Vitriol – Cruel and bitter criticism

We are in an election year . . .  I therefore  expect both Republican and Democratic parties to cast aside any pretense of civility, and to sling sulfuric acid at each other.  

I expect it because I know neither party will admit how spectacularly they have failed in keeping the interest of the American public the central focus of their stated missions.  

That’s right . . . by every metric I can think of both parties have failed, and continue to fail, the majority of the public.  Sure, some sectors have seen short-term benefits, but even that is a form of failure (I’m looking at you, unions, some big corporations, and various special interest groups).

Not willing to admit their failure, the parties eschew any blame whatsoever, and instead blame the other guys.  Let me repeat this, and tell me if I’m off base . . . your party does nothing wrong, and has only the best of intentions both toward you and the future of this country.  The other party is to blame for everything.  They actively work to undermine your party’s efforts to make things better.  They want to see this country fail!  The Bastards!!

“You know, we thought this was a good idea, but it has not worked out that way.  We need to rethink this.”

“Say, we might have been too hasty dismissing all your proposals; what say we sit down and pick and choose the best of our differing policies, and reach a compromise we can both stand behind as we offer it to the voters.”

“I won’t lie to you Voter Bob; we dug a hole, and to get out of this hole will require sacrifice, determination, and an outlook that spans multiple administrations.”

. . . you will not hear any of the above statements uttered by anyone, and that alone is a sad indictment of the quality of politicians offered up for us to choose from.  But do you want to know the really sad part?

If a politician with the guts to make those statements did rise from the cesspool, they would not stand a chance.   And that is the sadder indictment of the voting public.

I have conservative friends, and I have liberal friends.  Some are independents, but lean one way or another.  I get e-mails that span the spectrum of blame.  I know both sides of the arguments, and I also know the arguments are never as black and white as presented.  

It’s not because I am smart, although I like to think I am.   It’s not because I am educated, although I like to think that as well.

It’s because I read both sides of any argument with the intent to understand both sides.  In part it’s because I respect the opinions of those who present me with the given arguments, and in part it’s because I don’t know of another way to make decisions.  

Because I read both sides of the arguments with the intent to understand, I also know that each side has both great ideas, and stupid ideas.    

Well, I exaggerate . . . lately both are leaning toward stupid ideas.  How do I know they are stupid?  Because they promote the easy fix, offer up the simple answer with no compromises, and most of all because they make promises.   Everyone knows this, but they turn a blind eye . . .

I don’t think there is a voter alive who would put even the tip of the pinky finger of their non-dominant hand at risk by banking on the promises of a politician.  And yet . . . and yet they are willing to risk their future and the future of their children.

Perhaps everyone should have something tangible and immediate like the tip of a pinky at risk; it would make the stakes real.  It might prompt each individual to focus not on the imagined possibilities of false promises, but on the real risk of those promises.  I bet voters would demand realistic and workable solutions.  No one wants to lose the tip of their pinky.

Let me return to the title of this post; vitriol.  I said I see both sides of arguments, but worse than that, I’m often stupid enough to engage both sides in debate.

Take any issue, and whenever someone makes the case for it or against it, a large part of the discussion is not based on merit of the argument, but on vilifying the opposition.  

Republicans want blah-blah-blah because they hate minorities; Republicans are racists, every last one of them.  Democrats support blah-blah-blah because their ultimate goal is redistribution of wealth.  Democrats are socialist, and maybe communists, every last one of them.

Choose a topic, any topic, and that’s what I hear; not the merits of the argument, but of the evil intentions and ulterior motives hidden just beneath the deceitful veneer of the other side.   Hidden, but visible plain as day to anyone with half a brain . . .

Wait . . . what was the issue? . . . what points were we trying to make?  Oh, who cares!  The other guys are vile individuals with no redeeming value to a civilized society!  Whatever they have to say, it’s probably a lie!

Whenever I debate someone online, I wonder . . . do they have any friends who hold even slightly differing views to their own?  Or did they cast “those” people out from their social circles?  I ask because that’s what it seems like.  

Because I cannot understand how someone can hold such hatred as I’ve seen expressed in many of the discussions.  The only sensible explanation is they do not personally know anyone with views differing from their own.  Or that if they do, they hold those people in contempt.

Why . . . why they . . . they might even be proud of that!  

“Keep those scummy people out of my life!  They are nothing but lying, good-for-nothing bastards!  I don’t want to see them, I don’t want to hear them, and I certainly don’t want to consider the possibility their intentions, dreams, and hopes are basically no different than my intentions, dreams, and hopes!”

See, I have to believe that if we did institute the Pinky Tip Rule, PTR for short, people might come to see the benefit of hearing all sides of an argument.  Not for the purpose of shooting the other side down, but to discuss with honesty and integrity, and with a desire to arrive at workable solutions not based on ideologies with  deplorable track records.

But those lying, cheating, self-serving-power-hungry-sons-and-daughters-of-whores known as Democrats and Republicans (I call them Republicrats . . . or maybe Demoblicans) will never agree to such sensible ideas because their sole interest is to bring this country to its knees, ensuring every decent and hardworking person is forever screwed out of the promise of a better world for themselves and their kids.

They are slowly destroying us, you and me both . . . BUT . . . I have a solution.  I offer a way out!.  

I promise if I am elected I will make sure everyone is happy and prosperous.  I have a simple plan, you see, and you will not have to sacrifice anything; I promise I will make the other guys pay, or make them work hard, or whatever you want to hear, I’ll make them do.

Just vote for me . . . . etc. etc.

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. . .  my FP ward  . . . chieken shit.