1 Boring Old Man

RNC rejects joint ‘civility’ statement
POLITICO
By ANDY BARR
3/26/10

The Republican National Committee has rejected a proposal from its Democratic counterpart to sign a joint “civility” statement, POLITICO has learned…

Republicans see the statement as an attempt to force them to either reject the statement — allowing Democrats to say the RNC finds the incidents acceptable — or to sign on to something that the DNC would later wield against them. The proposed statement was faxed and hand-delivered to the RNC at midmorning Friday.

POLITICO learned Friday afternoon that the RNC would not sign the DNC statement. RNC Communications Director Doug Heye told POLITICO that Steele chose not to agree to the statement because “we don’t need to do anything on their schedule or on their timetable.”

“Obviously, a large majority of Americans — a broad coalition of Republicans, Democrats and independents — are upset that President Obama, Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid pushed through health care legislation that increases premiums and raises taxes and did so through strong-arm tactics, closed-door meetings and sweetheart deals. Voters have a right to be angry. Unfortunately, some have chosen to engage in language and actions that go too far,” Heye said, insisting that “among the first voices to condemn such activities was Michael Steele’s”…

I’m mildly interested in “Republicans see the statement as an attempt to force them to either reject the statement — allowing Democrats to say the RNC finds the incidents acceptable — or to sign on to something that the DNC would later wield against them.” Is that what the Democrats were doing? Some cheap ploy to put the Republicans in a double bind? I certainly hope not.

And as for this, “Obviously, a large majority of Americans — a broad coalition of Republicans, Democrats and independents — are upset that President Obama, Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid pushed through health care legislation that increases premiums and raises taxes and did so through strong-arm tactics, closed-door meetings and sweetheart deals. Voters have a right to be angry.” What a cheap shot! But that’s not interesting, it’s expected.

This, however, is interesting: “we don’t need to do anything on their schedule or on their timetable.” That’s the kind of response one hears at a predictable period in human development – age two years old. What parent doesn’t recall it? The formerly cute little toddler suddenly becomes a human opposition machine that can only say,  “No!” Developmental theorists see it as the first step on the road to self definition. It means something like, “I don’t know who or what I am yet, but I do know this – I’m not what you think I am or what you want me to be.” So the little two year old lets the universe know what he/she is not, to clear a space to learn to “be” in. Some kids get stuck in there for a long time [or forever].