Politics, no change?

Here's something I never thought I would delve into, Politics. wow.

For the most part of my life I did not pay attention to the world of Politics, because frankly, every time I've listened to any politician, they all sound exactly the same. They all promise the same things, do the same things, look the same way. There really isn't much deviation. I mean, I have always voted, because I can, and vote which way I do because of which party I signed onto . And truth be told, I followed the majority of my family, because I didn't know any better, and figured if it was good enough for them, its good enough for me. I never sat down, outside my Civics class in High School, and those fun little cartoons from the 70's (I'm just a Bill, and I sit here on Capitol Hill...) and learned about the intricacies of politics, who was doing what, what party stood for what, who was more criminal than his or her counterpart. As I said, they all sounded just alike, they all look alike. I think part of me wished they could all be as cute as that little Bill who sat on Capitol Hill, all sweet, humble and full of sorrow.

But with this last Presidential Election, I finally sat up straight and paid attention. Probably for the first time in my life, I believed that someone could finally make a difference. There was so much hope, A first Woman President, A first African American President, anybody besides someone who threw America into a nonsense war, or another just like him who would most likely do the same thing. Maybe someone who would get the USA back on track and save us from a Depression, or worse. A woman, intelligent, brilliantly situated and seasoned, ready to embrace the future, I really pulled for her. Then as she lost the Primary, here was this AA dude, likable and smart. He picked up from where she trailed off, and I listened to him. Unfortunately he did look like any other politician, said the same tired lines any Presidential Hopeful has said in the past. But still, it was like a wave of change was coming. At least that's what I wanted to see, we all wanted to see it I think. I was happy that he won, my daughter was very young, I remember holding her in front of the TV saying, "if he did it, you can too". The tide has finally shifted, I thought maybe we can put all the stupidity behind us and walk into the future with open opportunity.

Well, Social networking has become a huge part of our lives, no one can deny it. So on Facebook, Twitter, even my beloved Flickr, I find that my hopes for putting stupidity behind us isn't reality. There are too many people who fight change, I just don't understand why. Our President today is in turmoil, not because he's a bad President, but simply people can't agree that what he is doing, working hard and putting policy in place to make life better, necessary for the greater good. For them, who oppose him, It's scary, to pass laws that change the way things have always been. It's scary, to have someone who believes in the Average American, not Military to bring us out of helpless economic downturn. It's scary, to look forward, with our head up, and step aside the fear that forces us to look down, staying on the straight and narrow. For me it's not all that scary, I like change, I've said it, I'll keep saying it. But what is scary, is the frightened folks who are willing to do whatever necessary to keep others from stepping away from the narrow path.

Because the more it seems we fight over the stupidity of situations, the less appealing it is to see if anything will come of it. Which in the end, nothing ever does, or not to a point where everyone is satisfied. I recently read that one single Bill, a simple Bill, to lower the volume on TV commercials took over 30 years to pass. Was that the Bill the little guy on the step of the Capitol was waiting for? If it took so long for this seemingly simple Bill to even come up in the Senate, what about all the tough problems? How long will the tough ones take?

So, Now, I look at Politics, and wonder if I should go back into my mode of not paying attention, just voting my party, rather than my conscience. It's not going to change no matter what I or others want. There are good things and bad things that come out of the world of Politics, but it all remains the same, for the most part.