The democratic position, the republican position, and the American position

It is frustrating to observe the political discussions these days as they mostly seem to be about power, winning in 2008, political sport, and other such machinations that have little to do with life in the USA. An outside observer could conclude all that is going on is controlled and reported on by everybody but those most affected, the people, the voters. It even seems that most citizens are assumed to be stupid, or at least able to manipulated as to our vote. Maybe the observation is right on, but then, maybe it is not. Maybe the old ways have changed because the citizens have changed in how they listen and vote? Maybe even "the citizens" may take more time to listen and think about how to vote. Maybe core values, American values, have been threatened by what the political system has evolved to these days? Maybe, maybe, maybe?

What is good for the goose is good for the gander. What a wonderful expression as it is a practical way of restating the Golden Rule. While I believe President Bush does his best to apply this idea as part of his long stated idea of changing the tone in D. C., it appears too many still consider this idea a weakness, and perpetuate the status quo, which is at best disdainful public conduct which has gone on far too long. This old conduct is not the American way, though it may still be a republican or democratic way.

Change is good. Most are uncomfortable with change because of its volativity. But change is an American way, and thank goodness it it through the vote and the rule of law, and not revolution and assumption of powers by those who assign themselves such powers. We are still "new enough" to be part of the New World, and should never let ourselves be drawn back to the Old World and all its failed ideas that sent our ancestors to this New World. The best example today is our New World way of dealing with the horrible institution of slavery when we dragged many Africans and some Asians to our (that is all of us) shores. The other New World idea is that those who take oaths do so to a Constitution, not an individual.

So why is there still this division going on in this New World country called the USA? Well believe it or not, many of us do think differently about our USA and how things should go. Fair enough. This division is normal, What is not normal is how we Americans sort it all out, foreign and domestic. Our system of government is not normal in the context of human history. We and our government are special, unique if you will. We have a government style embodied in a Constitution that is worth defending.

That we have enemies is obvious. The foreign enemies are very obvious. The domestic enemies are in the eye of the citizen. I would define enemy as anyone who wants to rule the USA another way. In simpler terms, an enemy is anyone who will mess with my family and my expectations for my progenies' future.

Some of us will fight for our future. The method will be to use our established system of government, and the vote. Any others who do things, like assume a mandate from the 2006 elections to usurp the present method of government, will find they have stirred up a hornet's nest. Maybe they will even find themselves out of elected office. This idea is one of an American position. And we have so many American problems that need solving at the government level.