Getting Political
J. Gardner
When it comes to politics, I usually try to stay informed, while staying out of political arguments. I feel that it is important to know what is going on in the world, and to have opinions about political issues, while still retaining an open mind and a willingness to respect the differing opinions of others. Tonight, though, I'm venturing out into the turbulent waters of the political Blogosphere...
Two words that I have come to loathe are "liberal" and "conservative". Both words are thrown around so carelessly and slanderously that they have lost any semblance of real meaning. They are nothing more than mutually-exclusive labels that detract from the core truth of American Democracy: in order to be successful, we must allow for the free exchange of ideas between people with opposing views.
As for me, I come down near the center of the political spectrum... which is also where I think a great majority of Americans would find themselves if they did an honest self-evaluation free of party affiliations. It really is a pity that politics are such a polarizing, divisive issue, because outside of those who live on the fringes of the far-left and far-right, most of us are not that far apart on the issues (Issues? Remember when politics was about issues rather than semantics and personalities?).
Democrats tend to put more emphasis on social issues, because most "liberals" (for lack of a better word) have a genuine desire to help those in need. They want to give a helping hand to anyone who needs it. This is a noble desire, and civic-minded people who devote themselves to such causes should be applauded.
Republicans tend to put more emphasis on issues of personal responsibility, because most "conservatives" have a genuine desire for every man and woman to better themselves through hard work and self-sacrifice. This is also noble, and those who have worked hard and achieved personal success should also be applauded.
The problem lies when we let ourselves be drawn toward the fringes. Most political "isms" (socialism, capitalism, fundamentalism, etc) start out as great ideas, but when taken to extremes they breed corruption and ill-will. One reason that American Democracy is so great is that, when it works, Patriotic men and women with differing viewpoints engage in civil debate to reach a compromise that is in the best interest of the people. That is what the Founding Fathers had in mind when they were drawing up the Constitution... unfortunately we're a long way from what they probably envisioned.
Instead of working together, balancing each other out to reach basically "moderate" or "centrist" conclusions (where most Americans fall), liberals and conservatives both tend to fight against the other to prove themselves right, rather than compromise on issues where, partisan politics aside, they probably aren't too far apart. This pulls the country toward both extremes. This is our "culture war".
Those on the far-left see the Government's duty as being to protect the unfortunate by "enforcing" civic service and charitable aims. They view those who disagree with them as greedy, uncaring, and cynical.
Those on the far-right see the Government's duty as being to protect the hard-working by "enforcing" an environment conducive to capitalistic gains. They view those who disagree with them as frivolous, patronizing, and idealistic.
Both sides have lost sight of the middle ground. Neither can recognize that both feel that they are protecting the innocent, nor understand why anyone would not want to do so. Our society brutally abuses the term "rights". Rather than agreeing that all Americans have a responsibility to respect and care for their neighbor, those on the right feel like they have a "right" to keep what they've earned, and those on the left feel like they have a "right" to have what they need.
One thing Obama and McCain correctly have in common is the belief that the American political system is broken. Unfortunately, I feel like neither of them are going to be able to fix it continuing their current paths. Both are pandering to voters and polarizing the issues, which is how we got in this mess to begin with. The problem with politics is politicians.
I feel fairly confident in saying that most Americans would love nothing more than to see "liberals" and "conservatives" come together to compromise on social and economic issues (and find out they aren't such different things). When socially-minded Democrats work with capitalistic-minded Republicans, the result ought to be a system of government that makes it possible for all Americans to find fulfilling work, get a good education, become financially stable for life, and give back to our society through civic service to make provisions for those who are truly unable to do these things (orphans, those with mental and physical disabilities, the elderly, etc). Philosophically, this should sound good to both conservatives and liberals, but it can only happen when those in elected office put aside their ego, quit trying to be right, and try to do what's right for the nation. Not an easy task, but theoretically, that is what the country's Chief Executive and its legislators are paid to do.
As a final post-scripted note, I should clarify that when I use the word "compromise" I mean it as a purely political term. Naturally, I would never advocate compromising one's morals. However, morality is not a legislative issue. We live in a fallen world, and no one can expect everyone to share his or her moral views. As Christians, we are commanded to regard our neighbors, even our enemies, with grace and love. That commandment is apolitical. If we wonder why our society's moral fabric has decayed, ought we not to examine the way we conduct ourselves around those whom we would seek to influence, to see whether we meet the standard set forth in God's Word? (Romans is a great place to start)
I'll leave you with this hypothetical example as food for thought: Is it possible to compromise politically on an issue such as abortion (why not open that can of worms) without compromising morals? For instance, there is a high likelihood that Barack Obama will be our next President. On moral grounds, most Christians are opposed to his stance on abortion. However, as Obama himself has said, "we may not agree on abortion, but surely we can agree on reducing the number of abortions in this country." Would it not be possible for Pro-Lifers to work within the bounds of the laws of the land (like them or not) together with Pro-Choicers toward a common goal of reducing the total number of abortions in America? Ask yourself this: While fewer abortions may not be as good as no abortions, is it better than the status quo, which is the result of both sides stubbornly refusing to cooperate?
