"The alternate
domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge
natural to party dissention, which in different ages & countries has
perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But
this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders
& miseries, which result, gradually incline the minds of men to seek
security & repose in the absolute power of an Individual: and sooner or
later the chief of some prevailing faction more able or more fortunate than his
competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on
the ruins of Public Liberty." — George Washington, September
19, 1796
I wrote the below article on our political parties two
years. In fact it was my second attempt to shine the spotlight on the system
that has seemingly devolved us from informed voter to mindless party hacks.
It was my attempt to educate people that we have, in fact,
been lied to, by both political parties, for much too long. Now, as the
‘anti-establishment’ candidates, for the 2016 presidential race, seem to be
taking hold, I thought I would once again dust it off and see if I could get
people to take their party blinders off. This country is in dire straits and it
is time that we take a long hard look at the world that we have created, in our
blind obedience to the party masters, and begin to take control of this runaway
train.
No More Political Parties – Change we CAN believe in! (June 12th,
2013)
I piss people off.
My 17, going on 70, year old daughter will attest to that
little fact.
I don’t try to, but there comes a point when you need to
speak up and state, unequivocally, where you stand on issues.
I think Washington, D.C. needs a dose of
this.
The other day I got pulled into a sports conversation and I
admitted that I have adopted the George Carlin position on sports:
“I decided it's not
necessary to suffer and feel crappy just because my teams suck. What I do now
is cut 'em loose for a while. I simply let them go about losing, as I go about
living my life. Then, when they've improved, and are doing well once again, I
get back on board and enjoy their success. Yeah, I know, I can hear it. Diehard,
asshole loyal sports fans screaming, "Front-runner!" Goddamn right!
Don't be fuckin' juvenile. Teams are supposed to provide pleasure and
entertainment, not depression and disappointment.
…. Why on earth would
you place your happiness and peace of mind in the hands of several dozen
strangers? Listen, folks, if they win, fine; if they lose, fuck 'em! Let 'em
practice more.”
Does that sound harsh?
I hope so, because it is the truth. I've talked about
it before. Political
Parties Explained.
Every day I turn on the TV and I become depressed. Why you
ask? Because politicians have turned into Athletes.
Rather than practice more, they have adopted the status
quo and now just point fingers at the other guy.
Remember when EVERYONE hated the Yankees?
Why?
Because they fielded the best team possible. Period. End of
story.
Well, we, as Americans, have been duped into rooting for two
opposing teams, but the fact that they both suck
doesn’t seem to mean much to them. They just point their finger at the other
team and expect you to believe them.
But they are lying to your face and worse, YOU actually
believe them.
I’m not going to get into who lies more, Republican or
Democrat. I’m just going to give you one sample because I think it fits into
the discussion we are having in America right now over the whole NSA
issue.
In May 2006, then Senator Joseph Biden said
"I don't have to
listen to your phone calls to know what you're doing. If I know every single
phone call that you've made, I'm able to determine every single person you talk
to; I can get a pattern about your life that is very, very intrusive. The real
question here is what do they do with this information they collect that does
not have anything to do with Al-Qaida? We're going to trust the president and
vice president of the United States that we're doing the right thing?
Don't count me in on that."
So, how exactly is that working out for you? Bet you'd love
to have those words back, huh, Joe?
You see, my point is this, both sides lie to you. Without
remorse or fear because they know you will continue to vote by party lines. But
what would happen if we did away with the parties? What would D.C. look like if
we removed the political party finger pointing?
Wouldn’t it be a novel idea if we forced people to run a
campaign based, not on which party band wagon they have hoped on, but the
issues.
Honestly, how many of you ever bothered to find out where
the ‘other guy’ stood on issues, before going into the polling booth? Most
likely you voted the following:
PARTY LINE.
I’m not condemning you. We have been ingrained to think this
way.
But have you ever wondered if that’s exactly why we are in
the position we are today?
It cannot be right when one party does it and then wrong
when the other party does it.
That’s disingenuous and if the people in ‘your’ party are
telling you, “well it’s complicated,” they are lying to you.
The complicated issue is that you got caught doing
the same thing you railed against.
In other words, “the other team really didn't ‘stack the
deck’, we just suck right now.”
I don’t know about you, but I am not going to vote by party
any longer, I am going to vote by person.
Here is a campaign slogan I can get behind: PERSON, NOT
PARTY.
