Here's why modern democratic politics scares me...it isn't what it should be.
Political elections, even if only between two major parties (and let's face it, most countries only HAVE two major parties...some of us occasionally pretend to pay attention to others, but it's usually just to teach the big kids a lesson in humility) should debate their issues as follows:
Candidate #1: I promise to increase funding for social programs, so that there is health care for your illnesses, school for your children, pension for your old age, and dignified hope for the less fortunate.
Me: That's a good policy. As a Christian and a man who plans for the future, I see the benefits.
Candidate #2: I will reduce government spending in order to lower your taxes, leaving you with more money to support your family; if you choose to donate, that is your business, not the government's.
Me: Hmm. As a working man and a believer in self-sufficiency, this appeals to me as well. Come election day, I will have to decide which policy I prefer when casting my vote. Whoever wins, there will be both benefits and drawbacks.
See how reasonable that sounds? Picking the candidate whose policies best match your personal views and opinions, then voting accordingly? That is how it should be.
But for whatever reason, the process has devolved into a baser and frankly much more dangerous display of rhetoric. See if you can spot the difference between the preceding debate and the following:
Candidate #1: My opponent will run the economy into the ground, everyone will lose their jobs except his rich friends, women and minority groups will lose all human rights, and wars will break out all over the world.
Candidate #2: My opponent will turn this country into the USSR because he is actually a Muslim Hitler and wants to burn down your house.
Candidate #1: My opponent worships Satan.
Candidate #2: My opponent is an evil alien.
Chuck Norris (ACTUAL QUOTE): If you vote for the wrong candidate, it will lead the world into a thousand years of darkness.
Yes, you read that correctly...a THOUSAND YEARS OF DARKNESS if you push the wrong button in the voting booth. Apparently they're holding elections in missile silos now.
My problem isn't the foolish rhetoric, my problem is that we're whipping ourselves into this frenzy where we literally believe that the other guy will PHYSICALLY DESTROY THE WORLD. It's not a question of fiscal policy, it's a question of Arma-fucking-geddon...which means not only does no one actually ADDRESS the very relevant needs of fiscal and social policy, but also that whoever wins, a substantial percentage of the population will then start barricading themselves into underground bunkers in preparation for the Apocalypse.
Because how can we move the country forward? For weeks, months, even YEARS these people have been telling us that the "other guy" will rape and murder us. Well, the other guy won...so what do we do now? Sit down and work out logical compromises on critical issues in order to move the world forward, in spite of inevitable diversity? How can we do that with a guy that OUR loser party told us would rape and murder us?
What scares me is that, looking at the situation, I only see two ways to end this cycle. Number one, we all calm the fuck down and stop making every single issue a matter of life and death. Neither candidate is a Commu-Nazi Terrorist, regardless of whether they supported a bank or closed a school. Likewise, neither one is the reincarnation of Jesus/Ghandi/Buddha; they will inevitably do things we don't agree with. That does not make them failures or liars; it makes them people, like the rest of us.
We need to calm down, because the second option is far worse. The only other way I can think of to end this vicious Right-vs.-Left situation is to make this a world where everyone LITERALLY thinks exactly the same way...same opinions, same beliefs, same mentality. Then they'll all vote for the same person, and there will be no need for mudslinging. Or voting. Or democracy. Or people in general.
The scariest part of all is that, looking into some of these politicos' eyes, I get the disturbing feeling that they are actually looking forward to that day.
