jerm (10/13/2008)

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Is anybody else as tired of this as I am? Can we just have the friggin' election already...

Not me. But then I've been largely ignoring it all.

Locus Coeruleus (10/13/2008)

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Agreed!!!!! But I am not going to stop posting about it until it's over!

Obama v. Bush

Nice post LC. Reminds me of that whole Political Compass thing that shows how little real difference exists in the actual policies and procedures of "conservatives" and "democrats" in modern Western states.

Which leads me to this question: Why are we trapped in a political culture in which both parties succeed in duping the vast majority of the people into conceiving of the two parties as polar opposites, if not antithetical? Both parties, and any prominent figure in either party, are quickly reduced from the status of rational human being to caricature. Obviously, there are major points on which any two individuals, or the two parties may differ radically (e.g., whether or not they supported the Iraq War at the time of its initiation), but to constantly, incessantly, perennial portray themselves as "The Jedi" and the others as "The Sith" is just inane.

It is really quite sad, given the opportunities afforded with modern mass media, and the generally high levels of literacy and numeracy, that the current traditions and customs totally squash any manifestation of true debate, true discussion, and true statesmanship, i.e., eloquence, refined and well-conceived thinking, and inspiring leadership based on principle and duty.

A culture that reduces our nations political life to nothing more than one big crass media circus is more than deplorable. It is a damn shame, and a waste of potential.