Thing is, that warm remembered glow of collegial behavior and calm consensus is largely an illusion.
Politics has always been a rough-and-tumble sport — sometimes a blood sport. Going all the way back to the Adams vs. Jefferson presidential election, things were nasty, personal and mean. President Obama is no more despised than was FDR; Bush was no more excoriated for his war than were Nixon or LBJ for theirs.
Local politics has never been exempt. Heck, in some parts of the country, political and economic rivalries led to feuds and gunplay.
Sisters has had a couple years of rough stuff. Issue after issue that comes before the city council turns into a fight. But that’s not so unusual either. When the community was debating a sewer project in the mid-‘90s, that business got contentious and often mean-spirited. Tempers flared, feelings got hurt, a city councilor was recalled.
There have been any number of land-use battles, fights over water and homeowners association beefs over the years.
I’m not saying any of this is a good thing. Bitter fights usually end up being destructive to everyone involved.
But it’s important to understand that it’s only human to get your back up in a fight, to lose your temper sometimes, to be harsher than the situation really warrants. As long as there are human passions, they’re liable to get out of hand. As long as there’s a political arena, those passions will be played out there.
The trick is to learn to take a step back, take a deep breath, try to keep things in perspective and proportion. And remember that the other guy has his reasons and his own stuff to carry.
Jim Cornelius, Editor
Posts
Wise words indeed.
ReplyDeleteI especially like the caning in the Senate, or the duel, guns a blazing.
Regarding local politics, it's like academia: the politics are vicious because the stakes are so low. Or the ignorance so high. The ROI is not there, therefore we get the lowest level of people involved in politics, regardless of if it is local/municipal, county/state or national. More intelligent people have better things to do, leaving the positions open for the residue, as is evidenced by our local 'officials'.
Wise words indeed.
ReplyDeleteI especially like the caning in the Senate, or the duel, guns a blazing.
Regarding local politics, it's like academia: the politics are vicious because the stakes are so low. Or the ignorance so high. The ROI is not there, therefore we get the lowest level of people involved in politics, regardless of if it is local/municipal, county/state or national. More intelligent people have better things to do, leaving the positions open for the residue, as is evidenced by our local 'officials'.
I will have to respectfully and totally disagree with Anonymous 11.10 pm.
ReplyDeleteIt is not the level of people involved in politics that is low, but rather the level of thinking on the part of the voters who elect our officials, local or otherwise. Because we voters mindlessly respond to vitriol in ways that encourage its use, we will continue to see vitriol deployed as an effective political tool.
We have the power to stop this, but we don't. The voters are to blame. No one else puts these guys and gals into office. Stop blaming the elected, start blaming the electorate. We want it this way, so that is what we get.