I do believe ‘the inmates run the asylum’

I am doing my best to ‘disengage’ from the more partisan elements of politics and try to be balanced in my ideas and concepts. This is a rather difficult proposition right now, as the partisans are filling the airwaves and websites with their opinions and vitriol. Sifting through the rhetoric is a much more daunting task. I don’t doubt the fact this is an election year is exacerbating the situation.

All of this anger and frustration tends to beg the question, why are so many Americans so focused on positions and ideas which are on the the extremes of the spectrum? When I think about this, I tend to believe this reflects our society’s general displeasure and/or dissatisfaction with our government. One of the books I have on my shelf is ‘How Democratic is the American Constitution?’ by Robert Dahl. Part of the book relates a survey conducted in eleven European democratic countries in 1990. They matched the answers to questions regarding satisfaction with their government to whether they voted for the ‘winning’ or ‘losing’ parties in the previous election. What the researchers found was in countries where the system was more ‘consensual’ (Holland was an example of this), the ‘losers’ were almost as satisfied with the government as the ‘winners’  (within 5%). Countries where the system was more ‘majoritarian’ (England’s government fits this), ‘winners’ were far more satisfied with the government than ‘losers’.

What does this tell me? Dahl’s book claims the U.S. system is a ‘hybrid’ (neither consensual nor majoritarian). This may be true from a political scientist’s point of view.  However, people in this country perceive there are political parties that ‘win’ and those that ‘lose’ and there are consequences of those elections.  Also, there has been (at least in perception, although it may not be reality) a continuing trend of political parties not wanting to ‘reach across the aisle’ in order to enact legislation or policy. The goal (stated or otherwise) of the political parties today is to obtain and retain the majority.  With that as the goal, the situation quickly devolves into an ‘ends justify the means’ situation where people will say and do anything to achieve their goal. Power, not what is best for everyone, is now the goal. Our sensibilities (and sensitivities) are assaulted as the parties and their faithful ‘go for broke’ in an effort to obtain power. It is obvious to me that they believe in ‘the other golden rule’ (not ‘do unto others as you would have them do unto you’, it’s ‘whoever has the gold [in this case power equals gold] makes the rules).

I am sure when the election’s over, there will be a great wailing and gnashing of teeth, no matter who ‘wins’ (and I’m not sure an electoral victory really equals a ‘win’) complete with threats of moving to another country for asylum.  Somehow, I think we will survive no matter who is in office.  We will just get the government we justly deserve.