Political Fatigue

Madeline Kahn had a great song and dance routine from Blazing Saddles in which she gives the impression she has had to satisfy the entire army of the Third Reich. At the end of the song she collapses in a chair and says, “Let’s face it, I’m tired.”

For a slightly different reason (and in deference to Mrs. Sladed who has scolded me for risqué Blogging), I also feel tired.

Since about 1991, we have lived in the most polarized political country in the history of polarized political countries. During the Nineties, Bill Clinton and his “War Room” ran every policy objective as if it was an extension of his presidential campaign. Messages were honed with constant polling and, as in all campaigns, villains were created and solutions/heroes were the savior.

During that time the “politics of personal destruction” – a term coined by the Clinton Administration to describe republican counter-tactics, but practiced to perfection by the Clintons – became a part of every day political life. Republicans fired back through a series of independent prosecutors and constant demonizing of Clinton and the left. Talk radio – still largely right wing – carried the ball for the republicans, who have always been less adept at return fire, and stoked the fire of rage in what was described in 1994 as the “Angry White Man.”

It was easy to get sucked in for a while. It was difficult to watch Clinton on TV without throwing loose objects at his smug face as he was opening his mouth and, hence, lying. A few years and TVs later, he just became a sad political caricature. He and his helpers wasted his last term on defending the mostly indefensible rather than attempting to achieve any policy goals. Every night, it seemed, there was somebody new explaining why Linda Tripp was evil and Clinton was a victim of a “vast right-wing conspiracy” rather than the truth about him: that he was a misogynistic spoiled child who cared very little for those who had to pay the heavy price for his transgressions. I don’t think I have seen that much water carried for anyone since Gunga Din.

Fast forward to today, and we’re engaged in the same rough and tumble battle of bare-knuckled politics. It’s dragged on so long it almost makes the 100 Years War seem like a fast game of tennis. The game plan is basically the same; it’s just that the sides have changed. Now my democrat friends (yes, some of my best friends are democrats) are spending their weekends buying new television sets and, for the first time, I understand their anger, because I had the same rage in me during the last presidency.

I guess the reason these political battles are waged is because they work. Clinton was, for the most part, marginalized for the last four years of his presidency and it seems Bush, a lame duck with some lame political moves, is headed for the same trash heap of irrelevant political leaders. And the country is lesser for both sets of lost years of leadership.

So both sides have had their pound of flesh and now let’s endeavor to do what’s right for the country. The next presidential election is a mere three years away so that means we have to decide who we want now. I can’t tell you the person I will support, but he or she will have the qualities of someone who will unite the country rather than divide it. I just don’t believe the republic can survive another eight years of politics as usual. Pray we lose the cynicism and have the sense to stop the division in our government.