Politics: Why Political Issues Cannot Find Agreement

Politicians must strive to keep favor with the voters, but in today’s society there has been a constant deterioration is civility.  People too often are rude, even to each other.  And, they allow this to manifest itself with demonstrations against any opposition to their viewpoints.  Some demonstrations are fine, and can be an expression of a concern.  But, demonstrations that are infiltrated with paid anarchists who plan to break laws, damage property, and take over a planned peaceful demonstration get the attention.  And worse, those who send them have lawyers ready to get them out of jail as quickly as possible.

In the past the voters had respect for the office, even when their candidate lost.  And, as for individual issues, they would leave things alone unless I was of high priority.  Oh, writing an elected official might occur, but in the end politicians must negotiate with the other party.  So, some issues are lost in a trade following a negotiation we know nothing about.  A letter can be reviewed, and considered as part of a whole.  But, today we have people who insist on winning every issue, so there are demonstrations, and sometimes criminal damage.  These are the voters the politicians must now deal with.  It has gone down to the point that town hall meetings are being infiltrated and disrupted.  But, those who elected the person holding the meeting have a right to be heard, not listen to disruptive shouting by paid anarchists. 

So, much of the blame rests in a society that must be always gratified, and not compromise as needed to also give others their rights.  And these are the people casting votes.

The root cause might very well be education.  We do not teach people how to act, nor respect.  And morality is not to be taught in public schools. 

I have been teaching college for over thirty years, and can feel quite confident there has been a deterioration in civility and morals.  Today, it is common to have a student lie to make a case for the administration to intervene in increasing a grade not merited.  This behavior seems to permeate too much of society in general.

In a less respectful society more of the candidates are now from the group.  They are themselves less respectful of their peers if the peer happens to be from the other party.  I have recently watched news reports where politicians stand in front of a camera and lie.  Some of us watched a few years back, and know what the truth is, but if a lie can discredit the other party it is not beneath some politicians to use the fabrication.  Others spin things with the intent to deceive. 

So, as society becomes less civil, those elected from that society are likely to have a percentage of their ranks who are also less civil.  And, there is a deterioration of morality, so a lie is no longer beneath many politicians.

Some politicians rise above this, but too many bad apples are causing a major problem.  And bad apples exist in all political parties.

Vote for people who can get along with others, if there is no compelling reason to choose another.

To fix the above problems we need to revert to a time when rudeness was unacceptable, and immorality was even more so, a time when the office itself was given respect.  We have to fix the population itself.  Oh, there are many good people, but the rude, boisterous ones get the attention.  Perhaps we should stop shining the spotlight on them.  If there is a demonstration, evaluate it first, and only report it in the news if it is a matter of grave concern. 

Once we get to the proper focus, looking at those who give respect as candidates, then we can elect from that pool and move back to a time when negotiations were possible, but all parties need arrive at this position at the same time.

Political parties have platforms, and all elected officials who claim to be part of a party are expected to stand for the entire platform.  And, there is no room to allow any position offered by the opposite party to survive, meaning the other parties platform is to be denounced totally, regardless of the merits of any issue.

It was not always so.  But, some issues are such that there can be no compromise.  In the United States abortion is such an issue.  One who considers it murder will have no choice but to oppose it.  One who wants to focus on equal rights for women gets abortion involved with such topics as equal pay issues.  It is not the same thing, but there is a spin put on the issue.  Now, two sides are at a stalemate, and neither will give in.  Compromise is unacceptable.

There are other issues for which no compromise is possible.  In the United Kingdom Brexit was such an issue, one cannot be partially in favor of such a topic, so compromise is not an option.

Contention mounts after no compromise issues add up.  These are winner take all issues.  Soon, every issue becomes winner take all, even those issues that once would bring harmony. 

Consider global warming.  Once one side says we need to do something for the environment, the other has to say no.  So, how going green might impact the economy gets traction, for there has to be a plausible reason to reject what is a good idea from the opposition.  Yes, we could have an impact on saving both the planet and the economy if things are done right, but that would mean compromise, and concession in part from both sides.  Working together along a middle path is no longer an option.  There is too much bad blood.  For it is not just the winner take all issues, but how the debates over them are handled.  Rudeness and insults are common, and people who are insulted by each other will be less likely to sit down and work with each other.

Another issue is health care.  The plan President Obama pushed is seriously flawed.  So is the replacement plan.  It would be a good time to work together, but that would detract from President Obama’s legacy.  So, one side is insistent on keeping it intact.  But, that it must be changed is apparent.  There is a question of how.  Working together could get many significant oppositions to one plan or the other reconciled, but that seems not likely.  This has become a winner take all issue, but did not have to be. 

My impression is there is a reluctance to having the opposition party show any credibility, so agreeing on anything posed by the opposition is to be fought. 

Sometimes issues are not even there.  Pointing out lack of eloquence in speaking or other personal attacks are not issue related, but intended to show up the opposition.  I have no doubt President George w. Bush is quite intelligent, but his public speaking was often ridiculed.  Another such attack was on President Bill Clinton by one person who pointed out his physical condition when he was photographed jogging.  And these attacks were not even from other politicians.  Citizens have joined in the attacks, and the object is clearly to discredit. 

One issue not being debated by politicians is whether or not the electoral college is antiquated.  Of course many presidents in modern time were elected with less than fifty percent of the votes.  I remember this being the case for as far back as President Bill Clinton.  It is unlikely we will have a fifty percent president as long as there are additional parties, for there is a great dissatisfaction with politics as they currently are.  So, in the past United States election neither Donald Trump nor Hillary Clinton had the elusive fifty percent of the vote.  But people have made this an issue.  Why?  It was not an issue to the winning side, but is for the losing side.  And the winner with all too few votes shifts back and forth.  The inconsistency is accepting victory in one election and crying about losing the next is not very good manners. 

What we can conclude is the population is unhappy with the way politicians act, and the way they vote.

It happened after nine-eleven.  Everyone was united, and complaints about petty issues were no spoken in public.  In times of national emergency even politicians can work together.  But, the harmony was short live. 

As for other times, perhaps politicians should stop searching for minute details to be used to discredit, and work on real issues.  Stop the antics of a child, as some revert to, and act as mature adults.  Some act mature, but those who do not often drag others to their level.

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