Talking about the weather or your pet is usually a safe topic for conversations with others; although, mentioning politics can get ugly as it did last Friday night at our friendly gathering. It was late and we were ready to leave when the politics started flying, I don’t know how it started, but it escalated to a fox news debate quickly and I seemed to be the moderator. One of my friends has a liberal view and the other more conservative, which mirrors the division in our country in my opinion. The debate circled around taxes, government regulation, and entitlements. Who should get taxed, how much should people be taxed, more taxes on the rich, and the tax structure were discussed in painful detail, as the others in the room lost interest because this had become a two person argument. I would have been fired as a moderator because this was getting intense and out of control. Government regulation was next and it went no differently than taxes and the same for entitlements. After two hours of heated debate, it was 5am by then, they both realized they were not too far from agreement on all of the issues; however, their own personal bias and preconceived thoughts clouded the path needed to find agreement.
I have had a few days to digest the early morning political debate and have discovered that there are no solutions that will please everyone, for that matter anyone. We all have our personal bias and sacred cows, but how do we find a middle ground? The cable news shows make a good living promoting this divisiveness and love to stir up a divide between the left and the right. Why does every issue have to be such a war between Dems and Repubs? With our economy in such a fragile state this would be a great time to join together to provide solutions to our economic problems. We have a choice when we vote, but that choice is bad and worse in my opinion. The Republicans are a party of bad ideas and the Democrats are a party of worse ideas all designed for the politicians best interests, not the people. We need sound leadership and I don’t care where it comes from, but we need it NOW.
Here's Mama, if you can't figure out a way to get along, give me the toy and find something else to do. In other words, get rid of the entire system and start over. (Good time for Spring Cleaning).
ReplyDeleteIMO - Government is all playground politics - aruging who gets to play on the monkey bars first, best... etc. It's gone from truly serving the people and our best interest to which special interest lobby has the deepest pockets to fund my campaign, my term in office etc. I think debate is good, as long as it's healthy and not hurtful. Middle ground... as we continue our journey this side of heaven I am not so sure middle ground will be found. But I am thankful that someday we will reach that "Higher Ground" and all of this will pass. Until then... yes... we need some good Spring Cleaning! ;)
ReplyDeleteDiscuss politics with reasonable people, and you might come away with new insights. Discuss politics with zealots, and you usually come away with a headache.
ReplyDeleteIn my experience, if you try to convert someone to your point of view, you get nowhere fast.
Politics has become a spectator sport, and everyone is a critic, but few are critical thinkers.