Every now and then I find it necessary to, if I may be allowed to use a noun as a verb, Google new terms and concepts that arise in the political nomenclature. I want to be sure of their true meaning and not their implied definition. Two such terms now being bandied about by political commentators and self-selected pundits are "post-racial" and "post-partisan." Voters might want to start pondering where they stand on these two concepts.
I thought these two adjectives, as simple and clear-cut as they appear to be, most especially called for clarity and certainty in their meaning. If possible, I wanted concrete examples of how they would apply to this new political era already termed by some, depending on their political leanings, as the "Obama era." Talk about giving someone his props before being actually sworn into office.
I'll begin with the term "post-partisan," which, in my humble opinion, is defined as the desire of Americans to see their leaders come together to solve problems without first resorting to finger pointing, name-calling and other childish games. Further, it might also suggest that elected and appointed leaders actually respect each other when they disagree on the issues. But what do I know?
Perhaps the best example of the term post-partisan would be the post-election meeting between President-elect
Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain. The two rivals set down recently to figure out how they could work together, and the media drank it like strawberry-flavored Kool-Aid on a hot summer's day. But what did they talk about? What agreements did they make, and will McCain join an Obama administration?
We will never know, but oh how I wish I could have been a fly on the wall when Obama and McCain went home that evening and shared the details of that meeting with Michelle and Cindy. Now that would have been pillow talk worth hiding under the bed for.
Remember how McCain ended his concession speech? He said, "Americans never quit. We never surrender. We never hide from history. We make history."
Now that one of the most unpredictable elections in American history is behind us, just what did he mean? And did he discuss this with the newly elected president?
I am sure most voters believe all this talk about post-partisanship is just the usual kumbaya nonsense parroted every four years by jaded, spineless, clueless and insincere politicians acting like they are in the loop when they are simply part of the crowd.
But now I wonder. Now I dare to hope.
Are the decades of partisan gridlock finally over?
Could this be the end of needless rancor on Capitol Hill?
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