We're Not So Different, You and I

Today's "Item(s) of Interest" can be found here and here.

Politics is a dirty game. There's no denying this. The origins of 'mud-slinging' can be traced back to the second ever presidential election when John Adams was running against his best bro Jefferson (see: Author (Declaration of Independence)) and suddenly discovered that if you say mean, possibly untrue things about your opponent, the ignorant public buys into it! He distributed pamphlets saying that Jefferson wanted to teach sex and other carnal delights in school. This would seem like some ridiculous old timey thing to do if the exact same thing wasn't happening in the world right now in your state with your politician.

But politics being what it is, that is to say 'necessary', we're simply going to have to deal with it.

I find Obama saying that Republicans will learn to work with him somewhat funny. What other option is there? Coup? Do you realize how long it's been since the American people cared enough to get off their ass to vote in a well publicized ELECTION let alone spur of the moment rebellion? The simple fact is we're a nation of extremely different people who all get along because of arbitrary rules declared 'inherent' or 'common-sense' in some cases and are too lazy to fight for what we actually want. You can argue 'home of the free' and 'land of the brave', but the simple fact is that if you told America tomorrow that the constitution is null and void you would not be met with a resounding chorus of "Why's?" but rather the firm echo of interest before the drug sales shoot up and prostitution becomes the national pasttime.

Bi-partisinship works about as well as any system where choices are either answered with 'yes' or 'no' with no in-between allowed. The Republicans and Democrats have been, by process of time and their own dumb machinations, put in the unlucky position of having to try and represent every single American everywhere. This would be great if their major motivation (getting voters) wasn't completely dependent on the presence of a major rival to exist. Not only is that the case, but the fact is that Republians can't possibly HOPE to represent every single American. There's just no possible way. Imagine trying to get everyone in your house to agree on a pizza topping, let alone important political decision. The fact is that there will always be a 'consensus' but very rarely 'agreement'. By having two separate and easily distinguishable (sometimes) parties, you give Americans the simple options.

But what about the un-simple options? There aren't just two parties, there are indeed dozens of poltical groups throughout America ranging from those that are more interested in saving the wildlife and those that are firmly against saving anything so delicious. Wait, I suppose that's Republicans and Democrats again. But it could be the Green Party and other interests. I'll bet you can't even name five other political groups that are active in America, and those you do will either be wrong or utterly misunderstood.

So we have two parties. They're not perfect, but that's what we got, swell.

This brings me to my second point.

The War in Afghanistan is now a double digit midget. It's happened. We've been there 10 years (almost half my lifespan) and are about as close to ending it as Jersey Shore is to winning an Emmy. Now the media is reporting on the Taliban holding peace talks with Karzai in order to end the war. Fantastic!

War over, the troops are back home, everybody wins! Wait...

Imagine if the Republicans and Democrats had to agree to rule the country one way and one way only. They would, eventually, come to an agreement that made the majority, but not everyone, happy. Swell and dandy! The Union and Confederacy rejoin and life goes on. But what about those that aren't content with the way things are done? Well in America, they would go and form political parties with a central platform key to their interests and then lobby for bills to be passed by a Congress made up of people they don't very well enjoy.

In the Middle East it's kind of like that too, except their political parties are a bit more assertive.

Insurgency groups, with proper support and motivation, can pop up overnight, fueled by nothing more than the rumor of a convoy coming down the road or mosque being looked at funny by an Imperialistic invaderfidel. And the simple fact is that even if the Taliban, the most recognized terrorist group in the country, were to agree to stop fighting, that still leaves a whole messload of others willing to fill its shoes.

So peace isn't quite that easy, but America despises the idea of negotiating with them.

Why? The answer is simple really, two little numbers that bring to mind great tragedy and American flags. 9-11.

That much we all know, but personally I'd think that Americans could empathize a bit more.

I know, I know, we don't approve of violent insurgencies or radical ideas that don't quite line up with the commonly accepted, especially when that can lead to an irreversible act of violence that rocks the very world to its core. But the Taliban are simply an interest group, looking out for what they feel is the right thing to do and doing so to the best of their ability. Unluckily for us, they feel the 'right thing' is us pasted all over the streets of their country in unrecognizable puddles of goo.

But hey, let's let them try for peace now and maybe democracy will come later.