Politics... (exasperated sigh)

Step back and decide how important your opinions are verses the people you claim to love. Bill Johnson

Trying to keep up with US politics is like trying to catch the road runner... I feel like I get close and then there's another little explosion somewhere and I'm left in a cloud of dust with an anvil on my head.

That's how it feels anyway... yet,... many of the Republican Candidates seem to have very similar values... they seem to contradict themselves a lot, as pointed out deliciously by Jon Stewart, and I can't say I'm really impressed.

I feel like we're entering the era of The Everyman politician... he/she must have superhero-like qualities including immediately passing bills that fix everything and that no one can argue with, looking flawless in a suit, eating with his/her mouth closed, and never, ever sticking his/her foot in his/her mouth...

Yet, she/he must also be accessible, understand the plights of the working class, of those suffering from poverty... and should own normal clothes and have normal hobbies...

The thing which I really can't understand is how crazy people get when they talk politics... this must have always been so because the age-old adage requires no talk of politics or religion to be had in civilized conversations (prolly cause Em. Post knew no one could keep these convos civil...)

Rational, compassionate, lovely people are encountered with political issue... and suddenly turn into rabid beasts foaming at the mouth, grotesque contortions distort their facial features into circus monstrosities and I tend to back up and all of a sudden have to leave for something very important.

Not because I don't like a good ole debate, but because it just seems like people leave their civility at the door... people start talking over one another, being very emotional, using lots of anecdotal stories, making loads of personal attacks... and it gets very unpleasant very fast. (Just check out this Stanley Fish article on bad political deflecting attacks)."What gives someone the high moral ground is that he or she is right, not that he or she is fair."... <3 good ole Stan...

The problem is that it's been very difficult to find someone who is right in the kids of issues we are facing... increasingly global issues, increasingly urgent issues...

When we should be working together the most, we see politics and congress incredibly split... people are on edge, looking to throw someone out of the life raft. It's economic titanic, and there are very few cute married couples cuddling up to drown together... As tensions get high, more personal attacks are launched and it becomes more and more difficult to work together for the good of the people... and the people are out there in some serious need of bi-partisan love right now.

Hence the quote at the top... Bill Johnson, man of wisdom, has apparently been attacked for not outright supporting Republican political figures, with some going so far as to say he isn't really a Christian if he doesn't...

That's certainly an interesting opinion to have, but I'm pretty sure on the Republican registration card it doesn't require you to declare yourself a fundamentalist Christian... or any religion at all for that matter.

Regardless of which political party you do support, think about how important it is to win those debates where you're foaming at the mouth, when you've just completely insulted people you probably like hanging out with...

Think about how the fact that you really nailed that last point home probably put a few bricks in the wall between you and your neighbors you were having a "friendly" chat with...

And think about how even if you are right, even if you have the moral high ground... even if you know the answers, how are we going to live those answers out, how are we going to get the rest of America on board, so we're working together to fix this mess we've all found ourselves in? Is it by demanding and yelling and screaming and foaming? Methinks not...

Methinks many will slink out of the room, and go get a coffee where there's no yelling... especially not if the yelling is about Mitt Romney... or Ron Paul... or Sarah Palin...

People for years have been talking about how America is broken and how the politicians and the markets and wall street and new industry and education is going to fix it...

But, honestly, none of those things will fix it. Those things might help, but each and every American and (for that fact global citizen), working together, showing justice, mercy, grace and love to one another... that will fix it.

Is there someone hungry? Try to help a brother out.

Is there someone with no where to stay? Do you have some couch space? Give it up...

Do you have extra clothes you don't use? Donate 'em...

Did you make too many muffins? Bring 'em into work and share...

Do you drive to work? Let's carpool...

Your vacuum broke? Borrow mine...

I know big systems like health insurance and unemployment (or reemployment as it's now being called), also need some tweaking...

But, they always say, charity starts at home, and we all know people who need our love... who've lost a job... Who have trouble paying their student loans... who could borrow our bike that sits in the garage and is never used...

Not all of what I've mentioned here is directly related... I've used many broad examples, some easier to implement than others... but still, I want you to think... is it more important to be right? More important than anything else?

 hahaha... just kidding, I think you were expecting...