Yellow Dogs and Yellow Republicans

"You can disagree with a candidate and disagree respectfully."

I have heard said many times the worst enemy most Republicans face is other Republicans. Sometimes in a rush to perform some kind of litmus test, we can tar and feather, and then dissect one of our own. How bad can it get? Real bad.

Even the former MN GOP Chair did it, and did it with gusto. He went after his Deputy Chair, hammer and tong. It went way beyond a policy difference - the former MN GOP Chair was out to politically destroy his Deputy. And (this is the amazing part), both the former MN GOP Chair as well as his Deputy were on the same side of the political divide. With friends like that...

One of the few things (make that very few) that I respect about the Democrats is their ability to salute the party flag once a candidate is chosen. Sure, they can fight like dogs and cats until someone wins the endorsement. After the endorsement however, differences do not matter anymore. Democrats could nominate Bozo the Clown, and 100% of the party faithful would fight like heck for Bozo to win. If Bozo were good or bad for America, simply does not matter - Democrats would still support Bozo. These Democrats are once were called "Yellow Dogs". Why? They would vote for a yellow dog if the dog ran on the Democrat ticket.

Yellow Republicans (my term), not so much. They can show the same hatred and vitriol that Democrats show towards Republicans. Sometimes more so. They only problem is the Yellow Republicans shower their hate on fellow Republicans instead of Democrats. 

A couple years ago, a young friend mine was just getting into politics. He witnessed some of this vitriol shown by Republicans towards other Republicans and was very bewildered. He asked me why our party fights so much. Why we still fight when one candidate is endorsed and it is "game on" for the general election. He asked if this hurt our party. I told him it did.

You can disagree with a candidate and disagree respectfully. I have had disagreements with my Congressman as well as other of my representatives. We have discussed those disagreements (respectfully). We hear each other out. That is the way the system is suppose to work. Yellow Republicans on the other hand, take disagreements to social media. They don't want to discuss differences face to face with a representative. Rather, they try to cut the heart out of one of our own. 

As I explained to my young friend, this is how the system is supposed to work. If you don't care for the representation you are receiving from a candidate, before the next election cycle, either support someone running against that person, or run against that person yourself. Start with the caucus system, and then forward to the endorsement cycle. Then the debates can happen. Whichever candidate has the best ideas usually gets the endorsement. Then (baring a useless and expensive primary), it is on to the general.

I don't really give a rip how the Democrats run (or ruin) their business. That is up to them. I do care how we act. I have grown very tired of the snipers in the weeds. I have grown weary of Yellow Republicans. Some think these very visible purity tests are good for the party. Some think having Jeff Flake get up on the Senate floor and say President Trump is no better than Stalin is good for the party. I say no to both. 

I have a lot of respect when those who disagree with a elected official, then will contact that representative and voices those concerns. I have limited, or no respect for those who go on social media, and then rip to shreds elected officials on our side. Just saying...