Who are those 19%?
April 4, 2008 — JaredA New York Times/CBS News Poll released today shows that 81% of the country believes America is on the wrong track, and Bush’s abysmally-low 34% approval rating suggests that this issue is bipartisan. The percentage of people upset with the condition of the U.S. is higher than it has been for 20 years, which has seen 12 years of Bush’s Senior and Junior and 8 years of Clinton.
The biggest concern for respondents was the economy, amidst news of a 5.1% unemployment, more layoffs last month than in the last five years, and a failing dollar. The current administration has no legitimate plans for helping the economy, with Bush appearing carefree and laughing off reports of gas at $4 a gallon. McCain would take a Hooveresque approach, doing nothing to spur a failing economy.
But how much change will a Democratic administration bring? The newly-Democratic Congress’ approval rating is at an all-time low, worse than the Republican presidency. Their initial support for Iraq has waned in an attempt to garner more of the vote in the upcoming election. They have become Republican-lite.
Neither party has been able to show that they can bring about the change that the people want. The current political duopoly has been successful in eliminating competition, and as such find little need to offer vastly different stances on political issues. Third-party suppression and ballot access laws ensure that the next president will be more of the same - and that people will be upset with the state of the country.
People want real change, but are blocked by both politicians and their own laziness. Why read a newspaper when pop stars are beamed directly into your homes at your beck and call? Why risk being depressed about the world when you can laugh at the latest crazy thing a celebrity has done? Why become educated on issues when there exists other people who can do it for you? Mass media should be added to religion as an opiate of the people.
81% of you want change. But it’s not something that politicians are going to offer. It’s not something that is going to happen if you do nothing. Unless you’re among the contented 19% of the population, it is your responsibility to implement the change you want to see.
April 5, 2008 at 8:16 AM
“Their initial support for Iraq has waned in an attempt to garner more of the vote in the upcoming election. They have become Republican-lite.”
Far and away the most annoying aspect of the Democratic party is the desire of DLC types to turn the Dems into a GOP-lite, but I really don’t think that’s a fair description of Obama (Edwards too) or the house leadership in Congress.
The Democrats would end the war if they could, they’ve made real efforts to expand health care for poor children (Vetoed twice, before a compromise passed) they would dramatically change the health care structure of America, they’re refusal to extend the Bush tax cuts has major impacts on the long fiscal outlook for the country, and they just passed a 300% increase in foreign aid for Africa and health (Bush says he’ll sign that into law).
Some good things are happening, and more would happen if we get a Democratic administration.
Jared’s Response:
I hope Obama isn’t full of empty rhetoric and hopes and dreams and rainbows. He may bring about a lot of sorely needed change, and he may not. This post was really all over the place (I still think I might break it up into a couple posts), but what I was trying to convey was a sense of annoyance with the political duopoly (and also people’s complacency) that doesn’t offer a wide range of choices for the presidency.