The OTHERS won

I am not sure if it's because I got my American passport and then swiftly left the country for what seems to be an undetermined amount of time, but I am all about American politics, especially the kind that goes on in nicely furnished and wine equipped bars in central London.

Yesterday the newly acquired husband, the sex columnist and book nerd friend and the little self attended a Young Democrats vs. Young Republicans debate, proudly desplaying our DEMOCRATS stickers until our fellow Democrats opened their mouths. I drank Malbec and buried my face in shame. How can it be that a young un-Republican looking surfer dude Republican with baggy Jeans and a dirty t-shirt can shut up the two sweater combination wearing banker mom Democrats? How can it be that free points (Gore, environment, drug companies, health care) are laid in front of the not so young Democrats , ready to be picked up and converted into major shrapnel wounds on the part of Republican party policies, but instead they are gently cradled, wiggled around a bit and then thrown out of the window with statements that echo something akin of "but we care about the people". Well, isn't that nice. How about you spit out some idea of how you intend to do something for the people in a way that is better than the people can do themselves (a Republican argument for lowering taxes). I mean it was right there. We were all picturing the old granny on medicare, the evil drug company CEO at his posh mansion looking like Dr. Evil, the dying dolphins, the stolen election of 2001, we had the moral highground, so please do learn to use it.

How can it be that minus the "we must win in Iraq at any cost and if it takes a century to do so" the young Republicans argued as if they had some decent sounding plan, but all we can get out of the not so young Democrats is "but we are nicer". We can do better than that. We need to stop relying on the fact that everyone around us happens to be a bleeding heart liberal of the most left leaning sort and learn to argue with people who fundamentally disagree. Just because we think they are wrong, does not mean they have no good arguments. Come on people, sharpen your claws.

The only highlight of the evening was the following Republican quote (and I am paraphrasing) "yes, it would suck to be a prisoner of Guantanamo bay". Wehaa. I do bet it would suck.

Also, not to go all economist on everyone, but I do wish people would do some math once in a while. Republicans: Lower taxes and spend those 5 billion on Iraq a month? Democrats: Free health care for everyone, while not raising taxes on anyone but the top 1%? Oh AND balancing the budget?

It's nice to have dreams.