There are a few softball issues that are perfect for politicians. To mix sports metaphors, simple layups that they can score easy, open points on. “Do you like puppies?” would be one of them, for example.
So, it always amazes me when Republicans lately swing and miss on one. Trump was big on that – like when he’s said he thinks people are suckers for joining the military. “God bless our troops” is a no-brainer. Joe Biden has ended all his speeches with that for years. But not Trump, to him, they’re suckers. True, it was said in private – though repeatedly – but what politicians (let alone president, the Commander-in-Chief for goodness sake!) even thinks that?? And one of those softball positions has to be – “I believe we should protect the health of our children.” (Side note: No, this isn’t about guns and schools. It could be. But it isn’t. Because it’s even a simpler matter than that. Which, given that guns are the number cause of death for children, means it’s pretty simple.) So, again, one of the most softball position a politician can take is – “I believe we should protect the health of our children.” That seems core basic standard, and any other synonyms you can think of, for a politician while eating a hot dog and saving apple pie for dessert. A foundational fundamental position to take without even thinking. It’s the kind of subject every politician probably dreams about having to deal with. The kind of question every politician prays to get when kneeling at their bedside before going to sleep. Because they can answer it in their sleep. “Sir, do you believe we should protect the health of our children?” Click, whirr, ka-ching – “I have always believed that children are our future. And we must protect them and cherish them, because children are the best we have to offer. God bless our children. When I look at children, I know America is in great hands. And we have to do everything to keep them safe and healthy.” That’s just a politician getting started, without even trying. Then they’ll go into their long, elementary, grassroots speech about families and values and their family and their children, and looking into their eyes, and doing anything for them – “and you parents out there, you know what I’m talking about” – and the politicians are just winging it at this point, not needing anything planned, because this is just rudimentary, normal, core, basic, standard, foundations, fundamental, elementary, grassroots stuff…not even trying hard or needing to catch their breath. Posing with their family, pictures of them and their children on their campaign material, for their holiday cards, on their personal websites. “Our kids. It’s all about our kids, isn’t it?” Cue the cheers. This is a softball subject for a politician. (I first wrote “issue,” but it doesn’t even reach the level of “issue,” any more than “air” is an issue when asked “So, what are you breathing?” Which is why it is utterly bewildering to me how many Republican politicians are whiffing on the subject. Missing the layup with no one else on their side of the court. Republican legislators are passing laws to deny healthcare to transgender children. Let me rephrase that in case it wasn’t clear -- Republican legislators are actually passing laws to deny healthcare to transgender children. This is totally separate to what they as politicians think about LGBTQ or what they think about how their constituents more feel about it, or more specifically about the subject of transgender. They might hate it or be confused by or think it’s against God or think it’s sad or unfortunate or be scared by it or not know what to make of it or think it’s okay but bad politics or whatever. They might hate the parents who allow their children to have a transgender operation or hate the doctors who perform the operation or be confused by it all or think it’s okay but bad politics or whatever. But at issue is something very basic – if a child needs healthcare, whoever they are, we as humans give the child healthcare. For goodness sake, doctors perform operations to help save the lives of murderer. And as much as people might be bothered by that, even Red states have not passed laws to outlaw that. Yet they’re passing laws not to give healthcare to children who are transgender. And to be clear, it’s more basic than that: they’re passing laws not to give healthcare to children. “They” being people who, if you asked them, “Sir, do you believe we should protect the health of our children?”, would answer – after the click, whirr, ka-ching: “I have always believed that children are our future. And we must protect them and cherish them, because children are the best we have to offer. God bless our children. When I look at children, I know America is in great hands. And we have to do everything to keep them safe and healthy.” If Republican politicians want to hate the parents who allow such operations to proceed on their children, that’s a position to take – no matter how right the politician may feel or wrong others might say -- to try and defend to the public. But that’s the parent. For the politicians to then take their reaction toward the adult out on the child -- who is a child, unless that isn’t clear to them -- seems barbaric. And especially barbaric if asked “Sir, do you believe we should protect the health of our children? and -- click, whirr, ka-ching – answered, “I have always believed that children are our future. And we must protect them and cherish them.” There’s no asterisk for that. No “…however.” No “…except…” To the core, basic, standard softball question -- “Sir, do you believe we should protect the health of our children?”, the answer is “Yes. Always. Of course. For every child.” But it’s not for far too many Republican politicians. And “one” is too many.
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AuthorRobert J. Elisberg is a political commentator, screenwriter, novelist, tech writer and also some other things that I just tend to keep forgetting. Feedspot Badge of Honor
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