Compromise is not Always the Answer

There's much to be said for compromise and it's absence in today's politics.   The political climate today makes us stand firm on our respective sides and hurl absolutes about tax-policy, the ways in which we can better defend ourselves against terrorism and many other issues. Politicians talk about the days when they could argue on the floor of Congress and walk off friends.  John McCain, in a recent interview with Tom Brokaw, talked about how he and Ted Kennedy could duke it out verbally and then talk about how good the debate was when they were offstage.

There is a place for compromise in developing fiscal policy and making government function more efficiently for example.  But there are issues where compromise is not any sort of an answer.

From the New York Times Editorial Board comes a reflection on Gen. Kelly's role as the "adult" in the White House and lessons learned on racism.  He could be seen visibly cringing as the President made a false equivalency of "fine people" on both sides in Charlottesville. There was hope. But this week General Kelly asserted that compromise could have avoided the Civil War.

To Mr. Kelly — and to the White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who echoed his view from the people’s podium in the briefing room — the Civil War resulted from a failure to compromise. It might be instructive for reporters to continue to press both of them, as well as the president, about what kind of compromise over slavery they have in mind.

Indeed, General Kelly, et.al, if we made black people 5/6 or 7/8 a person instead of 3/5 would that have been acceptable?  Would it have solved the problems or pushed off the war and set back the civil rights movements of the 20th and 21st centuries?  That's a rhetorical question.  The answer is obvious.

Civil rights, women's rights, LGBT rights, HUMAN RIGHTS, will never be achieved by compromise.

Beyond Politics

This morning I awoke to tweets by the POTUS trying to blame Senator Schumer for the terrorist attack in NYC. This is so wrong.  Sadly I was not surprised.

The last year has been very stressful.   What seems obvious to me, seems invisible to others:  Donald Trump is unfit to President of the United States.

As I post observations on Facebook that I believe to be based on observable facts I am challenged as being unable to get over Hillary Clinton's defeat.  I have been told I am angry, mean and accusatory.  I have been told I have to get over it and "grow a set."

When it comes to maturity and the ability to look beyond the personal and take actions that are best for the entire country, Trump's actions come as no surprise.  He laid this out by his own actions during the campaign.  He not only tolerated but encouraged lies, hate and division.  A year into his Presidency that continues.

I would say he needs to stop his "tweet first, think later" approach. That presumes that he is able to think as a leader of this country.  He's not.  Once the tweet is out he will defend it at all cost.  He never apologizes, he doubles down.

This is so much bigger than politics.

I'm moving my political/theological comments to this blog.  It's therapeutic for me and if anyone cares to read it they can come here.