What you voted for was partisanship, because you voted for people who belong to them. You voted for Democrats, Republicans and Tea Partiers. Sensible people are part of these political organizations, but rational, well-behaved statesmen and women don't hold power anymore. They're fortunate to get elected in the first place.
The priority should be country first, party second. But as I have said before, partisanship has become a false religion, one that covets power above everything and values ideological street cred above what's best for the country. I honestly believe some those creatures in Washington desire some form of a default as a nuclear option, thinking if they play their hand right, their opposition will curl up and die. It doesn't matter if the rest of us go down for the count. That's not leadership, that's arrogance, and all parties do it. Let me repeat that: all parties do it.
So once again, I say we should've listened to George Washington, who said in his farewell address:
"However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion."What's the solution? Stop voting for anybody who's associated with a political party. Don't vote for Republicans, Democrats, Tea Partiers or Libertarians. Given how that eliminates just about everybody, I would rather write in a non-partisan candidate than vote for any partisan, at least for Congress. I would encourage you to do the same, if you're as fed up as I am. Remember, you're still voting. Do not let anybody tell you that a vote for somebody outside the two-party majority is a wasted vote.
I wish we had some better system to get more independents to run for office. Unfortunately, campaigning costs money, and the parties are tremendous fundraising machines, if nothing else. Arizona's Clean Elections system is no panacea, either, even though the state is registering a growing number of independents. A single open primary would help clean up the mess, but I don't expect it to happen.
You can do something besides vote independently, however. You can pray independently. GOD, thankfully, is not a Republican or a Democrat... or a Tea Party member. GOD is GOD. Pray that our partisans start asking for GOD's wisdom, or using what GOD already gave them (James 1:5). GOD doesn't play politics, and it's about time our politicians took the hint.
2 comments:
As a TEA party "member", I am so dismayed how the media has turned a group of like minded thinking American citizens into a political party. They are a caucus. I am a registered Republican who agrees with many other American citizens that we are Taxed Enough Already and strongly oppose the socialist government being shoved down our throats by the executive office and Congress. I agree that those in power are corrupt and the most corrupt I have witnessed in all of my years as a citizen of this nation.
I disagree emphatically that we should vote for anyone BUT Republicans or Democrats because that will ensure us of another victory for BHO and I believe the total destruction of the USA as I have come to know and love. He promised to fundamentally transform our country and that is exactly what we are getting. How does anyone separate what is happening in our nation from BHO's governance (or lack of it)? I am of the opinion that a victory for BHO in 2012 will be the final nail in the coffin for individual liberty, what little we have left, and American sovereignty. The stakes are too high for us to gamble with voting for anyone other than a Republican in 2012. Have you considered Michelle Bachman? Rick Perry? Rick Santorum? Herman Cain? Just to name a few. A vote for anyone outside of the Republicans Party, I'm afraid, is a vote for Obama. Please reconsider your advice to us. It is not in our nation's best interest.
YHS, Rita S.
My Most Honourable Rita,
If the Tea Party isn't a "party," then they need to drop that word "party" from all references and insist that others do, too. True, they are a subset of the Republicans, but the political reality is that they're dividing the GOP now, and will continue to do so unless both the GOP and TEA figure out a way to pull it together in 2012.
I'll say it again: The GOP is at risk of seeing the same thing happen to its 2012 Presidential Nominee as what happened to George Bush in 1992, when Ross Perot split Republicans. Regardless of what you think about Democrats, they have been better about pulling together when they need to win and giving people a reason to vote FOR them.
Remember in 1994, when Newt talked about the Contract For America -- that's the model Republicans need to follow and not make John McCain's mistake of dwelling too long on side issues instead of main issues.
I am not convinced that everything that is wrong with the U.S. right now is President Obama's fault -- I blame years of lax policy, lax leadership by Congress, and a failure to make the tough decision instead of kicking the can so somebody could get re-elected.
To answer another of your inquiries, no, I haven't looked at any Republicans right now. Right now they are preaching to their faithful, and they're not interested in moderates like me -- they HATE moderates like me, but boy, do they need 'em when it comes down to the wire. It's the never-ending hypocritical paradox, and the act is getting old.
Be Blessed, My Lady!
Your Humble Servant And Friend,
Christopher
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