Red vs. Blue

     I turned 18 in January 2004.  Later that year in November I decided not to vote in the national and state elections.  I was, at that time, very disenchanted with our government and, in particular, our two party system.  That’s not to say that I don’t still have that same sentiment, just at the time I was at the point where I saw no hope in our government at all.  I have since educated myself in politics.  I hope that by the time the next elections come by I will be educated enough to vote, though I am extremely disappointed in my choices for my state’s next governor.  Lately, I have taken a more in-depth interest in the inner workings of our government and the representation of myself and my fellow Americans through a little program known as C-span.  I see the same shortcomings that I have been critical of for years.  I see the same split with party lines, the fear to deviate from one’s party’s policies.  I see the way the majority bullies the minority and disregards the minority’s arguments.  I see the refusal to come to a compromise, the way the two parties repeat the same old arguments instead of trying to correct the flaws within their own arguments.  I am sickened by it.  The Congress of this country is going the direction that the rest of this country is: further and further towards self-gratification.  
     I still have more hope than I did just a couple short years ago.  I had previously taken the stance that politicians were all full of shit and out for themselves.  While this statement rings truer than I would like to admit, I have since realized that the situation is not as dismal as I had previously believed.  Since watching the daily proceedings of our Congress and hearing the debates of our senators and representatives, I have seen a brighter side of our government.  I have heard some very well put together arguments with some very genuine motives behind them.  I have seen politicians from both sides cross party lines and stand up for what they believe is right.  However, I believe that the essence of the two party system is flawed and corrupted.  I previously shied away from associating myself with one party for fear of feeding the monster.  Since watching some important arguments I reluctantly have to align myself with the Democrats.  I only wonder if I would have the same alignment if the Democrats held the majority the Republicans currently do.  One of the biggest problems I have with the two party system is the majority-rules law of the land.  It seems to me that Republicans sometimes stand by their same tired arguments just in order to keep their party in its position.  When Democrats make convincing arguments their concerns are not addressed but casually dismissed and then completely disregarded when it comes time to vote.  This is not the purpose of our Congress, to further your party’s agenda.  I also see individual politicians further their own agendas through Congress, such as with economical issues and issues concerning regulation of things such as video game sales.  My biggest concern, though, is that if the tables were turned the Democrats would be employing the same strategies.  One of the things I believe in most is questioning authority.  I believe nothing is accomplished without questioning that which has been established.  I find that the Democrats, for the most part, only wish to question on most of the issues that pass through, yet the Republicans condemn them for doing so.  The purpose of our Congress is to act in the best interest of the American people.  It seems to me that the Democrats are trying to find solutions that benefit all Americans, while Republicans try to pass their agenda-laden bills through with as little resistance as possible.  I have lost most of my hope in our government.  The last shred of this hope is that Democrats are not just trying to undermine Republicans in an attempt to gain the proverbial high ground.
     Either way, there is a problem in this system.  Our government has lost sight of the good of the nation.  Somewhere along the line that became intertwined with personal agenda.  A system where two parties constantly vie for power is no democracy.  This power struggle takes the focus away from national good and further towards self-gratification.  To quote one of this country’s greatest leaders, “A house divided cannot stand.”  How can we expect this country to continue to thrive when its entire government is caught up in a nationwide power struggle?  We cannot continue to debate on the grounds of Republican vs. Democrat, conservative vs. liberal.  We have to be able to move forward, to compromise, to be willing to make concessions, to argue not for the good of the self, but for the good of the nation.