Politicoblogging

Oh come on, it’s election year. You knew I couldn’t avoid the subject forever.

As some of you know, I am a pretty staunch liberal in my political views. Having emerged from a right wing family / school / lifeworld / upbringing, I think I understand the motivations and underpinnings of conservative political thought.

However, I have to say that in today’s political climate – particularly given the pervasiveness of issues of globalization – the categories of political liberal and conservative are often insufficient.

So I’ll get into that issue on another day.

I want to start politcoblogging with an argument that I think everybody might agree upon. And when I say everybody, I really mean BishopRudd (eg. The Pirate / Coach / etc) – who is by far the most regularly-opposed, but brilliantly-analytical reader that I have.

Here it is:

People are voting too often for issues as they affect them directly and individually INSTEAD of voting for the good of the country (and mutatis mutandi, the larger world). If voters were more focused upon the general good of everyone when they voted, then democracy would be working optimally (both thriving on participation and encouraging participation).

People are far too concerned (on the right and the left) about which candidate will protect their interests. I’m arguing that this self interest can only devolve into worse and worse politics.

Effects of this attitude: political rhetoric becomes increasingly partisan, single-issue-focused, and non-wholistic; voter attrition; special interest lobby groups become increasingly powerful in swinging elections.

I believe that this problem proceeds from the left and the right equally, and I’d just like to do my part during this election to push every person that I know to think about voting NOT as being about protecting your own interests, but instead as an opportunity to think about –

The greatest needs for our country.

And then ask: What is the best way to address those needs?

Of course this also allows me to explain what I see as the greatest needs for the USA and how those perceived needs influence my vote.

But that’s a later blog.

peace~