Friday, September 3, 2010

Perspectives and politics part 2

With our leaders' positions so illogically based, and those we elect focused more on what they can do for the themselves, or for special interests, and not on specifically doing what is proper for the nation as a whole, it is no wonder that America's Federal Government has become incompetent and unable to pass even the most basic of all legislation without finding the need to write that legislation to include ridiculous add on's and riders which have nothing to do with the actual legislation that the premise of the bill was written for.
No other proof needs to be offered of the ineptitude of our Nations leadership than the statements of Harry Reid in the summer of 2009. Senator Reid (D) was asked about the health care legislation (known as Obamacare) that was before Congress at that time. Specifically, he was asked about the monstrous length of the bill-some 2000 plus pages-and if he had bothered to read every page. Mr. Reid's reply: that he believed that most of Congress does not read "most" of the legislation they adopt, nor did he believe that "80%" of Congress could even "understand" legislative language.
Why is this important as it relates to perspectives? Because perspectives are the basis for all our decision making: if even supporters of Obamacare didn't bother read the bill, or couldn't understand it, then how could they have even had a perspective from which to decide on whether to vote yes or no in passing the legislation?
What could possibly be the perspective of Congress, in regards to the American people-the people they are hired by us to serve-when they pass such monstrous and incoherent legislation such as Obamacare, and most of those who vote for it aren't even able to understand it?
Health care legislation aside, what about the other 2 large issues facing America today?
There are those in Congress, and Mr. Obama himself, who stand against the Arizona law to help fight the illegal immigration problem in their state. Why? From what perspective are they basing their opinions concerning the matter? It certainly isn't from a Constitutionally legal perspective (the U.S. Constitution is very clear that States have the right to enforce laws that the Federal Government to be incapable of enforcing, and in the case of the securing our border with Mexico it has proven unable to do so), and they refuse to explain why except to say something to the effect that we should welcome "all who seek the freedoms America offers".
How about our economy? On what economic basis are the opinions of Congress regarding current job and economic growth, as idea after idea they have to turn our economy around and create job growth fails miserably, and is only making the situation worse down the road?

This is why perspectives become important: a perspective with a basis in poor logic, leads to an opinion based on poor logic, which can lead to a bad idea being passionately supported by those who don't fully comprehend it because it is too illogical to understand rationally-but it "sounds" like a good idea.
I believe solving the problem is easy: we, the people, must be diligent when it comes to who we elect to public office-of all levels.
The surest way is to never stop asking them "why" and "how" they believe what they believe will work: "why" will their idea for fixing things work better than another idea; "how" will they implement it; etc...
I've watched many a debate, and many a question and answer session of politicians at all levels of government, and few reporters, journalists or people ever ask questions that start with "why" or "how". And on those few occasions that such questions are asked and the standard political double speak is given, you never hear a "what" question for further, and simple, explanation, and even why that question is asked, and the standard political double speak is given again, the reporter or person asking generally gives up-they stop pressing for a proper and adequate answer to their question.
We should never stop asking them.
We should never stop forcing them to answer.
We should never take double talk as an answer.
And we should never accept "no" and never stop asking until we are satisfied that whoever the politician is we are speaking too, has given as much of an answer as they are capable of giving.

The vast majority of "we" the people don't realize the power we wield over the politicians we elect to public office, but they do; and it is why they continue to hold power despite have no real perspective of what they are trying to do for us.

No comments: