This is a response to the one-word prompt “Disaster” by “The Daily Post.”
Disaster, that pretty much sums up what politics in the United States of America have become. People both the politicians and the political lay person attack one another. No one can get along anymore and we cannot find qualified people to run for public office because they are afraid of the mud slinging and having their families brought into the mix. Increasingly, at the local, state, and national level, the government cannot get anything done even on things that everyone agrees on because of the politicization of everything; not to mention the spread and growth of the bureaucracy.
Things have gotten so bad with regards, to running this country that both major political parties have produced unconventional candidates; we have either a self-proclaimed socialist in Bernie Sanders on the Democratic side and on the Republican side, we have Donald Trump, which I am still not sure what and who he is other than being a, well a potential disaster. Yet, both of these men have and continue to draw huge crowds in support. To top it off, once we finally get to the general election for the Presidency of the United States, we may have the choice of either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton which in my view is no choice at all, both are equally bad.
Actually, between both parties, of all four of the main candidates: Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, and Ted Cruz, none are really good choices. All of this goes back to the point that America’s whole governing political system is in the dumps. Everyone knows it and are just getting more and more fed up and wanting to throw in the towel. It is pretty much the reason behind the rise of the likes of Trump and Sanders.
Politics is a disaster, there is no question on that point, and they will continue to be so as long as the voters, that’s “We The People” continue to be disinterested voters. When one does vote, ones need to vote informed. Voters need to really know the who, what, when, and where of those candidates and positions that they are drawn to vote for.
We all must also realize that our elected officers and potential elected officers are just a reflection of ourselves and our broader society. If we want a productive and polite political process in the governing of this country, then we need to lead in that. The last few years and even few decades, we have not been that example for our politicians to follow. As long as the people continue to not show virtue, of their own and do not educate themselves on who and what they vote for than American politics will continue to be a disaster.
The founding fathers, indeed the founding generation of this great nation knew this well. There is the famous story of at the end of the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention when walking out a woman came up to Benjamin Franklin and asked, “What have you given us, sir?” He answered, “A Republic ma’am, if you can keep it.” Well said Ben, and unfortunately, you were right, for we are about to lose it.
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