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In Disillusioned, Homeland Security Watch blogger Mark Chubb wonders aloud and eloquently "exactly what it is we suppose we are protecting..." Quite the admission for someone who cares for his community for a living. Then it all becomes clear "...especially as the presidential primaries begin."
Oh, is that all?
Herewith, my [annotated] reply:
Don’t forget that during the primaries political candidates are playing to their base, the hardcore 10% at the far end of their end of the bell shaped curve. This time around we only have to listen to arch-conservative, jingoistic, reactionary babble from the Republicans. It is unsightly and sounds ugly but these are men who will do whatever it takes to get elected.
Once the parties select their candidates they will then commence to saying and doing whatever it takes to convince the slightest possible majority of the 80% of us who reside between the two extremes that they and their party are the answer to all our problems. "First, get elected," is every politician's motto.
These politicians don’t speak for us or America, they only aspire to. Do yourself a favor, turn off the TV at home and the radio in the car until November.
I discovered this method only four years ago. While the left and right did their extra special best to tie the American electorate's emotions into knots we quit cable and I chose podcast lectures over drive time MPR. The result, calm at the heart of the storm. I scanned Google news and read selectively from the editorial pages, just enough to who was slinging what poo at who, but not enough to adopt the furrowed brow of my fellow Americans.
Be true to yourself, care for your family, and serve your community. Tell the truth, work hard, do your best and what’s best about America will be just fine.
Each one of us have important work to do, but most of it begins at our dinner table each evening, in the back yard every weekend, and in our community every work day.
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