Gerald Ford and the GOP

Gerald Ford became president in August, 1974, when Richard Nixon resigned the office in disgrace. A month later, Ford pardoned Nixon for any crimes he committed while president. Ford's decision was extremely unpopular at the time, and is still subject to debate thirty-eight years afterward.

Ford's first press secretary, Gerald ter Horst, quit in protest. When asked his opinion of Ford years later, ter Horst said, "Gerald Ford was the kindest, most generous and most decent man I ever knew. He would literally give you the shirt off his back if he found you in need. Then he'd go into the White House and veto a bill that would provide hot lunches for indigent children because he felt it impinged on the responsibilities of the states."

I think that ter Horst's remark about President Ford applies as well to  many of the Republicans I have known. Kind decent friendly people individually, but as a group more interested in processes than in outcomes. I'm saying this having watched the local Fountain Colorado Republicans meet at the library where I work the last couple of weeks. Nice people, polite, seemingly enthusiastic about good government. Not like the churlish Tea Partyers in Florida who applauded the idea that people who can't afford medical care should just go without it, and die without it.

There was a certain irony about people whose political philosophy is intimately tied to tax reductions and privatizing services meeting at the public library, but never mind about that for now. Instead, I'll just note that there wasn't a black or a brown face among the Republicans I saw. About eighty perccent of them were men, and of the men a very generous proportion were older, retirement age or beyond. We'll also pass over the conundrum of people who are likely collecting Social Security championing the party that often wants to privatize the very program that assures they won't live in such poverty that they'd have to reside with their kids or endure serious hardships.

No, I'll just say that unless the GOP can expand its base dramatically they won't win many elections.

They were awfully nice though, the kind of folks who keep their lawns tidy, don't throw loud parties, and always say hello when you see them on the street. (I was going to say, "Buy Girl Scout cookies," but  perhaps they don't anymore.)