I have always considered myself somewhat savvy and a realist. I have always known politics is a dirty business and there are many bad players. But I also have always held onto the belief that over time, the good actors would be more prevalent than bad, and that our political system was still the best in the world (relatively speaking). I have come to the realization that I was wrong.
Progressives have just had the biggest sea-change in the past two election cycles than we have had in generations. The political scorecard indicates we have majorities in both houses and history-making choice for our President. A lot of sweat and tears were shed to make that happen. A huge sigh of relief and hope was heard across the U.S. when the era of Bush/Cheney was finally behind us.
But in terms of real change, institutional change, "change we can believe in", what have we got? We have a government that is run by the corporate interests, and for the corporate interests. There is only a veneer of democracy to keep the naive believing the individual citizen has any say in the running of this country. I used to focus my disdain on the Republicans, ultra-conservatives, moral majorities. But the difference between the Democrats and the Republicans running this country is an illusion. There are no real political parties. Only groups of self-interested coalitions of the politically powerful making decisions based on self-interest and maintaining their positions of power. They don't even try to hide it any more, switching parties at will to maintain their electability.
We thought we could make a real difference this time. We thought we DID make a real difference this time. Finally the power was in the hands of the people!
NOT.
So now what do we do? Organize more? Call, write, protest? Vote the bums out? That's the political equivilent of rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. Sorry folks, the system is so corrupt now, there is no "fixing" it by changing the players. We have done that.
I know what you are thinking: "Thanks for the negative thoughts, but what's your solution, wise-guy?"
I have none, and that's the sad part. I think we have evolved as a country to a point where the frailties of human nature have trumped the goodwill of the people. I hope I am proven wrong.