When last we left McMammah on his journey he had progressed (in every sense of the word) from being the progeny of solid Northeastern Republicans to registering as a Democrat once he turned 18.
For a number of reasons - age, the times, personal sidetracks - politically I went dormant shortly after my 18th birthday. Oh sure I followed current events. There was still enjoyment in the horse race and numbers aspect of elections. The Presidential election of 1976 was followed with great interest. The contest between Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford seemed to echo the beneath the surface division at my college between graduates of public high schools and graduates from private schools. The "pubies" and the "preps".
During the Democratic primaries I recognized that Morris Udall was the more liberal of the two main candidates and closer to my positions on many issues. But having suffered through the drubbing of 1972 with McGovern I wanted to win. That fight between principle and pragmatism was fully joined at a very young age.
I was very pleased when Carter won, but admittedly lest enthused with his administration. He seemed okay personally and some of his policies were good. I still believe with climate change becoming increasingly alarming and important that he will be looked on very favorably by history as this was the only time in my adult life where I feel we had a coherent energy policy. But that's a topic for another day.
Still you had to admit that he was not that effective as a leader. And so we got Reagan.
At this point I took a hiatus from politics. I did not like Reagan's policies. I think I could tell he basically was going to be good for rich people and not average ones like me. But my focus became getting a job and finding my way in the world.
A number of incidents occurred during Reagan's tenure that I did not think of in political terms at the time. At the time they seemed to be isolated separate events, but looking back they were emblematic of the changes that Reagan wrought, the transformation of our society from FDR's "we're all in this together", to the "you're on your own" philosophy that has guided the Republican Party and our economic and fiscal policies since Reagan took office. With hindsight I can now see what was happening to me personally and to our country. This is the foundation of what put the "MAH" (mad as hell) into McMammah.
These events and recollections will be examined in more detail in the next postings.
For a number of reasons - age, the times, personal sidetracks - politically I went dormant shortly after my 18th birthday. Oh sure I followed current events. There was still enjoyment in the horse race and numbers aspect of elections. The Presidential election of 1976 was followed with great interest. The contest between Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford seemed to echo the beneath the surface division at my college between graduates of public high schools and graduates from private schools. The "pubies" and the "preps".
During the Democratic primaries I recognized that Morris Udall was the more liberal of the two main candidates and closer to my positions on many issues. But having suffered through the drubbing of 1972 with McGovern I wanted to win. That fight between principle and pragmatism was fully joined at a very young age.
I was very pleased when Carter won, but admittedly lest enthused with his administration. He seemed okay personally and some of his policies were good. I still believe with climate change becoming increasingly alarming and important that he will be looked on very favorably by history as this was the only time in my adult life where I feel we had a coherent energy policy. But that's a topic for another day.
Still you had to admit that he was not that effective as a leader. And so we got Reagan.
At this point I took a hiatus from politics. I did not like Reagan's policies. I think I could tell he basically was going to be good for rich people and not average ones like me. But my focus became getting a job and finding my way in the world.
A number of incidents occurred during Reagan's tenure that I did not think of in political terms at the time. At the time they seemed to be isolated separate events, but looking back they were emblematic of the changes that Reagan wrought, the transformation of our society from FDR's "we're all in this together", to the "you're on your own" philosophy that has guided the Republican Party and our economic and fiscal policies since Reagan took office. With hindsight I can now see what was happening to me personally and to our country. This is the foundation of what put the "MAH" (mad as hell) into McMammah.
These events and recollections will be examined in more detail in the next postings.