Listening to the rhetoric at the RNC this past week, it’s easy to imagine that, with Donald Trump in the White House again, we will enter into the greatest four years in America’s history – no, in the history of the world, if not in the history of the universe! Such is the nature of political rhetoric. It lives in the realm of extreme caricature and hyperbole.
The bad guys are really bad, dangerously bad, unimaginably bad, unthinkably bad. We must get them out of office now!
The good guys – our guys! – are good to the point of being almost supernaturally good, not just bigger than life but better than life.
No wonder Barack Obama was hailed as the Chosen One.
No wonder we have heard the cry that, “Only Trump can save America!”
Such is the nature of political hype.
But this, of course, is nothing new.
Listening to some of the RNC speeches (and, we can anticipate, once we have finality on the Democratic candidate, what we will hear in the DNC speeches), I was reminded of the “chicken in every pot” promise.
According to Encyclopedia.com, “‘CHICKEN IN EVERY POT’ is a quotation that is perhaps one of the most misassigned in American political history. Variously attributed to each of four presidents serving between 1920 and 1936, it is most often associated with Herbert Hoover. In fact, the phrase has its origins in seventeenth century France; Henry IV reputedly wished that each of his peasants would enjoy ‘a chicken in his pot every Sunday.’ Although Hoover never uttered the phrase, the Republican Party did use it in a 1928 campaign advertisement touting a period of ‘Republican prosperity’ that had provided a ‘chicken in every pot. And a car in every backyard, to boot.’”
What we’re being promised today is far more than that.
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There will be peace and security, prosperity and plenty, unity and harmony, a quasi-Messianic, millennial bliss – if only our candidate of choice would be elected!
It reminds me of the young woman (who, thankfully, came to her senses later) who was going to vote for Obama because, to paraphrase, “If I can’t pay my rent, Obama will pay it. If I can’t pay for gas, Obama will cover it.”
The reality is that, while political leaders can do a lot of harm or a lot of good, in the vast majority of cases, especially in a non-monarchical society like America, they are neither monsters nor messiahs, destroyers nor deliverers.
Again, this is not to minimize the differences between the parties or candidates, nor is this meant to discourage us from voting. To the contrary, our involvement in the political process is essential if America is to survive, let alone thrive. We just need to keep a healthy perspective on things, not exalting frail human beings as if they were gods. Danger!
It’s also important to exercise care in turning our political opponents into heartless demons. As I’ve urged repeatedly (and recently), all sides need to tone their rhetoric without for a moment backing down from their convictions.
I could not countenance for a moment softening my stance on things like abortion or LGBTQ+ activism or standing with Israel. And I don’t imagine my ideological opponents are ready to soften their stances either.
But in most cases, these people are not walking, stalking devils, or murderous, sexual predators or violent anarchists. They are fellow human beings who want to enjoy life, enjoy family, enjoy friends, and make the world a better place. They are moms and dads and sons and daughters and co-workers and neighbors.
We can oppose their agendas wholeheartedly while loving them as ourselves.
In his July 13 editorial for The Hill, Prof. Jonathan Turley noted that, “The assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump left a nation stunned. But the most shocking aspect was that it was not nearly as surprising as it should have been. For months, politicians, the press and pundits have escalated reckless rhetoric in this campaign on both sides. That includes claims that Trump was set to kill democracy, unleash ‘death squads’ and make homosexuals and reporters ‘disappear.’”
Yet, as he pointed out, “We have come full circle to where we began as a Republic,” since unhinged rhetoric like this, from both sides of the political divide, was quite common in the early days of our nation.
He explains, “In the 1800 election, Federalists and Jeffersonians engaged in similar rage rhetoric.
“Federalists told citizens that, if Jefferson were elected, ‘Murder, robbery, rape, adultery, and incest will be openly taught and practiced, the air will be rent with the cries of the distressed, the soil will be soaked with blood, and the nation black with crimes.’
“Jeffersonians warned that, if Adams were reelected, ’chains, dungeons, transportation, and perhaps the gibbet’ awaited citizens and they ‘would instantaneously be put to death.’
“Both sides stoked the public’s anger and fears, and violence was seen across the nation.
“In our current age of rage, politicians have sought to use the same anger and fear to rally support at any cost.”
For the record, both Adams and Jefferson served as presidents in America, and rather than our nation falling apart, it became stronger.
So, let us hold to our convictions, let us work towards the realization of our goals for our nation, and let us make informed voting decisions. Let us even do so with passion and verve.
But let us not get caught up in the political hype. We should know better than that by now.
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