(I originally posted this essay one year ago today. It was important then, but now, in an election year, it is even more relevant. I urge you to consider these thoughts as we begin a year filled with political scandal of epic proportions, an out of control Administration and a Congress unwilling to rein it in, local governments awash in ineptitude, political rhetoric that is deviod of action, and the future of America at a turning point.”)
There is something wrong with our government and the way it is run. I’m not just talking about the federal government, but our state and local governments too. Lacking common sense leadership, beholden to corporate interests and finances, cornered by special interests and threatened lawsuits, and muzzled by political party philosophies, our governments are about as responsive as a sea sponge and accountable to nothing. Overlapping regulations, agencies, and missions create an atmosphere of duplicity and waste while creating barriers between themselves and the people they purport to serve.
To make matters worse, the American public has become so distrustful of government that they distance themselves from it at every opportunity. With smaller percentages going to the polls, and an even smaller number actually knowing much about the candidates or propositions before them, government leaders are often picked according to who has the better sound bites, bigger budgets, and nicer hair. Such actions only serve to ensure that government will become less responsive to a public who largely ignores them, thus causing further estrangement by both parties, and on and on. The cycle perpetuates itself until it spins out of control. Propelled by its own inertia, an unchecked government moves backwards in history, becoming less responsive to the needs of its citizens and less representative of the people as a whole.
So what can we do about it? How can we retake government and make it accountable, efficient, and responsible? The biggest problem in government today stems directly from the political parties themselves. Although nothing in the Constitution requires or advocates it, our government is largely controlled by two main parties- the Republicans and the Democrats. There are numerous other small parties as well, but we’ll deal with “The Big Two.” The Democrat and Republican parties have created a divisive representational system, forcing constituents to choose a side. In an effort to gain members, each party portrays the other side as bad for America, bad for families, bad for you and me. Their messages have become so successful in fact, that the American people believe themselves to be split 50-50, creating gridlock and animosity of epic proportions. The parties’ successful attempt to make government look like a boxing match has the added benefit of distracting Americans from paying attention to what is really happening. While we’re all busy socking away at each other, our political parties have quietly carved up the country into “political safe havens,” where they can be sure of re-election, and thus less responsive. While we’ve been watching our tax dollars disappear, they have been securing fat cat deals for benevolent corporate donors and lining up lucrative post-public careers. And all the time, we’ve forgotten that government isn’t supposed to be a sport. Government is a public service, a public duty, and a public privilege.
Republicans and Democrats alike proclaim to have differences big enough to drive a truck through. Big Business vs. Pro-Labor. Tax and Spend vs. Fiscal Prudence. Law and Order vs. Nanny State. In truth though, the two parties have much more in common than they would have you believe. Their real goal is to consolidate power, not for the benefit of providing the public with better service, but for personal gain for their benefactors and themselves. They are both beholden to large corporate donors and labor unions, which, due to the bizarre nature of our campaign regulations, bankroll their ambitions to public office. These kinds of politicians may start out altruistically enough, but the minute they take their oath of office, there are but indentured servants, paying off a debt through favorable legislation, selective enforcement of regulations, and preferential treatment. They are at the mercy of party leaders, who in turn are being controlled by corporate and industry demands. Neither party has an interest in simplifying our government so that it can better serve the people. Neither party has an interest in fiscal responsibility. Neither party has a respect for the laws of this country, finding every loophole and exploiting every nuance. And neither party has respect for you, the taxpayer, the citizen, the American.
Government was created to provide certain basic needs of society. It provides public security. It regulates and enforces laws. It creates and regulates an economic base for business and labor. It provides some level of infrastructure. It defends the inherent rights of humanity, namely freedom of religion and thought and the chance for a happy life. Everything that our government does should fall into one of those main categories.
I think we all agree that we expect government to protect the integrity of our borders from attack and to defend our interior to its best ability. We expect government to fight for our interests abroad to further our safety as a country. We expect government to enact laws that apply to everyone and to enforce those laws equally. We agree that acts like murder, rape, theft, and assault, in all their many forms, should be illegal and punishable. We value the freedom to worship any religion we choose, to learn what we want to learn, to go where we want to go. And we expect our government to respect those freedoms and nourish them. We all want our children to grow up happy, in safe neighborhoods, and going to good schools. We all want to be able to provide for our families and give them something special now and then. We all want to enjoy good health and access to good health care. We have a lot more in common than the political parties would have you believe.
It is true that in finding our way to a common goal, we often come across many rivers that lead to the lake. The trick is in navigating the best stream at the right time. Unfortunately, our politicians aren’t even in the same boat. By focusing on their task of division, they try to get us to ignore that we have much in common. They want to keep us at odds so they muddy the waters by obscuring the true tasks of government. Instead, they highlight manufactured or sensationalized differences between “them and us.”
The only way to shake the grasp of a stagnant government is to abandon the parties en masse. A successful American government need not be dependant on artificial labels. Americans from both “sides” should re-register as independents, cast aside their party platforms and recognize candidates who use Common Sense. Choose leaders who shun labels and stand for principals we can agree on. We must understand that public service is a duty and an honor and choose leaders who believe that too. Only by denouncing the politics of partisanship can the business of government truly take place.
This would be a start in putting government back into the hands of the people. The very nature of democracy demands compromise before advance, and in this current political split, we need to not only abandon the parties individually, but abandon the politicians too. Doing anything less would prevent any meaningful reform. Look at the candidates, not their political affiliation. Don’t believe that party affiliation truly reflects who they are, or who you are either. Critically evaluate all candidates, especially independents, and find out where they stand on the issues. If no independents are on the ballot, find one and support them. Make politicians stand on their own feet and explain why they deserve the honor of repr
esenting our interests. Don’t let them hide behind boorish party talking points. To ensure that there will be plenty of non-affiliated candidates, encourage and support potential candidacies.
We must always remember that we do not owe it to politicians to keep them in office or to agree with their policies. Rather they owe it to us to defend our interests and to ensure that their policies are in line with our needs. We owe it to ourselves to make sure they deliver.
Update for 2006: As the administration continues it’s assault on the rule of law and erases the freedoms of American citizens, Democrats are finally attacking Bush, Cheney, and their administration. I wish them well in this endeavor. But I believe that even if they succeed in their efforts to spurn the administration, America is only safe from the worst abuses of political power. Even if Democrats regain control, American government is awash in corruption, unbridled pork spending, and tailor-made policies that ultimately do not benefit average citizens. Independent politicians could do the job of fighting irrational spending, inane programs, and failure bound policies if given the chance. At the very least, a healthy measure of independents could force the parties back to honest governance.
This entry was posted on Monday, January 9th, 2006 at 5:04 pm and is filed under Common Sense, Democracy, Government, Politics, Reform.
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January 9th, 2006 at 11:42 pm
Ken, I do appreciate an re-post (incidentially, I think your header mentions original posting in 06, but you ment to type 05).
The thing that strikes me about the powerfulness of this post is that one year later, it still resonates.
Those who are a part of the status quo usually want to keep it that way – and maintaining the pipeline that got them there is what the modus opperandi is for all (dem or not, repug or not).
So, the best solution is to be anti incumbant, and do a find and replace? I don’t know. That said, it can’t hurt to oust at least all the republicans in this aught six election that we can – that would be a strong mesage and and remove this misguided notion the W, Rove and Co has that they hold some public and morally driven mandate to do what they are doing. They don’t and it is up to us to stop em.
Blog on all
January 10th, 2006 at 4:43 am
Indeed 8^)
January 10th, 2006 at 4:30 pm
How true. I often read your blog, Ken, and many of your ideas are my own. What ARE we going to do about this? Ralph Nader seems to be the only one telling the truth these days, but just ask him how difficult it is to be considered a third-party candidate in an election. The parties that be have it fixed so that to run in all 50 states is nearly impossible.
Sad state of affairs we’re in.
Pat Marcello
writeforkids.net
ovblogger.com
January 11th, 2006 at 9:38 pm
current political state of the world is too old, too established, and too conforting for those who has been inside for ages, and for those who have been slithering to succed them.
a new political wave must be generated, free from the old ones, grown by awakened and independent young man. The wave needs not to be vertically grown, but must be mostly horizontally infectious.
January 12th, 2006 at 6:28 am
Thanks for posting this again, Ken. I missed it a year ago, and it is excellent.
You write:
“Government was created to provide certain basic needs of society. It provides public security. It regulates and enforces laws. It creates and regulates an economic base for business and labor. It provides some level of infrastructure. It defends the inherent rights of humanity, namely freedom of religion and thought and the chance for a happy life. Everything that our government does should fall into one of those main categories.”
I agree with you 100%.
Bill Clinton said “You can’t say you love your country but hate your government.” Well, I suppose a person could say that, but if they say they hate the government, do they then hate the things the government provides?
January 12th, 2006 at 5:54 pm
You are singing my song brother, but i go much farther out. The real problem is us throwing a lever, and that’s our sense of participation. one we have to watch them like hawks. two we have to force the real power, K street to make them follow through, by use of boycotts. three, we have to stop expecting laws to solve our problems, we have to roll up our sleeves and work together. there your post is dead on. a new party is not the answer, individual involvement is.
January 13th, 2006 at 3:35 pm
I do agree with your post for the most part, but in the case of say, the president, I think you might be able to drive at least an SUV between what 5 years of Gore would have been compared to 5 years of W.
No war in Iraq.
Gore would not have signed the anti-bankruptcy bill.
He would be behind Kyoto.
I don’t think he would have signed the bloated highway bill.
He would not have gutted FEMA and shoved it under “Homeland Security”.
Just a few things off the top of my head..
January 13th, 2006 at 6:32 pm
Hey, nice post. I jsut read some really interesting Chomsky about this stuff. “The failure of federal, local and state governments and out attention” (is how I would summarize it).
He talks about our constant distraction with foreign affairs. He talks about the manufacture of consent from the ‘free’ man to remain in his oppressive chains as long as he feels he is “at peace” with the world. (I mean, how easy is it to feel at peace when someone tells you that you are!).
Anyway, you might like to read his essays (if you havent’ already).
Keep blogging!
Hammer
January 14th, 2006 at 1:52 pm
Mike V.
only in the most superficial ways are you correct. remember the “no-teeth” fight clinton gave Kyoto? all fuss and no muscle. you do not get it my friend. the lever does not do the job, that is for lazy assess. If k street clients do not want a bill passed (Kyoto) it does not get passed. the real power lies there. it does not matter who you elect. until you get k street on your side (and you can) only superficial changes will occur. until you get this, you will only be involved in a tennis match for idiots.
January 14th, 2006 at 3:04 pm
(responses)
Windspike- I think that the nature of congress today requires more than just outing the incumbents in favor of the other party. After all, Democrats are a sculpable for the problems we face today since they’ve done little to stop the republican onslaught for the last 10 years. We need real people who aren’t party stooges.
Shea- Thanks.
Pat- I’m not exclusively talking about presidential politics- after all, without a congress full of sycophants, the pres is only so powerful. third party politicians or true independents can offer a wall against the excesses of both parties, but only if they are elected. put some independents in congress and things could change. it’s also an easier position to elect non party hacks to.
eko- i agree with your thought here- we need a broad based movement at the bottom of the federal ladder- elect enough independents to congress and change can occur.
snave- you’re welcome. i believe that you can despise the machinations of government while still wanting the best for America. Clinton wasn’t always right now was he?
Rev- thanks for dropping by. yes, it will take more than just voting for new blood, but if the new blood is truly of the people and can energize more people to get involved, it is a start.
mike- i can’t speculate what might have been. i see what is and it’s not pretty. we need a paradigm shift in thinking about how we work our government, something that can only be achieved when real people take the reins for a while.
hammer- yes, it is our own fault for returning time and again the same people who really don’t care about helping people as much as they do keeping power. thanks for dropping by.
rev- unless of course you elect enough “non-k street” adherents who aren’t listening to special interests but to the people and who have and use common sense.
January 16th, 2006 at 12:54 am
You people are amazing. You sound like you actually belive the bullshit you spew…
January 16th, 2006 at 12:57 am
Dennis Kucinich was my choice rather than Nader. His platform:
1. Immediate withdrawal from the WTO and NAFTA.
2. Moving U.S. troops out of Iraq and replacing them with UN peacekeepers.
3. Ending the drug war.
4. Abolishing the death penalty.
5. Preventing the privatization of social security.
6. Ratifying the ABM Treaty and the Kyoto Protocol.
7. Introducing reforms to bring about instant-runoff voting.
8. Creating a single-payer system of universal health care.
9. Creating a cabinet-level “Department of Peace”
10. Legalizing same-sex marriage.
11. Repealing the USA PATRIOT Act.
12. Full social security benefits at age 65.
13. Environmental renewal and clean energy.
January 16th, 2006 at 1:09 am
(responses)
Anon- There is no “you people” writing on this blog. Aside from the comments of my readers, there is just me, Ken Grandlund, the author of every post on this web site. And yes…I do believe what I write. On the otherhand, you are too cowardly to even use your real name to stand behind what you say.
Be careful…if I decided that your comment was meant simply to annoy me, I could refer you to the federal government. There is a new law signed by the president that makes “annoying comments” over the internet a federal crime. Of course, this is probably the president you voted for. (And believe me…he has ways of finding out who you REALLY are.)
Kathryn- Sadly, party politics keep people with visions different from the party platform out before they can offer thier vision. Kucinich obviously had a good platform of his own, but was drowned out by the party machine, offering citizens less choice than they deserve. Thanks for dropping by.
January 16th, 2006 at 3:31 am
(response)
Anon- Of course I would never actually turn in a commenter to the Feds for merely being annoying, but I think your cowardice is simply apalling. It’s pretty easy to spew your own B.S. while hiding under your rock of anonymity. Grow up and grow a pair and stand firmly behind what you think or leave the comments to people who at least assume some kind of identity.