OK, this idiocy categorized as the government shutdown has been going on for almost two weeks now. There doesn’t appear to be an end in sight, and when there might be a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel, it turns out to be a freight train attempting to run us (the country collectively) over. Both parties in power have barely moved from their starting positions. If someone isn’t careful, or some sense of agreement doesn’t start showing, this country is in serious danger of going down in pyrrhic glory. I’m not in as bad of shape as some, as I was one of the ‘lucky people’ to get to go back to work, but there’s no longer any guarantee of anything at this point, so that is definitely coloring my perspective.
I thought we elected people to represent us. Is this situation really what we wanted the people to represent us to give us? Now that I think about it, when you look at the perspectives being expounded by those on the left and the right on the internet and across the radio and TV, maybe it is. People want what they want, and to hell with everyone else. Apparently we are no longer a ‘society’ but rather a group of individuals who happen to inhabit the same geographical area.
I thought the Constitution was designed at least in part to protect its people. Allowing things to continue like this is not protecting people. The shutdown and the resulting furloughs, park closures, etc., seem to be designed to cause maximum harm. And the government we have in place (and I am including all branches of the government in this)appears to be incapable of protecting us anymore. What does that say about this country and the people we have running it?
For those who are of the opinion that ‘the government shutdown/impending debt ceiling fight is a good thing’, take a look around when you are out and about. The people you see are being affected by this, whether directly or indirectly. I ask you to think about what that says about you, if you are willing to inflict suffering on other people in such a seemingly callous manner?
You’re upset about how much the government has influence on our lives? Fortunately or unfortunately this is how our government and society is set up today. Want to go back to how the government ran when this country started? That is not realistically possible. In other words, that horse has left the barn. Our government and society has evolved and changed due to the different incidents and philosophies that have come and gone over the years, for better or worse.
Yeah, Ook has really come out swinging this time. He’s howling and banging his club.
Our Constitution was written with the idea of slowing legislation down and forcing deliberation, in order to keep a faction from making too much change too quickly. Allowing a minority to prevent budgets from getting passed, however, was not what the Constitution intended.
ReplyDeleteIn some ways, this impasse reminds me of the question over slavery -- the Constitution failed at resolving it. Now, a minority has taken advantage of the fact that our Constitution forbids calling early elections, which is what most every other democracy in the world would do if a budget could not be passed. Rather, we are stuck with this divorced-people-living-in-the-same-house nonsense and we call it government.
It did occur to me more than once about the similarities between the current situation and the long running debate about slavery. Continuing concessions to a minority gum up the works more and more until the status quo becomes an untenable situation. Also, escalating animosity between the different camps seems to have reached a point where it is getting close to impossible for anyone to work together to get anything done. We know what happened the first time. I guess we can only hope for something better this time around.
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