Thursday, July 30, 2009
The Politics of Politics
| What exactly is "Politics"? We use the word daily but do we really understand what it means? To some it means the system by which our country, counties, cities, towns and burgs operate. Basically we elect persons to office so they can make decisions on our behalf that effect how we can live our lives as a collective people. If a majority of the people want a person to make those decisions on behalf of the whole then so be it. Majority rule. It is our system and as screwed up as we may think it to be, it has proven to be far better than the totalitarian alternative. But is it our system that is screwed up or is it what happens to those we choose to give the decision making power to once they get there that is the problem? In lies the question - Is it the system of politics or the politics of the 2 major ruling parties that is the real problem? I believe we elect someone to public office with the best intentions. They campaign on making things better and we believe them. Either because they have shown to be able to make decisions that have been in our best interest or because thier ideas seem better than those currently there. But what happens to that mindset once we put them in office and give them the power to make our decisions for us? Our government is supposed to be for the people by the people but in almost all cases, once in office, those we put there lose that mindset and it becomes for the party by the party. It is no longer about the people it is about keeping the power they have been given. And not personal power but the power of the party flag they ran under. It is set up that way. I mean look, why is the House of Representatives and the Senate split up? Why do the Dems sit on one side and the GOP on the other? Because the party interests matter, not the peoples. Does it help promote the agenda of either party if they accept and vote for legislation that makes the other side look good? The answer is obviously no which is why we end up with watered down legislation that is not in the best interest of the American people. One side cannot make a decision that would make the other look good. It is the party before the people. The word compromise is one that all politicians run under. "Bi-partisanship". Both parties and all interests being looked at. Well I call BULLSHIT! Is it compromise for the good of the country or is it compromise so no one can get all the accolades if it succeeds or all the blame if it fails? I see the latter happening. One party doesn't want the other to get all the glory nor does one party want all the blame if a policy fails. That is the compromise we get today. Not for the good of the people, but for the good of the party. Can a third party come forward and make it's way into the entrentched 2 party system? I think now is a good a time as any. The GOP and the Dems have had thier opportunities to represent the people and they have merely represented themselves. They compromise to save face instead of to save the country and all the while don't listen to a damn thing we say. I say we need a good game of musical chairs. Make the Dems sit with the GOP and get rid of the 2 party separation. Elect third party candidates who aren't beholden to the type of 'compromise' the other 2 are. Make them compromise for the good of the whole and not to save thier parties behind. Mix it up. Break it up. A third party could be the fresh 'Change' we can all believe in because we sure can't believe in the changes we have been seeing. |
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