Man lately it has been extremely windy here in Santo Domingo. And every time I turn on the TV and turn into my favorite U.S. news chanel (hey I have to stay informed), there is a lot of wind there too…or maybe it would better be described as “hot air.” It seems that this whole economic crisis thing must sell a lot of air time, because that is all they talk about. It is no wonder people are getting depressed and consumer confidence is low. So what makes us want to be entertained by listening ad nauseam to the talking heads on TV telling us how bad it is? Because politics is a very entertaining game and it seems that the economic crisis is the new political “football” that everyone is tossing around these days. Before it was the war in Iraq. There is always a “ball in the air” when it comes to the U.S. media and political establishment. Which brings me to the topic of this post. And in that light, I pose this question: Why does every critical issue that faces the U.S. have to be made into a political one? Why does everything have to be so damn politically polarized? If you are a democrat, you are supposed to think this way. If you are a republican you are supposed to be opposed to what they are thinking, and vice versa. And then if you are “in the middle” you are ridiculed for being “wishy-washy” and afraid to “pick a team.” I am afraid that as long as this philosophy prevails, the U.S. (and the world) will never move forward. Obama was elected because he promised change. But what has changed? It all sounds the same to me. Back during the election McCain was fond of saying that he was the candidate willing to put country ahead of party. What does that mean exactly? I guess it means that when the interest of the country conflict with that of his political party, country would prevail, correct? But my question is why would the interest of a political party that supposedly exists for the betterment of country, ever conflict with that country in the first place? But it often does. Why? One over-used phrase provides the explanation, “special interests,” which by definition are selfish and self-centered. Oil companies, for example, gladly choose profits for themselves over solutions that are good for the planet. Right now, politicians are salivating over the opportunity to reward the special interest that keep them in power by loading up any legislation aimed at helping the country out of economic crisis with self-centered pork. And on it goes. When will all this change? How bad does it have to get before people forget politics and really think about what is in the common good? Maybe what is needed is to put the politics aside and have a national brainstorming session. The object, to generate ideas. Not democrat ideas, or republican ideas, or socialist ideas, or capitalist ideas. No, just ideas and ideas are good. That is why God gave us a brain, to think. Obviously in free countries such as the U.S. and Costa Rica, there is a role for government to play, but that role should not conflict with the constitutional ideals of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. Rather than conflict with them, obviously government’s role should be to nurture, protect and promote those ideals in a way that allows every citizen to enjoy them. That is not a democratic idea, or a republican idea, or a socialist, or capitalist idea. That is a human idea that most believe emanates from the God who created this planet and we who inhabit it. So in my opinion the change we need right now, is to start from that baseline and come up with solutions that are in the common good, putting all, and I mean ALL, politics aside. We should demand that the men and women that are supposed to be serving the people stop serving themselves, or special interests, or even their own political party. That is not what it is all about. It is about making the world a better place for everyone. What does this post have to do with loving Costa Rica, you ask? Well it has a lot to do with me just being sick and tired of seeing politics get in the way of solutions that are good for the world, which my beloved Costa Rica is a tiny part of. Politics is much less of a game in a place like Costa Rica where the folks seem to be more united by the phrase “pura vida” than by what political ideology they adhere to. Change will come with the dawning of the realization that we are all really on the same team. Maybe that’s the answer my friend that is blowing in the wind.
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