as middle-of-the-road independents like me, actually were the power in this country. That we determined who became president, congressmen, senators, governors, etc. and set the direction the country should take. There was a time, at least I believe, when that was true and things actually got done; where even if we d...isagreed we recognized that we were part of a whole and that compromise and a genuine desire to do what was right kept the ship of state on a reasonably steady course. But anymore it is the extremes of either party that are in control and dictate policy--not for the good of the whole, but to stay in power and try to force everyone else to their narrow worldviews. There is no compromise because it would mean giving a little to the other side, and so nothing gets done. Each side casts the other as evil or monstrous, fascists or socialists--much like we do when at war with someone, depicting them as less than human so that it makes it easier to kill them. And so there can be no meeting in the middle for how do you compromise with someone you view not as a fellow countryman with whom you disagree, but "the enemy." There are good, valid, sometimes (though not always) even relatively easy answers to the major questions that confront us, to immigration and health reform, to the economy, to what to do about climate change and entitlement programs. But the extremists (and those who pay to have them remain extreme) have led us to believe that the only answers are their answers, and so nothing gets done and we sink slowly into the muck of yet another great civilization that had the answers in front of them for the taking, but chose to sink rather than work together to stay afloat. As Pogo once said, "We have met the enemy, and he is us."
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Without Compromise We All Lose
I used to take solace in the thought that moderates of both major parties, as well 
as middle-of-the-road independents like me, actually were the power in this country. That we determined who became president, congressmen, senators, governors, etc. and set the direction the country should take. There was a time, at least I believe, when that was true and things actually got done; where even if we d...isagreed we recognized that we were part of a whole and that compromise and a genuine desire to do what was right kept the ship of state on a reasonably steady course. But anymore it is the extremes of either party that are in control and dictate policy--not for the good of the whole, but to stay in power and try to force everyone else to their narrow worldviews. There is no compromise because it would mean giving a little to the other side, and so nothing gets done. Each side casts the other as evil or monstrous, fascists or socialists--much like we do when at war with someone, depicting them as less than human so that it makes it easier to kill them. And so there can be no meeting in the middle for how do you compromise with someone you view not as a fellow countryman with whom you disagree, but "the enemy." There are good, valid, sometimes (though not always) even relatively easy answers to the major questions that confront us, to immigration and health reform, to the economy, to what to do about climate change and entitlement programs. But the extremists (and those who pay to have them remain extreme) have led us to believe that the only answers are their answers, and so nothing gets done and we sink slowly into the muck of yet another great civilization that had the answers in front of them for the taking, but chose to sink rather than work together to stay afloat. As Pogo once said, "We have met the enemy, and he is us."
as middle-of-the-road independents like me, actually were the power in this country. That we determined who became president, congressmen, senators, governors, etc. and set the direction the country should take. There was a time, at least I believe, when that was true and things actually got done; where even if we d...isagreed we recognized that we were part of a whole and that compromise and a genuine desire to do what was right kept the ship of state on a reasonably steady course. But anymore it is the extremes of either party that are in control and dictate policy--not for the good of the whole, but to stay in power and try to force everyone else to their narrow worldviews. There is no compromise because it would mean giving a little to the other side, and so nothing gets done. Each side casts the other as evil or monstrous, fascists or socialists--much like we do when at war with someone, depicting them as less than human so that it makes it easier to kill them. And so there can be no meeting in the middle for how do you compromise with someone you view not as a fellow countryman with whom you disagree, but "the enemy." There are good, valid, sometimes (though not always) even relatively easy answers to the major questions that confront us, to immigration and health reform, to the economy, to what to do about climate change and entitlement programs. But the extremists (and those who pay to have them remain extreme) have led us to believe that the only answers are their answers, and so nothing gets done and we sink slowly into the muck of yet another great civilization that had the answers in front of them for the taking, but chose to sink rather than work together to stay afloat. As Pogo once said, "We have met the enemy, and he is us."
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It is my opinion that you’re right on the mark with your observations. This nation was built on the premise of liberty, a sense of fair play, and despite it all, progress. We need to move forward and not stagnate. The politics of extremity demand adherence to the status quo and to never yield to those not of like mind and limited vision. The fascist nor the communist knows the world of moderation or life in the middle, since the moderate is willing to compromise in view in order to progress. The world, the real world, resides in the mainstream. Most people I know hold a myriad of opinions on a variety of topics, depending on the topic. Those on the fringe hold one view on every topic. The fringe is unwilling to compromise with anyone other than themselves and those of like mind and limited vision. It matters not whether they be on the left or the right of the divide, but both fringes eye the middle with utter contempt as being incapable of making a decision or taking a stand; when in reality it is they that are incapable of rationality of position. The aforementioned fringe bemoans extremist views and uncompromising banality to the extent they are willing to forego everything in order to remain uncompromising at the cost of even losing what it is they hold as dear.
ReplyDeleteThe Republicans embrace the Tea Party, not because they adhere to their views, since they don’t, but because they incite people to action. Republicans have no interest in the sort of liberty the Tea Party embraces or claims to desire. That would be completely counter to their primary objectives of perpetuating big business and big money interests. Please don’t misconstrue, I have no respect for Tea Partiers. They think that flying the Gadsen flag, pulling a few quotes by Thomas Jefferson out of a book and reading the Constitution sans amendments is the measure of a true American; it isn’t. Their reading nor what they hold dear is meaningful without context. The context of Revolutionary America has little resemblance to the America of the 21st Century and no, we don’t need to race backwards 236 years to re-capture it. Why? I’ll point the reader back to that word progress.
We are a different nation, a better nation because we have progressed from the foundation given us to build upon. What good is the foundation if it has nothing to support? Is ours a perfect system? Not by a long shot. But it is a good system, when it isn’t wrapped in the rhetoric of the fringe. We need to return this nation back to the middle. There will always be a fringe element to contend with, but the true strength lies in the center. It is there we find the people who don’t froth when discussing current issues. They are passionate in their beliefs, but willing to listen to others and allow them their views, but neither condemn them nor embrace them, but work with them in order to advance society with a workable policy for all people.
Anonymous,I truly appreciate that you really do "get" what I am trying to express. Let us all spread our different colored and cultured arms and join hands together, united as one, no matter our origin, skin color or religious beliefs. There is no right or wrong, no winning if it requires losing, nor is there any peace in this world until we accept that each difference represents one of many spokes required in our universal wheel in order for it to move in the direction of progress. Without it, we are nothing... going nowhere, except backwards, which is not what our ancestors had hoped for the future.
ReplyDeleteI don’t know that we will ever completely be able to work together in syncretic harmony, but we can make friends to get the job done. Mutual interest as opposed to self-interest is much better for the world. Some would take that statement as an endorsement for a New World Order of single governance. Please don’t. There is enough room on this little blue ball for all of us and our ideas. We can’t know what works or what doesn’t until we see it put into practice. That is the entire premise behind scientific method and experimentation. A multitude of smaller experiments are easier to control than one large one, so in that regard, we should view social stratification and governance as a series of small on-going experiments on a global scale. An interesting case study at present is Russia. Look at the direction Putin is steering the nation and how. Look at the support he is garnering. I’m sure there are variables I’m ignorant of, but you don’t take a failure and shine it up and try it again. That’s like trying to teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and annoys the pig. Just to be fair, we can likewise learn a lesson from what went wrong in and with the old USSR.
ReplyDeletePeace? No, I have no faith in such a concept. Plato wrote, “Only the dead have seen the end of war.” We, people, are always going to find something to fight about. I’m not a pacifist so sometimes, fighting is even necessary. But to just go out and pick fights based on self-righteous ideals, no, I can’t condone or endorse such a premise.
So in that regard, we must not give up the fight. Freedom isn’t free and we can’t reside on our backsides and allow those who would deny us freedom on the basis of security to strip freedom from us. The world is not a safe place, nor has it ever been. People, well meaning, but woefully ignorant and blind, think and trust civilization is the insulator against evil. Civilization merely serves to strip people of their innate suspicions and survival instincts. We are not so removed from our ancient forebears nor have we risen to such a lofty level of enlightenment that such concepts are unnecessary or desired. I read once that there are 3 generalized categories of people; wolves, sheep, and sheep dogs. We choose which of those we fall in to. We might be pre-disposed for one or the other, but we can choose. We can also move from one to another. Point being, we don’t have to be a predator nor do we have to be the perpetual meal for others. Something to think about.