization of same-gender marriage, he said that he believes the issue should be decided individually by each state. Excuse me? EXCUSE ME?!!!!!! As white-washed as that might sound to some, he just endorsed unequal protection under the law! In all fifty states, a man can marry a woman. But in Jeb’s mind, same-gender citizens of this country don’t deserve the same protection?

I was willing to go out on a limb to defend you against the legacy of asshattery of the rest of your family and party, Jeb. I really was.

YOU BLEW IT!