The Party of Lincoln and Roosevelt (Hal Cohen)

  Nov. 18, 2008 (World News Trust) -- I have come to a decision. In a move that will no doubt come to a shock to those who know me, and admittedly that is a small circle, I am joining the Republican party.

  Were you to ask my brother about my political leanings, he would no doubt use the same “Socialist, Liberal” pejorative leveled at our President-elect. From his perspective, I guess he would be accurate in the comparison. In the interest of disclosure, I have been a member of the Democratic Party for a number of years and voted most recently for Senator Obama.

  For the lion’s share of my voting-eligible life, I was registered with no party affiliation. Like many Americans I have seen flaws in both parties. I detest the phrase “reaching across the aisle,” not for political reasons, but for geographical ones. In Congress, Republicans sit with Republicans and Democrats sit with Democrats. Why doesn’t the entire New York delegation sit together?

  The current seating chart marginalizes the minority party voters in every congressional district by re-enforcing the idea that the elected official is a partisan before he/she is a representative of a locality. The Speaker of the House is elected by the majority party. This person is thrid in line to the Presidency and yet can be elected by one quarter of the Congress (110 votes of the majority party if they hold 218 seats).

  The current Mayor of New York switched parties to run as a Republican to avoid primary competition. He has since declared himself an Independent. His predecessor at Gracie Mansion once famously said, “I am not the Republican Mayor of New York, I am the Mayor of New York,” as he defended President Clinton’s 100,000 cops initiative and assault-weapons ban.

  In this most recent election, Senator McCain cited President Theodore Roosevelt as a political role model, and Senator Obama cited President Lincoln. Two things that these presidents share are party affiliation and presence on Mt. Rushmore. In fact, Republicans often mention that they are the party of Lincoln and Roosevelt when campaigning. Ironically, neither would have a prayer securing the nomination today, pun intended.

  Today’s Republicans defend the South’s position that the Civil War was a State’s Rights issue. I wonder how Honest Abe would feel about that. Likewise, President Roosevelt enacted our nation’s first campaign finance reforms, established the National Parks System, supported the establishment of unions and was a tremendous monopoly, trust-buster, not a very pro business position.

  Military might is something I now realize they also shared. However, they were both reluctant warriors. Lincoln, like George Washington during the Whiskey Rebellion, felt force was necessary to keep our nation united. Roosevelt’s famous adage “Speak softly and carry a big stick” meant essentially, “I don’t have to tell you I’m going to kill you if you know I can.” Bullies intimidate their enemies, truly strong people don’t have to.

  I have said many times that I do not vote for parties, I vote for people. A quirk in New York voting law allows for multiple party listing of the same candidate, and sometimes a candidate is listed as both Republican and Democrat. Sometimes as this quirk has it, the same candidate is the only candidate. I have pulled the lever for that candidate as a Republican from time to time.

  I joined the Democratic party because I thought the Republicans had moved too far to the right for me to be an Independent. In the aftermath of the 2008 election, the rightwing of the party wants to continue their rightward movement. In three out of four counties nationwide, the Democrats did better than they did four years ago. Despite my current membership in the Democratic Party, I am not cheering the death of the Republicans. I saw my joining the Democrats as the best way to serve my country. Now, the best way to do that is to bring the Party of Lincoln and Roosevelt back to the Ideals of Lincoln and Roosevelt.