Some New Year’s resolutions for a political junkie

Published 12-26-2019

As we get ready to turn another page of the calendar and look ahead to 2020, there’s much to look forward to this year, politics wise... and for me, the presidential election season kicking off for real - well the columns can practically write themselves.

I believe Dean might be getting a few gray hairs at the thought of editing some of those.

But I have a few resolutions of my own for the new year.... at least in regards to my political consumption.

First and foremost, I’m really going to try and just skip the low hanging fruit. Trump’s twitter, the oh so ridiculous Democratic presidential primary field all trying to out Socialist the next guy, all of it a circus to distract from real issues. Sometimes the noise is so loud it drowns out what really is happening behind the scenes, real issues and policies that affect our lives, both good and bad.

I fall victim to it too. I was listening to a podcast with Congressman Nunes while I was wrapping presents, and I was shocked to hear that President Trump signed a rule to release more federal water to California. For the first time ever, the Valley had a president that was responsive to issues important to California’s farmers and dairymen. Of course the Governor, with a proverbial middle finger to Ag, is suing the Administration to stop the release.

There’s only so much your brain can listen to before it says enough. My goal... to make sure more of that noise is stuff that actually matters, not just the outrage of the day.

That doesn’t mean the circus isn’t worth paying attention to. I mean these people are running for president, we should know what their vision is for America. Even if that vision looks more like a nightmare. When I start really listening to the Democrat’s plan for America, I honestly think they took George Orwell’s writings as an instruction manual rather than cautionary tales of collectivism.

More issues, policy and who’s the man behind the curtain stuff... less bad political theatre that ends in party line votes and predictable outcomes.

As an aside in the predictable moves department, Speaker Pelosi creating another side show around this impeachment saga is absolutely hilarious. Everyone knew the impeachment was going no further than a Senate vote to acquit, but her decision to hold the Articles from the Senate as a negotiating tactic to control Senate proceedings was a new level of political cravenness.

Even their own sympathetic witness, Professor Noah Feldman who himself wholeheartedly supported impeaching Trump, claimed the House not sending the Articles of Impeachment for a vote in the Senate could actually nullify the articles.

Time for a golf clap for the Democrats creating a whole list of Constitutional crises while screaming at Trump for abuse of power. The irony of it all burns sometimes.

Abuse of power is a real problem in our Government, from the bureaucracy of all stripes to politicians giving huge surveillance powers to unelected agencies that seem beyond oversight or jurisprudence. The amount of power centered in and around our federal government is rife with corruption and filled by those who are easily corrupted. The media, once a watchdog who trusted no government official and wanted everything on the record, has morphed into a lapdog who wags their tail for treats of leaks and clicks.

My next resolution is to try to concentrate more on what’s next. What steps can be taken to fix the problems. What solutions are worth talking about, what are the consequences of actions taken by the government? While outrage may get people paying attention, actual change requires work, and sustained effort, especially when dealing with the government.

Instead of complaining that our officials aren’t having the conversations we want them to have, we need to start having them, and letting our officials know that we are having them.

My last resolution is less Fox and CNN, more C-SPAN. I value analysis by smart people, and usually seek it out, and smart analysis isn’t confined to one party affiliation. But more and more that analysis isn’t found in the daily paper or on corporate news. I still read and watch some, but I’m really putting forth an effort to not jump every time the media tries to make us. After the debacles of misreporting regarding Syria and troop movements under President Trump, the Covington High School kid’s situation and this whole Russian collusion narrative, I’m all for saving up the outrage for when it might be useful, and to be a little less hair on fire regarding media reporting.

When so much is continually wrong, or editorialized when only reporting is necessary, then the reporting becomes unnecessary.

Our system of government requires an informed population, and a robust, inquisitive media is an essential part of that equation. The checks and balances of our government, and society have, well, lost their balance.

The scales have been tipped, in an obvious and brazen way, with many, many people profiting from it. Name an issue or policy, all has been infected with this imbalance.

Even trying to reclaim some of that balance causes those who have been lofted to dizzying heights to collectively lash out at those trying to fix the wrongs.

For that balance to come back, we as voters have to quit rewarding the tantrums.

I’m not that hopeful that those who have consolidated power for themselves will so willingly hand it back gracefully. History is full of examples of nations and civilizations who fell under their own corruption and hubris. Rarely was the fiercest enemy outside of the gates.

Becoming involved is the best defense to what is happening around us politically. Being informed of history and current events, understanding human nature and behavior, having healthy doses of common sense and skepticism is half the battle.

And maybe, just maybe, a little more listening, even if listening for what isn’t said.

This election season has big implications for the direction of our nation. The stakes are ever increasing. It isn’t just about national issues, but also how the national issues get used within our states and cities.

Making sense of all of what is happening around us isn’t always possible, but the last bit of my resolutions are about keeping faith. Faith that someone larger than all of our petty issues is in charge. Faith that while much of our government is bad, there are those willing to stand up and take the arrows and stones, to do what is right. People like Congressman Nunes and even President Trump direct the fire. I have faith that while much of our national media has lost their way, regular people became researchers and journalists, bloggers and watchdogs, and decided themselves to run for office.

And above all else, I resolve to enjoy the show that our politicians put on, because really the entertainment value during the Trump years is something we may not see again.