Reckless Power Induced Meltdown

I am everyman, and everyman has had it.

Ok, perhaps I’m not everyman, but I do think I feel as most of us do. I find myself on a daily basis fed up with the greed and irresponsibility of our financial institutions. I sigh exasperatedly at the ineffectualness and lack of concern of those we place in positions of power and authority. I bristle with each news report of failing businesses, lost homes and shattered lives. And I tremble with impotent rage as I watch those in the halls of power find it better to bicker and snipe at one another instead of actually sitting down and working out how to not only fix our current docket of problems, but also put this great country back on a successful path for all of our long term futures.

It’s the latter that really sits in my craw and I’m not sure which part of it bothers me most. Yes, the constant arguing and name calling are bothersome and completely infantile. I find it hard how we can tell children not to act in such childish ways when our elected representatives give them examples otherwise. The hypocrisy of both sides, however, may really be at the heart of my ever growing disdain.

Republicans now find themselves standing on their typical soap box screaming for smaller government and fiscal responsibility. Yet they were more than happy over the past 8 years to expand and spend. They could have kept their position in power had they reduced government over the last 8 years, but did they? No. If anything, government, federal spending and moving further down the path toward socialism only grew during that time period. Even they admit to it.

"Our party got away from its principles. You elected Republicans to champion limited government, fiscal discipline, and personal responsibility. Instead, Republicans went along with earmarks and big government spending in Washington." – Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal.

Gee you think so Bobby? But can you say with a straight face that Republicans just went along with the spending? Were they hogtied on the congressional floor and forced to sign spending bills, or were they pretty much fine with everything. And honestly, should we really want to be taking advice from any politician from Louisiana? We’ve seen all to well how that state has been run.

And we certainly did not hear a peep of protest about those particular policies from the Democrats, just constant vitriol soaked screeds on the war against terrorism. They knew the average Joe did not like seeing young boys come home in boxes. So as long as they squawked enough about that, perhaps no one would notice them not harping about the expanding government.

Conservative representatives carp vigorously that President Obama’s stimulus package will drive the country toward socialism. Their position is putting our government in charge of free enterprise takes the freedom out of it. Are they right? By sheer definition, yes it is. More taxes, increased debt and larger government are never good things and do make us a people far more dependant upon our government than our forefathers ever intended. However things are never that black and white. Unfortunately though things have come to a point that if nothing is done now to create jobs and increase consumer confidence, there will be nothing left about which to complain.

But of course the yin to their yang, the trusty Democrats, does not see things that way. They prefer to grumble that Republicans will not support these, we’re told, necessary actions and that the more they drag their feet and resist, the worse things will become. But what they conveniently forget is when Bush told the country we needed to help out these flagging institutions last fall, all they did was criticize until they became hoarse.

Neither party seems willing to admit they both had a hand in creating this mess. From the industry deregulations in the late 1990s to the lessons unlearned from the dot com bust in the early part of this decade. Each side at different times has bemoaned giving away the money of the American people, not for true concern of our well being but merely for good press. And no matter the amount of protests lodged, both went along with the handouts. Neither wants to recognize that as soon as they gave failing companies money with barely a restriction or a serious debate, then everyone wanted a slice of magic pie. They both helped turn Wall Street into Welfare Street.

It’s easy to sit in judgment of one side when you blatantly ignore the errors created by your own compatriots.

My favorite hypocrite thus far has to be Rush Limbaugh and his screed for Obama to fail. Limbaugh maintains his reasoning is he does not want to see the US turn into a socialist state. With that I will admit we are in complete agreement. A bloated government which demands increasing taxes to maintain itself is never good. But a government that has transformed itself to make the people completely dependent upon it is even more frightening.

However, Limbaugh’s stand that he and the Republicans and are the last line of defense against a socialist government is nothing more than a carefully crafted career booster. Rush Limbaugh is an entertainer. He works in the entertainment field. His particular niche is conservative political talk radio. His job does not affect public policy or to enact legislation. His job is to produce ratings and revenue.

Limbaugh is not beholden to some particular political ideology as he would have you believe. He is beholden to the same thing anyone in any form of entertainment is, his sponsors. He may sound as though he is filled with great rage and concern at the direction of our country, but he loves this. It behooves him more if Obama succeeds. Any success the president has with his agenda gives Limbaugh endless amounts of material for his program and garners him tons of outside press as he rails against the president and his policies.

This expands his fan base, drives up ratings and revenue and increases his power and monetary compensation. I’d bet right now he probably has the best ratings he’s had in years. Do you honestly think Limbaugh wants Obama to fail? I don’t. He knows failure from our current executive branch could have dire consequences to everyone; he’s not a stupid man. I’d bet secretly rooting for Obama to succeed gloriously. I would not be surprised if he found a way to secretly donate to the Obama 2012 campaign just to keep the good times rolling.

Now do I think Obama’s plan is good? I’m on the fence. Long term it will be painful and potentially disastrous, but if it sparks something now, and the country could build on that, we’ll let’s say I’m cautiously not negative. And I’m not crazy about the loads of pork that can be found within the stimulus package. But right now, whether it is good or bad is immaterial. It’s a plan. It’s not the best one, but it is a course of action. If it works, great, if not, then we create a new one. But at least we have a starting point and path on which to follow. I just wish I’d hear more constructive criticism and cooperation from both sides toward a better solution than hypocritical speeches and childish antics.

It boggles my mind that there are seemingly no longer any rational level headed people left in our government. Apparently everyone operates with the attitude of if you are not with me you are against me. Each party member speaks in sound bites instead of thought out, reasoned responses. They do not generate ideas but parrot buzz words. At this point, if anyone even entered those halls with common sense and a desire to reason, I imagine he or she would be labeled a heretic and blasphemer and run out of town on a rail.

I determined for myself long ago, our two major parties are two sides of the same coin. Publicly they battle each other in partisan shouting matches meant to split the populous into an us against them battle in which we become too distracted by empty rhetoric and too short sighted to see the benefit of compromise and working together rather than tearing at those who oppose our opinions and beliefs to notice the truth.

Sure, each party goes about things in a different way but amazingly they manage to arrive at the same destination. Democrats prefer saccharine, saying they will take care of us and all that ails. Republicans prefer the hammer, playing on our fears and then comforting us by saying they will take care of all that frightens us.

Each will complain all they want, bitch about other and call each other out in the media and on the congressional floor. Their ads and campaigns can spew the most furious oratory one can imagine and they can make firm public stands as to what they believe in and how all those who oppose should be considered enemies, but at the end of the day it’s nothing but hot air. They need each the other equally to survive and succeed. They must have it. Without a common enemy, how would they be able to define themselves as the hero in the white hat? I think we all learned how that works thanks to years of USA vs. USSR and a heaping helping of John Wayne.

So they continue on publicly berating each other and trivializing each other’s beliefs and ideologies merely to divide and distract us. Even though if you move past the sound bites and really listen to what each has to say you will find merit in each party. While outside the limelight they pat each other on the back, have a cocktail and a chuckle while reveling in the power they brandish while hoping we as a people never notice that the only one really getting played the fool is us.

The disturbing part is despite knowing their hypocrisy, we as a people are unfortunately forced to put our faith and trust in institutions that have done nothing to justify said faith and everything to erode our trust. We need to stand up as a people and demand more from our politicians and get involved in our government and country’s well being. We need more motivated, bright and eager people to want to take on the mantle of public service. Perhaps I should lead by example and get off my duff and get to work instead of complaining ad nausea about the state of things. I have a bright and eager mind. I would love to do something positive to make a difference. Would you put your faith and trust in me, or would that be too hypocritical?