New Politics, New Rules?
Instead of focusing on the incessant pundit prattle that’s polluting the airwaves today, perhaps it would be worth looking at the rules for those of us who want to be part of “The New Politics“. Everyone is having difficulty with the idea of a different level of discourse, but I think that’s because we’re so entrenched in the old rules, so here are some new ones to try.
- Define our ideals. If we hate smear politics, are we willing to give them up? Are we willing to forego references to candidates’ old scandals and focus on the issues? Will we decide to go forward with discussions of issues undistracted or continue to ignore them in favor of the ‘hot headlines’?
- Choose caring over cynicism. Can we confront our worst fears and lay them aside, or will they continue to dominate the conversation? Reactions to Obama’s speech last year are an example. Many saw it as an historic example of how to deal with the difficult and hard issues of our time in an adult manner. Inside of that speech, Barack Obama made it clear that he understood the resentments on all sides of the race issue, not just a single side, and came at it compassionately.
- Refuse to accept mainstream media’s impressions as true This probably should have been rule number one. The mainstream media has a vested interest in creating conflict where none need exist, and they do so with alarming regularity. As an example, the mortgage crisis is still huge, 4,000 American soldiers are dead in Iraq, violence has increased and an uneasy truce may be broken soon, yet major news outlets and talk shows are still hammering each other over the Jeremiah Wright non-controversy. This proves two points: one, their primary concern is stirring controversy, not reporting news; and two, they are not researching their stories before taking them to air. If they were, they’d be focused on reporting the MISreporting originally done with regard to this story. Participating in The New Politics means beginning with the understanding that the political reporting and commentary is by necessity slanted, not factual, and often erroneous. New Politics participants have to choose to use their own heads and hearts to research and form opinions on the facts, rather than the opinion of an overpaid pundit.
- Be courageous. The time for sitting idly by in our living rooms is over. Get out and talk to the neighbors, encourage a new style of political discourse, one that’s based on facts, common values, and a desire for the best for our country rather than the expedient.
- Find common ground. Rather than figuring out what divides us, why not try finding the areas of agreement and trying to branch out into a debate of areas of disagreement on a common foundation? Rather than attacking someone’s patriotism, maybe acknowledge that we’re all patriotic, but have different ways of demonstrating patriotism? It seems like a more productive way to approach political discourse and after hearing everyone scream at each other, might even be welcome.
- Choose to be intellectually honest. No spin, honesty. Probably the hardest to attain.
This is a first pass at these. What others would you add?
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