New Lows of Despicableness

Although I do hold certain political tenants as inviolable, I do not believe a particular political ideology provides a universal framework for solving human problems. In other words, I’m a pragmatic Jeffersonian Democrat. In the past, I have enjoyed watching the political process play itself out but in the last fifteen years or so the ideological gridlock in nearly ALL US political venues and the political tactics that have arisen from that gridlock have not only conspired to destroy the health and well-being of the body politic but of the citizenry as well. I always voted a split party ticket when I voted, making my decisions on priority assessments of social needs of the moment and the candidate’s stated approach or solution in addressing those needs. In the 80s, almost overnight, sound bite campaigning put an end to considered decision making on the part of voters as all the information provided was designed to feed into pre-existing ideological platforms. In the 90s push polling made the situation worse. Today, negative campaign ads have created a new level of cynicism in political campaigning.

Both political parties engage in negative campaigning but the Republicans have attained a level of cynical character bashing that I would never have thought possible in a civilized, first world democracy. The ad hominen attack on Barack Obama via a “guilt by association” fallacy is a new low in presidential campaigning. Implying that Obama is corrupt because of his life in Chicago politics and casual working association with ex-Weatherman William Ayers is like saying George Washington was a traitor because he commanded and worked with Benedict Arnold. The fallacious strategy is as ancient as human politics and succeeds only among the woefully ignorant. I cannot help but believe the decision to launch such a smear by association campaign was motivated or enhanced by the ever-present racism of American society (for the record, I’m not African-American). The Republicans have succeeded in completely alienating me from accepting any of their party’s political platform. GW’s announcement of a direct line to God a while back is indicative of the incredible hubris of a party that has been the dominant power in American politics for far too long. This latest tactic simply proves, to me at least, the complete ethical, if not moral, corruption of a party that was founded in the pursuit of human rights .