I Hate Lifetime Politicians

I Hate Lifetime Politicians

Yes, I said hate.

I don't mean that I hate politicians as people—though I do think several of them are some of the worst people on earth. I hate the concept and current reality of lifetime politicians.

The GOP has been crying for term limits for years, but that's becoming more and more hollow with every instance of opportunism and "political expedience."

The problem is that term limits are only a part of the greater solution. However, they are possibly the best way to bring the current political system in check. The only way term limits for politicians will ever come to pass is if "We the people" force it upon them. Here's how I see it happening:

1. Purposefully and deliberately electing new officials every few years.
2. Restructuring how we bring worthy candidates to the forefront (fundraising, motivation for office, etc.).
3. Instituting a 6 year limit for ALL politicians.
   • Senators and the President get ONE 6-year term ONLY.
     • Senate elections happen every 2 years for 1/3 of the senate.
     • The President will see almost complete legislative turnover during his presidency, forcing a more expedient decision-making process and (hopefully) avoiding some, if not most, of the in-fighting and political posturing that wastes so much time and money.
     • No time wasted on campaigning for reelection.
     • No pressure for politicians to prove their worth by the number of bills they write, but rather are incented to make the best decisions possible because they'll be joining the ranks of "regular citizens" with "normal jobs" in just a few short years.
   • House representatives continue with 2-year terms and a new maximum of 3 terms (6 years) total.
   • The same limits should be levied to all state and local officials as well.
   • No elected official should be allowed to run for any other public office at the same level of government within which they've already served (ex, no house to senate moves), and may only serve once in each level of government ever (city/state/nation).
4. Restructure the appointment of Supreme Court Justices, including:
   • Implementing 12-year service limits
   • Allowing for a special vote of approval/disapproval by the American people after the Presidential appointment, vetting, and Senate confirmation (this needs more thinking through, but I like how it sounds so far...).

I could delve into all the different reasons I think things are all messed up in politics, but as my co-worker and friend so aptly put it in a recent conversation we had on this subject, there's only so much that problem analysis and hypothesizing can do for you. Sometimes the best solution is simply DOING something, even if the particular solution hasn't been fully run through the gamut of mathematical models and detailed vetting by all opinions and angles.

I guess Nike was really onto something. Just Do It.

What are you afraid of?

What are you afraid of?

I'm a firm believer that the vast majority of people (minus verified, clinical phobics) aren't so much afraid of things that could happen to them, or even to those they love. What people are really afraid of is truth — not just some truth or someone else' version of the truth, but all truth, even when the truth is just in the eye of the beholder.

Why?

Because really wanting and accepting truth means constantly having to challenge your beliefs — or at least be willing to challenge them — including beliefs about life, God, politics, and (most importantly) SELF. This ultimately results in cognitive dissonance = a state of consciousness that is so strong and all-encompassing that it forces you into one of two choices:

1) Accept the new truth (hard to do) and change your behaviors to align with the newly accepted truth (harder still).
2) Reject the new truth in favor of previous perceptions of truth — or more correctly because modifying behavior is too difficult or painful — which actually causes a subconscious modification of beliefs and/or behaviors anyway.

• Rejection requires renewed reconciliation with and reinforcement of existing beliefs (typically done subconsciously or mostly subconsciously) so as to drown out any leftover dissonance with the new truth (ex: drugs aren't that bad, global warming really is crap, etc.).
• This idea reinforcement in turn leads to behavioral reinforcement, realized in the deepening of associated behavior patterns (ex: increased drug use, increased activity or affiliation with a political party or ideology, etc.) and/or assimilation of additional behaviors and activities that support the belief (ex: signing a petition, joining a movement, seeking out like-minded friends, etc.); or by ignoring, shunning, or actively fighting against the new truth.

Why then wouldn't I say that people actually fear change?

Because change is just the requirement or end-product of truth, and this because truth is a principle of agency. Sure, someone may say they want to know the truth, but deep down they don't really want to have anything to do with it. They fear the consequences of truth — which is why there are so many counterfeit truths being spun every day, each attempting to confuse, frustrate, pacify, or blind us.

So, the question now is What are you afraid of?

Being Right: The Real American Way

Being Right: The Real American Way

I have had a bit of a change of heart since last Tuesday's landslide election, at least regarding my post entitled Prophetic Guidance for Our Uncertain Times. In fact, I feel rather sheepish that I would condescend to post something so incendiary without fully familiarizing myself with the totality of what it really means. That exact behavior is what I find irresponsible of others, and I try to avoid it as often as possible. So much for practicing what I preach.

There are a few glaring problems in what then Elder Ezra T. Benson said that I was all too eager to either ignore or forgive because of who he became. I was given understanding by an anonymous blogger that shared this link with me: http://thefaithfuldissident.blogspot.com/2008/10/ezra-taft-benson-vs-democratic.html.

If you have the time to read through that post I recommend doing so, if for no other reason than to keep your mind and intentions open and honest. Humility is already difficult to come by in our prideful society, but intellectual humility is almost nonexistent. The American way, or almost anyone else's way in this world for that matter, is being right and doing all within our power to assert that rightness. What dangerous and petty grounds we defend when we impose our ideas and ideals on others!

To sum this up, I still have my convictions that a conservative, limited-role government is the best way to maintain our hard-fought freedoms. I still have my reservations about what Pres. Obama will/won't do during the next 4 years. But I refuse to be a part of the bandwagon of president bashing that has destroyed our country's morale, divided our resolve, and tarnished the legacy of courage and service that George Bush has tried to build during his tenure—and which bashing is already being hurled at President Elect Obama, and he hasn't even done anything yet!

Do I fundamentally disagree with many leftist policies? YES. Will I do my part to make sure my voice is heard when I agree/disagree with certain legislation? YES. Will I support our president as he tries to lead this country as he feels is best? YES. If any of you doubt my reasons for doing so, I simply ask you to take a look at the 12th Article of Faith. Until the Lord reigns on earth, this is my duty.