This Christmas, I believe I should give Republicans the gift of understanding.
It’s easy to misconstrue what they’re doing as evil. By refusing to acknowledge important issues such as the “don’t ask, don’t tell repeal”, START Treaty, DREAM Act or health care for 9-11 first responders until they have successfully extended the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, Republicans have made a bold statement favoring money over doing their job.
However, I believe there is a fine line between evil and ignorance. If Republicans were truly evil, they would have made this move before the November elections so they could stuff their pockets with the donations of the wealthiest Americans likely to flourish under their agenda. I believe Republicans honestly believe that what they are doing is good and proper, and this makes them stupid rather than evil. And that is a big difference.
It’s not difficult to follow the logic on this one, although it’s painful for minds capable of processing multiple facts rather than searching for the ones that suit their own cause. Republicans don’t want to give up any more in taxes than they absolutely have to, and since most Republicans come from the upper-class, the decision to make this issue central to every discussion is little more than pure self-interest.
The irony, however, is that Republicans are also desperately afraid they aren’t making enough money to fund the government for another year. And since not one of them can name even a single program they’d like to cut, that only means taking in more revenue. Which means raising taxes. But try telling that to a smugly self-satisfied Senate Republican content with his own debauchery.
I’m sorry, not debauchery. Stupidity.
Everything else on the agenda counteracts those institutions that bring people together, especially around the holidays. If people have to pay more in taxes, how will they have money to spend on presents (or sizable campaign donations)? If gays were allowed to serve openly in the military, how could we claim to be the only nation strictly enforcing those policies written down in the book of Leviticus? And if we allowed illegal immigrants who crossed the border as children to find a path to citizenship, well, then we’d all have to learn Spanish, wouldn’t we?
Why Republicans are opposed to the DREAM Act takes a bit more mental wrangling, but I suppose Republicans look at the Cold War as the glory years of

President Regan and are reluctant to bring it to an end.
As for why they won’t give health care to 9-11 rescue workers who got sick or injured as a direct result of their bravery… some things are just too stupid to analyze.
Democrats acknowledge these institutions as well, but they’ve also come to realize that following them to the letter will eventually kill us all. So I’m also reaching out with understand to all democrats who are scared out of their minds because they want to help, but can’t seem to find a way.
Fortunately, President Barrack Obama has more understanding than Santa Claus. He sat down with Republicans and ultimately gave in to all their demands in the hopes that, maybe, they might consider some of his.
I don’t know if it’s smart, but it sure is hopeful. And this Christmas, hope may be the rarest gift of all.