Introduction

There is very little presidential about the candidates, and virtually no real debating. Insults, attacks and posturing, yes; debating, no. Note that I did not title this podcast the Democratic Presidential Debates; the Republicans are just as guilty. Hey, 2016 was not all that long ago.

When John F. Kennedy successfully ran for President in 1960, his slogan was “A Time For Greatness.”

That is the subject of today’s 10-minute blog/podcast.

Continuing

We live in a unique and exceptional country; part of the equally unique and exceptional role we all play in the US is to understand how to identify and solve problems, instead of making ourselves or our fellow believers right, and everyone else wrong. 

When I was a kid, I used to hear my Dad, a Republican, and my Step-mom, a Democrat, talk about politics. Dad, a quiet and thoughtful man, said that he voted a “straight ticket.” Even at a young age, that confused me. How could my thoughtful Dad vote only for Republicans? Weren’t there at least a few Democrats somewhere on the ballot who were better than their Republican opponents? I had no idea at the time, but I was hearing the “party over person” argument. I heard that position most recently and passionately from Mike Rosen, a Denver-based KOA talk show host.

My Father introduced me to the “straight ticket” concept during the 1952 Dwight Eisenhower/Adlai Stevenson election. I remember that “Ike” Eisenhower was a war hero; his campaign sported the “I Like Ike” campaign buttons.

I also remember a political cartoon from that time showing a man purposely striding off to his polling place while answering the question, “You are off to vote. Where is your wife?” “My wife and I support different parties. Instead of cancelling out each other’s vote, we vote in alternate elections.” There is more than one lesson here. First, he thought enough of his civic responsibilities to actually go somewhere to vote. Back then, mailed ballots, called absentee ballots, were only for people who were unable to get to the voting location, e.g., they were ill or on vacation. And they had to prove it to get a mailed ballot.

The man in the cartoon, purposely anonymous, a sort of everyman, had nothing unpleasant to say about either his wife or the persons or party she supported. They had found their own resolution to their political disagreement, and then went about their business. 

The cartoon was entirely reflective of the political tone of the times. There were indeed serious issues; Republicans attacked Harry S. Truman's handling of the Korean War and the larger Cold War, and claimed that Soviet spies had infiltrated the U.S. government. Democrats faulted Eisenhower for failing to condemn Republican Senator Joe McCarthy and other anti-Communist Republicans who they claim had engaged in unscrupulous attacks. Stevenson tried to separate himself from the unpopular previous Democratic administration, instead campaigning on the popularity of the New Deal and lingering fears of another Great Depression under a Republican administration. 

Stevenson had his own button. Supporters could, and did, wear either button without risking angry comments, or, perhaps, even a physical confrontation. Volunteers or staffers would set up on street corners, like Girl Scouts at cookie time, and give away hundreds of buttons with “thanks” from supporters, and nothing from those of a different mind. No one yelled out “Racist!” or “Lock her up!”, or overturned the tables. It is much to our shame that nothing like that is possible today. Yes, our shame. We’re in charge here, aren't we? If not, who is?

Stevenson lost twice to Eisenhower, in ‘52 and ‘56. He ran for the Democratic nomination again in ‘60 losing to Kennedy,