In this hyper-partisan era, many writers wax nostalgic for a time politics were more civil, when Tip O’Neill and Ronald Reagan could work together despite their differences, when people disagreed politely. That’s the great thing about nostalgia — you only have to remember the good parts (like how I love 1930s clothes and music but wouldn’t want to restore that era’s sexism, racism, or economic inequity). Likewise, there was plenty of political ugliness in the past. Despite this, I do think the op-ed pieces have a point, in that these days we have lost even the superficial veneer of civilized disagreement.
With that in mind, this week’s song is a hybrid of my own admitted fierce partisanship and an effort to emulate the 1930s by adopting the gracious tone and witty wordplay of a Noel Coward song. I may be totally one-sided here, but at least I can do it with grace and style!