The Political Suck

If you don't vote for ME, the world will end!

Having experienced numerous election cycles, I can share my observations on the occasional hysteria that follows. We frequently elect individuals to govern our country, states, and local communities. Some individuals excel in governance, yet many focus solely on securing re-election by exploiting two fundamental emotions: fear and anger.  Otherwise, the political arena is pretty boring stuff for most people involved. 

I'm considering replacing my old television. I wasn't aware that OLED TVs had burn-in issues. The multitude of options available is quite overwhelming, and surprisingly, they're quite affordable. As for governance, it seems there are only a few choices, and the candidates appear to be quite similar to one another.  Neither of the candidates would be someone I would hire to govern anything.

Indeed, Americans have unique traditions. Giving a comparison, each February, one must choose between two teams vying for the championship in a sport predominantly played by Americans. I don't have a particular interest in either team. The main players are in it for profit, selling insurance, and dating celebrities. Yet, there's pressure to "get involved because it's deemed important by everyone." In truth, it's just a contrived game with annual rule changes. For me, the game's appeal lies solely in the forward pass of the oddly shaped ball, enabling rapid, long-distance advances. Otherwise, it's akin to observing large men as chess pieces executing strategic moves and countermoves, with other individuals determining the legality of each action. Sorry, I fell asleep. 

Somehow, we Americans found a way to transfer that competitive energy from sports to politics. And anyone that has any of the American competitive spirit is sucked into the fray. And just like in sports you should burn their mascot and use derogatory terms for where they live. Don't forget to hate the very ground they walk on.  Yeah, it gets that intense.  I've seen women wailing in the street after a lost election like someone has died. It's absurd.

  

However, in the political arena one of the candidates looks like a caricature from "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory".  The other candidate looks like that elderly uncle that escaped from the dementia unit at the nursing home.  Yeah, the one that makes veiled threats like "you'll all pay one day".   The parties that support them are 'the Island of Misfit Toys'.  One party is like the dad that constantly threatens to throw you out of the house to fend for yourself.  The other party is like a bi-polar mother that in the manic phase buys you a new electric gadget that the family can't afford.  Later in the depressed phase she finds the 100-amp breaker shuts off the electricity stating, "this family needs to conserve energy".  Yep, American politics represent one big dysfunctional family.  

Periodically, Dad urges all the children to take his side, citing the outrageous actions of Mom. Conversely, Mom accuses Dad of being a greedy, selfish, uncompassionate jerk who will strip you of the essentials. That's my straightforward, abstract interpretation.

But I digress with the analogies.......

We all must take a side and choose 'your suitcases are on the porch and don't come back', or 'No Wire Hangers!' Sorry.

I digress again.....

Many people align with the Democratic Party because they welcome change. The Grand Old Party, with fewer constituents, tends to be resistant to change, preferring it to be approached cautiously. This dichotomy gives rise to the terms Liberal and Conservative. Additionally, there are those who favor minimal governance, such as Libertarians.  Financial management is a common challenge for all parties. Civil servants, whose primary role is to govern the country, do not produce tangible goods. Essentially, they are often criticized for mismanaging the funds collected from the citizens they represent.

Approximately 40 percent of the population in this country casts their votes for certain individuals to lead with intense, competitive zeal. They broadcast advertisements on television, depicting the opposition as diabolical and their own candidate as a savior. They will talk at length about this political turmoil. According to them, if you do not support the right party or candidate, dire consequences will follow: famine, job loss, foreign invasions, nuclear conflict, and rampant crime, all purportedly due to choosing the incorrect candidate.

It's not the truth, you, see? I've come to understand that when it comes to the major issues facing our nation, my vote seems inconsequential. Even substantial donations to any party would likely have minimal impact due to my location. My region values rugged individualism, which typically aligns with a particular party and candidate receiving our state's 2 electoral votes each election. Similarly, my vote seldom sways local elections, as I am in the minority among farmers and ranchers.

I believe everyone should vote after studying the candidates and let it be. I'm weary of people arguing over topics that don't impact them directly. Discussing ideas is one thing, but verbal disagreements shouldn't become grounds for hatred. It's time to move on.

We often magnify minor issues that have persisted indefinitely and are unlikely to be resolved by human beings. It's acceptable to issue warnings. If they are ignored, it's best to proceed and dust off your feet. Saving the world has never been the duty of mankind. Destroying it has been.  Just kidding.....

The Biblical perspective suggests that conditions will gradually deteriorate. There will be a brief period of intense hardship, after which sin, and death will be eradicated by the Creator. Subsequently, God will restore the world and dwell among humanity.  So, if you love God these issues are no concern to you at all. If one struggles with faith, the world may seem a frightening place.

For me, I will avoid TV commercials for the coming year.  Political supporters often attempt to instill fear or anger, and at times, they are successful. However, once I regain my composure, I recognize that they have indeed manipulated my emotions.  Emotions are necessary, but I don't like being ruled by them.

Keep in mind, our government is not the sole solution to global issues or our personal salvation. Consider their history. If the government were my employee, I would terminate their services immediately. Here's why. Currently, they claim that the funds collected from us throughout our working lives will be depleted within the next decade. This is, at best, a case of mismanagement and, at worst, grand larceny. Later, I will explain why this misconception has persisted since the inception of Social Security. I will also discuss why the solutions are relatively simple, even though I am not highly knowledgeable about the intricacies of government operations.

Why are people so committed and fighting over these poor employees confuses me? We are not electing royalty, just public servants. The best I can hope for is that their harebrained schemes do not succeed most of the time.  Looking ahead, I am fairly certain that we will remain a capitalist society with elements of socialism integrated. In essence, there will be no significant change. The Constitution will remain intact as long as most of us live. After that, why should we care?

That's where I live.