Tammy Bruce: Gimel, Zayin, Yud

Gimel, Zayin, Yud

And This Too Shall Pass

A post by Maynard

Oddly enough, I'm not feeling as badly as I might have expected. As Tammy notes, it's not as if we were ecstatically happy with Republicans. We were mostly concerned about the perilously bad ideas emanating from Democrat leaders. Now we'll get to see how serious they are about turning bad ideas into bad policies. Dare we hope that the islands of sanity in the Democrat ranks will moderate the extremes?

And on the flip side, dare we hope the Republicans will be asking themselves what they stand for? With a stalemate between small-government conservatives and social conservatives, it seems that both sides had largely ditched their principles and concentrated on divvying up pork. Thus the framework shifted away from ideals and into the realm of what the government is "giving" us. If that's the game, you know the Democrats are eventually going to gain the upper hand.

In that sense, it's surprising that a Democrat victory has taken this long. I give credit to Newt Gingrich for, in 1994, guiding the Republicans to a new, forward-looking focus. Newt famously exclaimed that his greatest battle was with traditional Republicans. But the leadership eventually slipped away from him, and the Republicans seemed to drift into a sort of autopilot.

This is the way of things. Ebb and flow, up and down. We can't avoid mistakes; let's just pray we avoid the mistakes that get us killed.

I'm hoping the Republicans will learn something from Arnold Schwarzenegger. He takes the wind out of the sails of the opposition by rationally addressing the core issues that have Democrat leaders howling at the moon. Reasonable people may be concerned, for example, about global ecology while at the same time recoiling at Al Gore's hysterical obsessions. We may disagree with Arnold on details, but his overall balance is impressive. When he launches an ecological program, we trust him not to destroy the business base. When he advocates spending, we know he understands where the money is coming from.

In times of trouble or sorrow, we may reach for the phrase, "This too shall pass". The legend behind those words is a story of King Solomon, but you won't find it in the Bible. I don't think we know where it comes from or who wrote it, but the tale goes like this:

One day Solomon decided to humble Benaiah ben Yehoyada, his most trusted minister. He said to him, "Benaiah, there is a certain ring that I want you to bring to me. I wish to wear it for Sukkot which gives you six months to find it."

"If it exists anywhere on earth, your majesty," replied Benaiah, "I will find it and bring it to you, but what makes the ring so special?"

"It has magic powers," answered the king. "If a happy man looks at it, he becomes sad, and if a sad man looks at it, he becomes happy." Solomon knew that no such ring existed in the world, but he wished to give his minister a little taste of humility.

Spring passed and then summer, and still Benaiah had no idea where he could find the ring. On the night before Sukkot, he decided to take a walk in one of he poorest quarters of Jerusalem. He passed by a merchant who had begun to set out the day's wares on a shabby carpet. "Have you by any chance heard of a magic ring that makes the happy wearer forget his joy and the broken-hearted wearer forget his sorrows?" asked Benaiah.

He watched the grandfather take a plain gold ring from his carpet and engrave something on it. When Benaiah read the words on the ring, his face broke out in a wide smile.

That night the entire city welcomed in the holiday of Sukkot with great festivity. "Well, my friend," said Solomon, "have you found what I sent you after?" All the ministers laughed and Solomon himself smiled.

To everyone's surprise, Benaiah held up a small gold ring and declared, "Here it is, your majesty!" As soon as Solomon read the inscription, the smile vanished from his face. The jeweler had written three Hebrew letters on the gold band: "gimel, zayin, yud", which began the words "Gam zeh ya'avor" — this too shall pass."

At that moment Solomon realized that all his wisdom and fabulous wealth and tremendous power were but fleeting things, for one day he would be nothing but dust.

We'll win some and we'll lose some and, God willing, we'll go on to win and lose another day. Whatever is to come, let's always aspire to be worthy of the victory.

Posted by Maynard · November 8, 2006 01:37 AM · Permalink
Maynard Post | Politics

Comments

Maynard--you nailed it. While the loss is disappointing there is a greater point to be made. The reps need this reality check to remember what got them voted into office to begin with. Reps must come back in '08 better, stronger and Republican.

Posted by: kate at November 8, 2006 03:26 AM

I guess the Republicans strategy of running against Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton without articulating any conservative ideas simply didn't work! Good! The party has lost it's soul under President Bush and has become a Democrate-light party. It's time to get back to the Newt led revolution of 1994 and to do this we need new leaders. Frist, Hastert and Bush will not lead us where we need to go!

Posted by: SLABBOTT at November 8, 2006 05:37 AM

I am truly morose here in upstate New York, and bewildered. In our district, which is heavily Republican, an incumbent and popular Republican State Senator, Ray Meier, lost to a liberal county DA, Michael Arcuri. The margin was 9% points. I am as stunned as when Hillary first invaded New York, and the Adirondack Park became festooned with Hillary signs. I know Ray Meier personally, and have worked with him in the public arena, and know him to be a very good man and honest politician.

Maynard, I am completely in agreement with your comment. What is most disconcerting is that some of the views we may now live with are going to be promulgated by Nancy Pelosi and Charles Rangel. The real Hillary Clinton may not surface until after 2008, May God Help Us, that this too shall pass.

Posted by: CinderellaMan at November 8, 2006 06:01 AM

I must admit last night I wasn't feeling too well when I went to bed. I live in Colorado and it has sat with the republicans for some time. The rural, ranching, small business owners (which I am myself), I have seen connected to reality. The past few years we have been swept away by the city folk (a lot of Californians) moving in. I can't help but feel high jacked. Don't get me wrong I welcome non-natives.

This shift has just been an adjustment and now I will feel in our local politics with the dems moving into office. It will be felt in policies that will greatly effect my life and livelihood. It looks as though I will be undergoing this shift with my fellow Americans as well.

I took comfort in your, "Now we'll get to see how serious they are about turning bad ideas into bad policies." comment, Maynard.

Posted by: ahna eleanor at November 8, 2006 07:03 AM

So very well said Maynard. Puts things in proper perspective. It's certainly not the end of the world, and is a needed kick in the pants to the Republican leadership. I appreciate Kate's comment "better, stronger and Republican." That should be the mantra for the next 2 years. And in the coming months I'll be praying for much needed wisdom for our leaders on both sides of the aisle.

Posted by: Kimj7157 at November 8, 2006 07:11 AM

After I shut the computer off and went to bed, an odd sense of calm came over me as I lie there. I realized that if I could survive two terms of Clinton, the Ranger$ winning the Stanley Cup and the Red Sox winning the World Series - three thing I never wanted to see happen in MY lifetime - I can live through this. Easy.

Posted by: PeteRFNY at November 8, 2006 11:24 AM

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