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Think for Yourself
(September 12, 2006) As we roll into a new political
season, I am seeing the verbal equivalent of a civil war erupting
on the airwaves. Every network has an assortment of talking heads,
analysts, experts, strategists and so on. What all of them have
in common is extreme partisanship. As I watch the campaign shift
into full gear, I am struck by how divided we really are when
it comes to the political life.
Let me say at the outset that I am registered as No Party
Affiliation, or as I put it, "NPA and Proud!" I will
get into the why for that later. However, what I see on the news
is that not one of these people, including the reporters themselves,
has a shred of objectivity left. In fact, it is an easy observation
to say that the Congress is broken, or at least extremely non-functional.
And the administration is flailing about in political waters
without as clue.
As it stands now, the Democrats will blame the president for
anything and everything. As we passed the one year mark on Hurricane
Katrina, we had the spectre of Democrat talking heads running
around blaming Bush for the disaster that hit New Orleans. While
it is very true that the administration was slow to react, it
is equally true that a disaster of that magnitude is not going
to be healed overnight. But that has not stopped the barbs on
both sides. I had the displeasure of watching Nora O'Donnell
on MSNBC try to force an official from New Orleans into blaming
Bush. "So the president failed then, right?" was her
most common question. Last I heard, no human can control the
weather. On the flip side, we have the Republicans in a typical
circle the wagons defense blame the mayor and governor for everything.
While the blame game is being played out, literally half of the
people of New Orleans remain homeless or in trailers. To the
talking head crowd, they are just so much meat for the mill.
And therein lies the problem and failure of our political
system. Not one elected official cares a whit about you, me or
anyone else except themselves. Everything they do, say and think
is geared towards the next election victory. Ask a Democratic
spokes-jerk about the war and they will tell you that the administration
had no plan. They will tell you we failed because Osama is still
at large. Ask a Republican and they will tell you that the Democrats
are cut and run cowards. They will also tell you that we are
all the safer since we have gone 5 years without being attacked.
The Democrat will call that luck, the Republican will call
the Democrat an appeaser and on and on. Nowhere in that exchange
do you hear about the people. And to really lock that point up,
the Congress, in a moment of supreme incompetence failed to pass
an increase in the minimum wage and a reduction in the estate
tax. Both sides claimed to be looking out for the people when
they scuttled the bill. Which people? Certainly not the residents
of Washington, DC itself, who are locked into a congressionally
enforced cycle of poverty and violence. By not raising the minimum
wage and not reducing the estate tax and maintaining the tyrannical
ban on firearms ownership, these people - some of whom actually
work in the Capitol - are denied a decent paycheck, the ability
to grow and [pass along a small business and the right to defend
themselves.
The US Senate, once a great deliberative body, is now no more
than a large sandbox with 100 spoiled brats fighting. The House
of Representatives is a joke at best, passing legislation that
will never be enacted while ignoring important things like our
borders. Literally everything that our federal government does
is now designed as a campaign tool. And the talking heads make
it worse. They are trying to scare you into believing them to
the exclusion of all else. In fact, they think that We The People
are just plain stupid and not able to recognize what is going
on in this country.
5 years ago, I changed my registration to NPA. Why? Because
the Democrats became so enraged over the 2000 election that they
became obstructionists, pure and simple. The Republicans, so
tickled at the victory became even more elitist. Now, neither
side represents anyone I know. In fact, they are doing their
best to use the anger from 2000 to drive this election. It is
so bad, that an incumbent US Senator was defeated in a primary
by his own party. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) was beaten by an unknown
rich guy who was recruited by the Democrats to get even with
Lieberman for supporting the war effort and refusing to denounce
Bush. Right - an honored man, who has served with true integrity
was squeezed by his friends for refusing to join the Bush bashing
party.
The Republicans are no better. Here in Florida, Republican
Representative Katherine Harris announced her intention to seek
the party's nomination for US Senate. The Republicans did everything
possible to push her out of the race. In fact, they raised money
to try to defeat her, and enticed her staff to quit in mid-campaign.
No Republican strategist is allowed to help her for fear of losing
all other business. Why? Because she certified the 2000 election
results (in exact accordance with Florida law) and became a lightning
rod. Instead of defending her for doing her job, the Republicans
have been trying to throw her under the bus for 6 years.
When November rolls around, ask yourself if the incumbent
in your district represents you and your neighbors. If the answer
is anything less than yes, I say toss them out. And make sure
they take all their lobbyist friends with them.
Every time I hear some talking head launch into the "Iraq
is/is not at civil war" spiel, I can only think that they
are missing the real civil war - right here at home. Only instead
of bombs and bullets, they have lies and spin to toss at each
other. And who is caught in the middle of heir inane crossfire?
Us.
Come election day, let's roll out the big weapon and vote
these scoundrels, thieves, liars and losers out. New has to be
better than what we have now.
Feel free to e-mail me your thoughts and comments at keeva@mindspring.com
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