Sunday, April 25, 2004
No middle ground in this fight
Half of the country supports Bush. I know that he has shown a lot of resolution during his presidency and his handlers have worked overtime to portray him as just one of the guys, but he has also screwed up a lot too. Are we beyond having an honest discussion about Bush and Kerry?
I believe that both the right and left ends of the political spectrum have chosen to live in their own worlds where a simplistic view of the world is good enough. We can't talk to them. But the extreme right and left may only compose one fifth of the population. Would the other 80% want to talk?
It seems like the country has not made any headway since the last presidential election. The difference this time is that there seems to be extreme anger directed at Bush. But this does not seem to count for anything. For example, the polls have not moved in any appreciable way since the 9-11 investigation panel meetings or the recent books exposing the inside efforts by the Bush team to use selective intelligence to justify the invasion of Iraq. Is it because people had already chosen their candidate?
It seems like the invasion of Iraq re-ignited the polarization. 9-11 brought many Americans together and the attack on Afghanistan also seemed to have popular support, but the invasion of Iraq brought out many of the same divisions that existed during the 2000 elections. The anger against Bush was probably simmering just below the surface and the administration's gung-ho approach to handling Iraq seemed to be the last straw.
Since then, every previously unknown facet of Bush's decision to invade, every soldier's death, every news story of anti-americanism, has pulled more and more of that scab off the wound. And every attack on Bush seems to harden his supporters.
This division has hit family members, friends and neighbors. Combine this tension with the constantly pitched issue of impending attacks on America, loss of jobs and job security, and you've got a real party going!
So, sit back, chill out and watch the circus. It is going to be a nasty ugly election and millions of people are already emotionally invested. So don't try and convert anyone to your side of the street, no one is going to listen folks.
All of the above has contributed to the fact that there was never any time for real discussion about the candidates. We have been cheated out of this exchange.
I am concerned that this election will show the world we are indeed like Bush, we don't think we just act on faith and emotion. Speaking of faith may God, Budda and Allah help us.
I believe that both the right and left ends of the political spectrum have chosen to live in their own worlds where a simplistic view of the world is good enough. We can't talk to them. But the extreme right and left may only compose one fifth of the population. Would the other 80% want to talk?
It seems like the country has not made any headway since the last presidential election. The difference this time is that there seems to be extreme anger directed at Bush. But this does not seem to count for anything. For example, the polls have not moved in any appreciable way since the 9-11 investigation panel meetings or the recent books exposing the inside efforts by the Bush team to use selective intelligence to justify the invasion of Iraq. Is it because people had already chosen their candidate?
It seems like the invasion of Iraq re-ignited the polarization. 9-11 brought many Americans together and the attack on Afghanistan also seemed to have popular support, but the invasion of Iraq brought out many of the same divisions that existed during the 2000 elections. The anger against Bush was probably simmering just below the surface and the administration's gung-ho approach to handling Iraq seemed to be the last straw.
Since then, every previously unknown facet of Bush's decision to invade, every soldier's death, every news story of anti-americanism, has pulled more and more of that scab off the wound. And every attack on Bush seems to harden his supporters.
This division has hit family members, friends and neighbors. Combine this tension with the constantly pitched issue of impending attacks on America, loss of jobs and job security, and you've got a real party going!
So, sit back, chill out and watch the circus. It is going to be a nasty ugly election and millions of people are already emotionally invested. So don't try and convert anyone to your side of the street, no one is going to listen folks.
All of the above has contributed to the fact that there was never any time for real discussion about the candidates. We have been cheated out of this exchange.
I am concerned that this election will show the world we are indeed like Bush, we don't think we just act on faith and emotion. Speaking of faith may God, Budda and Allah help us.
# posted by Thomas @ 7:18 PM 
