Punching Nazis: The Plan To End The Republican Party Excerpt Version | Page 11
Our skittishness about pushing hard and aggressively is largely the result of our always being on the defense . A defensive mindset is our comfort zone , even as we see that it is not making things better . We seem to prefer to “ fight back ” rather than to fight . Changing this dangerous mindset is going to involve shifting how we see ourselves and meeting the bullies “ in the schoolyard ” fire for fire .
BOTH PARTIES
Third , we must understand that no , we don ’ t “ need both parties ” to govern effectively . This may have been true in decades past , but it is unquestionably and undeniably untrue today . Liberalism , by definition , embraces change and questions and resists refusal to change . It ’ s time to take a second look at the traditional and long-standing notions we ’ ve had about bi-partisan governance .
For a long time I ' ve heard those of us on the left say we need both parties for a healthy , effective democracy . Here , I won ’ t address the issues raised by many on the Left that we really need more than two parties . That ’ s a different discussion for a different book .
Supposedly , a thriving democracy in America needs two parties and a “ one party rule ” would be damaging . But the key assumption underlying this assertion is that both parties are operating in good faith .
Our skittishness about pushing hard and aggressively is largely the result of our always being on the defense . A defensive mindset is our comfort zone , even as we see that it is not making things better . We seem to prefer to “ fight back ” rather than to fight . Changing this dangerous mindset is going to involve shifting how we see ourselves and meeting the bullies “ in the schoolyard ” fire for fire .
BOTH PARTIES
Third , we must understand that no , we don ’ t “ need both parties ” to govern effectively . This may have been true in decades past , but it is unquestionably and undeniably untrue today . Liberalism , by definition , embraces change and questions and resists refusal to change . It ’ s time to take a second look at the traditional and long-standing notions we ’ ve had about bi-partisan governance .
For a long time I ' ve heard those of us on the left say we need both parties for a healthy , effective democracy . Here , I won ’ t address the issues raised by many on the Left that we really need more than two parties . That ’ s a different discussion for a different book .
Supposedly , a thriving democracy in America needs two parties and a “ one party rule ” would be damaging . But the key assumption underlying this assertion is that both parties are operating in good faith .