Red State, Blue State?

" We must learn to live together as brothers, or perish together as fools."
Martin Luther King
When I was but a small boy, I had my first introduction to politics in the state of Texas. My father was at the time an advertising executive, and while self- promotion is and has ever been synonomous with politics, the advertising industry was just then really getting into it.
As a result, I met many of the movers and shakers of the Democratic party. Most were genuinely good men, but a few of them you wouldn't want to have near you- much the same as real life, I know- but then these were the people we were trying to get elected to an office that would have serious implications on everybodies' everyday lives.
You have to understand, back then the Democratic party was virtually the only party in Texas, indeed the only party of consequence in the south; a result of Lincoln, Reconstruction, and the Republican party's effects on the South after the Civil War. Back then, a Democrat was a social liberal, but very conservative in their defense of this country.
Enter Jimmy Carter, with lust in his heart, and a wild rabbit on his ass. His presidency would be so bad on so many fronts that the people would have to invent words to describe it. It turns out that he had no balls when it came tothe defense of this country and its commitments, and the present mess in Iran can justifiably be laid at his feet. So can the economic mess at the time. Most people I know felt betrayed by him, and they began to take a long, hard look at the Democratic party, a party that made promises that were so shallow, so transparently insincere, that even someone with an IQ slightly more than room temperature knew they were lies.
So, a lot of people switched to the Republican party, since, there are only two ( not a lot of choices, are there?) Lo and behold, there was at least, a better feeling about the country, a feeling like for once in a long time we were not some turd in someone's swimming pool.
That lasted until Clinton got in, and then the Republicans began to act petty. To be fair, Clinton did himself no favors by creating his own seeds of destruction, but it is true that the Republicans were very petty, and thus any hope of working together for the good of America began to disssolve, and the parties would ( and continue to) oppose ANY proposal put forth by the other, simply to oppose it, not on its merits.
Now Bush is in, and the Democrats are acting petty, just because the Republicans did. Kinda makes you want to bitch-slap every one of those assholes, doesn't it. To say that they are childish is to demean the child.
You might think that these people haven't one intellect between them. Don't they know that politics runs in cycles? What goes around comes around. Right now the Republicans are in power, and when the people get tired of them, the Dems will get a shot. I gotta say though, I don't hold out long term hope for the Democratic party if you look at their track record. Like a one-trick pony, it's one term and they are outta there, unless they learn from history, and don't just knee-jerk react to adverse conditions like Carter did, or Clinton did.
Both parties need to learn that there are more people in the center than on the edges. At least Clinton knew you can't win without the center. Still, to get the second term, you have to stay somewhat loyal to the center. Bush won because he pissed off the center LESS than Kerry, not because they liked him more. It is as simple as that, and all the kingmakers want you to believe it is not, because then a candidate wouldn't need a spin doctor. Keep the message as simple as possible, but do not talk down to the people, and if you do these things, you might have a shot.
The edges will foam at the mouth, rabid in their beliefs and hatreds, but it is the center that really holds the power. Remember that.
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