Disenchantment

To build off last week's post, I must admit that I find myself more and more disenchanted with our contemporary system.  See, I've been working for the past several years as a team facilitator - I work with groups anywhere from elementary age through adult and corporate, and we work through a sequence of activities directed at any number of outcomes, most revolving around cooperation, communication, trust, and working together.  And, after a few hours or a few days, I bid the group adieu and we go our separate ways, hoping that they picked up at least one or two things to apply back at school, home, or work that may help they resolve differences to continue to move forward.

But at at the same time I know that when they get home, they can flip on the TV and watch our politicians, so polarized by party that any semblance of cooperation or compromise is instantly shut down.  Republicans who vote in favor of Democrat initiatives are shunned and vice versa.  Congressmen and Senators end up losing their seats if they vote "wrong".

No longer does the primary focus seem to be the betterment and growth of America and her people.

It seems the primary focus of votes, campaigns, and activities are instead to prove how right your side is, and that the other side is wrong.  Votes put before Congress are put on hold, a freeze that grips both Houses until either one side concedes or the idea is thrown out entirely.  The important thing is to be a good and true conservative or liberal, not to act in the best interest of your constituents.  Campaign ads this year proved an excellent example, as words such as "liberal" (from a Baldwin attack ad: "More liberal that Pelosi, too liberal for Wisconsin") or "conservative" ("Mark Neumann, conservative way before it was cool") are used as insults as well as compliments.  Pay no attention to their track record, in no small part to a data phenomenon wherein bipartisan committees are only correct if their numbers are something you want to hear.  A candidate this year somehow managed to both agree with the Congressional Budget Office when their numbers lined up with his campaign ideologies, then turn around and dismiss them as partisan when other numbers stopped helping his platform.  The Government Accountability Office shrank form 5,000 to 3,200 after pointing out wasteful spending in Congress.  Their reaction?  Slash the GAO budget.

Some may say "well that's just how it's always been".  And to some point, you're undoubtedly correct.  And even if it's the way it's always been, why would we continue to allow Washington, Madison, and all the others slowly grind to a halt as parties become increasingly important?  Wouldn't we the People want positive change, not partisan decisions taking account party over issue, to decide our direction?  Why not try to change it?

And so it goes.  Compromise becomes the greatest antagonist, spelling career demise for any foolish soul daring to undertake it.  If this is the way American politics are headed and we choose to follow, I believe we deserve what we get.