No matter who wins in the midterm elections the painful truth will be that there will be no genuine government reforms. The real question is: Will this ugly reality finally wake up most Americans and compel them to pursue better strategies for fixing the nation?
by Joel S. Hirschhorn (libertarian)
Only one result of the coming midterm elections is assured. No matter who wins and how much power shifts from Democrats to Republicans in Congress there will not be any deep, sorely needed true reforms of our corrupt, dysfunctional and inefficient government. The culture of corruption in Washington, DC will remain. Hundreds of millions of dollars from corporate and other special interests will assure that.
Voters who think otherwise are either delusional or stupid. It will not matter whether you vote for Republicans because you want to defeat Democrats (or vice-versa), or whether you vote for Tea Party candidates, or whether you vote against incumbents, or whether you vote for what you believe are lesser-evil candidates. Americans will lose however they vote. That is a terribly painful reality, which is why those who choose to vote will not face the truth.
Delusion and stupidity are rampant, like a terrible epidemic that has killed brain cells.
Yes, you are thinking that this is the most cynical view possible.
But this is what American history tells us. Americans have been brainwashed and tricked into thinking that elections are crucial for maintaining American democracy. That is exactly what the two-party plutocracy needs to maintain their self-serving political system and that is also what the rich and powerful Upper Class wants to preserve their status.
In the months following this election, when unemployment and economic pain for all but the rich remain awful, anyone who pays attention and is able to face the truth will see that there is no chance of genuine government reforms. The Republicans will blame the Democrats, the Democrats will blame the Republicans, the Tea Party winners will blame the system, the radio and cable pundits will blabber endlessly, and Jon Stewart and other comics will have an abundance of material to take jabs at.
Every member of Congress will, as before, spend most of their time and energy doing what is necessary to win the next election.
President Obama, of course, will continue his self-serving rhetoric with the sole goal of winning reelection in 2012.
Here is what non-delusional Americans can hope for: Maybe a decent third party presidential candidate will emerge. Maybe the Tea Party movement will wake up to the reality that electing Republicans is a terrible strategy for reforming the government and restoring the health of the nation and shift their interest to forming a third party. Maybe the greatly expanded calls for an Article V convention as the constitutional path to reforms through constitutional amendments will gather more energy (especially from Tea Party people) and finally succeed.
Welcome to the good old USA where citizens, unlike those in Europe, do not riot in the streets demanding justice but keep believing in the nonsense that voting for either Republicans or Democrats will work for them and the nation.
