A Response: How to Choose Your Political Party
April 3, 2010
In response to article posted on www.Branfordseven.com regarding on how you decide to be a democrat or a republican.
Edward F. Lazarus
Is it too farfetched to believe that the world is too complicated for there to be two (2) positions t to which one must dogmatically adhere? If we look at US history the political landscape of the United States is littered with former political parties. Not “third parties”, but mainstream parties that elected Presidents only to eventually fade away to wherever dead political parties go. When you decide to align yourself with one of our two mainstream parties, what does one do if you hold collectively the following beliefs: 1. you should not spend more money than you take in (at least without an strong and definitive plan to use this as seed money that insures re-payment) 2, that you believe that there is an inherent responsibility to help people, in need and that it is okay that this will cost money. However you want to ensure that it is done in a manner that enlightens and empowers these individuals as opposed to creating a system that enables and creates a sense of entitlement. 3.. Who do you “sign up” with when you think less government is usually better than more government, But in practice seems to mean less regulations for industries, some of whose policies have harmed the nation. Yet when it comes to individuals and families it appears to be perfectly acceptable to mandate and legislate a course of action on issues that are so deeply personal they profoundly impact these people lives.
So, if you share some of those varieties of beliefs and values, what “major party” should you embrace? Further, so many of today’s complicated issues appear to be decided simply along “partisan lines”. The reason appears not to be on the merits of the issue but to undermine whatever party is currently in power. If this premise is accurate how can we believe that the serious issues we face today are being acted on in good faith on behalf of the nation? Have any of you thought, (to paraphrase a line from Apollo 13: ) “Washington, we have a problem”.
At the end of the day I am pretty sure we all know why these things transpire. My guess is that the American people are not naive and understand what is happening. Getting re-elected, and who is most likely to ensure this, are who gets the best seats. Everyone else is left to take wahtever might be left.
I wonder if our founding fathers ever conceived of an occupation called “professional politician”. History seems to suggest that they saw public service as a short term, doing your patriotic duty for your country, and never conceived of it as a lifetime career. I wonder if the real question then becomes; has the time come for systemic change in our political system(s). Just a cursory review of our system would, I think, logically ask people to consider some of these items: 1. should there be term limits. 2. should the way we elect a President re-evaluated? 3, Should Congressman serve for more than 2 years so they are not perpetually running for office? 4. Should the President serve for one six year term? Perhaps we need to remind ourselves that this experiment called democracy, in the context of humankind, is still in its infancy. Sytems come and go. Lest we forget that the experiment of communism essentially came to a halt with the collapse of Soviet Union after only 75-80 years.
Our founding fathers authored a remarkable document with the wisdom to recognize that times change, thus they added the “elastic clause”, the ability to amend the constitution. There has been much talk of using the amendment process as it relates to social issues. Perhaps we should not be initially focused on adding amendments that reach out and intimately touch the lives of the public. Instead, perhaps we should be looking inward and addressing some of the systemic issues that appear to make our current government unmanageable. No matter who or what party is in charge people seem to be asking for change that restores their faith in our nation’s ability to confront the complex issues of our time. If indeed this is needed it will take people of intelligence and integrity and most of all the courage to question the system of government as we know it as today. So am I a democrat, a republican, and independent? Personally, I am still looking. Are you?.
