Neo-Mugwumpery Hi-Jacked by the Right

There is a new infusion of universal distaste for both political parties and their stranglehold on our government as minions of special interests.

Our time hosts a return of distaste for blatant corruption and political cronyism that is reminiscent of a noble minded yet failed movement of the ‘Gilded Age.’ The term Mugwump was applied to a group of Republicans, at the time, who were so frustrated by perceived corruption in their own party that they contributed to the victory of Democrat Grover Cleveland in the 1884 Presidential Election.

Republicans of the far right today, like their predecessors, are trying to hang the moniker ‘neo-Mugwump’ on the members of their party who are more main stream in order to paint them as deluded by left-wing propaganda.

The name Mugwump, a distortion of an Algonquin word ’muggoump’ into a combination of two slang terms, was meant to portray high minded reformers as disloyal, amateur fence sitters. When some Republicans decided that resisting corruption was more important than party loyalty, journalist Charles Anderson Dana applied the label, to describe them as having their ‘mug’ on one side of the fence and their ‘wump’ on the other. Republican loyalists were so furious over the discovery of spine and integrity in their very midst that they even resorted to questioning the nature of ‘Mugwumps’ ’ sexuality.

Things haven’t changed much have they?.

Neither GOP Mullahs nor Democrat Progressives recognize that neo-Mugwumpery differs from the earlier version in that it cuts both ways.

The Left celebrates extreme Right-wingers ‘booting’ their share of the traditionalist majority as a recruiting opportunity.

It must be remembered that the Mugwumps earned ridicule because they had integrity and more they prized good government higher than an identity as party loyal herd animals.

It’s no secret that some Republican centrists may have rightfully earned criticism for making nice, to appear moderate and cull support from the middle. However, they have not earned nor do they deserve the dignity of being dubbed Mugwumps. Sentiments driving Mugwumps to reject the Grand Old Party of the 19th. Century were not about making nice. Furthermore, those same sentiments apply to disenchanted members of both parties today. Traditional minded Americans are dog sick of having to hold their noses upon arrival at the polls. And anybody who knows dogs realizes that it takes a lot of excrement to sicken them!

Sarah Palin’s demonstration of integrity in surpassing party loyalty in Alaska by succeeding in reforms opposed by ‘fat cats’ in her own party is Mugwumpery in action! Joe Lieberman refusing to support Marxists in his own party and the jeopardy they posed for National Security was also authentic Mugwump behavior. Neo-Mugwumps are largely comprised of traditionalists with the integrity and courage to preserve and restore liberty by supporting Constitutional principles, wherever they lead.

If we are ever to achieve those ends, sacred cows will have to be slaughtered on both sides.

Our children have been burglarized by their own parents and grandparents.

Decentralizing government, protection of state sovereignties and dismantling of Federal bureaucracies in a spirit of ‘reparations’ for our children who’ve have had their futures looted can justify slaughtering a great herd of sacred cows on the Left.

On the Right, respecting religious rights without allowing beliefs to become privileged tyranny advocated by theologians via privacy invading public laws, bodily sovereignty and familial content and structure will likewise result in plenty of venerable holy bovines for slaughter.

Whether one’s religion is Evangelical Fundamentalism or Evangelical Environmentalism, unbridled Capitalism or some Utopian workers’ paradise, religious notions fashioned into public law rob liberty from every aspect , every safe haven of this erstwhile free society.  Zealotry in enacting and affecting laws to undermine our Constitution are  increasingly placing this country in jeopardy from foreign enemies.

The recent groundswell in the political center is real. What is astonishing is that partisan extremists on both sides still haven’t a clue. They demonstrate a perfectly Faustian example of blindness by interpreting the sound of scraping shovels as loyal progress.

This emerging generation must be supported and encouraged to enact strict, punitive laws protecting the democratic process of selecting leaders; to innovative strategies for shielding newly elected from being compromised and exploited by special interest lobbyists and corrupt, incumbent peers.

The road to real legislative and bureaucratic reform leads down the path of repeal and reparations on behalf of our raped and looted progeny.

Economic reform lies beneath our very feet and within our technological superiority.  All that is required is for the public to defy counterfeit guardians of environment.   Don’t fall for false warnings that we ‘can’t drill our way out of this.’ Take one step at a time. For every barrel of petroleum we produce, another barrel gets added to the international market. This increases supplies, competition and lowers prices. Natural gas displacing of crude use accomplishes the same goal. Alternative technologies will do their small part in time, as they grow.

Tax reform lies in simplicity and equitable application; to include religious organizations.  “Charitable’ contributions that don’t go directly, 100% to charity should be taxable.  Organization income devoted to purchasing religious paraphernalia, paid employees and operatives, salable products or services and paid solicitations should be taxed.

Rest assured.  These and other genuinely progressive moves will result in stereo whining from speakers on both left and right.

Tell them to suck it up and get out of the way kids!

Tagged as: anti-machine politics, beyond party, new majority, traditional values