I think something inside me died Thursday night.
My wife and I were in the living room, watching "Rock Center," having tuned in for their story on Scientology. A commercial came on about planned news coverage of President Obama's second inauguration on Monday, and she said, ""We have to watch that."
I responded with something less than a shrug, and she said,
"You don't care." And I said,
"He's going to put his hand on a Bible and make a promise that he won't keep, and nobody will even care that he doesn't keep it."
And as I heard myself say that, it felt like something inside me had died. A few days ago, in response to the suicide of Aaron Swartz, I said that in future elections, I don't expect either the Republican or the Democrat party to offer a presidential candidate who will preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
I guess what died Thursday was the illusion that either party had done so in the last election.
Or the one before that.
Or the one before that...
And with it died the imagining that the press might press a president on his constitutional duty toward the Constitution.
I don't know what my political life will look like going forward. I do know that it will not look like November 4, 2008, when the outcome of an election made me feel glad and proud.
My wife and I were in the living room, watching "Rock Center," having tuned in for their story on Scientology. A commercial came on about planned news coverage of President Obama's second inauguration on Monday, and she said, ""We have to watch that."
I responded with something less than a shrug, and she said,
"You don't care." And I said,
"He's going to put his hand on a Bible and make a promise that he won't keep, and nobody will even care that he doesn't keep it."
And as I heard myself say that, it felt like something inside me had died. A few days ago, in response to the suicide of Aaron Swartz, I said that in future elections, I don't expect either the Republican or the Democrat party to offer a presidential candidate who will preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
I guess what died Thursday was the illusion that either party had done so in the last election.
Or the one before that.
Or the one before that...
And with it died the imagining that the press might press a president on his constitutional duty toward the Constitution.
I don't know what my political life will look like going forward. I do know that it will not look like November 4, 2008, when the outcome of an election made me feel glad and proud.
2 comments:
WOW it ain't that deep for me. I care more about God's word and how I can work on living as best I can than whether a politician can meet my ideals. My thrill hasn't gone just because the reality of do nothing politics interfered. My hope is built on nothing less ... You know the rest of that line in the wonderful song that sustains me. Barack is not "My Rock" cause that position is filled!
Hmmm...I grew up in a household saturated with such political cynicism that I've never expected any politician to meet my ideals. If anything, I expect less - or more precisely, I want less - from the President than most people seem to, even in practical terms. For instance, I do not expect or want him to manage the economy, or to create jobs.
I just want him to honor the Constitution. Him, and the 544 other people who make up the top tier of the federal government. I want them to follow their job descriptions. That is all.
I think Thursday was the first time that I felt certain that
1 - Neither the President nor Congress will follow their job descriptions, AND
2 - most of the nation, including the press who should lead the way in calling them to account, will be perfectly okay with that.
Knowing the way my mind works, you may anticipate the thought that followed that spasm of angst - maybe I'll start a discussion group in Homewood to acquaint people with the Constitution...
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