SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS
The events of yesterday have left me a bit shaken. I thought America had advanced past things like assassination attempts on political figures. Guess I was wrong, eh. And from the tenor of a number of influential talkers and political figures, my guess now is that we may be in for more of this kind of thing. I hope I'm wrong this time, too...
A friend commented about how much it bothered her that in the wake of the assassination attempt on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona, the new House suspended business for a week in order to focus on getting more money to protect themselfs.
Sadly, I think that is what most of these people are about... themselves. It seems a shame that the higher a person gets on the political food chain, the more they seem to be all about preserving and consolidating their power, getting re-elected, and grabbing goodies. The only way they seem able to preserve these things is to lie, manipulate and use fear-mongering to get votes. It's like they prey on the American people.
I have serious doubts that very many of these "tea party" candidates are any more honest or more willing to promote "government of the people, by the people, for the people" and keep it from "perish(ing) from the earth" than any of their predecessors were. Lincoln said those things in the Gettysburg Address... lately, I have thought that maybe he was the last great Republican, and that was almost 150 years ago. And if FDR was the last great Democrat, that has been well over over half a century ago. I believe American politics has gradually devolved to the point where greatness is no longer something we can expect.
If these new House members are really serious about doing anything besides things that are only symbolic, they will need to play well with others. I have my doubts about that too, because that seemed to be a campaign promise many of them made... to not get along. Well, they will need lots of luck getting re-elected in 2012 if they don't bend. They are in a lose-lose situation; none of their radical proposals will make it to the President's desk for his veto, because none of it will get past the Senate. If they don't work across the aisle and don't accomplish anything, the angry voters who put them in office will be angry with them. If they do work across the aisle, they will be violating the trust of their angry supporters by doing what they said they wouldn't do... try to get along.
Either way, they will accomplish nothing that will appease their base. And with anti-incumbency the new fashion, a bunch of perceived "do-nothings" won't have much chance. I would say the odds are looking very good for centrist candidates in 2012. Obama is now wisely positioning himself that way. If the Republicans had any smarts at all, they might be doing the same thing.
Apparently Gabrielle Giffords is one of the rare politicians who can listen to others, and who doesn't view those who disagree with her as "the enemy". I hope she can make a complete recovery for herself personally and for her family. And, maybe also because I suspect the country needs her. From most indications, she sounds like the kind of politician the country needs more of.
A friend commented about how much it bothered her that in the wake of the assassination attempt on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona, the new House suspended business for a week in order to focus on getting more money to protect themselfs.
Sadly, I think that is what most of these people are about... themselves. It seems a shame that the higher a person gets on the political food chain, the more they seem to be all about preserving and consolidating their power, getting re-elected, and grabbing goodies. The only way they seem able to preserve these things is to lie, manipulate and use fear-mongering to get votes. It's like they prey on the American people.
I have serious doubts that very many of these "tea party" candidates are any more honest or more willing to promote "government of the people, by the people, for the people" and keep it from "perish(ing) from the earth" than any of their predecessors were. Lincoln said those things in the Gettysburg Address... lately, I have thought that maybe he was the last great Republican, and that was almost 150 years ago. And if FDR was the last great Democrat, that has been well over over half a century ago. I believe American politics has gradually devolved to the point where greatness is no longer something we can expect.
If these new House members are really serious about doing anything besides things that are only symbolic, they will need to play well with others. I have my doubts about that too, because that seemed to be a campaign promise many of them made... to not get along. Well, they will need lots of luck getting re-elected in 2012 if they don't bend. They are in a lose-lose situation; none of their radical proposals will make it to the President's desk for his veto, because none of it will get past the Senate. If they don't work across the aisle and don't accomplish anything, the angry voters who put them in office will be angry with them. If they do work across the aisle, they will be violating the trust of their angry supporters by doing what they said they wouldn't do... try to get along.
Either way, they will accomplish nothing that will appease their base. And with anti-incumbency the new fashion, a bunch of perceived "do-nothings" won't have much chance. I would say the odds are looking very good for centrist candidates in 2012. Obama is now wisely positioning himself that way. If the Republicans had any smarts at all, they might be doing the same thing.
Apparently Gabrielle Giffords is one of the rare politicians who can listen to others, and who doesn't view those who disagree with her as "the enemy". I hope she can make a complete recovery for herself personally and for her family. And, maybe also because I suspect the country needs her. From most indications, she sounds like the kind of politician the country needs more of.
1 Comments:
Well said, Snave. I think the American people are desperateky hungry for political moderation and efforts by the two parties to work together.
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