Bahaha, what a knee slapper! That one always gets me.
But in all seriousness, I am referring to a recent study from The National Journal reporting on the state of the bipartisan split in Congress. The National Journal is reporting the widest and most pronounced split between the two parties since they started compiling data on voting ratings in 1982.
For only the second time since 1982, when NJ began calculating the ratings in their current form, every Senate Democrat compiled a voting record more liberal than every Senate Republican—and every Senate Republican compiled a voting record more conservative than every Senate Democrat.
Basically what this means is that the two political camps are so divided that even the moderates are staying away from the shared area of the Venn Diagram. There is no coordination or cooperation between the parties. With the lines of communication clogged with separatist rhetoric like the arteries of a McDonald's addict, there can be no moving forward.
I personally have always had a problem with the idea of a two party political system. I never liked the idea that people were defining their political ideas as being either to the left or the right. Both parties have some decent ideas. They both have some seriously shitty ideas, too. But the identification of candidates with these monolithic spires of bureaucratic ideology does nothing but fuel the fires of heated competition between sides, detracting from the focus of actually making a positive change. Republicans call it a victory when they can stop a Democratic bill from being passed, as Democrats rejoice on crushing the efforts of the Republicans. There is no victory in the defeat of imaginary enemies drawn by invisible lines. We need to stop getting so tied up with the whole "my side - your side" bullshit and start focusing on what actually will result in a tangible benefit for our country.
And that's why I say we get rid of this whole two-party system. Fuck Republicans. Fuck Democrats. Fuck 'em all. Abolish this idea of being forced to identify with one of these parties to have a viable shot of gaining office. Destroy this crooked system that allows men to hide behind the banners of their political affiliations.
I recently started playing Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas again in my spare time. I'd always been a fan of the talk radio station in those games as they usually provide the most comical back track to cutting swathes of carnage through the pixelated landscape of Rockstar's opus. I mention this because there is one radio personality pair that is supposed to be a joke on the very dichotomy between the left and right that The National Journal's study examined. Every time this part of the show cycles through the playlist, they close it with the sign off: "When you mix the worst parts of an Elephant and a Donkey, you get a lot of shit." Ain't that the truth.
If I've learned nothing else from this long history of filibustering and political head butting, its that we've let the circus on Capitol Hill take precedence over the objective of serving the people. We need to move away from this separation and try to realize that we are all Americans; not Democrats, Republics, Independents, Tea Party, Green Party, Bull Moose Party, Communist Party, or whatever the hell else you want to call yourself. We need to put a stop this concept that it is OK to sequester ourselves behind party lines unless we move out to hamstring the initiative of our perceived enemies.
In closing, I bring you a small clip from a comedian who, although having passed away over 15 years ago, has a message that rings more true with every passing political season.
Go back to bed America. Your government is under control.
Go back to bed America
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