Laying it on the line

October 28, 2008

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing. A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (from King James' Version)

When somebody writes a blog, it is like tacking up a big target and inviting people to shoot at you. I recently wrote a lament at the shortage of informed opinion and the need for candid dialogue between those of us who vociferously hold politically opposed views. I advocated seeking common ground as a start toward the healing of our nation after the most divisive presidential campaign in three generations. A critical reader called me wishy-washy and relativistic, probably because I found merit in the idea that both sides had a lot in common if they would take the time to look. Well, I'm taking a stand.

We Americans of voting age are supposed to be familiar with what is in the US Constitution and its amendments called the Bill of Rights. Among those rights are the freedom of speech and expression and the freedom of the press. It would seem that we have been testing the limits of these freedoms in the current presidential campaign.

I have been shocked and appalled at the sleazy, venomous and outright fabricated assaults that have been hurled against Barack Obama. It is astonishing how gullible people can be if they see something circulated on the Internet. If this trash could be traced to its source, it would be libelous. According to these cowardly attacks, Obama's skin pigmentation is the least of his purported sins. He is portrayed as a diabolical abortionist, a socialist (if not an outright communist), a secret sleeper agent trained in a radical Muslim madrassa school for religious terrorists somewhere in Asia, and the Book of Revelations has been distorted beyond recognition in twisted efforts to prove that Obama is the Anti-Christ. It seems hate runs rampant against Obama, especially among the religious zealots and the fear-mongers.

It is a mystery to me why people feel compelled to send me these things--I hit "delete" when this junk appears. I don't know which bothers me more--that some people seem to take it seriously, or that many of those same people are otherwise straight-thinking, common-sense individuals who ought to know better.

Then there is the onslaught of attack ads on television. Even for a political junkie like me things have gone beyond my capacity to absorb any more--and I don't even live in a "battleground" state. I pity those poor folk in Ohio and Pennsylvania and Virginia--they might as well find a good book and forget TV for another week.

Oddly enough, while there is also a lot of negative propaganda aimed at John McCain, the level of dishonesty and distortion is nothing to compare with that against Obama. The fact-checkers find far fewer misrepresentations in the ads opposing McCain. That seems to say that the Obama supporters may be more focused on the positive aspects of their candidate and his prospects of winning. McCain's own ads lack coherence or a common theme, as if they are flailing around to find something that sticks.

Worst of all, the nature of this campaign is such that the real issues seem to have been swept aside in favor of trivialities such as Sarah Palin's $150,000 wardrobe and accusing Obama of being a socialist for an offhand remark to "Joe the Plumber." In this final week before a critically important election, it is maddening to hear reports that vast numbers of persons are as yet undecided. With the noise level of the past year, how in the world can anybody be without an opinion by now? Only Ichabod Crane of Sleepy Hollow should have an excuse for being uninformed.

It is my steadfast opinion that this country needs a wholesale change in both the executive and legislative branches. The past eight years have been an unmitigated disaster. We are in two wars--Afghanistan and Iraq. Iraq was based on misrepresentations and our international standing was severely damaged when we invaded unilaterally. Iraq continues to be a money sump and we are in danger of losing Afghanistan due to insufficient and timely support. The economy is in its worst shape since the Great Depression. Our national debt (owned by China and other countries) is in the trillions and growing by the hour.

And it is the Republicans who have done it, yammering on the one hand about balancing the budget and loving smaller government, all the while bloating the federal payrolls and running up the debt (with plenty of help from Democrats). The line between professional non-political jobs and political ones has been breached to the point that the work in sensitive departments such as Justice is compromised because of politics. Industrial polluters, developers, lobbyists, hacks and quacks occupy policy-making positions. In the meantime, 45 million Americans have no health insurance, the planet is warming as we speak, we produce 3% of the world's oil and consume 25% of the world's energy and all we hear is "drill, Baby, drill!" This administration has been profligate, irresponsible, and just plain negligent.

Of course, McCain isn't Bush. But the McCain that is running is unrecognizable when compared to the McCain who ran against Bush in 2000. If that McCain was running, he might deserve a break. But the one who is running now is the same McCain that has carried Bush's water 90% of the time, and who has surrounded himself with Bush advisers. It seems to be a no-brainer to elect Obama and Biden and to retire any incumbent Republican in Congress. If we are to make the changes needed to put this country back on its feet, a bulletproof solid Democratic majority is necessary.

But--that said, I offer one caveat--if the Democrats win big and are in a position to really do good things, they must forego the temptation to run roughshod over their Republican colleagues to have their way. If they stiff-arm the opposition and shut out the Republicans--the same way George W. Bush's administration did to the Democrats, then they are sure to fail. And they will deserve it.

Some are afraid that if the president and the Congress are both from the same party that they would become radical and impossible to check. Well, that is possible. But we are past the point that we can afford any more gridlock. I believe the chances of avoiding gridlock and for getting things done are far greater with an Obama presidency and a Congressional Democratic majority.

This country is hurting. We need to heal. We need to be listening to one another and paying attention to the facts. Neither party has all the answers. What is needed most of all today is real leadership that will provide direction, support and inspiration to do the right thing, even if it requires sacrifice and some suffering. And that must be accompanied by constructive dialogue, good faith and a return to the Golden Rule.

Charlie Crow © October 28, 2008