ShadowMonkey - The Politics of Exhaustion

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The Politics of Exhaustion

Written by boomsquared

Friday, 20 October 2006

I have been purposely silent over the past several weeks. I contribute on a regular basis here at the Monkey, host my own blog, and am the unofficial mouthpiece for political change in my area and I am tired. Scratch that. I am exhausted!

I have been playing the proverbial fly on the wall lately, trying to cast as much of an unbiased eye as possible upon the political landscape, and I've what witnessed really scares me. Now I am fully aware that most of the non-major media outlets (blogs, etc) have been calling for political change and casting a cleansing light upon the political indiscretions that are the status quo in Washington, but if you really detach yourself from the mainstream for a moment a frightening picture starts to come into focus.

The sad truth is that there is no truth any more. It is all mixed up in a great whirlpool of half-truths, obfuscation, and finger pointing. Our entire political system seems to have contracted a bad case of selective hearing coupled with early onset selective memory. The Democrats are painting ALL Republican candidates as hanging onto the President’s every word and mindlessly passing anything that he proposes while conveniently forgetting that they have done much the same so as not to appear soft on terrorism. The Republicans are crying foul when the Democrats blast them on personal issues (Foley, Sherwood, etc) while also conveniently forgetting about the Swift Boat and Willie Horton ads that may not have lost Kerry or Dukakis their respective elections but were certainly key to the Republican campaigns.

I am about as politically aware as a person with a non-government job can be but I can hardly keep up with the spin machine that Washington has become. The most blatant examples that I have witnessed in the last several weeks concern the Bush Administration’s stance on Iraq. For at least two years there have louder and louder calls that for a new strategy in the “war” in Iraq (I put war in parenthesis because war is usually defined as something that can actually be won). The President’s answer to these calls for change has always been a resounding “Stay the course!” It helped him win in ’04, but is much less popular now, especially among his fellow Republicans. So…the last week or so there have been “leaks” about a possible strategy change in Iraq…three weeks or so before the mid-term election. Yes I know, it’s politics as usual, but what enrages me is that if they really have been planning this for several months to coincide with the election, think of how many American soldiers' lives might have been spared if they had changes plans months ago. It is simply unacceptable to play politics with our servicemen and women’s lives.

The saddest truth that I gained from my “vacation” from posting is that both parties are morally bankrupt and need to be gutted. I have always felt myself to be an “I’ll vote for the best guy” kind of voter, but what is one to do when neither guy is palatable? Jump ship! Do what we here at the Monkey have been advocating all along…start a revolution to change the system. Run for office, start a grassroots campaign for change, start a letter writing campaign and flood Congress with mail for change. DO SOMETHING. The other thing that I have learned is that all of the blogs in the world will not change a damned thing if the people who hold this country and their freedom dear do not get up off of their complacent asses and make change. I am going to try to do my part by writing my Congressman on a DAILY basis. It sounds small, but it is a start.

“Even a thousand mile journey begins with the first step.” Lao Tzu

[ For a related article on the need for inefficiency and obstruction needed in politics, see A House Divided . -sm ]

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"Waiting on the World to Chan

MegM (Unregistered) 2006-10-20 11:55:35

The title of my comment is quite an accurate discription of my generation and the one coming behind me.

I'm 30. I've been a voter for 12 years, now. And I'm the "vote for the best candidate," type, not holding to a party line, but being very specific about where my vote is cast. And I'm quite aware, that I put more research into it, than many of my peers.

We let our authority figures, and our television tell us who to vote for. We're overwhelmed, apathetic, distracted and lazy, when it comes to holding our elected officials to task. We forget that "WE THE PEOPLE" are the "boss" of the country.

I was ranting and venting, to my boyfriend, yesterday, about the Millitary Commisions Act being signed into law, and nullifying Habeus Corpus, and many of the Bill of Rights. The question he kept throwing back at me, was "What do you want to do about it?"

In short... it scares me shitless, that I have no idea.

Thank you for this article, is what I mean to say. This essay is what many of us feel, and gives a suggestion for what the "little guy" can do to spark a change.

Those of us feeling overwhelmed, exhausted and alienated from the system; we need this, now.

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*giggle*

MegM (Unregistered) 2006-10-20 11:56:25

The title was cut off... "Waiting on the World to Change," - John Mayer.

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You Inspired Me

MegM (Unregistered) 2006-10-20 14:24:41

To create a virtual grassroots group on Myspace. Specifically for folks to gather, discuss, and plan action. Peaceful Assembly.

http://groups.myspace.com/citizencombatant

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Thanks Meg

boomsquared (Unregistered) 2006-10-20 15:03:18

You're correct. We are the little people and it seems horribly daunting to even consider taking on the machine. But, as good citizens, we have to do something even if it means doing it one cog at a time.
The other thing that you could do to help is to become a regular contributor to the Monkey.

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re: MegM

admin (Super Administrator) 2006-10-20 15:07:32

Meg,

If you have a minute, could you contact me via the "Contact" link in the main menu? ...just have a thought or two about your 'virtual grassroots group.'

Thanks,

-ShadowMonkey

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What can we do?

admin (Super Administrator) 2006-10-20 15:11:52

For more thoughts, see The Triumph of Liberty

-sm

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