"Politics" is my Word for Today, June 1st, 2010.

"Politics"

The word for today is a hateful ol' word, it's politics!

Politics is a battle for power.  The biggest battle...the presidency of the USA. 

This past election was won by the smoothest talker. No matter he said things contrary to most Americans' views, that he didn't salute our flag and said he wouldn't do that because of a loyalty to a religion he claimed not to believe.  Whatever he said, he said it calmly and his manner was confident and .... the best word is smooth.  People liked that.

Smooth talkers always make me nervous.  The smoother the talk the more apt I am to distrust the talker.  To be so calm and collected about the world's problems, which are many, tremendous and terrible is not natural.  It's insane, or more likely, it's manipulative.  And that's what a good politician is, a practiced and capable manipulator .... did I say I really don't like politics?

And further, it gets me hopping mad to hear the president say, 'The buck stops here.' (a phrase which he borrowed).  I know, this is believed to be honorable and responsible.  It's really not.  It makes the president sound as if he believes he can speak solutions and good times into existence, or as if he believes his lecturing BP or others is all it will take for solutions and remedies to be.  He isn't all powerful.

In fact, he cannot rule according to only his opinion; he cannot do all he promises in his campaign.  More and more I believe the president of the United States of America, no matter who that person happens to be, is not much more than a figure head. 

Congress has power.  Money has power.  Public opinion, shaped by news media and dedicated advocates for particular causes, has power.  The US President is used to take the flack or praise, and allow the true power brokers to work under less scrutiny. 

Politics irritate me, and it's the word I thought about today.

"Politics"