I was speaking with a good friend the other day, Kay Wood, an astute observer of American politics, and she had an insight that rang true. Democrats behave a lot like dogs, and Republicans a lot like cats.
Dogs long to bond. They want to be loved, to lick your hand, to be patted in return. Getting a health care measure through a Democratic Congress illustrated this dog-like behavior nicely. Potential opponents in the health care industry were fuzzied up to and accommodated. Obstructionist senators of both parties were licked and begged for a pat. All sorts of attempts were made to bond with one and all.
Republicans don’t crave love. Like cats, they just seek to dominate. And if you don’t approve, that’s your tough luck. An example of such behavior by Republicans was perfectly illustrated by Dick Cheney. When a reporter pointed out that most Americans no longer supported our war in Iraq, his cat-like reply was: “So.”
In this country only a fool would take sides in a dog versus cat better pet debate. But in purely political terms, an analogous debate involving Democrats and Republicans, one might consider this question: Which of these parties is likely to be around longer? The touchy feely one anxious to please, or the one imbued with an absolute conviction that it has a right to rule?
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