Anyways, this one is more about how America is Bipartisan and the issues that arise from there, but feeds into some thoughts about the key elements to a country running properly and how America's aren't doing so hot. Hope it's interesting, or you enjoy. Either way, if you're reading this, you're a groovy person. Make sure to vote, if you can. That goes for non-Americans too: You've got a wonderful thing you can do, so do it.
America's Two Parties by Mackinley Clevinger, January 17, 2016
America’s politics are bipartisan; two parties with largely conflicting views making up the brunt of all political and government activity. A political system utilizing parties is not an uncommon thing in the world’s governments, however America has, since the start of its existence, taken this system to its extremes. Instead of numerous choices that plumb the depths of all political fields one could want to follow, giving citizens options and complexities in their political affiliation, America has succumbed to a two party system wherein any vote outside of those two parties is largely considered a waste. The system has been like this for centuries, no Independent candidate winning the election since the early eighteen hundreds. Two parties have risen to prominence, the Democrats and the Republicans, and every four years the two fight it out and the American people decide which candidate from their respective party will be the president of their country.
On the outset, this may not seem to be a large issue. Surely if the people are voting for someone, and they win, then that is what they wanted, right? Well, America’s politics have been this way for so long, the choice of Democrat or Republican is engrained into a person’s personal identity, and instead of choosing a person for their views and ideology, voters will vote to their affiliation regardless of who they think is the better choice. Beyond that, with only two choices every election, it is impossible that any candidate will reflect the needs of the voters entirely. These candidates have to work within their parties to become a nominee for the presidency, and as such they will change their beliefs and views to coincide with the people who decide whether or not they will have a shot at the white house. Given that America still has a two party system which struggles against itself, neither side has the opinions and views that the American people can agree they undeniably want.
The image of a political party is reflected in the news, and what have we seen of the Republican party? Racism, petty insults, slander of their own commander in chief, and complete ignorance of the problems at hand. A current issue in America is the rampant lack of gun control, the numerous shootings that are killing kids and innocents. America’s president is trying to change gun control to stop these horrific incidents, Democratic candidates are right on line with him, but what are Republican nominees doing? They promise to reverse any kind of gun control the president puts into play when they take office, they fight for their second amendment and the ability to own firearms in a modern world, they criticize a man trying to stop over six hundred kids, not even teenagers, from being shot every year. They promise to get rid of healthcare for citizens, destroy foreign relations, attack an entire cultural and religious group because of the actions of a minority.
This is wrong. That America can expect a four-year reign of terror and rampant mistakes in the event that a Republican takes office is a terrible thing, but worse still is that this is not a minority grouping with no hope of victory, but a powerful and respected political party with a civilian backing that wants these same things. This is not a new development among the Republicans. While this year’s group of candidates may be set further along this extreme than previous elections, it still remains that this flawed view that does not see the world we live in or have any regard the needs of America’s numerous citizens. It is non-sensical that such respect and attention is given to a party that is incapable of delivering any manner of necessary change or action, to a party that is so bold in proudly proclaiming their racism and wish to end any kind of government aid for their own people, to a party that refused to cooperate with their president or do good by their citizens for the sake of their pride and childish need to hinder the proper operation of their country so they can say that the president failed his country during his term.
If any one of the Republican nominees for the presidency won, the country would go through a period of such pain and difficulty during such a tenuous time for the world. Social issues would not be resolved, the economy would not get better, and the country would remain stagnant during time that could be spent progressing considerably. Worse still, it would reveal a flaw in the citizens of the country that they would willingly elect one of these men while better options existed, that America would say, honestly, that they wanted Donald Trump or Ted Cruz over Hilary Clinton or Bernie Sanders. People promising positive change, or at the very least a better alternative than the ruin we know we would have with the Republican Candidates.
To break away for a moment and discuss the Democratic party. I am disappointed. They are supposed to be ‘the good guys’ to the insanity that is the Republican party, that is what I have believed for a long time, but the news has reported numerous times about infighting. There are two candidates for the Democrats that I am aware of: Bernie Sanders and Hilary Clinton. Bernie Sanders has a large following, and promotes a strong message of positive reform. He is, to my mind, the best candidate for this year’s election. The goal of a political party should be to have that political party win the election, as they share similar views that they want in the office, but the Democratic party is trying to knock out one of their own, Bernie Sanders, to line the way for Hilary Clinton. The media is ignoring Bernie Sanders and reporting only stories that speculate on the possibility that something may be wrong about him, that he may be unfit. Hilary Clinton does the same thing.
The news has failed to uphold journalistic integrity. A quick look at the news shows an obvious bias towards the inanity of the Republican Party and ignoring Bernie Sander’s message in exchange for trying to knock him down whenever they get the chance. When do they talk about his following, or his message, or anything about him besides shadows of doubts about his viability for presidency? How often is there yet another report about something stupid/racist a Republican nominee said? This is not unbiased coverage of events, this is not telling the people you report to how it is, this is manipulating a populace for your own benefit regardless of the damage that is inevitably to come.
The Democratic Party has fallen to infighting and ignoring what is important about their party. A bias is present in that they want the news to look at Bernie Sanders as little as possible, and to do so they have stopped the news from looking at the Democratic Party. How often does the news talk about Republicans throwing mud at each other versus how often a Democratic debate reaches your attention. This is planned by a party that is in Hilary Clinton’s pocket not wanting Bernie Sanders to be noticed. The level of activity performed by the Democratic Party, their attacks on Bernie Sanders’ campaign in and out of the news, is reaching levels of Republican nonsense. They are supposed to be the good guys, to my mind, but they are falling to corruption.
What has gone wrong? What is the link between the Republican’s insanity, the News’ bias, and the Democratic corruption? They have all lost focus, forgotten why they are where they are and what they should be doing. They have forgotten the purpose of the government they serve in and their own function within that government. The bottom line of any government should be to serve the people it protects. A government worker, from intern to president, should always remember that they are there to serve the people and do right by them. They are not there for themselves, for personal benefit, for fame or fortune or anything of that like, but that is what it has become for far too many people. The bottom line is no longer the happiness and well-being of the citizens they swear to protect and serve, but instead to just reach that position of power, to use a bad situation to their own benefit instead of trying to resolve it, to manipulate the people they need to protect into becoming pawns into their own crazed games of self-interest and greed.
The news does it with their bias and spread of misinformation. Not all the news is of this nature, but enough of it has fallen to corruption that it is hard to know what to think. The Republicans have always been doing it, and are doing it right now with the considerable control they possess in government at this moment. Not all of them do it, but enough do that it would be understandable to fear the Republican title for what it represents. The Democrats are beginning to do it by losing focus on the people they need to look out for and the world they need to work within. They are falling to greed and self-interest without another political party to keep them in check, but there is still hope.
These groups rely on a complacent citizen base for their activity, and we have all forgotten one very important fact. Everyone in America’s government, everyone with that power they wield with so little responsibility: they are all elected there by the citizens of America. They cannot be there unless the populace tells them they are allowed to. Unless a majority of people say ‘You are the best available person for this job’, they cannot have that power. The government serves the people, and from them it receives its power. The populace is never powerless. Besides the second amendment that is so often cited to allow children to be shot are the rights to assemble and petition. The people are allowed to discuss matters and then take their thoughts to their government, as well as decide who should and shouldn’t have power. They are not helpless to the political winds; they have a measure of power just as much as a governor does.
The onus of responsibility to maintain a healthy and thriving country lies on everyone involved in that country. It lies on the people to responsibly and intelligently decide who should and should not have power in government, it lies on those chosen to do their jobs properly or else risk the ire of their constituents, and it lies on the news to aptly inform the country of what is going on so that informed decisions can be made by everyone. All three of these aspects work together to keep the country functioning, and a breakdown in any one should be rectified by the other two. Corruption in government reported by the press, and new people elected. Corruption in the press investigated by the government and reported by the people. Corruption in the populace reported by the press and investigated by the government so that people can return to a healthy, happy life.
America is faltering by the failure of all three of these aspects. The government is failing to treat the people right, the people aren’t making responsible use of their power, and the press isn’t informing the world of what is going on without bias. What needs to happen? The press needs to report responsibly so that the people can make an informed decision as to who should wield power. Stop using the Republicans hijinks as easy news and talk about what’s going on in the Democratic party as well, let the people genuinely know what’s going on for both sides of the election. Then they can make the smart decision as to who should lead them, and grease the wheels of government once more.
Within America’s government, the bipartisan system needs to change. When any group is split into two, conflict will always arise, and a government that fights itself is not a strong government. To quote a rather popular phrase, ‘A house divided cannot stand.’ Democrats and Republicans need to both remember their purpose and either leave office for someone better suited or turn themselves around to do what needs to be done. Both are flawed, both could use an infusion of new, idealistic blood so that old ideas of solely serving the people can return again. If the servants of a country view their government as a tool to better themselves, then that government cannot succeed, and therein lies the power of the people, to choose who should be in power. When they can make an intelligent and informed choice in that decision is when things will change for the better, but if the problems in government are not resolved or if the people continue to support political entities that are not looking out for them, only ruin lies in their path.