A Government For the People?

*****Warning: rambling screed ahead*******

The tenor of political "discourse" has gotten out of control. The words bi-partisan are bandied about as though there is even the slightest possibility that something could actually be accomplished. On the state and federal level politician are interested in their own aggrandizement in a media fueled world, where their witty attack sound bites get days of play.

The interests of the "party," and staying in power are what these elected officials appear to be most interested in. Plus, if they make a big enough name for themselves as a "good guest" on the ubiquitous cable news shows, they help ensure a fat paycheck and life in the private sector at the end of their political careers.

If the interests of the nation were at the heart of the matter, we'd have a decent jobs bill, with tax breaks and extended unemployment benefits (both achieve the same thing, give people more money in their pockets to spend, and industry picks up, fueling more jobs). We'd also have a short health care bill, that eliminated pre existing conditions disqualifications, capped premiums, allowed freedom of choice in health care, lowered costs, and insured those who can not afford to do so on their own. Is that a pipe dream? Is it even possible? No one really knows, because of all the extra stuffing in every bill it becomes hard to weed out what could really work.

Every time we elect a President now, there is a contigent grasping at straws to have the election nullified on specious grounds. Repeating ridiculous speculation does not make it fact, and trumping up charges to achieve political action is also not in the interest of the country. Gas bags on both sides of the aisle on radio and tv would be out of jobs if every single issue did not divide along party lines. Granted, each party has its lightning rods, those politicians who statements or idealogy are really at odds with others, but too often the established politicos look no further than the letter after someone's name to decide the position they will take.

There's too much of a political industry to let this stop. Spin doctors, advisors, lobbyists, political journalists, they all feed the flames because they need to. In the meantime the "fight for the soul of the country," has become a fallacy, all anyone is fighting for is their own personal gain.

I'm not sure if the scene after the vote on Bill Clinton's impeachment would ever repeat itself today. After a nasty fight, the votes to convict were counted. The nays had it. Trent Lott and Tom Daschle smiled at each other, shook hands and it was over. Not that that was a golden age of political sanity, far from it. I believe today the "fight" would continue in that situation. The votes called into question, and political pressure applied to those who voted (either way) the way they felt was right.

We elect individuals, but we don't really. They want to stay in power so they drop what they believe to maintain the backing of the big party machine, and often the rest of us suffer. The country should vote not only for elected officials, but the heads of each party. They seem to pull the strings.