Junior and I have been talking lately about the loss of civility in political discourse lately. It's depressing. It's juvenile. The level of political discourse lately has arrived at the same intellectual level as a third grade recess argument. I feel I may be unjustly denigrating third-graders.
Someone said that all politics is local, and that applies up through the US Congress. Congressional races are local races and we each get to decide who our Congressmen might be within the framework of the election process. Many of the folks I vote for are Democrats. Some of the folks I vote for are Republicans. In local races, the local politics are much more important than the party affiliation.
Milady is a Democrat. Most of my siblings are Democrats. Some of them are liberal Democrats. Many of my personal friends are Democrats, yet in large part we share the same values, go to the same schools, attend the same events, and want the same things from our government.
Frankly, I am aggravated about the state of the Nation, and I lay that firmly at the feet of the Republican party. We have a Republican President, a Republican House and a Republican Senate, yet we can't make any headway on Republican values. The centrists in the party are too concerned with holding power and the neocons are concerned with... hell, I can't figure out what they're concerned with.
The Democrats are getting just a bit shrill for my taste. I'm hearing a lot of noise from them, but not much of a plan. What plan I hear doesn't match my idea of what good government is about. The Democrats wandered off an left me years ago. The Republicans are in danger of doing the same thing.
Don't talk to me about the Libertarian party. The very basic desire to be left alone is what the Libertarian party is all about. Folks who want to be left alone aren't joiners, and political parties need joiners to do the grass-roots work. The Libertarians are doomed as a viable political party.
It's enough to make you want to throw your hat in the creek.
I don't know who to blame for the red/blue state of politics in this country today. Bill Clinton might be to blame because his Monica episode certainly raised the ire of the right wing fringe. His "I did not have sex with that woman. . . ." statement may go down in history as the worst political speech ever made. 'Twas his dumbest move for sure.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I know: this country is polarized as never before except perhaps over the slavery issue. My favorite gun forum recently lost my frequent contributions because in less than a day I was called a baby killer, anti-American, and was doomed to hell--all because I'm a Democrat. And not just by one right wing fanatic--by several right wing fanatics.
My greatest fear is that the right wing fringe establishes a dictatorship over this country when a Democrat wins the next presidential election. Don't say it can't happen because it can. Dubya and those around him think they have God on their side. If the proper military officers have been pushed up the ranks over the last few years because of their political beliefs instead of their military skills, then the dictatorship machine is in place. It is in place and ready, I believe.
That's one of the best analyses of the Libertarian party that I've ever read.
ReplyDeleteHow can a bunch of "leave me alone" types make a concentrated, effective political effort?
Good point.
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The Neocons want to put an end to evil, and they know just how to do it.
Is not! LOL
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