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The Blame Game In Politics   by Julie Plancarte

I love presidential election years. It’s that time every four years when America looks around and blames someone else for their problems. There’s plenty of ill will and some hatred to go around too, against a different racial group, against religion, against the opposite political party, against the poor, the rich, the evil corporations, big government, etc. The list goes on and on.

Why do we keep doing this to ourselves? Sadly, I think that this country has fallen into a pattern of placing blame anywhere but where it belongs, namely on ourselves as individuals and citizens.

his election has been particularly rife with this type of thinking. Every candidate has touted themself as the “solution” to the problems. As if they can stroll into Washington DC and magically wave a wand and make everything better. We Americans seem to feed off of this, putting into office whoever will tell us what we want to hear.

There are a number of serious problems that face our country right now. A poor economy that does not shows signs of a quick recovery. Two political parties that waste their time on grandstanding and debating rather than passing good laws. A war in Iraq that has never been as simple and easy as any of us have wanted. As usual, I am disgusted that the same evil specters and boogeymen have been pulled out of the election hat and used as a “reason” for all our woes. Here’s a couple that I have heard that I find hard to believe.

First, the evil rich people of corporate America are responsible for oppressing the general populace. This leads into the idea, which many people have, that we need to make laws to “stick it to the man” or to any big business out there. A nice idea, but here’s the thing. Let’s say you do tax to death large companies or corporations, because they are too evil to continue doing business as usual. They go out and spend money and hire lawyers and accountants to find loopholes in the laws and dance off unharmed. Meanwhile, those same laws that are supposed to punish the big company also apply to Bob, a small business owner who employs ten people. Bob can’t afford a legal team, so he pays the taxes and goes out of business or has to cut his staff. Who suffers? It’s not the big company; it’s Bob and his workers.

Second, George Bush is the devil and everything is his fault. It’s great to make him the boogeyman, but I doubt George Bush really has the time to sit in his office and plot how to screw over every American voter. I’m not saying he hasn’t made mistakes, but it has been a team effort in the executive branch of the government. Also, many things got the approval of Congress, so they are not blameless either. At times they could have united and taken the initiative to prevent some things.

Third, the economic crisis is anyone’s fault but our own. Look at the housing crisis. We aren’t earning enough, but we are still buying. Stop getting things you can’t afford. It’s simple. We aren’t saving. I only make so much per year. Therefore, I won’t be driving a BMW. That’s how it goes. Why do we believe that government can spend all this money without going totally broke. I’m flabbergasted that BILLIONS is being proposed in new programs by some of the presidential candidates. Where is the money going to come from?

Lastly, I am very disturbed by the polarization of America into individual groups. Our very survival has been based on a social melting pot where all cultures, religions, and races blend together. Now it’s becoming more of a separated society. True equality is the blending together of ideas and thought for a greater good. In other words, EVERYONE must follow the same rules. EVERYONE has value. I hate being told that something is outside my experience because of the color of my skin, or my gender, or religion. I see intolerance among all races and classes. We can’t allow this to continue. Blaming “outsiders” from one group for the problems of another is wrong. It breaks apart the feeling of community and the desire to cross over a barrier and understand a person who comes from a different place than yourself.

I had hoped going into 2008 that I would see a better election than in years past. Sadly, I have found this hasn’t been the case. I am overwhelmed sometimes by the spite that I hear down in my place of work. This attitude of getting back at the other guy, cause he’s to blame for what’s wrong. When will we address one another in better terms? When will the change come from within, and America take time to reflect on its problems without looking for a whipping boy?

Our country was built by those who seemed to understand that learning to coexist was crucial to the overall survival of our governmental and social system. People found ways to adapt and carry on rather than pointing fingers. We can scoff at those Americans of the past now, but we have a great deal to learn from them. They did the work. It’s up to us to pick up the reins and continue what they started.

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Copyright  2008     Leland Pulley