What active local or national politician do you respect and trust? That’s a question I often ask people when they start discussing the state of politics in the country. I don’t have a problem with anyone talking politics or even ranting about it as long as they don’t drift too far into a closed minded emotional rant. The funny thing is, most of the time when I ask the question, what I first get is a puzzling stare, then a smile and then . . . dead air. At this point, I usually ask that they name me one local politician they respect and trust and that maybe it will be easier for them to answer that one. By this time, some of my both left and right leaning friends say Bernie Sanders, “I respect him” they say. Then, I usually ask again, “How about local?” Silence. Almost always. Can’t name one!
Bernie Sanders comes up the most as someone the people I ask say they respect and trust, even as some right-leaning people say they don’t agree with him but that they believe him to be a true believer of his agenda and that he really cares about helping people. I’m not sure if those answers will continue to be the same because apparently he just purchased a house on the shores of a lake making it his third home and I’m wondering if some might start thinking about just how many houses a socialist really needs. Ted Cruz comes up here and there as well, mainly from my right-leaning acquaintances but rarely do other names pop up.
Now, I know that my questions and answers aren’t scientific but it does get us to talking about the state of politics and it usually breaks away any left or right boundaries there might have been between us and we both realize that the whole state of affairs in American politics is pretty much, shit.
Being an inquisitive kinda guy, I go a bit further in my questioning and I also ask what national reporters they respect and trust. Boy! This one gets silence and long stretches of it. I rarely get an answer. I got a Rush Limbaugh once and Dan Rather another time. When I told my right-leaning friend I thought Limbaugh was a loud mouthed entertainer who I never cared for, he didn’t seem to mind opinion at all, and when I told my left leaning friend some of the controversies Rather has been involved in regards to perhaps a lack of honesty and bias, he seemed dismayed and ready to go back to the drawing board.
When I ask these questions from friends and acquaintances it usually breaks down barriers between us and we kind of see the mess we’re really in. Both of us. Not so much a left mess or a right mess, but just a mess. After discussing in this manner, most people start talking reality not emotionally and not in a bigoted sense.
It seems that the reality in American politics and the media both is that character and honesty have left the building. Is it just a political thing or a cultural thing? Let me tell you an interesting story. I have a family member who has had stage 4 cancer for about 15 years. Inflammatory Breast Cancer. Seemingly, she’s cured or it’s not active and she’s lived a fine, fulfilling and productive life getting treatment and scans regularly. The famous cancer fighting organization, Susan G Komen, interviewed her a few years ago to get the low-down on why she may have done so well for so long. The idea was to use her on promotional and motivational posters and the like. During the interview, she told them that she believes a key for her well-being was from an intervention from God. She mentioned great doctors, medications and fantastic support but the cornerstone, was God. That didn’t seem to go over well them. In fact, they came right out and told her that they couldn’t use that information because it may alienate some folks—the God part. So, they never used her story.
Have we gotten to the point in America, or the free world for that matter, that we ask a question and if we don’t like the answer, we hush it and change it because we know better than others? Worse yet, that we call those who have differences of opinion dummies, racists and other demeaning adjectives? That because we may have more college degrees or seemingly more common sense or simply more ‘something’ than those we have differences with we can proudly change answers or reasons as we see fit? If the Komen story doesn’t bother you, you may be a part of the problem with solid character in America that seems to have bled into the media and politics.
Furthermore, have we gotten to the point that all our national and even local politicians are in it for money, power and fame? And has the lie of political correctness gotten us here? Where we can’t say anything about Muslims, politicians African Americans, fat people, skinny people, legal immigration, etc. other than what’s touted by neurotic brow beaters? Have we lost being men and women who can think and say as they feel? Have we gotten to the point where others really decide for us and our families, not us? And during all this crazy hiding and making sure we’re towing the line of acceptance have the users and smooth talkers taken the spoils of America without us even noticing that it was getting rampant? Perhaps. It may be worth pondering. In fact, it may be worth asking yourself which national political leaders and politicians you respect and trust. It might tell a whole about you and America.
Steve’s latest book: http://tinyurl.com/zcbkkyy
Steve's a three-time survivor of violence in his youth, a former police supervisor and a graduate of The Police Executive Leadership College (PELC) and was also an award winning part-time college Criminal Justice instructor.
For several years, Steve did written and radio political and current event commentary and was the former host of the long running 'The Kovacs Perspective' Internet radio and TV talk show.
Steve presently owns a small businesses in Ohio--The Mayfield Academy of Self-Defense.
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