I'm pretty glad this topic made me stop and think about things I love about America. Because, I gotta say, after watching Tony Danza's hosting of this year's Capitol Fourth, I was beginning to question why I still live here. (Sorry, I tried to find a YouTube link for that, but there doesn't seem to be one. Trust me that it was pretty embarrassing for everyone).
I'm kidding, of course, about questioning why I live here. I feel like I have to say that this week because people seem pretty sensitive about such a basic issue. Why do you like the place you live? When I was younger, I used to be a lot more "patriotic" than I am now. As I got older, I got more cynical and focused more on the negative aspects of American culture. But there's really so much good.
For example, an I know this sounds like a strange place to start, but look at the American media. As Laurie mentioned, the right to free speech in America is amazing. When our government lies to the people, the media steps in to make their actions known. In a lot of ways, the media can be more powerful than a dishonest executive and a weak legislative branch, which we've had quite a bit of lately. A few days ago I mentioned the Washington Post articles about Dick Cheney lately, the four part Angler. I thought this was a fascinating look at places few citizens can reach and a great insight into the nuts and bolts of this particular administration. The same, of course, can be said for the Woodward and Bernstein reporting of Watergate, to name a big one.
Obviously, not all media outlets exist to promote truth, fairness, and transparency in government. But that's when we leave it to the American people to make up their own minds. I certainly don't think voters always make the correct choices, or at least they don't tend to vote as a group the same way I vote as an individual. And I don't think recent events support the idea that the voters as a group made the correct decision in 2004. However, this is still a democracy. We won't always a agree on everything, but we have the power to correct it. This awesome power can create a pendulum effect-- one group gets power, another is dissatisfied and works harder to mobilize, the group in power gets lazy and careless and is soon replaced.
So the democracy, the civil rights, and the freedom that citizens have to make their own choices makes America a place of hope. I have the hope, for example, that the current administration and ruling party will be replaced with another that will take the country's interests above those of corporations and individual interest groups. Not every mistake in the past can be fixed, but if we all participate in the electoral process--learn about the issues, form our own opinions, vote, and pay attention to the outcomes--then we can at least positively influence the future.
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8 comments:
Well, at least the voters made the right choice in 2000.
It used to be that the U.S. was a place where any child could grow up with dreams of becoming the president. Now, one needn't apply if poor or of a frowned upon job title. Both political parties have forgotten the masses and cater to the millionaire elites. Let me know when the likes of John Doe sanitation engineer or Jane Doe animal rights' enforcer are on a ballot that isn't tilted in favor of ivy league educated lawyers, doctors, or actors with million dollar war (?) chest funds.
The common man (person) has become invisible in today's multi-million dollar election extravaganzas. Congress needs a good cleaning out with office holders having job titles and income percentages that actually mirror those in the real world. Maybe then, would things start to get better for "everyone" here in the land of the free and the home of the brave.
And, the best thing about the U.S. is its ginormous supermarkets with tons of cheap and tasty foods. Try and find Lucky Charms cereal, Big Red soda pop, Best Maid pickles, or Blue Bell ice cream in other parts of the world or in the amount of choices we have when we shop. We do take a lot for granted. We complain about high gas prices, but happily pay double that for bottled water when what comes out of the tap is clean and cheap (We do bathe in it, and it hasn't led to our skin sloughing off or erupting in hideous puss-filled sores and open lesions).
But, we have come quite a ways from our cave dwelling days. It's just too bad that in our instant gratification new world order, that we haven't come to realize that any real change doesn't happen in the amount of time it takes to send and receive an e-mail or text message. We are still evolving, and hopefully will never live in a world of illusions like the Talosians and so many other special interest groups and religions are striving for.
Ha! I'm assuming your reference to The Cage was for my benefit. Though Nick would get it too. Maybe he doesn't want people to know he's a big Star Trek fan, too, though.
I'm not really sure if I want Joe Plumber deciding who to invade, although I do agree that the pandering to the millionaire elite has got to stop. Really, is some ivy leaguer's education that much better than my public school education? I might argue that by only going to public schools I learned a lot of important social lessons the Skull and Bones group probably can't begin to comprehend.
I was going to make a reference regarding Quark's holosuites but felt that it would be lost on most who aren't DS9 fans or followers.
I don't know... I think Joe (or Jane!) Plumber still does have a chance of becoming President if he works himself up through the ranks like you would have to for any other job. Maybe he runs first for city council, and then mayor. If he does a good job as mayor (Nick's mayor need not apply), then he gets elected to the state government, and eventually to national representation, and--if he's still doing a good job and keeping his nose clean--he could certainly make a run for president. I agree 150% that the current administration is all about personal favors and skull-and-bones elitism, but I don't this is a fundamental part of the system.
Also, there's pleanty of water that ISN'T good to drink in America-- there's still places in DC with very old iron (or steel? I forget) pipes and the water has a high mecury level. Although, I have to recommend a personal water filter before buying all those plastic bottles.
And, yes, I drink the DC water... which is exactly what I'll tell my children when they are born with three eyes or webbed fingers.
:)
It's not only the current administration. I have a big problem with the Clintons turning their backs on small town America (from which they made their political fortunes), and becoming all Hollywood on us small folk. Why couldn't she become the Senator from Arkansas or Illinois instead of New York? It's because she was thinking of her political future and no longer has any use for us little people back home.
Politics is a nasty game that most decent folk don't have the stomach for, or the ruthless streak to see it carried out to the highest of offices. Most would end up like Gary Cooper in "Meet John Doe."
And, why isn't Congress doing anything about what ails America (education, health care, immigration, jobs, etc.? These are a bunch of rich do-nothing buffoons. The main reason is that the economy has been chugging along. It would be different if 20% of the people were unemployed as riots would be occurring, but the status quo and bread and circuses (cheap beer, satellite TV, computer games, and internet porn) lull us into a sense of complacency. Can you imagine the backlash against illegal immigration that would occur if something disastrous where to happen now, when we went all "Grapes of Wrath" on our own Okie brothers and sisters during the Great Depression?
I really don't think that Joe Plumber - or any other average American Jane/John Doe - has a chance to do more than become involved in politics in a small town. Anywhere else, the amount of money needed to run a campaign is beyond the realm of feasibility for the average folk.
I agree that the amount of money needed to pursue a campaign is obscene. Raising that money is now the primary activity of politicians. But this is all inevitable in a system where elections are planned out well in advance, and that system is the problem. Why, in the calendar year of 2006 was there discussion of candidates for an election that won't happen until late 2008? If politicians are fund raising, posturing and preening, they're not working.
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