The Game: The Loss of Ideas

This occured to me as I was trying to fall asleep tonight. I began thinking about what it takes to get elected in this country today. It brought me to this movie made a couple years ago by Robin Williams 'Man of the Year'. In this movie he is a straight shooter independent candidate who long story short blasts the competition away in a phony election but really makes an impact not being beholden to any party or lobbyists. Wouldnt this be refreshing!? Today it is all a game. It reall is a game. It is not about ideas, well to a certain extent it is...but its about pandering, timing, schmoozing, playing the polls, having the right accent, being from the right place, having the right story being squeaky clean. Ideas today in the wake of all of those things being combinded, ideas are second fiddle. Yet ideas are ultimately what we vote for....my main gripe with Obama in this election was that he was vague, his ideas were vague....but he, himself and the political geniuses which he gathered around him used the most simple means to capitvate the people. Change. The South Park episode puts it best when Randy confronts his boss saying "I dont have to take your shit anymore because everything is going to change!". That simple saying, no real slogan other than "yes we can" just change....and everyone knows we needed change. But have we really gotten it? This is what I have been trying to get at with my past couple of posts. With that article exposing Obama's lack of disclousure on White House visits and his real smug attitutde towards those who would even dare challenge his initiatives I believe the change was more in the billing than in the actual show.
Because of this I feel that we need to look at our political process a little more closely. Man of the Year gave me hope, inspiration...because I too one day would like to be that outside who is able to speak his mind and rock the buttoned up, honky tonk world of Washington politics. Now I understand I cant waltz into any state and make my political landfall, you have to have roots in your area, you have to speak their language talk their talk. My state, Mass is a hard one to crack. Mitt Romney did it, by becoming a huge liberal, some accused him of being a carpetbagger but he is one political outsider who could make a difference. He has some point on ideas and actual experience handling money, but again the media establishment labeled him as some part of a Mormon cult and killed some of his chances....I hope he runs again maybe this time with a bit more support. What I am pointing towards here is that a little too much attention is paid to things outside of ideas and someones ability to implement them. The media gave Bill Clinton a free pass totally separating his womanizing from his ability to lead the country. Whereas snippits of GWB snorting cocaine or being an alcoholic threw his ability into doubt. Partisan lines have divided us a little too much [if I seem to lean towards the media letting Democrats off the hook and Republicans get too much flak its not because I am bitter its because its what I see, I want a straight shot for everyone not just Republicans] and have added to the theater of politics.
"Theater of politics" is such an awful phrase. I cringe when I hear it. Politics is not theater it is real life it is the medium between life and death, peace and war, poverty and prosperity. I never understood those people who say I dont care for politics that much becasue it effects all of us. Getting down to the nitty gritty of my main point politics have become to much of a partisan theater. It scares me. We have gotten away from ideas, plenty of ideas. In a time where the only thing that will save us IS IDEAS we have gotten away from them. Congress doesnt even read bills anymore ITS APPALLING THEY HIRED A SPEED READER, A SPEED READER, WE ELECT SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN THEN PAY THEM SO THEY CAN GO OUT AND CAMPAIGN FOR THEIR OWN REELECTION AND HIRE SPEED READERS TO READ BILLS. That is outrageous and is happens on both sides of the aisle as frequently as the other. Its really a crucial time in America a time to say stand up or shut up. There are some rare straight shooters out there but they are old and dying off, one is in the White House now. I have infinite respect for John McCain, Joe Biden and others who have been in the game long enough to be the outsiders on this new political game. Maybe I am still outdated, I have been one to always look to the past for answers [but isnt that what they say about history "the only way to make a better future is to avoid the mistakes of the past"?] but these guys actually care about their constitutents. I care about this country and the people in it, I care about actual change that makes us all better off and does not just put my name in the history books as doing something that could never be achieved before. Some of the things that are trying to be shoved through congress right now are only to rival one great presidents first 100 or so days in office and that shouldnt be the case. We need deliberation, a national conversation on where we want to head as a country. There are many paths, some have been taken before us some are waiting for us to uncover....either way this is an important time not for the political game not for empty words, lip pursing and closed fist thumb pointing, it is a time for ideas.....not government ideas private ideas, ideas based on our principles as a people so that we the US can acheive even more prosperity once again in the face of decline.
No more games.....IDEAS