Reclaim Your Republic

If the out-of-touch opinion of John McCain or the clamor to move Barack Obama to the center should send any message to Americans, it’s that we’re already a non-partisan mass. Landslide victories are fast diminishing in local and national elections. Still our “leaders” present themselves as representative of the ideas and ideals of a two-party system - a system with which most Americans can no longer identify. This system has provided us with one candidate and one “presumed nominee” who are the same where they should differ, differ where they should theoretically agree, and are overly concerned with issues that are private matters…or in the most public scenario, concerns of the individual state. No one doesn’t know what will happen in November while we continue on this path; we will take time out of our lives to run to the polls and put into office the one who looks and sounds the best. The one who speaks with the proper level of conviction and uses the words that are meant to capture the hearts and minds of a disenchanted public. (I won’t repeat them. Ann Coulter and Bill O’Reilly have done a sufficient job mocking your idealism.)

I understand why you will let this happen. After eight years of lies and deceit, it’s easy to look at our president as a “Republican” first and a leader second, but in fact, (there’s a “grey” word in this society) he is neither. It’s easy to look back at the Clinton Administration and become intoxicated with Bill’s charisma, his charm, all the while disregarding his “National Homeownership Strategy” that has exacerbated our currently crippling financial crises. But what comes most naturally to us is fear. You trust in your leaders to communicate truth to the media. You trust in your media to communicate those truths to you. In exchange for your trust you are delivered lies and bask in ignorance, handing over your Liberties at the drop of a hat, cowering in the corner from the big, bad terrorists while our government enters, guns a-blazin’, ready to defend your Liberty.

Well here’s the truth: you hardly have any Liberty anymore. Your president proposed it was stripped. Your Congress - speaking on behalf of you - stripped it. And you live in a society that is no more safe than any other populated with other human beings. Terrorism is a distraction. You already know this.

I’ve been watching, America. I’ve witnessed your struggle to find your place, your group, your clique. I’ve seen them cheat you and lie to you, only for you to return to them embittered, but assuming they always had your best interests at heart. Your best interests. They make strides to show you that they are no different from you.  Focus groups tell them to roll up their sleeves and stop wearing a tie.  They stand with you in the atrium while they campaign, showing you their rich and famous friends, telling you that they will make everything all right. And after you stood with them, they make their mad dash to the Left or Right Wings while you stand alone, wondering why your leader abandoned you.

I mean not to stick my fingers through the holes in your hands. I ask only that you spend these next months learning how to stitch them up. As it stands, one “leader” is offering you bandages and the other wants to dress your wounds. Not having to do the work yourself is inviting, but it’s not rewarding. There are third party candidates who are prepared to show you how to perform sutures.  The bandages are great but, at the end of the day, the holes are still gaping.

Is it in your best interest to bleed for someone else’s glory? It’s time to acknowledge that you have countless options when it comes to politicians, but only two when it comes to Fight or Flight. Aren’t you tired of cowering?