MY NEW HERO
Lisa Shepperson & Sue Wallis
Where I grew up, I was taught that Government was supposed to protect us from each other, but Government goes wrong when it starts protecting us from ourselves. We as competent adults can make those decisions for ourselves; that’s not the role of Government in my mind, and I really wish that Washington would focus on things that are going to make a difference to our economy- like jobs and true health care that will help the common, everyday people.
- Lisa Shepperson
One of the things I’ve found most appalling about the ascent of Republicans to power after the 2010 elections is the clear and rampant hypocrisy of so many so-called “Conservatives”. The dissonance between their words, their promises, and their actions has been almost palpable…and certainly nauseating. Remember when Republicans were all about jobs and the economy during the election? Then they took office…and suddenly that laser focus on jobs became…well, rather less focused. The GOP proceeded to declare war on women, the middle class, and the unemployed. That promise to focus on jobs? Well, that was SO November 3rd, knowhutimean?
I’ve spent a lot of time and column inches on the glaring hypocrisy, double-talk, and obstructionism…so it’s only fair that I give credit where credit is due. So much of the GOP believes fervently in “small government” only insofar as it dovetails with their narrow social agenda. Given the Republican devotion to culture war issues, Small Government Conservatives are more than willing to expand the role of Government in support of their narrow holy war agenda. Apparenly, Government only needs to be shrunk when government programs support a Liberal and/or Democratic agenda.
It was with some genuine surprise, then, when news came that two Republican legislators in the most Republican state in the country- Wyoming- actually demanded that “Small Government” become more than a talking point. By standing together and standing for Republican principles as they understand them, they were able to defeat an anti-abortion bill that would have given Government a role in the decision-making process normally limited to a woman and her physician. Neither Rep. Wallis nor Rep. Shepperson are pro-choice in any shape, manner, or form, but neither do they believe that Government belongs in a doctor’s office.
I still oppose most of what the GOP stands for (no great surprise there, eh?)…but I do have to admire two committed Republican politicians willing to stand up and forcefully take their party back to its roots. I admire the courage of these two women; it couldn’t have been easy to stand up and buck the political pressure they had to have faced from their colleagues. Though I might not share their ideology, I admire politicians who are true to their political roots and don’t view power as merely a way to force their narrow agenda on everyone simply because they can.
Republicans and Democrats may differ in ideological terms, but I think ultimately we all want much the same things- safety, security, prosperity, and an opportunity to succeed. I may stand firmly against most of the Republican platform, but it’s things like this that make me think that maybe, just maybe, there might be some common ground to be found.
If only cooler, more reasonable, and more honest heads could prevail….
