United State of Dumberica

This country has been ruined by television. I think it started with Crossfire, probably before that though. TV has made it all right for opinionated people to be more divisive and the fickle people into sheep following the likes of Limbaugh, Hannity, Olberman, Matthews, et al. These sheep all follow the loudest, rudest and most pompous shepherd. These are smart gentlemen who happen to mask it by stirring up anger and fear and they end up being caricatures of the people they “represent” and also themselves. Fox, CNN, MSNBC and now even Comedy Central make their mint on these people and hammerhead politicians acting like complete idiots.

I used to enjoy Stewart and Colbert. I do still like both actually, but seeing the same people they show everyday doing the same exact thing for what seems like years now is just getting ridiculous. Has America reached a point where we cannot listen to one another civilly? If someone does not agree with you, it is his or her right as an American. You have a right to argue. Each of us has the right to ignore those we don’t agree with. It may be in one’s interest to actually consider what and why something is being said.

The worst part is that it seems as though politicians are steering themselves down a dark and seriously dangerous road. They are taking that same road in opposite yet equally risky directions. The attitude from both sides is that I am right and you are wrong. I don’t like what you are saying therefore you are a Nazi. Or your ideas are that of a socialist. It is no longer possible to disagree and just be an American with a differing opinion.

Each time a politician, talk show host or “news program” piles on it’s opponent it is snuffing out Democracy. As flawed as it is, this is the type of government we choose to live by. Being a jerk may be a god given right, but out-jerking one another kicks the legs out of democracy by not giving those we disagree a proper platform for his or her opinion.

Politics is not a game. Americans and others lives depend on the government. Whether or not you want a big government or a small one. What is decided affects everyone in this country. The government is HUGE no matter which side you come down on. Disparaging opponents and yelling and screaming and being vindictive does not help any civilian to understand even the tiniest fraction of what is decided on Capitol Hill. Lying and misleading are unsafe and irresponsible. We need everything to be as cut and dry as possible.

In the over 200 years we have been a country politicians have found every loophole there is. It would be great (and easy) if we could hit he reset button. Even if that were an option would you trust out leaders to look back in history, and acknowledge mistakes and successes? Make the easy and obvious decisions. Or would pride takeover and they all just take the same old hammerhead approach?

The reality is they have that option everyday. Not the reset button option, but the opportunity to look back into our history and beyond. Generally what happens in the past will likely come up again in the future. Being a complete A-hole occasionally works, but in the long run it tends lose the attention of peaceful, normal people: especially if their ideas do not correspond all ready. Working together, cutting out the nonsense, sticking to facts, learning from one another would all seem to be better ways for a democracy to work. Too bad, because that is as likely to happen as The Jackson Family agreeing on Michael’s last wishes.