Freedom’s a great word but often abused

Awhile back, at a political forum held at Cape Henlopen High School, I saw a bumper sticker that read “I miss Reagan.” I do too.

The difference, I suspect, is that I miss the real President Reagan, whereas many conservatives miss a man who’s become a myth.

The real Reagan raised taxes (yes, he cut them too), granted amnesty to 3 million, expanded the federal government (Department of Veterans Affairs), increased the national debt, etc.

My point is not that Reagan was a bad or unsuccessful politician. He wasn’t. Nor that he wasn’t a conservative. He was.

But the real Reagan dealt with political reality. American political reality. Which means that you fight hard for your ideas and your agenda … and then you make a deal. With your opponents. Without shutting down the government. Imagine that.

The two great political figures of the ‘80s were Republican Reagan and Democrat Sen. Ted Kennedy. Though fighting on opposite ends of the political spectrum, they shared more than their Irish roots.

Both were “happy warriors,” eager and able to give battle. Both ripped their political opponents with tough, “red-meat” speeches.

And both were willing, after tough negotiations, to reach an agreement with the other side.

Enter the Freedom Caucus of today.

The Freedom Caucus consists of about 40 conservative members of Congress, less than 10 percent of the membership. Quite elitist. Membership by invitation only.

The Freedom Caucus does not believe, as Reagan did, in compromise. It believes it should get its way or it will shut down the government.

In other words, its members believe their freedom means the right to deny the freedom of others to participate in the democratic process.

While Reagan the politician could compromise, it’s likely the Freedom Caucus takes its anti-government inspiration from one of the president’s most famous lines: “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’” Here’s the thing. That’s true only in the abstract.

In particular, neither conservatives nor progressives complain much about federal handouts - as long as they’re the recipients.

Take the massive beach replenishment at Broadkill Beach. While the beach is open to the public, the project mostly benefits 600 homeowners, a pretty small group to receive a $30 million largesse from the federal government.

But I haven’t heard any complaints about this “big government” intrusion into a state issue.

The project is a great thing for Broadkill residents and for Delaware generally, but it’s hardly an example of the conservative government many locals say they want.

The Freedom Caucus demands purity. No deals.

But our form of government isn’t pure. It’s often ugly. The best line about democracy is: “There are two things you don’t want to watch being made: laws and sausage.”

The Freedom Caucus wants to end the sausage-making. That sounds good in theory, but it means ending American-style democracy.

You could call members of the Freedom Caucus childish, which they are, but a more accurate term for these self-styled super patriots is unAmerican.

Americans, at their best, aren’t absolutists. They’re dealmakers.

You can be a good Republican and fight hard, and you can be a good Democrat and fight hard. But you can’t be a good American and refuse to compromise for what’s in the best interest of all Americans.

A somewhat younger version from the Reagan-Kennedy age of politicians is Delaware’s Joe Biden.

His announcement last week that he won’t be seeking the presidency marked a graceful end of an era for Delaware and perhaps for the country.

In his announcement, which almost doubled as a stump speech, Biden said that we must not speak of our political opponents as enemies, perhaps a reference to a recent comment by Hillary Clinton.

Biden’s remarks were the antithesis of those of so-called Freedom Caucus conservatives (who consider less-pure conservatives their enemy). It’s a sentiment I believe Reagan himself would have appreciated.

Update

In my last column, I mentioned the Detroit-area woman who opened fire, in a Home Depot parking lot, on fleeing shoplifters. Luckily, no one was hurt.

The police, at first, appeared unsure what to do about her. She has since been charged.

Prosecutor Jessica Cooper noted that while the woman was trying to shoot out the tires, the bullets could easily have ricocheted and injured a bystander.

She said citizens could be more helpful by taking a picture of a suspect’s car.

Don Flood is a former newspaper editor living near Lewes. He can be reached at floodpolitics@gmail.com.