There are no declared candidates for the 2008 presidential race yet - heck, we haven't even reached the midterm elections yet! - but the politicians are out in full force. Every year we usually observe that the election seasons seem to begin earlier and earlier each time. It will soon be that campaigning will begin the day after candidates are sworn into office!
The nomination of Judge Alito currently being debated in the Senate is not actually being debated in the Senate; it is being debated in the court of public opinion. Democrats are charging that President Bush is trying to destroy rights and shift the court to the right. But rather than actually engage in a genuine debate in a proper forum, they choose instead to take cheap and personal shots at the president while flitting around the country making speeches anywhere other than in the Senate - which, incidentally, they are PAID to do. From my own perspective, I try (though not always successfully!) to listen with an open mind in search of substance. It's fine that they disagree with the president. We cannot always agree on everything nor should we. The disagreements, however, are long on political rhetoric but considerably short on substance. They are trying their level best to make us afraid of the future.
Then the revelation of the "spying" business by NSA has not helped matters. It is more ammo for the Bush haters to use against the current administration. To be fair, however, the Republicans were equally guilty during the Clinton administration. Both were, and still are, guilty of fear-mongering.
In the end, the reason both parties lack substance is because they have none. And we have no one to blame but ourselves. We listen to it and respond to it not according to whether we agree or disagree but because they have successfully given us something to be afraid of. And rather than deal with it, we choose to live in fear. And we genuinely HATE what we fear or do not understand, do we not?
Let's face it. It is much easier to play on a people's fear than it is to make definitive proposals toward sound public policy. Why? Because we as an uninformed electorate do not read enough or even care enough about what goes on in Washington and in our own state capitals. The politicians hire political operatives to advise them, but few hire economic advisers for their advise. It is far more politically expedient to identify the concerns of a people, and then find someone to blame in order to make them responsible.
My boss is a solid manager with a good head on his shoulders. He is very confident in his own abilities, but he counts on his managers to keep him informed and address issues actually before they become problems. In meetings with this man, the very worst mistake anyone can make is to identify problems without offering a solution. My boss states very simply that a moron can see what's wrong, but a LEADER will work on solutions to make it right.
There is not much we need to fear in government. I do not fear the NSA spying on me because I have nothing to hide. I do not fear that it may lead to other abuses because Christians have been abused for centuries and if we are truly faithful to our calling, this will not change. I certainly do not fear politicians because they will do what they will do as long as we allow them, but there is a part of me they can never touch.
Honestly, dear reader, the only way we will return government to the people is by a 100% turnover in the current Congress. Even the good ones - and there are some - must go. This will be the only way that anyone will understand who truly calls the shots. These are not elected leaders; they are elected to REPRESENT us. Period. But if this is representative or indicative of our national consciousness, I can only say that we deserve everything we get - fear and all.
No comments:
Post a Comment