It's a Mental Problem

I took a few moments to watch TV this morning, having been locked in from church by the ice storm. I caught Juan Williams of NPR on Chris Wallace's show on Fox. I only listened for a moment, but Juan made the entire divide between the "Left" and the "Right" in America clear.

Juan complained that Democrats were boxed into not taking a truly principled stand on the Iraq War by politics, and the need to position themselves competitively for the 2008 elections. They just could not risk voting to defund the troops and end the war, as they had with the Vietnam conflict.

Then Juan proceeded to note that some Republicans were taking stands in opposition to the President and his policy in Iraq. Here there was no notice of political expediency. The occasional Republican that stands against the President must be principled, and certainly cannot be watching polls or trying to position themselves for the 2008 race. Democrats, in the majority, cannot act with principle because of the fear of voters, but any Republican that stands up like a Democrat must, obviously, be doing so because it is just right.

Mr. Williams then went on to rail against the President for not listening to others. He continues to fight "his war" without giving anyone any explanation of what he hopes to accomplish or why we continue to fight. One of the others on the panel, Brit Hume, took issue with that claim, noting the speech the President gave detailing such things, and the Vice-President's appearance on the same network to discuss the Iraq policies. Mr. Williams was unimpressed. The President continues to stand firm - proving that he has not heard anyone. The war was not begun, according to Juan, over WMD's (although many have been found - and others were known to be removed to neighboring countries), not for oil, not for nation building, not for democracy. The President continues to fight, and continues to hide his reasons -- according to Juan Williams.

When my sons were teen-agers, I noted that unless I fervently agreed with whatever nonsense might come out of their mouths at any moment, it was their opinion that I had not 'heard' them. They foolishly identified communication with capitulation, as though I could not have heard their words and disagreed. The Democrats - and others who disagree with the President - have the same immature, childish mindset. The President can answer every question they ask Him, but if they do not agree, he has said nothing. The President can do anything short of capitulation, and it will be caricatured as stubborn, mule headed ignoring of "the will of the people". Leadership for the Democrat is following the polls -- and in their mind, the only way the President can actually demonstrate anything like leadership is by surrendering his policy to their absolute guidance.

You see, it's a mental problem. The President thinks like a leader, and Democrats - an others on the left - think like very immature children.