Chuck Hagel was on Rachel Maddow last night and he went all out against the Republican Party, from putting a lot of blame for the economic mess on their shoulders, to defending Obama from Cheney’s recent comments.
One thing that really stuck out to me was when Hagel was asked about Michael Steele and his wanting to go after Specter, Snowe and Collins. Hagel made the same argument I have been making, that these people were elected and sworn to defend the constitution and work for their constituents – not the part.
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Again, this is the key problem with the Republican party, and what ended up putting them out of power – their blinded faith to the GOP. Republicans believe in a constituency of one. That one is the GOP; the voters who put them into office be dammed. This is what caused countless people to leave the GOP over the past few years. When a party is run in such a way, you get the idea that either you must sign off on every single belief, or you aren’t welcomed.
On the flip side, Democrats allow differences of views in their party and rank. That’s why I always felt welcomed in the Democratic Party. Sure I believe in a majority of the parties platform, but I do break with them on a few issues. And if I’m not enough of an example, just compare two Democrats like Evan Bayh and Dennis Kucinich.
As I have said countless times in the past, we are the most diversified country in the world and limited to only two political parties. The party that allows the wider range of views into their folds will win more and more. Of course I still fully believe its time to break the two-party rule and expand our political horizons. The time is ripe for that, and with a growing interest in politics by the public we should seriously look at ways of making that a reality.