Post-election ponderings

So the mid-term elections are behind us. As predicted by almost everybody, the Republican Party now controls Congress, but the Democratic Party retained control of the Senate. The 'talking heads' of the TV networks and political analysts are spouting their opinions, deductions and prognostications until we're all heartily sick of them . . . so I won't do the same here. Instead, I'd like to offer a few thoughts about what isn't being said by the so-called 'experts'.

First, I'd like to draw your attention to what I said the night before the election. I firmly believe that the main points I raised at that time - the fundamental importance of the individual, rather than the group; the desperate need to control and limit the influence of special interests and the 'establishment', and restore the centrality of the will of the people; and limiting the size and role of the Federal Government - are essential to the ongoing health of the American body politic. To the extent that they're not implemented, that body will, I believe, remain less than healthy. (You are, of course, free to differ with me on those perspectives. Since most of the 'experts' and 'pundits' are themselves in the pockets of special interests and interest groups, they don't have much to say at all about such things.)

Now, let's look at the map (as it stands at present, with a few races still to be decided) of Congressional voting results across the USA. Red indicates Republican seats in Congress, blue Democratic seats.




I find this map frightening. There's a very clear dominance of support for the Democratic Party among two groups, based upon where they're living: those of a liberal or 'progressive' bent, and those who are dependent on Government handouts (particularly Welfare and family benefits). Most of the inner-city areas - 'urban archipelagos' - are solidly Democratic. Most of the areas where more productive people live - those who earn their own living rather than rely on the State to support them - are in suburban and rural areas, and are solidly Republican. The division is very clear - and, I believe, very dangerous for the long-term future of this country.

Over the past several decades, an 'underclass' has grown up in the USA that is heavily dependent on the government - be it Federal, State or local - for its support. There are many families and individuals who have seldom or never held down a job to support themselves. I can cite many examples from my own experience, but I'll choose just one to represent the whole. Some years ago I met a seventeen-year-old girl who was pregnant with her fourth child. She'd had the first when she was twelve years old! All four of her children had different fathers, who contributed nothing to their support and never visited their offspring. Her own mother encouraged her to have the children, because for each one, she (and her mother) received over $500 each month in welfare support, food stamps, etc. Those four kids were nothing but cash machines, keeping her and her mother in spending money so that they didn't have to work themselves.

How can this be tolerated? It's very widespread - in fact, I know far more egregious examples than the young lady I cited. How can kids grow up with any sense of self-worth, knowing that the only reason they weren't aborted was so that their mother could make money off them? How can a community dominated by such individuals ever develop any sense of self-respect? More to the point, from a political perspective, how can such individuals and communities ever vote for what's good for the country, what's necessary and important, rather than vote in their own self-interest? They're going to vote for whoever promises them more benefits and continued benefits, and be damned to anything else - including any consideration of where the money comes from. Such people are one of the main support blocs for the Democratic Party at present.

On the other hand, I know many productive members of society, those working hard to make a living and paying taxes for the privilege, who are growing more and more angry at what they see as the 'leeches' of society, taking money from the productive (via taxation) to fund their unproductive and parasitic lifestyle. I don't blame them for getting angry! The situation isn't just fiscally ruinous, it's immoral as well. Such people are more likely to vote Republican than Democratic, and see the latter party as Socialist and fiscally irresponsible for its support of what they see as the 'welfare classes'.

This situation cannot be sustained, fiscally, morally or politically. Sooner or later it's going to brew a head of steam that will burst out of any containment you can imagine. This has already begun to happen in Europe - witness the riots in recent months in Greece and France when the socialist Governments of those nations had to begin cutting back, at long last, on the raft of benefits that had been freely handed out for decades to their citizens. Those citizens couldn't handle the shock of no longer being given so many things for free, and rioted rather than accept that they could no longer be afforded. I foresee similar problems in our inner cities when welfare and related benefits must be cut . . . and what about Social Security and Medicare? Both programs are financially unsustainable, and will have to be pared back - but those who've come to depend and rely on them won't accept that. They couldn't care less that the money simply isn't there - they're entitled, and they want what they've got coming!

Both of our major political parties have, so far, lacked the courage to state bluntly to the American people what the realities of the situation truly are. No-one wants to be the target of the people's anger. Each side has tried - and will continue to try - to blame the policies of the other party for the problem, rather than accept and acknowledge that both sides have screwed it up for decades. They don't want to accept responsibility for their past errors and neglect. Well, that's no longer an option. Hard fiscal and mathematical truths will force reality upon us soon enough, whether politicians like it or not!

My hope is that both parties will have the courage to work together upon addressing the realities of the situation, and refrain from trying to score cheap points off each other. My fear is that the latter habit has become so ingrained in our politicians that they won't be able to stop! If that's the case, the divide in our nation will continue to worsen, and the likelihood of serious social disruption become ever stronger. Now, more than ever, we need leadership from our politicians.

I'm hopeful that the influence of the Tea Party movement on the Republican party will provide at least some of the leadership the latter needs. It's my sincere hope that a liberal or left-wing version of the Tea Party will arise and make itself felt in the Democratic Party as well. We need solid, pragmatic, sensible leaders on both sides of the political aisle; people who are rooted, not in ideology or partisanship, but in reality. If we can foster such leaders, the future holds out at least some hope for us all. If we can't . . . if the 'system' or the 'establishment' co-opts all new blood and re-makes those newcomers in the image of the old ways . . . we're neck-deep in the dwang.

Let's wait and see whether our new Congress can - or will - do the right thing.

Peter