some more political bullshit
the "A" and "T" words
I got into a bit of a discussion on the 'A' issue this weekend, (actually, I was on the periphery of the discussion--I kept my mouth shut and attempted to learn something), and all I heard was a round robin repeating of the same emotional appeals and the same mantra's.
First, I need to say that these are not invalid, and the truth is, I share the emotion and believe that the mantra's are for the most part, true. They are just ineffective, and as moral as they are, they do tend to shine a bright light selectively on one side of some situations and tend to selectively ignore all the other details that often go with these circumstances. The discussion/recitation that I witnessed reminded me a lot of a scene from a film called "Animal House", (and please, this in no way is intended to ridicule anyones position or manner). The scene depicted a marching band in a blind alley, up against a brick wall, still marching and attempting to go on as if the wall did not exist.
I had to ask myself, what is this issue, in social and political terms, and how can change really be effected? The answer to the first part is that it is a whip or a club, (depending on who is doing the wielding and the metaphor one wishes to use). The short answer to the second part of the question is I don't really know, but I truly believe that a solution to the issue will depend more on the caliber of the people involved than the rules or laws governing them. Keeping this an "issue" in the manner that it is, by all parties, on all sides of the argument, does no good service to the public or the problem that they appear to address. It's function, is a fundraiser and a teaser, it attracts attention and draws a crowd which in turn allows the airing of other "issues".
This is a very significant matter, the lack of a civil and intelligent discourse is the wall that the band are marching against. It is time to change all that. Thing is, that might be like holding a boating safety meeting on the Titanic.
The other issue, the "T" word is coming into its own in this role. One could insert that word into the above paragraphs and be pretty much on target. these two nouns are coming online just in time to replace the "D" word, a dimension where we are beginning to show signs of saying No to "Just Say No".
As a follow-up to something I mentioned in my last post, I want to say that I have a friend whose wife is running for a local position in an adjoining county, something akin to an alderman in a very loosely incorporated area known for its snobbishness and low taxes. The position is on a board that is responsible for water usage, (they are too cheap to improve or expand the local water system), and, oddly enough, regulating the types of grass that is planted in local lawns, (again, related to water usage and soil conservation). In her fifteen minutes of political fame, (an interview in the local newspaper), she cited illegal immigration and terrorism as the most significant issues facing the district. I have no doubt that the county is swarming with terrorists who are peeing on the lawns and spreading crabgrass. (It won't be long before jaywalking and speeding will be classified as 'terror' crimes, just so the police can get some really cool tricked out stuff to play with).
Where do we go from here?
I really would like to hear the party on the right talk, at length and in great detail on the topic of family welfare, planning and how these issues tie in with the 9th Amendment, (on which the historic Roe v Wade decision was predicated), and the governments role in fostering, encouraging and enforcing these concepts.
I would like to see the party on the left address in a similar manner the notion of taxation and gun ownership, (both longarms and handguns) and how these issues tie in with the 2nd Amendment, and how the government can both uphold our freedoms while protecting the people, and where lines in both should be drawn.
Finally, both parties should address the issues that arise in the so-called war on terror, which is a war on an unseen and undefined enemy, that has served, to this point, only to exact a cost on us, in terms on our rights and liberties, and now, our economic well being, (more on that in another post).
Over the past year or so, I have often closed with the line, 'stay focused'.
I think it's a good idea. From this point forward, I might add, keep your powder dry and your head down.
I got into a bit of a discussion on the 'A' issue this weekend, (actually, I was on the periphery of the discussion--I kept my mouth shut and attempted to learn something), and all I heard was a round robin repeating of the same emotional appeals and the same mantra's.
First, I need to say that these are not invalid, and the truth is, I share the emotion and believe that the mantra's are for the most part, true. They are just ineffective, and as moral as they are, they do tend to shine a bright light selectively on one side of some situations and tend to selectively ignore all the other details that often go with these circumstances. The discussion/recitation that I witnessed reminded me a lot of a scene from a film called "Animal House", (and please, this in no way is intended to ridicule anyones position or manner). The scene depicted a marching band in a blind alley, up against a brick wall, still marching and attempting to go on as if the wall did not exist.
I had to ask myself, what is this issue, in social and political terms, and how can change really be effected? The answer to the first part is that it is a whip or a club, (depending on who is doing the wielding and the metaphor one wishes to use). The short answer to the second part of the question is I don't really know, but I truly believe that a solution to the issue will depend more on the caliber of the people involved than the rules or laws governing them. Keeping this an "issue" in the manner that it is, by all parties, on all sides of the argument, does no good service to the public or the problem that they appear to address. It's function, is a fundraiser and a teaser, it attracts attention and draws a crowd which in turn allows the airing of other "issues".
This is a very significant matter, the lack of a civil and intelligent discourse is the wall that the band are marching against. It is time to change all that. Thing is, that might be like holding a boating safety meeting on the Titanic.
The other issue, the "T" word is coming into its own in this role. One could insert that word into the above paragraphs and be pretty much on target. these two nouns are coming online just in time to replace the "D" word, a dimension where we are beginning to show signs of saying No to "Just Say No".
As a follow-up to something I mentioned in my last post, I want to say that I have a friend whose wife is running for a local position in an adjoining county, something akin to an alderman in a very loosely incorporated area known for its snobbishness and low taxes. The position is on a board that is responsible for water usage, (they are too cheap to improve or expand the local water system), and, oddly enough, regulating the types of grass that is planted in local lawns, (again, related to water usage and soil conservation). In her fifteen minutes of political fame, (an interview in the local newspaper), she cited illegal immigration and terrorism as the most significant issues facing the district. I have no doubt that the county is swarming with terrorists who are peeing on the lawns and spreading crabgrass. (It won't be long before jaywalking and speeding will be classified as 'terror' crimes, just so the police can get some really cool tricked out stuff to play with).
Where do we go from here?
I really would like to hear the party on the right talk, at length and in great detail on the topic of family welfare, planning and how these issues tie in with the 9th Amendment, (on which the historic Roe v Wade decision was predicated), and the governments role in fostering, encouraging and enforcing these concepts.
I would like to see the party on the left address in a similar manner the notion of taxation and gun ownership, (both longarms and handguns) and how these issues tie in with the 2nd Amendment, and how the government can both uphold our freedoms while protecting the people, and where lines in both should be drawn.
Finally, both parties should address the issues that arise in the so-called war on terror, which is a war on an unseen and undefined enemy, that has served, to this point, only to exact a cost on us, in terms on our rights and liberties, and now, our economic well being, (more on that in another post).
Over the past year or so, I have often closed with the line, 'stay focused'.
I think it's a good idea. From this point forward, I might add, keep your powder dry and your head down.
posted by eccentric recluse at 7:48 AM
2 Comments:
politics are so crazy right now. both houses have blurred the line to who is republican and who is democrat. i am an independent. we live in a crazy world.
thanks for stopping by.
yes, politics are crazy, but anymore, they are by definition crazy. I don't know if there is a reasonable solution, and I fear where this all seems to be heading.
I hope we can keep our heads and realize that we are all dependent first on ourselves, and then on each other, as we try to pick through things now, and in the foreseeable future.
come back anytime.
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