Tim Robbins

[Plane]

"We love distraction," he said, reading from a speech the organizers reportedly tried to talk him out of giving. "I don't know about you, but show me a starlet without panties getting out of a car, and suddenly the world seems like a better place. Show me 'Knight Rider' drunk on the floor eating a hamburger, and I won't ask why my kid has no health insurance. Let's stop burdening people with facts."


http://potw.news.yahoo.com/s/potw/69013/gadgets-and-gadflies

[fatman]

He's got a point, we as a people don't like to be burdened with deep thinking.  If it can't fit on a bumper sticker, then it's probably not suitable for the public as a whole.

Both political parties and all political ideologies are guilty of this.  They deflect from larger issues with gay rights and raising the minimum wage.  Now the economy is heading toward the gutter, with some predicting that it will be the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.  This too is the fault of both political parties, due to short-sighted economic policies and failing to pass a balanced budget.

On a somewhat related note, I was thinking to myself this morning as I was watching the snow fall (yes, we have snow here in WA this morning, can I hear it for global warming?) that this country hasn't had a decent, far seeing leader in a quite a long time.  What happened to the likes of both Roosevelts?  Government policy no longer looks to meet the needs of the future, but tends to react (and overreact) to crises as they arise.  Is that wise government policy?

As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

[Brassmask]

While it is not necessarily true that those of us in present company are easily distracted, I would say that a goodly portion of Americans are indeed easily distracted.  The fact that American Idol continues to draw audiences can be nothing short of proof.

Sadly, those of us here can rarely be looked at as "typical Americans" no matter how we would like to think of ourselves as such.  When I want to find out what a "typical American" thinks about any given subject, I have always in the past gone to my sister.  A more lovable, intelligent person, you couldn't find.  Married for 16 years to the same man, mother of two, secretary-type with a penchant for organizing others.  She's a suburban dweller/white flighter who used to love to send forwards of videos of babies laughing.  Her husband is a journeyman electrician.  She drives a mini-van.  She loves her some Brad Pitt news and/or gossip.

Perfect middle of the road, take no bullshit, polite as hell, help a brother out kind of woman that you want to respect.

So, after 9.11, when I, like all Americans, was knocked off balance and thought that the world would absolutely be open to my point of view on the world's issues (like all of us), started talking about politics and religion and realities versus perceptions at various and sundry familial gatherings, my typical-American-type sister considered me to be something of a radical.  (Imagine!)

Though some of things I told her made no sense to her, she listened usually.  When I told her Osama bin Laden's family was friends with the Bush's, she laughed.  When I told her Osama bin Laden was trained by the CIA back in the day so he could fight against the Russians, she yelled, "NUH-uh!"  When I told her that Don Rumsfeld actually sold weapons and in his a picture shaking hands with Saddam Hussein, she didn't believe it till I showed it to her.

But being a smart American like she is, she set out to disprove my "wacky" assertions only to be totally amazed and somewhat demoralized when she found them all to be true.

I often would ask her about generalities like the economy and the "war" and Howard Dean (who she loved but loved Edwards more [I think because he was so handsome]).  She would inevitably state whatever slant the evening news or MSN or CNN were handing out.

When the stuff was going around about how so many Americans believed that Saddam Hussein was somehow behind 9.11, she called me one day to ask me about it.  "What's the stupid stuff about Saddam being behind 9.11?"  I said slyly, "That's pretty crazy, huh?  Why are so many people thinking that, I wonder?"

"Probably because Bush and them all went around before the war with Iraq saying that they didn't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom, I bet."

I was so proud.

She had looked beyond the headlines and considered the evidence rather than the easy answers.

Sadly, though, I can never get a "typical American" answer out of her now.  She's informed and too savvy for the slicksters to spoonfeed now.

[modestyblase]

As Mencken said "Americans have long gotten just the government that they deserve".

It is not the fault of the political parties that the people are not engaged. They can be faulted for taking advantage of it, on the one hand, or praised for pandering to it as a winning strategy on the other. Really, they're simply employing strategy to win and that goes back to Machiavelli.

Agreed on lack of quality leaders. I don't expect to see a true statesmen anytime soon.

[fatman]

It is not the fault of the political parties that the people are not engaged. They can be faulted for taking advantage of it, on the one hand, or praised for pandering to it as a winning strategy on the other. Really, they're simply employing strategy to win and that goes back to Machiavelli.

That's an excellent point, and one that I haven't considered.  That said, shouldn't those elected to executive positions be concerned about the greater good, rather than the good of the party/ideology?  I'm not expecting that of legislators, because their purpose is to represent and reflect their constituency, which is extremely diverse in this nation.  I do expect them to be competent though, and even that has been sorely lacking for many years.

Presidents and Vice Presidents on the other hand, should be able to rise above party politics once elected.  Some of the more successful Presidents did exactly that, from Ike to Lincoln.  It would be nice to see policy that is proactive rather than reactive, and although a pre-emptive war doctrine could be considered proactive, that isn't necessarily what I had in mind.

[fatman]

Thanks for the input Brass.  From my own personal experience with family members and friends, I can vouch for your idea of "typical" Americans, in that they're generally misinformed (if informed at all!) on current events and are (as a general rule) too busy/lazy/burdened to think on the matter or dig for more info.

That sounds kind of elitist but I think that as a general rule, it holds true.

[modestyblase]

It is not the fault of the political parties that the people are not engaged. They can be faulted for taking advantage of it, on the one hand, or praised for pandering to it as a winning strategy on the other. Really, they're simply employing strategy to win and that goes back to Machiavelli.

That's an excellent point, and one that I haven't considered.  That said, shouldn't those elected to executive positions be concerned about the greater good, rather than the good of the party/ideology?  I'm not expecting that of legislators, because their purpose is to represent and reflect their constituency, which is extremely diverse in this nation.  I do expect them to be competent though, and even that has been sorely lacking for many years.

Presidents and Vice Presidents on the other hand, should be able to rise above party politics once elected.  Some of the more successful Presidents did exactly that, from Ike to Lincoln.  It would be nice to see policy that is proactive rather than reactive, and although a pre-emptive war doctrine could be considered proactive, that isn't necessarily what I had in mind.

After the election, then yes they should try to "reach across" and rise above their party-specific strategizing. I'm not holding my breath in the hopes of excellent leadership though, lest I suffocate.

As for keeping informed, I'm amazed when I encounter someone(not often, unfortunately)well-read who can discuss issues without resorting to talking points and spin. It happened yesterday, and the encounter is still making me smile : )