My First and Last Political Post

When I was a little boy I used to watch wrestling on TV. It was great stuff. Heroes and villains, good versus evil; spandex clad and leaping off the top rope every Saturday afternoon. "Man, those guys really hate each other," said I to dear old dad one day. Dad glanced at the glowing screen and said "You know, after the audience leaves those guys have a cup of coffee and a big laugh." A sceptic was born.

Well, not right away. I wanted to believe that all the effort and passion I saw on the small screen meant something. Eventually I had to acknowledge my father's wisdom. It was all theater designed to distract the audience from the fact that it was merely a poor form of entertainment -- no more real than what we today call "reality television."

When I was a young man I studied the way government worked. I know because it says so on my diploma. Democracy. Statecraft. The noble calling of public service. Democrats and Republicans did battle in the arena of public opinion. Government, of, by, and for the people. It was great stuff.

Then I began to notice some things that bothered me. I noticed that actions were taken and legislation enacted simply to score political points, regardless of what happened to people. I saw people who had the power to make things happen making a great show of doing nothing and pretending as if it were otherwise. I saw news media playing along because they didn't know any better or didn't care. I saw the political classes displaying a horrific disregard as to the consequences of their actions.

There is no difference between the parties. The pursuit and advancement of truth, justice, and the greater good are not reflected in their actions.

Case in point: The Surge.

The voters are agitated. They are upset by what they see happening in Iraq and want someone to do something to make it better. The administration announces that they have a major new plan. They call a press conference. They say that troop levels will be increased by about 21,000. They even have a cool name for this new strategy. They call it a "surge." That sounds good. It sounds strong and at the same time temporary. We have a new major policy change. Your government is responding to your needs. Don't you feel better?

The fact is that troop levels have increased and decreased several times in the last couple of years. In that time the number has ranged between 127,000 and 160,000. This "surge" will not even bring the number back up to the 160,000 mark. A moderate reinforcement is being sold as a new strategy to distract the country from the otherwise obvious fact that the administration has no idea how to make the situation better.

What is the response from the opposition? Do they point out that the emperor has no clothes? Do they propose new plans or strategies? No, they pass that great Congressional oxymoron, the non-binding resolution. They call it a major blow to the administration. It's a repudiation of the President's new strategy. It signals a change in direction.

It does nothing.

The President does nothing and says it is something. Congress responds with nothing that they say means something. Partisans of both sides spit hot wind and verbal vitriol while spinning dervishly. There was sound. There was fury. It signified nothing. And lives are being destroyed. People are literally dying for our leaders to do something substantial, yet they are engaged in political kabuki.

Republicans. Democrats. A plague on both their houses. The real differences are so minor they might as well form the Republicrat Party and be done with it. It's all the same to me.

It makes me angry, frustrated, horrified, and sad. And I don't like that. I don't have an answer and I don't think I'm going to find one. So I'm going to tend my garden. I'm going to focus on those things that bring me joy and fulfilment. I will pursue truth and good and beauty and bliss. And personal sanity. That's why this is my last political post. Because I just can't take it anymore.