The Exhausting Climate of Dishonest Politics by Robert Socha

The political climate in our country is exhausting. Vehement animosity spreading through our political parties’ positions like a viper’s venom attacks the nervous system to incapacitate its victim trickles down to the local theatre, where good people trying to serve their community in an apolitical fashion have lambasting constituents who would rather huff and puff against everything the political body is attempting to accomplish rather than be a voice of reason and caution. Their rhetoric becomes white noise and interferes with anything productive they might have to offer. The Republican faction regularly disagrees and fights among itself, and we have seen the Democrat party do the same with recent events concerning Israel and her ability to defend herself.

The unintended consequence of such behavior is less participation in the body politic. And when good men refuse to serve civic roles, wicked men fill the void, and a slide toward despotism, or at least neglect, ensues.

We have strayed so far from the respect and dignity the offices of public service once commanded. It is a self-fulfilling prophecy where charlatans are elected based on their empty promises and begin to shovel monies from the public treasury to every Tom, Dick, and Harry who asks, except the very people who have elected them into office, not that they deserve a dime from the public trust. No, those people are required to pay their fair share, shut up, and get to work.

I recently read that the United States accounts for over 1/3 of the funding for the United Nations. The last time I took account, there were over 210 countries and territories. Suppose the United Nations is truly an international organization where all nation-states are considered equal. One good step in accomplishing this national equality is for the funding to be evenly split between the parties regardless of their gross national product. Otherwise, the countries who do not contribute the same as or more than the United States should continue to respect and submit to her dictates.

No, that is not the case, and that is not considered fair in this narcissistically privileged body. The UN plays class warfare on a global economy, and the biggest, most benevolent player takes it in the shorts every time. Our generosity to those outside our political purview will lead to the collapse of the dollar and a shattered economy because the debtor United States cannot repay its 35 Trillion dollar debt.

Joe Citizen feels powerless to stop the dereliction of duty and fades into obscurity while diligently striving to make ends meet. Others capitalize on government largess and manipulate the system so money flows into their coffers from the public treasury. That money is never quite enough, but it certainly has taught the receiver proper voting habits and leaves the taxpayer to foot the bill.

There is no quick solution to repair the damage and return to a semblance of self-rule. These ideals of self-rule and an accountable federal government have been attacked for 156 years and have collapsed into a political ruling class intoxicated by their self-congratulatory magnanimity. It’s easy to be benevolent with other people’s money.

Small communities must work diligently to maintain themselves because they do not have the luxury of printing money to escape financial blunders. Good men must continue to submit themselves to the political process and try to effect change back to limited government and personal responsibility, the rule of law and enforcement of the same, and decency. The long slog through the federal swamp will be slow and arduous if the government can even accomplish a return to these ideals; probably not, but that should not diminish or demoralize the fighting spirit of the American dream, rooted and grounded in the love of the individual and their right and ability to live and breathe. So, I offer this encouragement to stay in the fight and press on toward the upward call to see goodness and decency prevail upon the land.