The Indulgent Folly of American Liberalism

by AlvinBlah on June 23, 2007 | Trackback URI | Email This Post | 20 Views

It’s time to face the facts. Liberal democrats could and should wield more influence and power than they are willing to admit. Democrats swept the 2006 elections, and as a voting bloc liberals are better educated and wealthier than most demographics. However there hasn’t been a sweeping change to enlightened benevolence. The voting body ushered in their representatives and sat back content to let someone else do the work. American politics are now officially a spectator sport. The American electorate is willing to let someone else handle their problems.

So they voted Democrat (the other rich white party). Voters still chose career politicians, and still chose to embrace a two party system of passive representation. Honestly what do people expect to have happen? An end to the war? An modern American golden age?

Please.

If the American voters cared enough about the issues at hand they would do more than simply vote, they would become involved. The station of “sacred duty” that voting has been promoted to creates a distraction from real action. All the issues of the American Liberal were front and center in 2006, and their voice was heard. The Democratic party suffered not a single loss, and gained a majority in both houses with the promises of sweeping legislation, but not a single promise has been delivered.

Whose fault is it? Yours. Where was the follow up? Where is the volunteer time? Where is the grassroots internet lobbying? liberals sit at home and surf their web while drinking shade grown coffee instead of spending that free time at the local soup kitchen actualizing the creation of a better community. It’s lazy and selfish to demand that the political system improves itself. We only get the democracy we deserve. Awareness of the issues and voting alone does not make you an active or good citizen. Instead it demonstrates the bare minimum of community contribution. Being a good citizen is staying actively involved with your elected officials. Public service is supposed to be a hard job, not a career choice. Good citizens volunteer, start organizations, mobilize on issues, and are perpetually working to improve their country. You never hand the job to someone else. You never release the reigns of where you live. We are all responsible for the nation we live in.

Some may argue that democrats and liberals are not the same and their views are not in alignment, but what party do the liberals vote for? And what issues put all those democrats in office? Republican/Washington corruption, a check on the Administration, and the Iraq war. Even conservative democrats borrowed liberal planks for their campaign. The voting body of America has a great opportunity to spend free time volunteering in at risk schools, walking the streets picking up trash, spending the time to bike more than driving. It’s an act of improvement when you buy food from a local farmer rather than the grocery store. Instead Americans expect career politicians to correct the failures of other career politicians.

Liberals care about issues and they have the capacity to deliver change, but they suffer the same symptoms of all Americans; they talk bigger than they walk. They’re the armchair quarterbacks of politics. Delivering change and improvement is more than a single act of voting every couple of years. The muscles of democracy must be exercised every day or they atrophy. One shouldn’t just vote in politics, but vote with your finances. Don’t like what’s on TV? cut your cable, and complain to the network. Want to keep Ma Bell from re-forming? launch a website with an easy form to petition the FCC. Keep the government on it’s toes. Don’t sit on your ass.

Liberals are still caught in the idea that they must be fighting against something. They are convinced that there is a group in power that must always be opposed. Now they are in power and nothing is new or different, but the liberals are still pissed. American Liberals have become the man but they don’t even know it. It’s time they mature, accept their role as a prominent leader in American politics, and get off their ass to do something. American Liberalism has won more than they will ever realize. Their ideals are in the hearts of more Americans than ever before, but everyone continues to keep themselves committed to the sidelines. Stand up, get outside, and get involved.

~C

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