Over the last two decades, people of all stripes have been hoping for change in D.C. that will result in real improvement in our communities and in the management of the federal government.
With each election, the hope rises with new leadership and then falls with recognition that this leadership is not up to this task, which causes the electorate to flip the parties in power. I believe each time we flip without getting the change we want, our hope diminishes. After about two decades of doing this with no clearly positive results, the electorate may be beginning to think, "is that all there is to our democratic republic?"
Here is a brief synopsis of how the electorate has been flipping control between the two parties:
* 1992: A Democratic president is elected. Since 1970, we had had only one other (i.e., Jimmy Carter) and this was only for four years.
* 1994: A Republican House of Representatives is elected. Since 1954, the House had always been majority Democratic.
* 2002: With this election, the Republicans controlled the Presidency, the Senate, and the House. This had not happened in over 50 years.
* 2006: The Democrats got control back in the House and Senate.
* 2008: A Democratic president is elected, while Democrats retained control over Congress. The last time this happened was in 1992.
* 2010: Republicans regained control of the House and Senate.
* 2012: As much as it may frighten us, it looks like it's possible that this election could result in the Republicans controlling the Presidency and Congress again.
Without hope, all that is left for motivating the electorate to vote is fear that the other party will be worse. But if that's all there is to elections, then I could see how people might stop paying attention and participating in such a dissatisfying process.
With that in mind, it's time to queue the song "Is that all there is?" This rendition is performed by Hope Davis in the movie "The Nines":
The main chorus of the song is:
Is that all there is, is that all there is
If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing
Let's break out the booze and have a ball
If that's all there is
Here are the full lyrics: http://www.lyricstime.com/...
More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/...
Here is one verse that reminds me of our elections:
And when I was 12 years old, my father took me to the circus, the greatest show on earth.
There were clowns and elephants and dancing bears
And a beautiful lady in pink tights flew high above our heads.
And as I sat there watching the marvelous spectacle
I had the feeling that something was missing.
I don't know what, but when it was over,
I said to myself, "Is that all there is to a circus?"
Our elections are big extravaganzas, full of impassioned speeches, festive moments with streamers & balloons, and large crowds with the media and the citizenry following the progression of the exciting races to the White House and Capitol Hill in the "most important election of our lifetimes". And yet, the subsequent quality of leadership makes the whole process seem like a hollow affair, as if when the election was over, we were left behind and locked in an empty convention center with the remains of popped balloons and the distant echoes of the promises we heard there.
Speaking of empty rooms, here is PJ Harvey performing the same song in an empty ballroom:
Yet, hope springs eternal. E.g., there is the growing "Occupy Wall Street" movement throughout the world. Also, election turnouts in recent years have held up to the usual levels that we have seen in past decades. It may be that as painful as it is for many to watch and participate in politics, they find it more painful to resign themselves to a never-ending downward spiral in the general welfare of the country.
Although some may regard the song to be depressing, I get comic relief out of just the idea of throwing one's hands up in there and resolving to engage in frivolous merriment (at least for a short while) and thus temporarily leaving behind various unwelcome feelings (e.g., disillusionment, worry, etc).
I've been listening to a podcast about the history of the Roman Empire, and once the empire began it's slow decline, it followed a seemingly inevitable progression, despite much concern and awareness among the leadership.
One of the leading philosophies in ancient Rome was Epicurianism, which espoused that we should ignore politics, because it only brings anxiety and discontentment. Instead, we should live modestly and virtuously while seeking friendship and knowledge, which will lead to tranquility, freedom from fear, and the absence of bodily pain, which are the pillars of a happy life. Political power and government are not necessary for happiness and seeking such power has the opposite effect.
I can see how many people could justify ignoring national politics and instead focussing their attention locally on charities, friends & family, simple pleasures, and other interests, especially if they have an unspoken, subconscious impression that the federal government and the country in general are declining slowly but inevitably.