Now magnify that times a billion and throw in a sagging infrastructure, a bankrupt economy, faltering credit score, arrogance, ignorance, not to mention, the lives of 300 million Americans, including ones with M-16s and tanks in the sweeping desert sands of foreign quagmires-oh and take away the puff pastries.
As much as I hate to admit it, comparing our political stage to at-odds party hosts isn't much of a stretch. For a start, there are only two sides. In political systems with only two parties, progress must come from the center - there must be a constant compromise and debate, ideologies can not be ultimatums but instead starting points from which to move towards the middle. If you've been paying attention at all, it's pretty clear - that's not the case here. Ours is a classic example of two pulling poles - the grey area squashed by the extreme black and white - right and wrong, my side and your side. I've mentioned this before but in truth, there is no compromise between good and evil. When your platform is your ideology, your faith - God help the guy on the other end.
And that is the birth place for these juvenile dealings. Why the fuck have we not reached a decision on the debt crisis? Because the no-man's land center is entirely void of political dealings. Agendas cling to their far left and right platforms and ideas are shot down by the other side before they can even leave the trench.
Now, I do have to hand it to Obama - at least from what I've heard, he seems to be far more interested in negotiating than the Republicans, who simply can't imagine raising taxes or closing loopholes for the wealthiest in the nation.
In fact, if you take a look at the contenders for Republican nominee, you'll find a streamlined group of conservatives, more or less, seemingly allergic to anything not stated in their far right tenets of government.
For example, on Ron Paul's "Debt Ceiling Betrayal Petition," he writes that Boehner will only cave to Obama's wishes to raise taxes and the debt ceiling: "...as long as Speaker Boehner refuses to take a clear stand in support of only passing a debt ceiling if a strict 'Cut, Cap, and Balance' plan is also enacted, then he's just playing 'Let's make a Deal' with America's future."
Cute names - reminds me of kindergarten when you'd learn little sayings to remember the planets and presidents. And by the way Ron, I'm not sure where you studied politics, but making a deal is WHAT GOVERNANCE IS ALL ABOUT! You make deals to move forward - ummmm....heard of the New Deal by chance? Heard of compromise and debate? Probably not - he'd have been too busy scribbling 'End the Fed' on his notebook to notice the keystone of successful governance is DEALing with the wants and needs of your constituents, DEALing with the opposition, not just clapping together a cute saying, plastering it over an extreme platform of free markets, no regulations and itsy bitsy government.
And how about Mitt Romney...oh boy. He must've really liked see-saws as a kid. After his comment that Obama has only made the recession much worse, when faced with the facts that he indeed hadn't made it worse, Romney jumped to the other side of the see-saw, hoping to rise back up saying that's not in fact what he had said, he said it hadn't gotten better...somewhere, a comedian is very happy...his platform is similar to Paul's: small government, free trade, lax regulations, kill the federally funded programs, yet contrary to Paul's anti-war stance, Romney supports an even stronger military, saying "The best ally world peace has ever known is a strong America." Good Christ, I wish these people would read a fucking history book!
And then there's Michele Bachmann - I don't think I have enough space on the world wide web for this one. It actually says on her website, as a top priority: "Rebuild respect for America as the shining city upon a hill." This kind of idealistic, Utopian psychotic behaviour is what pushes the US to lose all semblance of respect overseas. We're not a fucking city upon a hill, and with platforms such as Bachmann's tiny government, cuts to federally funded programs, "strengthen the family and defend marriage," spending more on military and defense, and opening up the environment to our out-of-control fossil fuel addiction, we're not inching too close to gaining respect any time soon. Again, the steadfast ideological stance is clear. There will be no compromise - you can not compromise with policy based on faith, based on intangible beliefs in our superiority, our arrogant greatness. The dirty truths slide off your mind like water off a duck.
There are other contenders for Republican nominee but I'm too angry and exhausted to share those with you. I will tell you to check out http://2012.republican-candidates.org/ for a complete list. I do recommend that you nap in between, maybe have a punching bag nearby. All joking aside, these politicians are serious choices for many Americans. And what about Obama? Is he doing a good job? Is he representing us to the best of his ability? These aren't rhetorical questions. I want to know what you think.
This party is out of control. I know it's uncomfortable to step into the fray, to stand up and get involved. But unlike most parties, this one has our future on the line. This one has our livelihood on the line, and for many, their lives.
Put the puff pastry down. Think. React. Do Something.
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