(graphic via Brian Kane)
One of the (many) running arguments I had with my ex-girlfriend revolved around her contention that both Republicans and Democrats are equally culpable for the current state of American politics. It’s not much of a stretch to say that I found her line of reasoning to be a complete load a crap, put forward by someone too frustrated, inattentive, and/or lazy to pay attention. We never settle the argument, of course, and she was just arrogant enough to be impervious to reason and evidence. Thankfully, that argument went by the wayside with her departure, but it did make me think about the large numbers of Americans who honestly believe that Republicans are just as guilty as Democrats. It’s a belief as laughably absurd as it is inaccurate, but it serves as proof of how little most Americans can be bothered to pay attention to what’s going on in the world around them.
Democrats are not free of blame, of course. If they could somehow collectively grow a pair, we might see this country begin to move forward. That said, Democrats haven’t positioned themselves as obstructionists. They haven’t objected to anything and everything that might paint the President in a positive light. They haven’t opposed policy initiatives they previously supported because the President now supports them. And they haven’t reduced themselves to making policy decisions based on what’s best for their political prospects instead of what’s best for America.
I realize that politics is one of my passion, one not shared by the vast majority. That said, is it too much to ask that, in a democracy, those who wish to vote and have a voice in the direction America takes could at least have a minimal awareness of political reality? In an era when Tibetans are increasingly setting themselves on fire to protest Chinese oppression, most Americans have no idea (and care even less) about what’s being done in their name by those they’ve elected.
The sad reality of American politics today is that the electorate is easily propagandized into voting against their own interests. We get exactly the quality of leadership we deserve…because we can’t be bothered to actually pay attention. It’s one thing to hold Congress in such low esteem (a 10% approval rating). It’s quite another to conveniently ignore the fact that WE vote Congresscritters into office. Of course, it’s SO much easier to deflect blame than to accept personal responsibility, no?
