Will Change Bring About Change?

Now that the Democrats have control of both houses of Congress will we really see any change in domestic and foreign policies? After the election I talked to several people who were ecstatic about the Republican defeat. But when probed as to what this would mean with regard to policy issues, few could give any clear response. Aside from possible changes in our policy towards Iraq, and even that was not clear, none were able to offer any concise or specific changes that they felt the Democrats would make.

Fortunately, Americans have had a great tradition of “throwing the scoundrels out.” If any political party is in power too long, we have tended to throw them out of office. This has been a good thing since we know that those in power too long get complacent, self-serving and often corrupt. But when Americans vote for sweeping changes they really have no clear idea as to what should change-they just want change.

Let’s face it; issues like energy and global warming have been around a long time. Both political parties have had the opportunity to deal with these issues but neither have done so. Both have had the opportunity to deal with health care, tax reform and the full array of domestic issues but neither party has had the courage to step up to the plate. Pardon me if I seem a bit skeptical but I would not hold my breath waiting for sweeping policy changes and new initiatives.

I have been an Independent, Democrat and a Republican. Actually, I vote for who I feel can do the job, regardless of political affiliation. The problem is that few know what it really means to be a Democrat or a Republican. Parties have become special interest oriented and lack any consistent philosophy. There are liberal Democrats, conservative Democrats and moderate Democrats. The same holds true for the Republicans and both have fundamentalist fringes. So maybe that is why I could not get any precise answers. No one really knows what a Democrat is. I would further suggest that this has come about because the American people at large also have no clear philosophical underpinning. In other words, the parties simply reflect the fact that we, as a people, have lost sight of basic guiding principles. Life has gotten too complex and fragmented. There are too many special interests and too many agendas. We really do not know who and what we are and this is reflected, like a mirror, in our politics.

America is adrift. We lack a true sense of purpose and direction. We want change but we hope that others, the politicians, will tell us what the nature of that change should be. This could be very dangerous to our future. It makes us followers and not leaders. It presents too many faces to the rest of the world that has now begun to look elsewhere for guidance. For now, our military might enables us to be a force to be reckoned with, but even the mighty Romans could not sustain itself with military power. They decayed from within as they too lost their sense of purpose. Unless we, as a people, regain a sense of purpose, our political parties will merely reflect the confusion of their constituents. Changing political party control will only bring about a new direction when we, as Americans, decide where we want to go.