Glenn Beck and Michael Moore agree on one thing: If we could just beat the Republicans AND the Democrats this November, maybe we’d have a shot at solving the enormous challenges we face.
But since that’s not likely, I would like to offer ten reminders to each party, to help them avoid some of the failings of their past and present.
My thanks to my left-to-right readers on Huffington Post and Facebook, for helping shape my prior cut of these.
10 REMINDERS FOR DEMOCRATS
1. Looking compassionate is not the same as being compassionate.
2. Crutches disable as often as they enable – use them as briefly and wisely as possible.
3. Giving power to government is not the same as giving power to people.
4. Most profit is virtuous – it encourages people to create value for others.
5. It’s more important to create value than redistribute it.
6. You can’t give away what you don’t own.
7. Government is to advance justice and order. Business is to advance ingenuity and prosperity. Don’t hire one to do the other’s job.
8. More work does not mean more jobs.
9. Most evil is the work of good people doing what’s best for their family.
10. War is sometimes necessary. Some objectives must be fought for.
10 REMINDERS FOR REPUBLICANS
1. Rigidity is not Strength. Close-mindedness is not confidence.
2. You can’t promote the Bill of Rights by violating it.
3. You can’t advance democracy by imposing it by force.
4. Brave and Free, not fearful and insecure, are the qualities great leaders inspire.
5. Supporting free enterprise is not the same as protecting one company or industry
6. Freedom means owning both the benefits and the costs of one’s actions
7. In military matters, Smart is as important as Strong.
8. Terrorists hope you will fire back wildly. Don’t do their recruitment for them. You cannot protect 300 million rich by frightening 3 billion poor.
9. Those who seek liberty through security lose both. Security is the result, not the foundation, of liberty.
10. The “Last Resort” should be the last resort.
AND TWO REMINDERS FOR BOTH:
1. There is no “them.” There is only us.
2. Things aren’t that bad – yet – and those enemies of yours not that “evil.” Go ahead – talk to them, and us. Let’s work some things out.
[Note: This post originally appeared on The Huffington Post]
Tags: bill of rights, democracy, democrat, free enterprise, freedom, glen beck, human rights, michael moore, middle way, republican, war
