Political making of an old, white male !

[FROM BILL LIFKA - Lightly edited and published based on Bill's prior blanket approval. Bill is about nine years my senior. I too was born into a family that voted solid Democrat. FDR's photo hung with honor in my grandparent's kitchen. My Dad (but not my Mom) voted for Eisenhower, probably the first in my childhood family to make the switch. Ira Glickstein]

To my (adult) grandchildren:                                                        

Political making of an old, white male ! I’ll preface my forthcoming letters on the 2020 election with a few tales of how I became an old, white male, an identity hated by Democrats. Ironically, once I was young and a Democrat.

It was a fine time and a good thing to be. My friends and relatives were Democrats. Most are now dead but I have new friends and relatives who are Democrats, although not so many!

I was a Democrat for less time than I was Independent or Republican. I wasn’t registered as a Democrat which may be like Bill Clinton’s having smoked pot but not inhaling. Barack Obama inhaled with pleasure, which may explain a lot about his politics.

Born a Democrat

My credentials as a past Democrat might be questioned but current Democrats of my age would recognize me as a kindred spirit. I was born as a Democrat like I was born as an American and a Catholic, all being compatible at the time.

I chose to be a paper boy and a Cub Scout at the age of nine. Those were the first observable signs I had started to think on my own although there’d been covert outbreaks of latent Libertarianism from the age of three!

FDR

I never thought much about why I was a Democrat other than as a blessing of birth. When FDR ran for his second term as president, my mother explained that all should vote for Roosevelt because, “He was for the poor people, like us.” Being six years old, I always accepted what my mother told me as long as it didn’t interfere with my plans for that day. Even so, I thought it was a strange argument since I didn’t feel particularly poor. Starting with my being a paper boy, it seemed even stranger since all I needed to do to have money in my pocket was to do a little work and just doing the work made me feel good about myself, also.

Then too, I found it hard to understand why FDR was so great if he was for losers. I was for the Chicago Cubs because, in those days, the Cubs had won two pennants. If my mother had said FDR was going to turn losers into winners I would have understood it was like hiring a new manager for the White Sox!

Despite my youthful confusion, I did come to understand why people would vote for FDR even if they weren’t born Democrats. In fact, I think I would have voted for him if I were over twenty one at the time because he did talk a good story and engaged the federal government in a lot of activity, especially for a guy who needed to operate out of a wheelchair. Now I know that activity shouldn’t be mistaken for progress, but in those days it caused most people to feel better even though the depression just went on and on until the war.

When it came to the war, FDR was one of the better presidents because of his ability to convince Americans all would turn out well in the end. It also helped that he picked an outstanding leader for the military forces and was convinced, mostly by his wife, to let businessmen lead industrial mobilization.

Like his cousin, an earlier president, FDR wasn’t comfortable with the private sector and distrusted all who were in it because they wouldn’t kowtow to his economic ideas and lack of experience in their field!

Harry Truman

By the time Harry Truman came along, I was learning things that caused doubts about FDR but, still a born Democrat, I would have voted for Harry if I were twenty one because Tom Dewey’s mustache made him look sneaky to my eyes. On the other hand, it seemed clear that Harry was straightforward and outspoken and I liked the sign on his desk, “The buck stops here!” He was a guy who took responsibility for his actions and had made tough decisions without flinching over what people might say about him. Even then, I knew those were important traits for a leader. He made some mistakes but
if I were transported back in time with my present knowledge, I’m sure I would vote for him and not because I was born a Democrat!

My family never got anything from the Democrat Party, even though FDR was for poor people. Mostly, the Party functioned in the large cities, like Chicago, and they got people work. This was a good thing that people had to work for their money, like being a garbage man. It was true that higher ups might be building inspectors and depended on bribes for extra money but they had to support their families and, come election time, they had to work hard for no pay in “getting out the vote” which meant getting people out to vote. This was harder than it might seem, especially when some voters resided in cemeteries.

On a national level, FDR did find work for many in the CCC where they built forest preserve shelters and other needed public works. My relatives found work for each other like when my father introduced his brother and two brothers-in-law to his boss. That didn’t stop them from being good Democrats even if they made a living on their own!

Ike

Even though I was a born Democrat, Ike seemed to be an obvious choice over Adlai Stevenson. Adlai was a very bright guy and witty speaker but had the real world depth of a driveway puddle. With Eisenhower, I drifted away from my Democrat birthright but only to that place in between called Independent. I don’t blame Independents for giving up on both Political Parties. Both have earned that treatment. On the other hand it’s sort of like the idea of Purgatory, a place neither heaven nor hell. I can understand why one might choose hell for all the fun that comes before or heaven for all the fun that comes later.

John Kennedy

Choosing the in-between is hard to fathom. Nevertheless, I felt comfortable there and then John Kennedy came along! In retrospect, I should have suspected all wasn’t right about Kennedy. But he looked so good, had such an endearing family and talked so convincingly, it was easy to succumb to his charm. By that time, I had forgotten I was born a Democrat, but not that I was born a Catholic and was offended that the presidency had eluded Catholics and the previous one who had tried had been rejected primarily because of his religion. JFK was assassinated and, therefore, deserves to be an “American Saint.” If he had served a full two terms, he might well be remembered differently!

Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan came upon the scene, running against a president who had failed miserably. Nevertheless, Reagan was dismissed for being an actor, forgetting his success as Governor of California and as President of the Actor’s Guild, a working job.

Converted to the Republican Party

I converted to the Republican Party during his time in office while retaining the right of occasional dissent over peripheral items of dogma. I had learned how to judge an effective leader of my country based on his past performance in responsible jobs and his character traits as displayed in those positions. I listened to what a candidate said he would do and discounted what others said he would do, especially those who had reason to lie about him.

I gave no thought to whether we shared a political party, religion, ethnicity or the many peripheral social preferences some politicians, intellectuals or media moguls believe to be of great consequence. Most of all, I imagined how this blessed country of ours might fare under his leadership! I believe I’m wiser as an elector than ever and wonder why a political party that pretends to care for old people and racial and sexual equality hates me for my age, race and gender.

Bill Lifka