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Who’s Mr. Fix-It?“I tried to imagine how foreign this campaign must seem to the reality of everyday life for...[those] whose life right now is a series of sighs and a stream of tears. How foreign and fraudulent the politics of sleaze, the polarizing almost savage pursuit of power that strokes the paranoia in us in order to divide and conquer. When this election is over, no matter who wins, there will be much to repair, if we have the will for it.”
Today in History
2001: Congress certifies Bush as presidential winner
1994: Skater Nancy Kerrigan attacked with metal pipe
1982: William G. Bonin, “Freeway Killer” of 14 young men and boys, convicted in LA
1936: Debut of Porky the Pig
1912: New Mexico joins the Union
1838: Samuel Morse demonstrates telegraph
1759: George Washington marries Martha Dandridge Curtis
1412: Joan of Arc’s birthday
that's the problem with an hierarchical/pyramidic system of government/economics/society... to have any influence/power, you have to climb to the top, and that means climbing over others.... there's no way to do that without inflicting pain of some sort...those also wanting power will fight you for it and those who arent interested, or dont have the means to participate, dont have any say in the outcomes...
ReplyDeleteSome would argue that its Darwinian evolutionary 'survival of the fittest' and so perfectly normal and OK and reasonable....
But, we are now in the 21st Century, we have the resources and technology (but not the will apparently) to feed, clothe, house, educate and maintain the health of the entire earth's population (human and non-human)and so its reasonable to argue that its time for another model to come into play...
I'm surprised by Moyers' comment about politics in this campaign. I loved the program as it evolved. But that comment about the savage pursuit of power by politicians seems to be meant for another time. Politics in the 2008 campaign seemed very connected -- for the first time in many years -- to people like those named in the church he attended, people whose lives are "a series of signs and a stream of tears." When the election is over, there will be much to repair? Yes, but not because of campaign poltics.
ReplyDeleteI guess I did not watch enough of the campaign coverage, because I was not aware there would be so much to repair...
ReplyDeleteI agree with Moyer's comments about this campaign. As much as I loved watching the campaign unfold, I couldn't help but wonder to myself why they were spending billions of dollars to look good in front of TV cameras and to make cool commercials when everywhere in the US people are suffering because of the economic crisis. A series of sighs is what every American has been doing for months, wondering if they will be able to pay rent, get out of debt, find a job, etc. It will be interesting to see if Obama can fix all of the problems that America has been put in!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Moyers' first topic. It seems politics and gaining political power is the rich-mans war. Though ideas in politics may affect lower class Americans, they are too busy worrying about every day struggles and survival to worry/care about scandals, power, and lofty authority exercising invisible power over them. Election 2008 was, in my opinion, a sorry excuse to be a backstabber for "ultimate" power. Nominees were scrambling for the White House, when (if they actually WERE concerned with helping Americans), they should have been worrying about the individuals as opposed to "the poverty stricken" in a convenient bundle.
ReplyDeleteI think that the entire political campaign is a joke. The politicians wether democrat or republican have not had us as American citizens in mind for centuries now. They say what the people want to here to get elected, then turn around and do what will make them more money. As far as repair, I do not think it possible without total destruction. As others have commented, the people of this country are forced to think more about just being able to survive, let alone what is going on around them. The majority of politicians have sold out the american people, robing the poor to feed the rich.
ReplyDeleteWhile this statement is accurate, the sad truth is that this will probably not get fixed. The sad situation our country is in does not allow it. As soon as Obama was announced as president talk about who the next republican candidate would be was being spread. We, as a nation, are in a contineous state of elections. Even though the presidential eleciton is over, for now, congressional elections, and other local elections will continue. This coupled with the fact that in another year or two the presidential race will begin again, will only further the problem of people being ignored.
ReplyDeleteThis election was not the cause of all the mess this country has gotten itself into. The United States has become entangled in problems ranging from poor foreign affairs to financial debt since this nation was founded. The mess cannot be cleaned up. There is no possible way. This sounds entirely pessimistic, but it's the truth. This nation has reached its peak and is now on the decline. Like Rome and Greece, every civilization must fail and have another take its place. The America we know is on a downward slope. When this nation will collapse no one can say for sure. But the sad fact remains that America is approaching the twilight of its life and nothing can change that.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that Sara Palin's campaign clothing cost over 150,000 alone shows that those involved in this campaign were very concerned with their physical appearance which could be a reflection of the media influencing their image. I dont feel that the pursuit of power was necessarily savage. I think because more people followed this election, more people are talking about it and finding things wrong with the campaigning. I personally enjoyed following the election coverage.
ReplyDeleteI understand to an extent what Bill is saying in his quote. The economy of our country will take a great deal of time and money to "repair". I do not know how long it will take, but nobody can expect it to be anytime soon. Many American's cannot possibly imagine that economy is capable of repair when they have lost their jobs, homes, and belongings.
ReplyDeleteThe total amount spent by the Obama campaign : 53 million
ReplyDeleteThe total amount spent by the McCain campaign : 32 million
These are incredibly large numbers, I do think that politics have become ridiculous. Politics have indeed became sleezy in this nation, instead of these politicians that are here to focus on the people, and are swearing to do anything they can for the people, politicians are only concerned with getting their selves into the presidency. There needs to be a re-focusing of values here in this country, where everything is re-evaluated, and things start working the way they were meant to work.
It will be interesting to see how things turn out after inauguration day. Will the things be done that we were told would be done?
ReplyDeleteI got a little tired of hearing the candidates talk about their "great" plans to save the country. There is so much talk that goes on by the politicians and so little that is actually done. They say what the people want to hear and what will help them gain the office of President. For many of them I think their motive is power when they should instead be focused on the well being of others.
ReplyDeleteI think that this election will be one that will be remembered and felt for many years to come. This election is one that is breaking history in more ways than one. The 2008 election was going to change Americas norms no matter what the outcome- whether Republican or Democratic. The 2008 election was going to leave the United States with either its first female vice-president or its first black president. This is history. The concentration that was put into the 2008 election became a very dominant thing in the media for several months leading up to the election and will still be felt many months, if not years, after the inauguration. The media had several "sound bytes" if you will that were repeatedly played and unless one was well researched and informed on the candidates and their stances, many of the opinions formed, were by those of media campaigns. Did America really get the candidate that they truly wanted? Well, only time will tell.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Moyer, other countries are looking at us to see how a democracy works, how elections work and we let them see the low down "sleaze" and "savage pursuit of power" that it truly was. How are these newly democratic citizens supposed to be confident in their new nations if the biggest example of democracy they have can't run their elections without dirty tactics and hostility between parties.
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