Knowing the Difference

Trump’s past Attorney General Bill Barr claims Trump should not have been President, but his administration was better than letting the political left be in control of the White House. In another venue, Trump claims Putin’s love of country drove him to enlarge Russia by capturing Ukraine.

If any of my readers believe either or both of these statements, there is a disconnect from logic, history and right and wrong.

Rhetoric in America may have swings of extremes, but surely only small numbers believe the two statements above, or even believe the polar opposite of them. The truth is clearly in between such positions. And that truth captures a majority of American’s loyalty.

First of all, polemics defining right and left politics simply misrepresents either the left or right as being so right or so wrong as to destroy the nation we know and love as the United States of America. Right wingers think smaller government is better than bigger government. Left wingers believe government should be large enough to properly meet the needs of the American People. The arc of leftists is not a self-destructive political ideology. If it were, the needs of the American people would not be met. But governance would continue. The arc of rightists is also not self-destructive. If it were, government would be so small as to be unable to respond to the governing needs of the people.

Neither of those circumstances is true. The middle landscape is much more accurate a description of what Americans think and believe. Even then, their thinking and believing only applies to the few moments you have their attention to discuss these matters. Most of the time they are spending their time working to support their families, living and loving their families, and exploring the limits of their personal lives. What to do with the evening, what food to eat at which meal, what clothes to wear, and what are the most current sports scores. That’s it. Oh, maybe they wonder about the weather and if they need a heavier coat or an umbrella before stepping out the door.

Government is serious business. We talk about it a lot. We consider what problems are under control and which are not. Then we consider if we are doing enough about the problems or if they have become unmanageable entirely. We most likely find a comfortable chair and pour a drink and set down to really get into the discussion, unless a fresh piece of music sounds over the radio or TV capturing their attention.

Yes, ordinary people are shallow and self-interested. Yes they work hard and sleep hard. They also love, learn and live their lives as they see fit. What they believe is not the end of the world. Should they spend more time on matters of government? I think so, but then I’m pretty serious about this stuff. I think it matters that our people have a voice in their own governance, I think it matters that more of us care about what is going on in the world and down the block from our house, but I also think most Americans do stand up when it counts.

Playing games with them in the media and underestimating them with propaganda is wrong and foolish. Americans will stand and say what needs to happen when it matters the most.

If you hear some rustling, they may be fixing to stand up and begin speaking. Let’s be sure and listen to what they say.

The world is in trouble. What we do about it matters. And I think we are about to hear what that is.

March 18, 2022