Wednesday morning the Republican Party held a press conference. John Boehner, Haley Barbour and Mitch McConnell held forth, and if they mentioned "The American People" once, they mentioned them sixteen thousand two hundred and forty four times! They shoved "The American People," almost literally, into every other sentence. All they did to win in this election was listen to "The American People." "The American People" affirmed their Republican positions because the Republicans understood "The American People;" and "The American People" understood that they understood "The American People." And on and on and on and on.
Now, I am an American person. And reasonably well educated. I've paid attention to government and politics all my life. I could be called a political junkie. In addition, I have better educated and more informed friends in and out of politics with whom I talk politics all the time. I also visit political sites and read political blogs until my head feels as stuffed as a narrow trench carrying the waste from Boulder City. All that said, when I went to my polling place yesterday, did I know everything I needed to know to make informed decisions about the propositions and the judgeships and individuals running for minor offices? No, I did not. Also, I know better than to think any government office worth my vote is a "minor" office. So did I take the time to learn about the candidates for those offices? No, I did not. I didn't have the time. Or wish to take the time, which is shameful but more accurate. I relied on the recommendations of an organization I believe in. But, hey, when did I say I wasn't human?
In the context of what it is to be a human, let's look at the bulk of those who comprise the American people and who went to the polls yesterday. Let's think of what they are going through now. Joblessness; home foreclosures; credit card debt; their inability to afford their children the education they planned; the guilt that comes behind that; and on and on and on and on.
So if someone in my position requires all the help he can get to understand the complexities underlying the major issues and problems of our time, let alone the policies and solutions to those problems the Congress is incessantly squabbling over, how on earth can the average American family facing their economic hardships and emotionally crowded lives possibly feel that they know what they have to know to feel good about their vote, and about themselves?
I won't go into how pitifully broadcasting, journalism, the media generally, "informs" the American people. Or how much the billion dollars or more from unknown sources poisoned the political climate this election season with attack ads full of distortion and hate. Our experiment in democracy depends, the founders told us at the beginning, on an informed citizenry. Fat chance, American people!
And one more thing. This for you, Congressman Boehner, Governor Barbour and Senator McConnell: With our votes we "send you to the hill." That's what we did yesterday. On the hill we sent you to it is you who have the 360 degree view. We, the American people, do not. We call you our leaders and put you in a position to be just that. Why, then, do you seem to wish to follow our lead? We ache to be led, not polled. We are the American people as you repeated this morning again and again. Remember as well, YOU are the Congress. Lead, gentlemen. And you Democrats, too.
..Most homes (probably built after WW1!) shown - abandoned,burnt, and surrounded by vacant lots where the neighbor's home was bulldozed. Detroit...a DEM RULED city...probably DEMS fresh from a leftist leaning college...smashing their usuallyUNTESTED leftist ideals onto a once thriving manufacturing city...!
Have PERSONALLY driven through and worked amongst those portions of Chicago's south side which - similarly - have ACRES of empty lots next to those homes not yet bulldozed...next to a few surviving homes in a neighborhood that - a generation or 2 ago - was doing okay...maybe even thriving.
These 2 cities are basically one-party Democratic basitions. Possibly - the Machines encouraged a huge continuing mandate to "new" democrats...who installed a more Marxist flavored agenda...
My family has/had definite Democratic roots...I still think some of their older ideals were sound, tested, and good...But that was before the MEGA Giveway Machines...encouraged easy poverty and easy dependence...
Here on Huffpost, probably the idealist person (usually living in a good neighborhood) or even the rich elite person (Norman Lear) can engage in fashionable rich-bashing and can voice their sincere concern for the poor and for the (always EVIL) political opponents ...
Mr. Lear...people are being smothered by misdirected governmental idealism. And the last 2 years are OWNED by the DEMS...and the votors responded!
The chief failing of ALL human systems is the "human." As long as men come up with ideas, the same will be as strong or as weak as their originators. Democracy is supposed to involve the people, are they? Democracy is supposed to be strong on citizen participation. Is it? Just like the economic theory of "perfect markets," there is supposed to be perfect knowledge of all products and sellers. Is this so?
Of course not, it's just the ideal. Anyone elected to the hot seat of Congress or any other legislative body is not their own man. They represent a vast army of interests behind them. If all the politician does is go to talk hot air and enrich self, they deserve worse than merely being voted out. It is an enormous bit of power that comes with a bigger amount of responsibility.
None of us is perfect as Lear points out, which creates the need to share truthfully and sometimes virally, debate, challenge and scrutinize. Those organizations that help us make decisions are equally culpable here, acting as watchdogs for those who can't find time to know. Equal responsibility to the legislator is given - with a great degree of humility for knowing more.
Honesty will always form the starting point of ALL debate. When we admit we don't know half as much as we purport, then there is hope for humanity after all. Thought provoking and kudos once more for honesty.
RECOMMENDED: Drive through such an area (safely---in daytime and along major routes)...Observe the nice architecture...now half demolished...
Government MISmanagement and misdirected idealism bears a portion of the blame...
There's no way any government can ever be fully absolved of responsibility, however remote. Idealism has to be tempered with reality, otherwise very good intentions can lead to misguided action e.g. Hitler's Germany. Not saying it was a benevolent regime, but it started out trying to give the nation some pride following the national humiliation from World War I. Look at where it all ended.
rather than most Americans . Democrats are actually for "most Americans"
especially middle class & poor.
they donate millions to Republicans & lie & twist the news to make
Democrats look worse than they really are & have 4 Republican presidential
candidates as regular stars on their shows.
What I appreciate about FOX (as opposed to say ABC or local WGN) is that FOX actively tries to counter its bias by having regular medium to far left guests on.
One of their far LEFT commentators is Alan Colmes...He is EVANGELICAL in his fervor for all things left -
But some stations/cmmentators act as if they are merely reflecting reality. They do not seem to ALLOW for their own bias.
but he has not listened well to some candidates (on either side) who have set out specific ideas, agendas, plans...
It seems to be misinformed and vote more dangerous than not voting ?
political news , like elections & polls. At least they are usually right & don't
lie , like Fox news does. Fox news makes up political stories & lies &
then they repeat the same lies over & over on different shows, & the fools
that watch it say it was on several shows on Fox , so it must be true.
If they watched other channels , they would know Fox is lying.
Aren't we high and mighty about ourselves.
You deserve to be fanned. For that post. For starters.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_exceptionalism