Many people will jump in and say that there is no distinct difference between this country’s two political parties. If you take out the extremes of each party, you cannot slip a sheet of paper between the two. Yet there is a big difference in philosophy that divides the two parties that defines what each believes and is at the heart of almost all respective actions. That was exemplified by an interaction I had on a matter that you would never guess would be so defining.
Over the past 50 years, I have participated in planning our class reunions. It is an interesting position for me because I came to Los Angeles as a high school sophomore and was not that involved in my high school’s activities. I was more involved in an outside religiously based organization. Over the years I became closer to many of my high school classmates and worked with the principal person who stayed in touch with the class and helped organize the reunions.
Some of my friends were afraid we would not have a real reunion for our 50th and contacted me to make sure it was at a nice place and properly planned. I stayed in touch with the person organizing the event. That person had asked me to take over after our 45th reunion, but then decided to take it back a couple years later.
When I called to make sure the 50th had a proper location, I was told a proper location was being narrowed down. Then I received a call. “You will not be happy to hear this, but we are not going to have a reunion next year (2022 is our 50th year). We will have to postpone it until 2023 because of COVID.” I responded that was nuts because first, that event is fourteen months from now; and second, that is not your decision to make. The class can decide.
Then the battle began between the two of us. The other person asserting the decision was made for everyone and myself asserting that these people are grownups; they can vote for themselves. I stated we have an email tree so let’s get the class’s input.
Finally, the other person acquiesced and offered a version of what we could send to the class. The suggestion: “Hi everyone… Yes, I know it’s been quite a while. Hope everyone is doing as well as possible considering what’s going on in the world these days. We all know that our 50th reunion is upon us…but due to that naughty Covid we will need to rethink things. We certainly can’t have an indoor reunion, and I’m not even sure that an outside event is a good thing either. Do you really want to chat with old friends while wearing a mask?”
“Anyhow… please send me your thoughts and ideas… on anything and everything that’s been on your mind.”
Does anything say your thoughts and ideas are not needed or wanted more than the above statement? When asking for their input this person had no interest in hearing what their thoughts were other than what is “predetermined.”
My reply: “That is so leading why don’t you just tell them what to think. These people are grownups. They don’t need your guidance.” I was asked what I would state. My reply
As you know, next year will be our 50th reunion time. Please let us know whether you are intending to attend the event.
That is all one needs to say or should say. They will give you their thoughts. If they are concerned about attending because of COVID, they will say so.
Democrats believe they are better at making decisions for people and that the people need to have these decisions made for them. Republicans believe that people are perfectly capable of making decisions for themselves. If they need to seek counsel for deciding, they will do such through trusted advisors whether they be family, friends or professionals.
Over the years in areas where Democrats have been in charge, their strong-arm tactics of top-down decision-making has crippled the ability of many people to make decisions for themselves thus making them wards of the state which appears to be exactly what the Democrats want to accomplish.
Democrats consider themselves smarter than everyone else. They consider themselves enlightened intellectuals. As Thomas Sowell stated, “Intellectuals stay relevant to the decision-making process by convincing nonintellectuals that their own knowledge is inadequate.”
People are better off making their own decisions and taking responsibility for their own lives. There is your major difference between Republicans and Democrats that runs through almost every aspect of government.