WELCOME
It seems to grow more difficult to identify and assess the forces shaping our lives with each passing day. The complexity of the
issues facing each of us seems to grow exponentially. Intentionally or not, those paticipating in forums allegedly intended to enlighten often articulate little more than agenda restatements
moving the discussion no closer to the discovery of solutions acceptable to the majority.
The most amazing aspect of the current environment is the failure of the general populace to call to task so-called leaders who portray themselves as "problem solvers". We continue to
allow the overall "good of the people" to be stymied by small self-serving groups who have captured and contol our alleged leaders. Few, if any, of the problems facing the nation are being frontally addressed and finally solved.
We are all too often, presented, at best, a choice of colors in temporary bandages, red or blue, conservative or liberal, traditional or conservative, black or white. So on and so on,
final resolution, of any issue, appears to have become neither attainable, nor desired. The failure of our nation to address this environment and its consequences causes us leaves us, and others, WONDERING... OUT LOUD.
Political Principles VS. Political Outcomes
Liberal or conservative? Do these labels indicate platforms composed of compatible positions taken
after the application of core values or principles, without regard to outcome?
The short answer is no.
In today's political reality, these labels, "liberal" and
"conservative", are more indicative of who (or whose interest) either party will
support or protect in a political conflict without regard to values or principles.
The two parties identified by these labels in years past have devolved into little
more than" unholy alliances". There is no need to list the constituent interest
groups of each party/alliance. You know who they are. Interest groups, banded
together, having little more in common than their agreement to assist one
another in the naked pursuit of power, political and/or economic.
As a member of each alliance, liberal or conservative, one must turn a blind
eye to philosophically repugnant acts of actual or desired allies. Within either
alliance, true believers of a philosophy are deemed zealots (Pat Robertson and Jimmy
Carter, for example) and kept closeted
away lest they upset harmony within the alliance, impede the plans of its ruling
political brain trust, or scare away "independents". These "true believers", their values, and principles are
trotted out only when it serves the brain trust's political purposes. They are
quickly returned to their closets before their strict adherence to their principles
might have unintended adverse consequences.
Lacking an overarching philosophy binding all its members, how can the
brain trust of either alliance possibly engage in serious, reasoned dialogue with
their counterparts? To do so would risk a dangerous delineation of values and
principles risking disillusionment of some sector of the troops. The safer, and normally taken,
course of action is the misdirection of attention through recitation of
time-honored platitudes about what each alliance stands for, i.e., "defender of
the working man and civil rights" or "supporter of small government and a strong
national defense" Coupled with the use of buzz words and phrases such as "family
values" and "womens or minorities rights" so that affected alliance members are
signalled their interests will be served.
Contradictions in professed alliance philosophy and alliance actions
abound. Is it the alleged liberal advocates of an intrusive government
(Big Brother) who are attempting to codify Judeo-Christian values regulating all
aspects of private life? Is, and was, it "free-spending liberals" who keep setting
records for federal budget deficits? Was it "weak on national defense" liberals
who identified a CIA operative to the press, or shabbily executed the aftermath of
the invasion of Iraq? Likewise, is it "far right" activists who instantaneously
demand excommunication for the lawful exercise of one's right to "politically
incorrect" free speech. Is it conservative extremists who vehemently oppose
school voucher programs facilitating greater educational choice for the poor?
"Intellectual dishonesty" and "artificial distinctions" have become hallmarks
of today's political discourse. Highly regarded political spokespersons and
journalists for each alliance gain their status not by offering cogent, fact based
or principled arguments in support of their alliance's position on issues. Rather,
their status is acquired as a result of an ability to artfully propagate half-truths,
obfuscate contradictions in principle, subtly misdirect discussion, and/or
engage in character assassination with entertaining wit. Hypocrisy has no bounds.
With straight faces, alliance leaders, and their "mouthpieces", vociferously
condemn conduct by their counterparts when they themselves engaged in the
same conduct months (if not days or even hours) earlier in another venue.
Is it any wonder, if not inevitable, that political discourse among the public at
large so often degenerates into nothing more than "name calling" and personal
attacks?
It needs to be said out loud. Our emperors, be they "liberal" or "conservative",
Republican or Democrat, have no intellectual clothes on. They seek not to
govern our nation, but to rule. Their goal no longer is to produce a better America
for all of us, just a better America for "me and mine".
Wait a minute, maybe that's the way it has always been. Technological
advances have just made it harder to disguise, NEVER MIND!
