And that's totally understandable.
Understanding, that is to say, the kind of understanding that reflects knowledge, perception, comprehension, even, daresay, some wisdom on the matter, requires an effort that the aforementioned "most people" don't include in their daily to-do lists.
Or on any list of any kind, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly.
Or not at all.
That would be the effort involved in reading and researching.
Not only the primary structure of the political system and how it operates in this country but the history of politics in, at the very least, this country since, oh, say, 1900.
Yes, thank you, I'm jiggy wit da knowledge that the country has been around 130 more years than that, give or take, but I'm pretty sure that a citizenry overwhelmingly populated with those who couldn't name their own state's senator(s) and/or Congressional representatives, let alone name, say, the current Speaker of the House or Vice President of the United States but could, bet your light sabre, explain in great detail how difficult they're still finding it to come to terms with Han Solo being offed by his own offspring, Kylo Ren is not going to be inclined to begin their study of the political history of this nation starting with the beginning of this nation.
Actually, 1900 is massively, and overly, optimistic.
Because, when it comes to the work involved in becoming an informed voter, I mean, come on, there's only so many hours in the day, right?
And once you factor in work, eat, sleep, weeknights devoted to binge watching Game of Thrones and weekends devoted to infinite posts on social media on how exhausting the past work week has been, there's just not a lot of tick tocks left for mundane, dry, let's just say it, okay? B O R I N G activities like self educating on the subject of the process by which we choose those whose decisions will affect the lives of Americans for generations to come.
Yeah, yeah, leader of the free world, blah, blah, future of our nation, yada, yada....whatever...say, let me ask you, do YOU think that Elizabeth Keen is really dead and is Red her father or not?
Historical readings aside, it would be useful, daresay productive, if a a majority of "most people" simply took the time to seek out valid information about the assorted candidates asking for their vote.
And by valid, we're talking impartially documented fact, not whatever sliver, bit, piece, chunk and/or steaming pile of gab, gossip and/or garbage gets dumped into the informational mainstream like so much toxic waste in our rivers, streams and/or spacious skies.
In other words, 99.99% of what's shoveled at us from 99.99% of contemporary news and/or social media.
Well, hell, man.
If 99.99% of what we see, read and/or hear from 99.99% of news and social media is to be discounted, then, sounds like we're gonna actually have to do some work and put in a few hours each week in order to find enough valid information on which to base our very important decision.
Yeah.
Right.
Yesterday, in one of those moments that usually occur for me right after I've read the latest hate spew from someone from that ever wacky, zany group known as "we the people", I offered up my two cents as to what I honestly believe is the problem we're facing when it comes to choosing a new occupant for that historic house there in downtown D.C.
Or, to be more precise, what isn't the problem.
the problem isn't Donald...the problem isn't Hillary....the problem isn't Bernie, Kasich, Cruz, Harpo, Chico or Zeppo....the problem is a system in serious need of an overhaul....a system that gives the power of selecting its "leaders" to a general population overflowing with people who
1. require a minimum of ten minutes to discuss/debate/argue in order to agree on where to go and/or what to have for lunch
2. spend up to five minutes trying to sort out who goes next at a four way stop
3. don't know (don't care about) what's actually required to inspire/motivate/ and/or show productive leadership, but can name five great Prince songs before you can say "party like it's 1999..."
4. consider themselves smart/informed/educated enough to understand the intricacies of running a nation in a global context and choose a President accordingly but aren't smart enough to know the difference between "to" and "too".
we can't seem to function without updating our Internet browser system, at least, every
year or two.....meanwhile, we struggle along with USA 1.0 DOS....
the dreaded blue screen? only a matter of time.....
the dreaded blue screen? only a matter of time.....
The "dreaded blue screen" for those who don't understand the reference, refers to what suddenly, and most often unexpectedly, appears on your computer monitor when the system suffers what the system self reads to be a potentially fatal glitch, flaw and/or meltdown and puts itself into a sort of instant abort mode in order to prevent a complete and irrevocable system self destruct.
I know that because it's happened to me before.
And I read a little from time to time.
Well, okay, the truth is that I read a lot.
And with all of that reading, I still can't say that I understand all the intricacies of the system that I depend upon to keep my computer operating correctly and efficiently.
Imagine how ignorant I would be if I didn't take any time at all to read and learn and self inform.
Now....wait for it....let's pretend that the computer is actually the country.
And between working, eating, sleeping, binge watching Game of Thrones and weekends and infinite posts on social media on how exhausting the past work week has been, there's just not a lot of tick tocks left for mundane, dry, let's just say it, okay? B O R I N G activities like self educating on the subject of the process by which we choose those whose decisions will affect the lives of Americans for generations to come.
It's just easier to pick a simple slogan to hang my hat/support and/or vote on.
Working for Us.
Feel the Bern.
Wait.
Here's one that sounds like what I'm looking for.
Make America Great Again.
Yeah.
There we go.
I'll just flip the lever next to that one in the voting booth come November.
Hold on.
Where did this blue screen come from?
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