Unfortunately, this election has shown that the various parties in our government have become so entrenched in their ideas and so antagonistic towards those of others that we are now completely polarized and therefore paralyzed. The past four years have shown that very little progress was made when it came to government action. Each party seemed more intent on blocking suggestions and bills from the other party rather than on actually using their differences to build a consensus and to do what was best for the American people. The intensity of the polarization is more than ever before and it seems it could do a lot of damage to the democratic process. Things are complicated by the media, with their constant and very partisan analysis. Each talking head seems determined to have the last word, whether it is based on fact or not and an "us against them" mentality has taken over.
The idea that intelligent people could have differing opinions, each of value and worth considering, seems to be a thing of the past. As long as we continue to treat each other as enemies whom we must defeat before we are defeated, the cooperation necessary to form strong policies will remain elusive and the ideals of our democratic republic will be in danger.
I completely agree with your post. The Presidential debates were infuriating as one could not trust one side over another. What they were saying didn't even matter. All that mattered, in the end, was who "dominated" the discussion, not the truth of the material presented. But you can't blame them. It's not like they're given a chance to prove themselves during the debates, other than through childhood methods of calling the other a liar. But as for parties in general, there is no more cooperation, as one party is constantly trying to look for a reason to dislike the other party. They want to unite under that disapproval. And even if one individual believes in a policy of another party, they'll subdue their own belief for the strength of their party, just because everyone else that is mostly like-minded as they are disbelieves that sort of material. It's ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteHowever, just because we are against one another does not mean we are in a bad state of union. In World War II, we were unified beyond anything we could hope to cooperate through in modern times. This is because we had to and because there was a unified "evil" for us to go against. What I'm really saying is, the fact that we are against each other in politics (and not civil war) is a good indicator that the world isn't about to collapse. There is no common evil to unite against except ourselves. And I don't believe we will ever unite once more as patriotically as before without some sort of mega-disaster that everyone across all ages, race, gender, and income can entirely relate to. Considering how the world now relies on all first world countries for business to proliferate, I can't see another conventional war happening again. So, perhaps we're screwed, and our mentality will forever be polarized. At least we're not taught to kill the other team like in the Middle East.
I agree with this post for the editorials and commentary to be reported in a way that facts are provided and the reader should be able to form their opinion. I do feel that because The president wanted a second term, the things he did were more foreign than domestic. I mean we killed Osama, got out of Iraq, Gaddafi is dead, we're going to leave Afghanistan soon. Personally I believe the president went in did what he was supposed to do. Now that peace is peeking over the horizon. Now it's time to focus on more domestic issues. I mean that's what the people voted for and want. Now it's time for that "Change" to go into effect. Of course the president isn't the law maker, but he does represent what most Americans want to be represented as. peaceful, caring, and wanting to help. Also, having a business man over someone that understands law is ridiculous to me. Congress makes all the decisions. Right now congress is put in a position that may force it to go to the Democrats. Blocking legislation for party control is ridiculous and childish. All of America's problems could be solved in a year, only if congress stopped their greedy ventures and did what they're supposed to.
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