Who’s the Extremist?

In the hyper-partisan atmosphere of our nation’s capital, Democrats have repeatedly called Republican opposition to their agenda “extremists.”

Labeling Republicans as “extremist” and attempting to portray them as “out of the mainstream” is the methodology Democrats use to convince low-information voters to ignore Republican resistance.

But Republican “extremism” is as old as the Republican Party.

The Republican Party was founded because its predecessor, the Whig Party, self-destructed over the issue of slavery. Opposition to slavery expansion was “extremist” and “out of the mainstream.”

But slavery was (and is) evil, immoral and just plain wrong. So the new Republican Party was established by citizens determined to fight for morality, God-given rights, and liberty for all.

Today’s Republicans are faced with a new form of immoral slavery. The Democratic agenda of infanticide, gun control, suppression of religious freedom through Obamacare, support of gay marriage, government control of individual health, oppressive taxation and crippling debt of future generations are all designed to enslave Americans under the guise of governmental “hope, change and progress.”

Opposition to that agenda is not “extremist.” Instead, it is our moral duty! 21st Century Republicans must rise up and resist with all their body and soul. To do otherwise would be as sinful as tolerating slavery.

Let’s agree to stop casting insults at those who disagree with us. It does not serve. It does not change minds – it hardens them. It does not facilitate discussion, it quashes it. It leads to the dysfunction that afflicts us now. And, yes, to varying degrees, we are all guilty of it. And, yes, we must all tone it down.

Out of 435 seats in Congress only about 35 are now held by representatives coming from competitive districts. Win your respective primary, avoid scandal, and you’ve got the seat. Keep your party activists happy, they control the primaries, and re-election is all but assured.

Cross them and you’re virtually assured of a primary battle that increasingly is bought – often from the outside.

Yes, stridency is applauded by those on the wings, commonly referred to as “extremists,” but raw meat feeds more their passions than their intellect. Compromise is scoffed at, true discussion denigrated and made all but impossible.

This is no way to run a sandbox, let alone the most powerful country in the world. We have the responsibility to do better. Let’s start picking our battles, accepting even small, partial victories, and sacrifices and move our collective body and soul forward. Remember, our heart beats at our center, not on our wings.