Dems have hijacked the GOP’s optimism

“I’ve spoken of the shining city all my political life, but I don’t know if I ever quite communicated what I saw when I said it. But in my mind it was a tall proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, wind-swept, God-blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace, a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity, and if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here. That’s how I saw it and see it still.” –President Ronald Reagan

Monday, first night of Democratic Convention

As in years past, last night my television was tuned to the Democratic convention so to have a first-hand account of what was said and done instead of depending of second-hand spin, tuning in at 10pm for the prime time speakers.

What struck me most was the optimism of speakers proclaiming that America is a great county. I looked at my husband at one point and said, “That is usually the Republicans!” We are the greatest country on the face of the earth but this year Republicans have tapped into a pessimistic streak with a candidate who says he wants to make America great again. When did Republicans stop believing in Ronald Reagan’s shining city on the hill? When did they give up on morning in America?

We don’t have to make America great again. America is great.

Michelle Obama’s remarks temporarily quieted the Bernie dissenters, and included this: “That is what Barack and I think about every day as we try to guide and protect our girls through the challenges of this unusual life in the spotlight — how we urge them to ignore those who question their father’s citizenship or faith. How we insist that the hateful language they hear from public figures on TV does not represent the true spirit of this country. How we explain that when someone is cruel, or acts like a bully, you don’t stoop to their level — no, our motto is, when they go low, we go high. With every word we utter, with every action we take, we know our kids are watching us. We as parents are their most important role models.” [emphasis added]

Even Elizabeth Warren was on the positive train with her American dream remarks about being a janitor’s daughter who became a school teacher, then a professor, and then a United States Senator. As delegates shouted, “We trusted o

Bernie Sanders is a socialist’s socialist — typical aging 1960s hippie who has, sadly, carried his agenda to a new generation of millennials. My age-old question is how to pay for all the giveaways that he proposes because the back of the middle class that he claims to want to help is breaking under the weight of carrying many who do so little yet demand so much. His remarks were long — he spoke for more than 30 minutes — but his job to unite his followers behind Hillary is proving difficult, a job akin to herding cats.

Being a lifelong Republican has not always been fun. Democrats have all the cool kids in school — the movie stars and pop singers and other free spirits. For me, the GOP has always seemed like the parent, carrying the weight of responsibility associated with leadership, while Democrats got to make all the promises without always bearing the responsibility of delivering.

Truth of the matter: When George W. Bush was president, liberals were unhinged and acted as if the world was coming to an end. For the past eight years under Barack Obama, conservatives have acted like the world is coming to an end. Stop already.

America remains the greatest country in the world; if that were not true, I don’t think we would have such a big immigration issue. We are still the shining city on a hill.

Wednesday, third night of the Democratic Convention

As Joe Biden addressed delegates on Wednesday, chants of “USA! USA! USA!” erupted from thousands in the venue. I couldn’t believe my ears. The patriotism that was on display was reminiscent of Republican conventions. Surely I was in a parallel universe. The night continued from there. Optimism and pride in country were on display from speakers who echoed Monday night’s theme.

Of course, a glimpse of the left-wing anti-war portion of the Dems showed an ugly side when they shouted down former Defense Secretary and CIA Director Leon Panetta as he tried to speak with chants of “No more war!” It was extremely disrespectful … there’s the Democratic Party I’ve known all my adult life and just one reason why I have been a lifelong Republican.

My advice to the “no more war” young people out there? Perhaps they should shout that to the perpetrators. America does not start wars but we will defend ourselves and our allies.

Virginia U.S. Senator Tim Kaine’s father-in-law, former Virginia Republican Governor Linwood Holton, sat in the audience with Kaine’s wife, Ann Holton. I thought it ironic … Linwood Holton was governor from 1970-74, one of the very first Republicans to begin winning in a state that had been held hostage by the Democratic Byrd machine for decades. One has to wonder if the parties are at a crossroads again like the 1970s.

Erik Erickson was also baffled by the amount of optimism on display during the DNC convention versus the RNC convention, tweeting out on Wednesday night:

The GOP offered a vision of doom, despair, and division. Tonight the President I think divides us offered optimism. I hate this year.

— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) July 28, 2016

I have never seen a presidential year like this. The Republicans have always been the optimistic party. I long for the day we rediscover that optimism.