Plants, Progeny, Politics

One could argue that the Democrats have better environmental policy, so the tree is a Democrat. But would its leaves be, as well? Often progeny (which leaves are not, but bear with me here) do not follow in their parent’s political footsteps. In fact they often rebel and have political views that are the opposite of their parents.

This was a New Yorker cartoon from a fairly recent issue.

I don’t recall when I realized what party my parents were in — or even that they were in the same political party — it just became apparent. We had a rule in our house that one did not share whom one voted for, or at least one didn’t ask others about it. Maybe that had to do with Nixon. I learned many years later my father voted for him the second time, and then regreted it. McGovern was the Democratic candidate in 1972; I never asked him what it was about McGovern he didn’t like. That we could be back in time and talk to our loved ones!

Party affiliation is fraught now. I have vague memories that haunt me about Goldwater in 1964, that he was an evil man and not to be trusted. The jungle gym at my elementary school was separated (by kids) into those whose parents were for Goldwater and those whose…