Fool me once....

Sometimes I’m unfortunately slow when it comes to adding two plus two. In this case, the arithmetic actually focuses on one plus one: Why is it that a supposed democracy that’s controlled by only two major political parties, and has been for most of its existence, is not considered to be an oligarchy? With, essentially, the option to only choose between a Democrat or a Republican, or not vote at all, the two parties have little incentive to put forward their best and brightest. A winning candidate only has to be more acceptable than their opponent. In the business world, we have anti-monopoly and anti-competitive safeguards and regulatory agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission. What’s the comparable model in the pollitical worlld? The two-party system has brought US to where we are today. Politics isn’t about choosing what’s best for the country, it’s about grasping and holding onto power, even it that requires help from foreign countries.

Your Voice Your Vote USE IT

Photo by J. Harrington

For the first time in our history, the Republican-controlled House has unseated its Speaker. It is also continuing to fail to fund the government. Meanwhile, the Democrat-controlled White House has failed to honor a campaign promise to not extend a border wall and has offered what reads to me like the weakest possible rationale for its decisions.

We have, for too long, lived with a pattern of the Republicans making a mess of the economy and government that the Democrats then clean up and voters are then convinced that Republicans deserve another chance. Vote and repeat. Why aren’t enough of US tired of this to change the game?

There’s a saying where I grew up: “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.” It seems to me the US electorate is well paste the point where is should continue to vote as if we are all shameful fools. According to Gallup, there may be hope yet: Support for Third U.S. Political Party Up to 63%. Personally, I don’t support Confined Animal Feed Operations [CAFOs] whether they're for cattle or hogs; asses or elephants. I want and need more options than only two choices.

For the Children

The rising hills, the slopes,
of statistics
lie before us.
the steep climb
of everything, going up,
up, as we all
go down.

In the next century
or the one beyond that,
they say,
are valleys, pastures,
we can meet there in peace
if we make it.

To climb these coming crests
one word to you, to
you and your children:

stay together
learn the flowers
go light

Gary Snyder

From: Turtle Island

********************************************
Thanks for visiting. Come again when you can.
Please be kind to each other while you can.