Politics is nothing new; wherever there have been men (people) there have been politics. Our republican system was supposed to change that, but none were sure it would, and some were (and are) quite cynical about it. We are, after all, still people and susceptible to what is known as (although many reject it), human nature.
The current mutual undermining attack strategies are both disgusting and frightening. But consider the sources. Most politicians know relatively little about much beyond politics, and are dominated by it – it is their life, their career. We have, however, a number of very talented and knowledgeable people; do we listen to them? Mostly not; we are too mired in competitive (power) politics, with little ability to see beyond our prejudices and personal ambitions. Most of our problem today is ignorance, including short vision horizons and lack of understanding of unintended consequences. Very few politicians, unfortunately, see beyond their own ambitions and limited understanding. In a recent speech our president informed us that free market economics do not work and have never worked (Kansas), as he directs pursuance of European style socialism (or something very close to socialism); which works? Current circumstances, as well as history, would suggest otherwise.
And voters? Repubicanism requires knowledgeable voters with open minds. Forget that. Our modern world of continual electronic propaganda has taken care of that. Are our current problems intractable? No, they are not, but to surmount them will require cooperation and pain. Ahhhh there is where it comes a cropper: pain. Voter pain and politics are anathema to each other; we, the voters, are not willing to withstand pain – or even discomfort for that matter, and politicians are loathe to make us, for obvious reasons. And in their defense (voters), because of profligacy, many have put themselves in a position where pain will destroy them; but politics can not allow that to happen.
Taxes will go higher; entitlements will be trimmed and reduced. We are not all equal; we are not equally capable; and we do not put forth equal effort. Therefore we will not, nor will we ever, achieve equal results. Can we accdept that? Apparently not, so the pain will be more than it need be, and we will fight it every step of the way. So what has changed historically? Not much in the long run. All is hunky dory when things are going well, but it starts to get a little rough when they are not. Again in defense, our lifetimes are not all that long and a major set back, individually, results in failure. So it is and so it has always been. Politicians would have it otherwise, since it is in their interest, but they will fail in trying to make it so.
Prepare for the worst, but expect most of us to squeak through, although not all. Pain is never equally distributed any more than abilty and knowledge are equally distributed. “We” have gotten ourselves into this and “we” will work our way through it, but not equally. Some will suffer more than others and those that suffer most will likely not be those that deserve it most. Such is life.
Read into a little history and you will see that this is the natural condition; it is life.
It is provided as is by Yahoo.com.
jb