We suspect that we'e talking into a strong headwind of political discord, but would it be too much to suggest a bit of civility in the current political discourse?
It's true we are in political times more heated than usual. Nationally, Congress passed a health care insurance bill that has split the country along ideological and party lines. In Utah, most legislators and Republican Party leaders are arguing with reformers who want to enact ethics reform via the ballot box.
The Legislature also suffered two embarrasing scandals that ended the political careers of both legislative houses' majority leaders.
The late Speaker of the U.S. House, Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill, used to recall a time in the 1980s where Democrats and Republicans would argue with great passion over bills during the day and then at night go out for drinks or dinner. They were ideological foes, but they were also pals. Those days appear long over. Last week we heard a congressman snarl "baby killer!" after a Democratic pro-life colleague decided to support the health care bill. Several black congressmen and one gay congressman claim they were taunted, spit on and called bigoted names by Tea Party demonstrators opposed to the health care bill. There have been threats made against congresspersons on both sides of the political aisle.
Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz implied that Democratic congressmen may have traded their votes for the bill for future Obama administration jobs. After the congressmen angrily denied the claim, Chaffetz backtracked. And many Republicans, egged on by irresponsible pundits, claimed Utah Democratic Rep. Jim Matheson would support health care because his brother was nominated by President Obama for a federal judgeship. The irony of that particular smear is that Matheson voted no on the bill.
Locally, we've had some rancor. Democratic state House Rep. Neil Hansen of Ogden claimed Republican leaders routinely deny him a chance to speak during debate on bills. Utah House Speaker David Clark denies that. Hansen further charged that Rep. Brad Dee, majority whip, also from Ogden, threatened his brother, who works in the Weber County Sheriff's Office. Dee, who works in human resources for Weber County, denies the charges. None of these charges have been substantiated, and they should be handled privately rather than be bandied about publicly as political grudge weapons.
We are always going to have political extremists who can't control their tempers during political debate. We can only hope they marginalize themselves with their immature anger. What is really distressing is that this political anger and immaturity is more and more spreading to the political class itself, our elected representatives.
Their job is to argue hard for their positions, and then get things done with compromise if necessary. We're talking to the bad actors out there: Work together or all of us are going to pay a stiff price for your impotent bellowing and dysfunction.
Comments