American politics is as volatile as the gladiatorial games of the great coliseum. It’s dirty, and all that matters is who’s standing when it’s all said and done. When the word politics is used in a business setting, or organizational setting it is never used in a positive light. Where we are now, and where we’ve come from are so far apart that the only way to heal our politics is to reject it. That’s what so many Americans have done. They’ve refused to participate. I can’t blame them. We can shame them for their dissidence. We can laugh at their supposed ignorance. At least it’s honest.
I’ve spent most of my life subscribing to this philosophy. Mainly due to the lack of honesty in political discourse. It has taken a court room element--and made it worse. It has become a tribal council of sorts. The whole purpose of the opposition is to discredit their adversary. Remove their credibility, disavow their citizenship or faith, and question their humanity. This has been called “Rovian strategy” after George W Bush’s campaign manager and advisor slandered his Republican opponent John McCain in the 2000 primaries for being gay, cheating on his wife, and the race of his adopted daughter. Ad hominem politics can’t all be hung around Rove’s neck. The truth of the matter is that this type of politics has been around since the dawn of representative government. Albeit, it is more of a blood-sport today than ever before but not new. The problem is that the opponent has been so slandered that their point-of-view doesn’t matter. The content of the conversation is not longer about what’s right, it’s about who’s wrong.
Over the last decade I’ve become more politically active, and more curious than the average citizen. Most individuals take their cues from their supposed trusted news source. Most likely because a family member, or trusted friend recommended either Fox or CNN. What I’ve always tried to find is the integrity of a news story. I went to college to study journalism, and learned the many tactics of what is called tabloid journalism. The techniques used by these entertainment driven stories are the very same used by reputable news organizations with a slant to the left or right. Unfortunately we can’t put absolute faith in these once honorable organizations because of their financial obligations to companies, and organizations that fund them. Ratings drive higher ad-buys and drive more revenue. A government run news agency would defeat the purpose of journalism because the original “muckrackers” were borne out of the need to hold our government officials accountable. In this day and age, government trust is at an all time low thus rendering any organization funded by the government as corrupted. For instance, the way the right have characterized PBS. PBS was created with the purpose of providing educational programs for families and children where cable wasn’t available or affordable. Far from being the news wing of the communist party. But if all of this is true, where can one go to find honest news. The internet right…
So my quest to find a truthful news source may very well be futile. This problem is particularly pernicious to American Democracy because editorial news is now the preferred method of receiving news. We find comfort in one particular news organization, or news personality. Then we want them to decode and help us understand the news because for us to actually spend more than a few minutes trying to get all the facts and see both sides requires more effort than we are willing to surrender. We want our news in Facebook posts, and Tweets. Simple and already endorsed by our favorite news personalities. This helps us to sound informed and feel empowered.
When these pre-fabricated opinions are confronted by contention or reality for that matter, we shut down. Our most primitive parts of our brains override rationality, and we demonize the others opinion. We corrupt religion, and hijack patriotism as the deciding factor in the conversation or lack there of. To agree with the other side is treason. And the truth of the matter is the rare stowaway lost in the confusion.
This election will come down to the votes of the more energized base. Unlike elections of the past, where the holy grail of winning has always been with the “undecideds”. American politics has been poisoned. For me to come out and say that I support the president’s reelection would open the eyes of many of my family members, and friends. Most people that have asked I would have the conversation with them and share my reasoning. If you’ve read my previous posts over the years you know where I stand. I just refuse to argue with people that will take it personally. They’ve already given up on truth, and respecting the process of dialogue. If I may be so bold to predict that because of the state of American politics the comments of New Jersey’s Republican Governor Christ Christie will come under fire by Fox News and their lot. He is on record today as praising President Obama’s handling of the preparation, and aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. No doubt he will be derided and scorned by his most embedded members of his party as being off message, and needing to walk the party line. This is the way of things, and if we allow it the future of democracy. It’s one way or the other, it’s never the best way. Compromise will become as dirty a word as politics. Unification is seen as treason.
This election comes down to two ways of thinking. Both parties will claim the other is using a lie, or loose facts to support their philosophy. In a way, both parties are right. Here’s what I know. Mitt Romney supports the most polarizing views of social and cultural politics, but is on record as being against all of them at some point. He claims to be this business mastermind but based off of the statistics of when he ran Massachusetts he was far from it. His states successes were built on policies that were in place before he was governor. He raised taxes, and fees on his constituents and added to debt penalizing schools. His crowning achievement is the very DNA of what Obama’s crowning achievement is predicated on. His running mate is firmly behind a slash and burn form of budget cutting that will fundamentally change the way we live in this country, and further creating the sea between the middle class and upper class. I also fear that behind the bluster and posturing of Mitt’s foreign policy we will find ourselves in a more dangerous America and world. He can talk all he wants about we are weaker, and perceived as weaker now than we were four years ago. That is a pure partisan lie. In 2008 when the US’s economy was on the brink we were at our weakest. Al-Qaida’s stated strategy was to watch our economy crumble. I believe if you really distill the facts from the opinions the decision becomes a lot more clear.
President Obama inherited an economic disaster. Think about what was being said during the 2008 election . What would McCain had done that was so different? The bail-outs and rescues were already in place before he took office. The stimulus wasn’t as effective as he had stated, but do we know what would have happened if it was not put in place? Are we so sure that a bankrupt American car industry would have been better for our economy, and for the jobs reports? We hear one side speak in such absolutes and certitudes, but do we really give each issue the thought that what would McCain and Palin have done? It’s easy to sit back and play Monday Morning Quarterback. I know that President Bush was treated the same way by the left on many occasions, and just as distastefully. But when is enough going to be enough? Will it be when the Kenyan is out of office? Or will it be now? Lets move Forward. Not back to the Wild West economy of the Bush Years.
Unemployment is down from double digits to lower than it was when he took office. The free fall of jobs lost (800k a month) is now 30 plus months of job growth. Consumer confidence is climbing, and holding steady. The Stock Market has come roaring back and has nearly doubled. None of this matters. Because in the end you will believe what your prefabricated opinion tells you to believe. I ask you to consider this, because this is how I remember it.
I worked retail in 2008, and still do for that matter. I remember the dread of conference calls where they were announcing layoffs, and cut backs. I remember reading in the news of the imminent downfall of Linen’s ‘n Things, Borders, and Circuit City. I remember the news stated that the banks, and creditors pulled the rug out under the funding to keep these businesses running. I also remember it being Black Friday, and not having anyone in line. These were scary times. Be fair in your assessment. Are we better off than we were four years ago? If you say no you are being dishonest. Get out and vote!
http://www.barackobama.com/economy
