What can one say about such a mundane subject as politics? More particularly, American politics, because that is where my experiences lie. I've read some things about European politics and remember bits and pieces about world politics taught in college classes however, these are spun from someone else's experience and point of view. For all it is worth I will try to write only what is my experience and observation.
OK, so we are at some point going to be swayed/influenced by others. Before I continue here are a few gems that linger in my sphere of influences.
Regarding politics, Aristotle, particularly his work of political philosophy, ta politika (translation - "Politics"), where the word literally means "the things concerning the polis:"
Book 1:
"For man, when perfected, is the best of animals, but, when separated from law and justice, he is the worst of all; since armed injustice is more dangerous."
And I just have to add this gem:
"Politicks is the science of good sense, applied to public affairs, and, as those are forever changing, what is wisdom to-day would be folly and perhaps, ruin to-morrow. Politicks is not a science so properly as a business. It cannot have fixed principles, from which a wise man would never swerve, unless the inconstancy of men's view of interest and the capriciousness of the tempers could be fixed." [Fisher Ames (1758–1808)]
Pretty cool for some old 18th century dude, huh!?
Since politics is power and having been a sociology major I have to add something from social psychologists on how we might seperate one sort of power from another:
incentive power - power to reward.
coercive power - power to punish.
legitimate power - power in a law enforcer or the referee for example is given to a person by a recognized authority to enforce standards of behavior. Like coercive power unacceptable behavior is punished by some penalty.
referent power - power to attract others using charisma and interpersonal skills and to build loyalty
expert power - springing from education or experience. Conditional to circumstances, taking/heeding the advise of an expert may be rewarded with success.
OK, to begin this downward spiral (for that is the only way for politics to go) ...
I heard some years ago a comedienne explain the etymology of politics as "poly-ticks- that means many ticks", and I agree with her that's a pretty good explanation of things political. Blood sucking parasites that most of us have a particular aversion to, unless we are related to guinea hens or the like in which case they are a delectable treat, evoke almost an immediate fright or flight reaction, or disgust reaction. Interestingly ticks only breed after blood sucking, thus enhancing the similarities between politicians and the arachnid mite; they do tend to breed devoted acolytes. I'm not sure what it is about politics but no matter how political aspirants arrive on the scene, they all wind up stinking just the same. Damn! My rather sarcastic or individual definition for the political and all connected to it is this:
Politics: a system, albeit dysfunctional, of which the original intent of participants may be to do good for a given society, community or group of people but which in the end usually brings harm to either the entire society and/or segments within it and often extends its harmful influence outside the given community.
The unfortunate truth is things political are something that we can neither live with or without and brings us back to Aristotle, "...when separated from law and justice, he is the worst of all; since armed injustice is more dangerous." In this light we are damned for doing and lambasted if we don't.
Can we talk about this damnable politics then? Everyone seems to be doing it. Spurred by the cycle of American presidential campaigning the country's citizens are fervently engaged in an activity that most ignore or avoid in other seasons while getting on with the more important business of survival. I've never seen, in my short life, so many people getting overstimulated about something they, for the most part, know little to nothing about. Let's face it, the average American does not care to know anything about the politics of their country unless there is some direct and immediate benefit to come their way or that the benefit is being taken away. Never has it been more apparent about the divisiveness of our political make-up than at this very point in history. Interestingly it is a split that goes right down the middle if polls are to be believed. My experience is that most of us linger somewhere between the two extremes, but the only ones with a voice hang out on the far fringes of left and right. Add the media bias into the mix and things swing heavily left at this time but no matter what you are hearing it is ludicously tilted, false, absurd, corrupt and bent on propagandizing you into a state of unconciousness. You are called to swing yourself up into one of the only two saddles that'll ride you to the ranch or find yourself "ramblin' around with the ramblin' tumbleweeds." A problem with this scenario is that you'll certainly find yourself at a ranch, but just what goes on there will be a mystery. You'll have no true way of knowing immediately because on the way the horse was just "blowin' in the wind." In fact in all cases all the horses are blowin' wind, and added to that they also wander it the direction of any current breeze. So, get upwind baby. As for clarity or common sense, leave that to a few one term local yokels or officials of a very small and remote burg.
So here we are, a twisted mass of common, nonsensical, self serving, self aggrandizing, self righteous, single minded idiots gravitating towards the same institution politika and not a one more trustworthy than another. Yet, we still roll out red carpets, kneel in idol worship and pretend like these morons are going to make everything all better, or better than the last guy, or less bad than another because you gotta have hope. Candidates bask in the limelight of power and spew out their community/nation saving rhetoric between teeth clenched grins, all while hoping that their carefully selected entourage will keep you, the people, far enough at bay so as not to figure out exactly what their true intent, leaning or understanding is on critical issues that will directly affect your life. Their elite boundary of bungling fools willingly place themselves in the line of fire to entertain and distract you like masterful prestidigitators. These are your scapegoats who will take the fire for the "...and I endorse this message" campaigning; they are the I trusted their source people. And while some will definitely be culled early on others will cling on expectantly awaiting a chance to become part of the "really big show," "can you throw me some frigging peanuts" lackeys. Monkeys, yes I said monkeys, all of them, red, yellow, black and white they vie for your attention and one single goober of a vote from you. Then whether you toss the goodie their way or not expect the certain turn and sling of the sludge from their backsides toward your faces with a laugh and a swing like jubilant apes. Please forgive my analogy all you non-human hominoids. I just want to make the point that these are the people we reverence, hallow and look to for approval, salvation and mercy.
Bestowing upon such mongels expert power to the nth degree though in truth few are experts at any one thing seems a bit naive. I just don't get it. Politicians don't either because they proceed as if they are experts with a magical solution to all our ills. Then through quasi-legitimate power given by our votes for them, they become the "big brother" enforcers of order within our society. They deign to bring us into line despite ourselves.
Let's go through each level of power as it manifests itself, or not, in American politics. We've already fringed on incentive power, the power of reward. Let's face it, that's what drives our political area from every angle. What have you got that I want or can take? What am I going to get out of this? How little can I get by giving you to get what I want and so on... Right on the tails of incentive is coersive power, the power to punish. If you don't give on this then I won't help you in another area (no matter how important). If you speak your mind and it isn't my line then my media attach dogs WILL get you. If you run for office and I have the power then you will be smeared and so on. As for legitimate power, authoritative or actual power given by position, I have to question if it actually exists in our government. This is because I often see our government acting "legitimately." That would mean constitutionally. Since we usually operate along thin lines of legal leeways and gaps, I'm not sure about the word legitimate. What is legitimate these days? Like referent power, is this a legitimate way to gain power? While you could ague that you want someone who can sway opinions, do you want them swaying opinions without substance, understanding, experience? Beauty and powerful speech can take one only so far. Unfortunately, charisma over integrity and experience is too often a deciding factor for voters. Expert power, springing from knowledge or experience, let's just say if experience makes you an expert then such exists. My hopes for experts though is that they really have a broad and unbiased understanding of their field. Sorry, ain't gonna happen in government. The best you can look for is someone who surrounds themselves with a broad, unbiased group of "experts" and actually listens to them.
That brings us back to Fisher Ames statement on politics, "It cannot have fixed principles, from which a wise man would never swerve, unless the inconstancy of men's view of interest and the capriciousness of the tempers could be fixed." I think he is saying that wise political aspirants would be better off being flexible and ready to grow and change on issues, not becoming too indecisive and thus ineffectual, but ready to both compromise and change as they come to deeper understandings and to recognize that people, institutions and events change and so too should politics.
I'm neither liberal nor conservative, not democrat or republican, or even decidedly one of the third parties, mostly because they are either too far winged of one party or simply confused and undefined like myself. If I had my druthers and I surely don't there'd be no political parties, fiestas or galas and money would not be allowed as a determining factor to whether or not you could make it all the way. You'd also have to wear a specially designed collar, like the ones dogs wear to stop barking, and if you told even half a truth, ZAAAAPPP!!! Also, if you contradicted yourself at any time during a campaign even innocently, ZAAAAPPP!!! As for those in office, everyone would have to do a yearly self evaluation posted in all media sources where the people would enter their own evaluations of your "services." There would be an automated rating system monitored by non-political eunuchs that would place each "public servant" in categories of high regard and rewarded with monetary prizes, adequate regard and offered a certificate of adequacy or below contempt and put on probation with a retroactive pay decrease. Two strikes in a row or two in any four year period and you automatically forfeit to the person you beat out to get where you are. Well, I can dream, can't I? Really, can we make these persons accountable for all the bungling they do at are expense? This isn't rocket science and if you step back from your fantasies about parties for a minute you'll have to agree there is no loss of idiocy in any corner. Yet we volley back and forth among the idiots swinging left and then right with no improvement in the long run. Sometimes despite the politicians we somehow get a reprieve from ourselves but in the end it rolls right back to the same old game.
Well, all you hallucinogenic Obamanators and you senile McCainiacs go right on reveling in the frenzy of election ecstasy. Everyone deserves a break from the horrible reality that will settle back in soon after all the confetti has settled.
