I noticed the recent Gallup Poll stating that Conservatives are the single largest ideological group with 40% of those surveyed. About 21% of those surveyed considered themselves liberal. This result did not surprise me too much. I think the loudest and most influential among us are liberal, which can give the impression of a profligate majority. I also think this contributes to "conservatives" feeling hopeless about the government and staying home on election day.
The converse of this is that Republicans are not conservatives. If I had my choice between evils, I think I'd rather have my big government in blue than red. I don't want theocratic-morality in my cereal. I would prefer (gulp) the red tape and inefficiencies of a bumbling big brother who may at least have some think tank reports to back him up. The intellectual dishonesty of this argument arises from the fact that we don't really know what the motivations of liberal big government are.
I don't think the Republican party is lost. Unfortunately I subscribe to the belief that we have two teams in this game and you need to root for one. Yes it is a depressing and cynical way to look at our democracy, but I also see the political parties as little more than vehicles. If there is a candidate that can speak well, present good ideas, and has shown a commitment to his/her community, I think the party would have a hard time holding him/her back. (This is my counter-vailing naive opinion). I've yet to be proven correct here, but the combination of skills described above is rare. It amazes me how many aspirational politicians show themselves unable to put two words together when behind a podium. Sadly, this core flaw is what stands between us and good government...because the bad guys are ALWAYS great speakers.
Building on that, pseudo-intellectuals who deem themselves superior to the average voter are guilty of the same ignorance with which they dress down the electorate. Pretenses of humility are even more patronizing.
ReplyDeleteBasing voting on speaking skills, writing skills is an absurd endeavor precisely as you pointed out: The bad guys are ALWAYS great speakers.
I see why pride is the most deadly of the 7 - not to interject theocracy into anyone's breakfast. (Certain theocracies define me but don't have to define anyone else with great ideas to have my support).
It's the arrogance of pride that convinces those with superior speaking skills that they are indeed superior in every other way.
Let's find some candidates with a little humility - imagine the changes we would bring.
Humility may be too much to ask. Ha ha.
ReplyDeleteI'm suggesting that a combination of the three (speaking skills, ideas, civic-mindedness) would be optimal and maybe the best we can get. Certainly we would prefer additional virtues, but I'm talking baseline.
I hope you aren't suggesting that since bad guys are good speakers, all good speakers are bad guys. Ha ha. I just think that in order to get elected, you need to have a superior skill in communicating your message.