What is the most disturbing facet of the American political system? This is a very difficult, and wide-ranging question. It isn’t Social Security, taxes, health care, or gun control. It is not a specific issue or a piece of legislation.
The most disturbing facet of American politics is the general hypocrisy that embodies an embarrassingly high number of our public servants.
I didn’t like Bill Clinton’s escapades in the Oval Office. I especially despised the fact, however, that Georgia Congressman Bob Barr, a man who has been married more times than the Boston Celtics have won the championship, was the one preaching the importance of morality and values during the impeachment process.
I also couldn’t understand why Representative Bob Livingston was applauded on the House floor for admitting to worse indiscretions than President Clinton. He only did this when he was about to be outed by Larry Flint of all people.
I don’t like how politicians never criticize members of their own party – Did you ever notice that? If a Democrat watched a Democrat or a Republican watched a Republican robbing a bank, he would claim he was doing a study about the effectiveness of security systems.
These people are missing the point. Political parties are not about the sanctity of specific people, they are about a gathering of idealism, and individuality should always grow from that. I am sick of innuendo and slogans. Don’t tell me that you’re going to fix something and expect me to gush; tell me exactly how you plan to go about fixing it.
Public officials should always speak their mind. If they don’t like someone, they should just say it. Politicians need to act like the people they serve to effectively represent them. This means getting angry, making mistakes, and apologizing for them. If the general public or the media can’t handle any measure of stripped-down, honest humanity, it is the system that is corrupted, not the incident.
Public officials need to maintain a greater sense of reverence about their positions. They are historic figures in the most potentially altruistic form of government the world has ever devised.
So instead of partisan squabbling, predictable rhetoric, and the compromise of idealism for the popular trends of the special interests, they should fight every day to make an indelible mark on the future of government. It is an opportunity very few will ever enjoy.