As a moderate Republican, I believe we need a viable Democratic Party for a healthy country. As an activist in the ’70s, I was familiar with Saul Alinsky’s book, “Rules for Radicals.” President Obama (whom I voted for) and Hillary Clinton were close Alinsky disciples. With time, I rejected Alinsky’s amoral the-ends-justify-any-means that was derived from working with Al Capone and Frank Nitti during Alinsky’s two years of graduate school. Today, commentators have suggested we have reached the rancor of the pre-Civil War era, which, I believe, is because Democrats have lost their Thomas Jefferson roots and embraced Alinsky. They’ve become what they decried: the party of “no,” anger and intolerance, even rigging their last presidential convention against the will of average Democrats (against Bernie Sanders).
Voters now have a choice. If Democrats experience a significant defeat in the midterms it will send a strong message to both parties: stop acting like bickering children. Then people will consider what happened and new voices with constructive ideas will rise to the top. I’d prefer a Tim Ryan to a Nancy Pelosi. Indeed, if Republicans retain control of Congress it will not be an affirmation, but a profound humbling call to change.
