Party Animals

As Mark Twain once said, “Opinions are like assholes, everybody has one,” or was it Shania Twain?…Anyway here is my opinion on one of the biggest problems in our country today:  Politics and our so called two-party system.

Now before you start telling me there is more than two parties: No, there’s not.  The Tea Party is simply a bunch of disgruntled Republicans who lost some money in the stock market and are pissed about it.  The Libertarians are a bunch of Republicans who are more paranoid than Darth Cheney and are afflicted with the Ebenezer Scrooge Syndrome.  Tiny Tim can hobble along on his crutch the best way he can.  The Green Party are woodsy Democrats who like to go camping and please, don’t even get me started on the Presbyterians.

I believe our two-party system is a private party and the public is not invited.  The political parties were originally created for communication.  It was a way to spread a message or ideas pre-telephone, radio or TV.  Now with the internet and all of the social media networks and 24 hr news on TV, there is no need for the party system. 

Being a member of one our political parties has virtually no benefits unless you are a politician or work for a politician. You don’t get a discount at hotels, airlines or rental cars.  There are no Republican or Democrat coupons for the grocery store and your car doesn’t get any better gas mileage.

The real scam of the party system is that the idea or message that they preach to get you into their party seems to go out the window the minute they are elected.  History has shown once the Republicans got into power they spent money faster than the Democrats.  Even the word party doesn’t fit.  Do you see any body having fun?  I mean other than the politicians, the people who work for them and the lobbyist are the only ones yucking it up at happy hour at taxpayers expense.

Politics is a team sport.  Charisma mixed with a little bullshit can get you to the top of the pile but you actually can’t change anything by yourself.  It’s sorta like sending your star quarterback out on the field while his linemen sit on the bench.

The prevailing wisdom in Washington is to get along and go along. Once elected, a politician’s primary agenda is to get elected again.  Everything else is secondary.  I believe that 98% of all the decisions made in Congress are based on self-serving political reasons; what is best for the party and what is best for their career.  1% comes from some knee-jerk far right wing-nut job and 1% come from some far left dip-shit who hasn’t got a clue to how the real world works.

I think that there are occasionally a few people who get into politics for the right reason. They think that they can do the right thing for their constituents and make big changes, but soon find out they have no voice or clout. Think of the kid who gets sent to prison because he either made a stupid choice or was in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Do you think he comes out (A) a better person and rehabilitated or (B) a harden criminal?  I’ll bet on B every time.

Every Senator and most of the Representatives are millionaires.  The vast majority are white males.  They have a wonderful health plan and their retirement is guaranteed; do you think they really can relate to the working guy or out of work person who is simply trying to put food on the table and keep his kids in school?  I don’t think so.

This is the case even with people who grew up poor and now find themselves with money and power.  Paul Ryan, House Republican from Wisconsin is a perfect example. Paul was sixteen years old when his father died of a heart attack at age 55.  Paul began collecting his Social Security survivor's benefits until age eighteen, which he saved for college tuition and expenses.   Now Paul would like to make major changes to the system that put him through college. What a guy!

I do not believe that the founders of this country ever intended for public service to be an occupation.  I think public service is a duty that responsible people choose to do for a short period of time and then return to being productive citizens.

Maybe if we sent enough folks to Washington who had no ties or affiliations with a political party and they knew they were only going to be there for a short period of time instead of a lifelong career, they might work together for the good of the country.  I have no idea if this could work but it certainly couldn’t be any worse than it is now.  




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