In politics the politics of Democracy we often find ourselves with a system that bears a double edge. Our level of involvement often is directly correlated to the success of the system.  Through the media we hear buzzwords and believe that the candidates have the same world view that we do, often to our dismay and disappointment, we are mistaken.

It takes different strategies to win an election than to govern. In the past this has been not as divisive an issue, because the candidates had very different platforms which their parties represented. Federalist-Anti-Federalist, Abolitionists-Status Quo, Civil Rights-Status Quo, and Progressive-Isolationist.

It was the ideas that came under the majority of the fire, while personal attacks have always been common place, it was to be the ideas that would rise to the top and may the best succeed. Congress was a branch of Government that was to Represent the people, and yet still be a check upon the mob.

There was a mutual respect between members as a whole, after all people are people and not everyone will get along, and the respect was at least expected to exist between members. For even though people may feel that particular members are stupid, lazy, zealous, stubborn, there was an understanding that they were trying to do the right thing.

Now when the candidates on both sides of the party line seem to be cloned from one another, the necessity to differentiate between candidates has indeed turned dirty. Attacking the ideas are no longer enough, as personal attacks now have become the weapon of choice. It will continue for the sad fact that it works.

Now words that carried true meaning such as slander, and treason mean nothing more that titles to “books” written by a person who would not understand the meaning of morality and honor if it were stapled to her head.

To be elected, all that is needed is the ability to recognize faults in the political landscape and take advantage of them. To divide is the way to conquer, so it has been on the battle field, so it is on the political arena.

To govern a completely different skill is needed. The ability to draw people together, despite their superficial differences. To give hope in bad times, and to provide boundaries in good times.

While we are a naturally independent people we also have the great desire to “circle the wagons” and bond together during emergencies or when faced with great challenges. Competent leadership has always been assumed during the modern era of politics. It was not however assumed by our forefathers.

While there had been extra checks and balances upon the system, when our government was conceived such as the electoral colleges, state governments electing Senators, the ability for the truly incompetent to rise to prominence. In the modern era where personality seems to matter more than competence we will probably see ever more derisive campaigns.

For we find ourselves in a truly unique time in American Politics. Because of a Party misusing its hold on Power within the Congress by impeaching a President for lying under oath in a civil suite, they have inoculated their Party’s President when the abuses of power have been drastically worse and global in their reach. A system that holds as its foundation accountability in all its forms: to the People, the other equal Branches of Government, the Constitution, Foreign Treaties, and Morality mean little to this Administration, for they have never had to be accountable.

In the same way that elections differ from governance, there is a difference between strategy and tactics in Foreign Policy. The strategy has, and always will be, to promote the principles of Democracy throughout the world and be a beacon of hope. What has differed is the tactics used to achieve that goal, and the underlying circumstances that lead to those tactics.

This administration used the, supposed, tried and true reasoning of Reagan bullying your opponent will provide easy victory. In this way they were caught unawares as the largest attack ever made on US soil was perpetrated, and those responsible still remain free. In this way they forced the intelligence community to fit their ideology, rather than the truth. In this way they led the brave men and women of the military into a cultural minefield in Iraq, rather than being able to secure the victory in Afghanistan.

For these failures, we have no apologies, no explanations, no new ideas to get us out of the hole that our “leaders” placed us in. When asked to explain they dismiss, or question the patriotism of the person asking the questions. Accountability is placing the blame upon those take wrong actions, and are responsible for the ramifications of those mistakes. Awarding the Medal of Freedom does not qualify. Complacency occurs when the populace is too apathetic to care when corruption takes hold of their political system, for those whom Words Matter…