INNATE POLITICAL DIFFERENCES: GOP VS. DFL

I tend to rave on about fundamental differences between Republicans and Democrats sometimes painting the difference as a contrast between the bestial and the sophisticated. For example, the other day I posted a blog that pointed out what seemed to be a different approach to competition. The Republican mindset, which seemed to be that it is so important to win at any cost they can set aside or at least compromise their morality. I voiced this as, “It doesn’t matter how you win the games as long as you win the game”. In contrast, the liberal approach seems to be that it important to treat people equally. It is nice to win but it is better to be fair. The common ground between the different mindsets is that each has the right to defend his or her right to chose. Although I could apply these thoughts to analysis of almost every political issue, the trumped up IRS scandal is the prime example because it currently is in the news.

The United State’s House of Representatives has a committee called the Government Oversight Committee. Darrell Issa, a successful businessperson from California chairs this committee. On a personal basis, the Issa is very successful if society measures success by the amount of money one has in the bank. Only when we think about how he got that money does it become apparent that he has always walked on the dark side of culture. He has left a trail of nefarious business activities, none of which state prosecutors have been able to prove: repeated charges of car theft, arson, and insurance fraud. Ironically, he made his fortune from manufacture and sale of a car theft device.

His political background involves similar marginally moral activities. He used of his money against the background of the Enron manipulation of energy rates in the state, a scandal of national proportions. He used his money ($1.6 million) to recall Gov. Gray Davis. He wanted to be governor but his reputation was so bad, that Arnold Schwarzenegger got the nod in a nomination campaign of freak politics reminiscent of Jesse Venture in Minnesota or Ross Perot in Texas. In addition, he represents the 49^th congressional district, a newly created and relatively remote but safe conservative district, in blue California. His personal fortune drives all but the most questionable contender away.

As chair of the oversight committee, he is at the heart of the Republicanism and as such he is following his innate propensity in the congressional culture of intimidation. From his point of view, he is successful: he is rich; he has politically security because of longevity in congress; and he has power over fellow lawmakers as chairperson of the “government” oversight committee.  Following the pattern he manifested in his life, he seemed compelled to use that power to enhance his standing; get more power.  Because of complaints from radical right wing-groups that the IRS had not treated them fairly, he decided “to force” the IRS to its knees; to confess to a crime, as it turns out, they had not committed. True or not, the original weak and unsubstantiated complaint was precisely what Issa was looking for as a point of attack. Because of the displeasure people have for paying taxes, the IRS stood as the perfect government agency to attack and he was in the perfect position to lead the charge.

However, the truth-snatched victory from his greedy little hands but discovery came only after he did grievous harm to several IRS employees. His committee found that the targeting done by the IRS found Republican groups were cheating on the 501; C4. It was a scandal, but overwhelmingly Republican groups were cheating but none were targeted or punished. Democrats being democrats, they will not seek revenge against Issa. They will not demand apologies for all the harm he has done nor will they demand that Speaker of the House Boehner remove him from leadership of that committee. The House Ethics committee will do nothing because he is one of their Republican fellows. As with the car theft(s), the arson charge, the insurance fraud, the corruption of California politic, and malfeasance as chair of a powerful committee in our American Government, all manifestation of his lack of morality, will go unpunished.

The Republican idol is the Marlborough Cowboy: a big tough guy with a big white hat setting on a tall horse.  If Issa were a democrat, the republicans would expect the cowboy to get down off his horse and thrash him so soundly he would never do it again. However, he is a republican. Like a nurturing and forgiving mother, democrats will treat him with kindness, forgive his past indiscretions, and hope that because of the shamed for being so wrong he will never again act immorally. The difference in response is innate.

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