Let's Talk Politics

ap·a·thy [ap-uh-thee] noun, plural ap·a·thies

1.absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement.

2.lack of interest in or concern for things that others find moving or exciting.

3.Also, ap·a·thei·a, ap·a·thi·a  Stoicism . freedom from emotion of any kind.

di·vi·sive [dih-vahy-siv] adjective.  Related forms di·vi·sive·ly, adverb di·vi·sive·ness, noun

1. forming or expressing division or distribution.
2. creating dissension or discord.

No, I am not making my blog into the latest version of the Merriam Webster Dictionary. I purposefully chose these two words to best express what I believe has pervaded our country's current state of affairs. The apathy that we suffer from is what has allowed the perversion of our very foundation; our democracy. 

We sat by, and were seemingly apathetic to the corruption of some politicians and the CEO's that were sitting in positions of power at conglomerates. The common denominator for all and the one thing that unified them; GREED. The incessant need for more money, more power and at all costs.  Today a CEO at multibillion dollar corporation is making more than 300 times the lowest wage earner at his company. In the 1970's, when this country faced another rough economy the ratio did not reflect this same drastic difference. On the average the highest wage earner at a company would make 10 to 15 times more than that of the lowest wage earner. We've come a long way baby,... and not in a good way. 

When discussing our collective apathy, it is in reference to our not balking or rising up with disdain when we all saw the writing on the wall. When home prices rose exponentially, yet the median income did not. We lived beyond our means, most living on credit and no one said a word. When the bottom fell out we were aghast, and then had the udder audacity to be perplexed as to how it all happened. Today we find ourselves still reeling from one of the most catastrophic economic crisis this country has seen in over 75 years. This economic downfall and slow turn around has made us nervous and susceptible to fear and paranoia, making us ripe for the picking when it comes to our votes for a politician. Like a charlatan, they will make the promise that they can rescue us, and give us the golden roads we once had. Welcome to the presidential elections, enter divisiveness, following swiftly behind.

How great it is to be an American, a country where your voice is heard with the simple casting of a vote! Although today have set a different tone, with talks and proposed legislation to bring on voter suppression. I cannot remember when this country was ever so divided. It is one thing to support your party, and or candidate weather you are a Republican or a Democrat, but to go to the levels of throwing blatant lies, distortions of the truth and out right smearing is simply outrageous. 

My contention is not with the candidates themselves, I am certain both men are intelligent (having both graduated from Harvard Law), and are loyal respectable family men. I am also certain that it is not the objective of either candidate to intentionally divide the citizens of the nation that want to lead. However, it is becoming the result of their campaign supporters and Super PACs. 

Although I know that mudslinging has become as common in the course of running for elected office, as slapping a bumper sticker on your car is, the divisive nature of the mudslinging is not constructive to creating an effective democracy. Lately when turning on the television we are thrown into a world of political pundits spewing their opinion as fact. Gone are the days of debating issues, and each candidate presenting a platform on which they stand. It is almost as if I am tuning to Friday Fight Night, all that is missing is Howard Cosell sitting ring side giving the blow by blow. "In this corner we have the Right Wing Conservative Mitt Romney, hailing from Massachusetts....and in the other corner we have the Left Wing Liberal POTUS Barack Obama holding steadfast for a second term...ding ding." Really is this what we want from our leaders? To challenge each other not on record, or their abilities, but who has more dirt than who? 

In comes the subterfuge of the Super PAC. Pick a side folks, don't stand by the sidelines and try to weigh out the issues and actually think. There is a quote that comes to mind with regards to the discord that exists currently and never has this quote  been more relative until now. It is this; "Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong." ~Richard Armour.  

The reason I wrote this blog was in part due to the nonstop chatter that has been taking place on social media. It is my expansion on a status that I had posted in hopes to reign in the continuous negative postings I was seeing. What I had stated then was that if you have to insult and lie about your opponent then maybe you lack confidence in your candidate. What had been a place for me to catch up with family and friends, has now become a war zone. In particular for me I have two friends that are passionate about their candidates. While I can appreciate their passion, I cannot handle the constant insulting posts they have insulting the opponent. To bring into question the birth right of Barack Obama, who I might remind everyone was born to an American mother, regardless of where you think he was born. If it was a legitimate birth for Mitt Romney's father, it is for Mr Obama. Also the inference that Mitt Romney is concerned only with making money and cannot see beyond the dismantling of businesses and will in turn do the same to America. ENOUGH! Let us weigh the issues, and find who is best for the job. 
 

Those who feel disenfranchised there is a simple solution, VOTE, let your voice be heard. If you believe in leveling out the playing field, take a look at the Democrats and their platform. If you are more concerned about keeping government small and not having a large role in your life, examine the Republican party and listen to what their candidate is actually saying. Collectively what we all must do is stop listening to the noise. Gather fact and get rid of the fiction, and please remember, this too shall pass. This is a nation that has survived elections, drought, recessions and inflation. What makes us unique in the world is that America, regardless of what has gone on, We Are Resilient. We can and have weathered the storms, we are an optimistic sort, and perhaps our optimism to a better America will be the America we all can come together to create.

Being this is my blog, I cannot end an entry without a quote or two. Influenced by the constant references to the founding fathers, (and some manipulation to suit a party's need), I want to leave you with some quotes from them to ponder. Their words are as relevant today as they were over 400 years ago. As always thank you for reading, and please remember to vote.

"Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost."   — John Quincy Adams 

 " Liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the people." - John Adams 

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." ~ Thomas Jefferson

"It is universally admitted that a well-instructed people alone can be permanently a free people." - James Madison

 "I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it." - Benjamin Franklin