I'm Just Tired, Really Tired

I'd like to blame Facebook, or video games, or television. The problem isn't any of those things. The problem is us. Not one of us (like the president), or a few of us (like members of Congress or rich folks) or a huge group of us (like Republicans, or Democrats, or Independents, or Socialists) it is ALL of us. We claim we don't have the time to do the hard work of learning about issues and making informed decisions. So instead we allow our Facebook profiles and other social media applications to be filled with things like these. 

None of those things are completely accurate and in my opinion reduce our political discourse to something resembling first grade recess name calling. Here I want to make clear I mean no offense to first graders. Look at our "presidential candidates" debates. Mr. Or Ms. ________ please explain your economic and tax program to grow and expand the American economy. By the way, you have 60 seconds. So they puke out some word salad IF they choose to answer the question at all. Then one or more of their opponents (usually several trying to talk over each other) try to rebut. Oh, for that you get 30 seconds. I've watched several of these and feel like I know less when they are done than when I started. As soon as it is over some television talking head starts declaring winners and losers. I know who the losers are. It is everyone watching who is trying to find someone, anyone on that stage who is remotely qualified to be our next president. I'm addressing the candidates from both parties when I say that. 

It is not easy to look at where we are and plot a course ahead. The choices above are aimed at our prejudices and laziness. It doesn't have to be a choice between veterans and refugees. Between housing our homeless and foreign aid. Between meaningful negotiation with our enemies and bombing. Those answers aren't found in posts like the ones above taken from my Facebook feed today and debates where answers are limited to a minute. Go back to the history of Galesburg, Illinois. It was a cold windy day in October 1858 at Old Main when Stephen Douglas and Abraham Lincoln debated. The man who spoke first had 60 minutes to make his point. His opponent had 90 minutes to respond. The first speaker then had 30 minutes to rebut. Isn't that the kind of discussion we need to ave about tax policy, income inequality, terrorism, war, trade policy...? Our ancestors worked longer hours mainly at hand labor n those days. They made the time to stand in the cold and wind to make an informed decision on the issues of their day. We can't or won't sit for a couple of hours in our heated and air conditioned homes to become informed on our issues. The downfall of our country will not be brought about by outside forces. It will happen because of our laziness and lack of interest.