Every week I am on shows on various networks debating democrats on issues from Korea, the economy, to President Trump’s latest tweet. Sometimes conservative colleagues seem surprised at how I am able to keep my composure when, on occasion, a liberal guest gets nasty during those debates.
Well, when they go low, I go high.
For every issue, there are two ways to look at it. Most Americans will admit that we still have a healthcare crisis. Many liberals want a single payer system; many conservatives fear that will lead to people waiting months to have simple procedures done in a hospital. Are the liberals who debate me evil or are they looking at things from a different point of view?
What have always made our country the greatest country in the world are our freedoms, including the freedom of speech. We should not feel afraid to speak our mind, but we also have to do it in a civil manner.
What do most people want out of life? They want to live in peace, have a good job, a nice place to live, a safe neighborhood and good schools to send their children to and some extra cash for a vacation from time to time. Most Americans - if you speak to them on a one to one basis - have more in common with one another than you would ever hear from the rhetoric people read or hear on TV.
Even though the debates I have with liberals on TV often get heated from time to time, you will see me joking with them by the end of the segment. After all, many of them are democratic strategists and fundraisers, and the life they lead is not so different from mine as a republican strategist and fundraiser. We both got into these fields because we love our country and were interested in supporting candidates who could serve it well. We just feel there are different solutions to our problems.
Why does politics have to be so nasty? Why can’t it be based on good people putting forth their views about how to fix problems we have and then leave it up to the voter to choose the best person for the job?
The inflammatory language on both sides started years before President Trump was president, but it has gotten worse since he has taken office. Liberals can criticize the president, but they should give him credit when it is due. We have a booming economy and although the recovery started with President Obama, I don’t think he can still take total credit for how well it is doing today.
By the same token, I don’t find President Trump’s tweets helpful. I think it would be better if he made his statements through the traditional routes.
Should people who have taken positions in the Trump administration be allowed to eat at a restaurant in peace? Sure they should! What’s next? If someone doesn’t like a company’s corporate policy, will they start harassing the CEO while he or she is dining with their family for a birthday or anniversary dinner? Where does it end?
I have often seen television footage of people in parliaments around the world screaming at each other and getting into fistfights however, with maybe a rare exception, we have always prided ourselves in conducting the business of the country in a more dignified manner.
On September 7th a Jewish organization, Acheinu, is having its fourth annual Day of Jewish Unity. Each year they pick a special day in memory of a rabbi who lived his life in a righteous manner and wrote against the evils of slander and gossip. This year they are not only asking Jews to unify and pray for a stable and safe world free from vitriol and gossip but are encouraging non-Jews to do this as well.
I am endorsing this day because we all need to unify as Americans and take a break from being so hateful to one another. We need to treat each other with respect and kindness. We need to listen to each other and debate issues; not try to shut down others’ ideas just because they are not exactly like our own. We need to reach out to one another and be civil and that is what will make American great again!
