Do Republicans and Democrats sound like a stale parade? Perhaps not if one finds them believable. The media would have people believe they have all the important elections sewn up between them, no contest. That is true only so far as the vast nonvoting public finds no clear alternative. The right and left are called dogmatic and rigid, and the glorified middle is the story the middle class is expected to believe. Build up the military. Put deadbeat mothers on workfare. Kill killers. Win the war on cancer, gangs, drugs, whatever disease is the current rage. The war mentality brings casualties on all sides. Humanity has long passed the point of overkill with weaponry. A new mentality has to emerge.
Different mentalities have been around, but each generally has its dogma, its right way, which may work for a few. Capitalism and socialism are economic theories used to cover for corruption for centuries. Capitalism won, so it amasses fortunes for the fortunate, while the masses are lucky if they are better off. Free enterprise is a reasonable theory which could work if strict boundaries are placed on ways of doing business, to protect workers, consumers, the quality of life and Nature, and a free and fair competitive atmosphere.
Religions are theories of proper human behavior, which is one reason this country made a point of religious tolerance. Morality is a matter of opinion, not absolute truth, unlike survival. Murder is not tolerable not because it is morally wrong, but that it directly threatens the survival of everyone. The right to life is no province of the right wing foes of women controlling procreation. The safety net is the right to life in America. People falling through the cracks, dying from lack of food or heat, must not have played by the rules. Even if true, death is a cruel and unusual punishment. They may have been down on luck, thrown out of work, or running from circumstances worse than the streets, but all people have skills and talents of value to others. The model poorhouse is a boarding school, with child care and nutritious food, to develop those skills and talents so people can have a better future.
The parade is stale because the same old parties play minor variations on the same old themes. Both look to capture the middle, so the candidates strive to appeal to whatever they consider mainstream America. Rarely does this resemble average people, but politicians use reality more as a source of mud for campaign commercials than ideas. Ideas are not strangers to politicians, but if an idea rocks the status quo, it gets ignored until public uproar gets too much attention. Most media is devoted to preserving the status quo, so it is not unusual for good ideas to get less attention than merited. Politicians are mostly public relations puppets, highly trained to parrot the party line, blaming any problems on the opposition or the hostile press. That is much easier than presenting a platform that makes more sense than silly slogans, campaign promises never meant to be fulfilled.
Different mentalities have been around, but each generally has its dogma, its right way, which may work for a few. Capitalism and socialism are economic theories used to cover for corruption for centuries. Capitalism won, so it amasses fortunes for the fortunate, while the masses are lucky if they are better off. Free enterprise is a reasonable theory which could work if strict boundaries are placed on ways of doing business, to protect workers, consumers, the quality of life and Nature, and a free and fair competitive atmosphere.
Religions are theories of proper human behavior, which is one reason this country made a point of religious tolerance. Morality is a matter of opinion, not absolute truth, unlike survival. Murder is not tolerable not because it is morally wrong, but that it directly threatens the survival of everyone. The right to life is no province of the right wing foes of women controlling procreation. The safety net is the right to life in America. People falling through the cracks, dying from lack of food or heat, must not have played by the rules. Even if true, death is a cruel and unusual punishment. They may have been down on luck, thrown out of work, or running from circumstances worse than the streets, but all people have skills and talents of value to others. The model poorhouse is a boarding school, with child care and nutritious food, to develop those skills and talents so people can have a better future.
The parade is stale because the same old parties play minor variations on the same old themes. Both look to capture the middle, so the candidates strive to appeal to whatever they consider mainstream America. Rarely does this resemble average people, but politicians use reality more as a source of mud for campaign commercials than ideas. Ideas are not strangers to politicians, but if an idea rocks the status quo, it gets ignored until public uproar gets too much attention. Most media is devoted to preserving the status quo, so it is not unusual for good ideas to get less attention than merited. Politicians are mostly public relations puppets, highly trained to parrot the party line, blaming any problems on the opposition or the hostile press. That is much easier than presenting a platform that makes more sense than silly slogans, campaign promises never meant to be fulfilled.