I know America’s political system has always been vulnerable to greed, corruption and a general lack of integrity, but these days I see another threat to not only our country but the entire planet, downright lack of commom sense with a good dose of stupidity for good measure.
Over the years I’ve noticed there was always somebody somewhere who had the gumption to see a problem for what it was and, through smarts and guile, get it fixed. I look around the world these days and don’t see anyone like that, someone who can see beyond the horizon and past their own borders in order to get the global economy back in gear. President Obama still seems more intent on pushing his social reforms than creating jobs, Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel appear to be incapable of working together to get Europe on the right track, the unfortunately named super committe couldn’t break the grip of their respective party lines and then there’s the despots and the fanatical leaders around the world who laugh at what was once the beacons of our world.
I can’t help but feel we’ve arrived at this point, in some part, by how politics has turned into something akin to a television reality show. It seems to me today’s leaders are caught up in the global spotlight of the twenty four hour news cycle imposed by the ever powerful televised media. Anyone trying to make a decision that impacts the entire world shouldn’t be worrying about soundbites to make them and their political affiliates look good.
Beyond everything, I’m really concerned about the mental fitness of today’s world leaders. I suspect the scrutiny of the press with there unquenchable thirst for anything that even hints at something salacious tends to steer some very capable away from the political arena and toward more potentially lucrative carreers. I admit, I don’t know if I’m on the right track or not. I’d love to hear the opinions of others on this subject so I can better understand what’s going on in the world today and, more importantly, if anyone in charge knows what’s going on.