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Huffington spends a lot of time showing how Republicans use aggression and highly competitive approaches to solve all problems, whether they be domestic or foreign. Republicans are always positive they are right. They are fanatics who often use nasty means and justify them because they believe the means will lead to good ends. When the good ends do not materialize, they go into denial. Here's a quote:
"Any student of world history knows that shame and humiliation are forces every bit as powerful as aggression and greed. The American occupation has been a case study in the politics of shame, with humiliated mobs emerging from the rubble to dance ring-around-the-burning-Humvee. But the fanatics on the Bush team remain in denial."
Arrogance, aggression and denial - what a combination. However, Huffington is upset that the Democrats do not challenge the Republicans. They are timid. They allow Republicans to do as they please. They do not even whimper.
Huffington states that it is time to replace the tough father (conservative Republicans) with a nurturing mother (refurbished Democrats):
"The nurturing parent model relies on cooperation rather than aggression to accomplish goals. Strict dad may want to go it alone, but the nurturing parent sensibly suggests putting a team together instead. A real team - not a Coalition of the Willing Sycophants and Toadies."
She ends the book with suggestions for a new moral vision to be followed by Democrats. Here are the highlights:
1 - Achieve energy independence - make it similar to Kennedy's moon project
2 - Prescribe a cure for the health care epidemic - everyone should have access to decent health care
3- Treat lost jobs as a social calamity, not a lagging economic indicator - according to Huffington, 15% of the jobs lost since the Bush Recession was due to outsourcing
4 - Truly leave no child behind - assure every child a home, education, health care, clean water
5 - Break down barriers and create new opportunities in education - increase resources for K-12 schools and colleges
6 - Call a truce in the drug war - a huge failure, for which minorities suffer
7 - Secure the homeland first
8 - Be a leader, not a bully
Yes, Arianna Huffington, who used to be a Republican, has learned that cooperation is better than competition. All her suggestions will be heartily accepted by cooperative people - or as she puts it, nurturing parents.
Let's not allow either fanatics or fools to continue in power. Let's elect legislators and executives who believe in the power of cooperation. To get the lowdown on the fanatics, the fools and what to do about it, read this interesting book.
