Call Me Naive
The state of American politics is disgusting to me. When did things deteriorate to this point?Democrats and Republicans in Congress no longer represent their constituents. They no longer participate in active, informed, and civilized debate. When did every issue become an epic battle between good and evil (parts assigned depending on your perspective)? Is there no room for a reasoned middle ground of consensus and compromise? Do the two sides even still have the basic core beliefs?
I only ask because sometimes it seems as though they are disagreeing just to be difficult, as though the mere idea of being against the other guy/party/idea is the winning thing. In many cases these days, they don't even bother to offer up ideas of their own, as though ideas are taboo, and instead sit and wait for some issue to arise so that the proverbial and rhetorical battle lines can be drawn anew. It disgusts me.
It is supposed to be that we send our best and our brightest to lead us. Instead, it seems we can only be bothered to send the lowest common denominator, who is usually the guy looking to get the job, not necessarily the guy who has the skills, fortitude, and mind to do the job.
Is it naive of me to wish that our politicians would spend less time on politics and talk shows and working on getting reelected, and more on actual governing? Instead of bi-weekly constituent breakfasts, wouldn't it be nice if they spent 50% of their daily time speaking to constituents and 50% in meetings and on the floor?
I am so tired of the inflated rhetoric, the name-calling, and the perpetual mudslinging. I'm tired of the incredible desperation in the air where everybody wants to control the next news cycle. I'm even tired of the partisan coverage in the news. It is as though the facts don't matter. They exist merely to be spun into something to feed the mindless masses.
So, call me naive if you must. I'm thinking we could do better.
