The Struggle of The Moderate

While we're on the topic of polarized parties, corporate-political relations, and the smoke and mirrors of modern information technology and communication; it is important to note the key solution and why it isn't working yet. As we can see in our day-to-day lives the overabundance of extremists constantly going at each other may entertain the masses but, it is warping our view of our fellow Americans and of one another. It is best that we work together to compromise, and take a stance that does not result in aggression against any particular party, demographic, etc. People who take this stance (including Politicians, they are people too) are often labeled as Moderates. These Moderates are what we need. People who will respect the views and traditions of others without betraying their own values. In a democratic-republican country the majority would decide the basic commonalities of which our laws would protect. It is safe to say such things would be the abolition of murder, rape, etc. Meanwhile, differences among ethnic groups, religions, etc. would be respected.

This country of respectful moderates sounds almost like a dream. I hope you take a moment to realize how unfortunate that really is because that country is supposed to be ours. That is what America was meant to be. Our common values in early America were very much in line with Christianity but, differing from Catholicism. As America changes, as our common morals change, so too then shall our laws. This should only be the case if ruled by the people. As it stands, there is so much confusion as to who is in charge that parties offended by a changing America are only growing more aggressive which makes them significantly easier for their corporate taskmasters to manipulate. Give someone who is furious a cause to fight for, that they have tied to their anger and you will have a patriot who does not know the effects of his victories or his losses. This patriot will appear to be a leader who cares a great deal about the cause, he will appear strong as he withstands the insults of those who do not approve, but nevertheless this patriot whom people may begin to follow is quite simply a pawn. A Moderate does not run this risk. A Moderate knows the effects of what he is fighting for and if those are the results the American people want; he leads them and they follow. This is the democratic process as it is meant to work in America. The Moderate is the counter to the Polarization of America.

It makes sense then that the Moderates are unheard of. Unknown to many, even if they have support; these people and these moderate politicians are a solution to the polarization of America which means they are a direct threat to the corporations who participate in taking advantage of our public officials and line their pockets by manipulation via the previously discussed topic of Citizens United which can be viewed on my first post.

If we desire for America to work the way it was intended to function, and desire a healthy country then we must take responsibility for it in the same way that if you desire a healthy body you must take responsibility for nourishing it properly. Self-sufficiency, the verification of information, and a moderate viewpoint is the beginning of a deep-clean of the American process and therefore, of America itself.

Will you allow yourself to be taken advantage of? Or will you take charge of your citizenship and improve your life, and the lives of those around you?

The American People and their Government or The Government and their people?

As the world's technology has evolved communication technology has continued to be improved. Paid messengers are rarely necessary in the world of smart phones where calling, e-mail, and texting are all readily available. The Political process is faster now that political advertising can be expedited and the process can be completed in record time and people spend the gross amount of their time entertaining themselves with the plethora of entertainment forms offered to them such as phone apps, console gaming, PC puzzles, the list goes on. A lot of this society's accessibility that we praise so highly is an indirect cause of so many of the troubles we feel so strongly about.

(This image belongs in its entirety to ilcorsomercurio.altervista.org)

If people spent less time distracting themselves and submerging themselves with constant entertainment they would be more conscious of the world events and political events that will affect their lives around them. The Federal Government has reached a point where it holds more power over the United States than ever before. It has come to a point where it is almost more appropriate to call us the country of America than the United States of America. Instead of the States coming together to form the government, corporate involvement has allowed the government to form the States. It has come to the point that despite the wishes of a state the Federal government can make and enforce a law. One example is the anti-discrimination law of Arizona. The people of Arizona put forth a bill that would allow business-owners to select what audiences they serviced in such a way as to not violate their own personal beliefs. As it stands, a business-owner reserves the right to refuse business for any reason so long as said reason is unnamed however, if a business-owner wants to be honest about why they will not service a given demographic they are now discriminating and can be sued. So as long as they are dishonest about their reasons, they're fine but, if they should want to be transparent as to their reasoning they are discriminatory.

Regardless of what you think of the bill, the bill was vetoed. Why? Not because Arizona voters voted it out but, the Federal government put so much pressure on Arizona State Government relabeling the bill as an "Anti-Gay Bill" despite that the bill is not centered at all upon the LGBT community. The Federal government has an intimate relationship with many of the major news outlets as I demonstrate in my previous blog "From Parties to Factions" and single-handedly manages to distort images they do not approve of to make them offensive to the general public. How so? Despite this law being vetoed religious business-owner's retain the right to openly refuse an individual service without being sued for discrimination if serving in this situation would violate a religious value of theirs. The document that protects this right is the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Yet, America at large does not fight this act because the Federal government has not made it a hot button topic and twisted it in a way to make it appear as if it is an instrument of hateful targeting instead of a shield of individual rights.

Many people have not heard or do not pay attention to matters such of these because they simply choose to spend their time elsewhere. We have a society where many people prefer instant gratification instead of responsibility and so they are consumed with all the luxuries that are so readily available to them and neglect the gifted responsibility of their citizenship. In this sort of society, the government thrives and grows with weakened constraints tying down it's power. For American people to turn around and claim such passion against this government is a hypocrisy when they have chosen to do nothing about it.

(This image belongs entirely to Beartoons.com)

How have you given to the United States? Are you prepared for a government ruled lifestyle? There are those willing to die to protect your freedom; will you even stand up for it?

***This document's original intent is for Education Purposes***

***Any allusion or likeness to specific corporations or government figures is unintentional***

I encourage you to post your comments respectfully.

From Parties to Factions and Why?

The American people face a crisis now that passes silently and threatens everything our country has worked so hard to achieve. It is not a war on jihadists, it is not a war about weapons, it is a war about money. In the recent years America's political parties have become more aggressive than ever. The American political system was designed to thrive off of compromise and debate among a wide variety of people throughout the country but, American politics is moving farther and farther from compromise. We have come to a point where our government has disagreed and both the Republican party and the Democratic party refuse to find middle-ground on numerous issues. For example, the government shutdown caused by the ObamaCare debate and the stock market damage inflicted when neither side could agree on terms for the debt ceiling until the very last minute. The three greatest problems for this are as follows: information technology, corporate involvement in politics, and the need for immediate gratification from America's people.

Information Technology is at a level it has never been at before. Through the internet anyone can post any sort of information and appear as an authority figure. This information may not have a viable source and it is often affected by any bias it comes across but, it is reviewed as a fact. Many times people have re-posted a link on social media such as Facebook without checking the validity of the reported information. Furious or passionate this web user now spreads this news with either magnificent support or vilifying contempt and this reaction spreads like a wildfire. Opposed views offended by the massive subjectivity in the shared link argue subjectively against the internet activists who spread the information and instead of an objective debate the interaction between people; neighbors, friends, family, degrades into subjective arguments based off feelings with minimal facts off a post that holds no authority. Any individual of any age can obtain any sort of information they seek and take it as Gospel. This is a gargantuan portal for false information or false impressions to reach the public widely causing massive, senseless arguments which only serve to segregate those individuals and parties with opposing views. The Internet is not the only portal that causes this destruction however, popular television stations and other versions of media do exactly the same by feeding off people's need for immediate gratification which they satisfy by not confirming the information presented by sources.

One of the most direct methods of communication the media exercises is television talk-shows. These shows are well-tuned, precisely crafted traps for the viewer. These talk shows are presented in all sorts of different views. They may be looking at the same information but the view is entirely different. Like looking at yourself in a fun house, the person is the same person but the twisted relay of the information completely distorts what we are seeing. When you watch these talk-shows you can choose the image you want to see; if you want to see news on the government shutdown of 2013 through a liberal perspective you can turn on MSNBC. If you are looking to see that same event through a conservative perspective you switch over to Fox News. For each perspective there seems to be a talk-show masquerading as a newscast to convince you of whatever bias that corporation supports. Many people watch these talk shows thinking that they are newscasts when in reality they are not newscasts at all. They are merely talk-shows to entertain individuals of a specific bias by giving them complicated information in a simple way that conveys powerful emotion to make it more entertaining. It's difficult to hold the viewers at fault sometimes though, when these corporations go through significant measures to deceive the viewer into believing their talk-show is a newscast. Take a look at this screenshot from Fox Network's talk show Hannity.

















Hannity is not the only show that deceives its viewers into taking the relayed information for granted though. To be fair, a lot of the main media corporations have their own deceptive talk-show where people are easily fooled into the often unprofessional, ad hominum jests and insults are considered politically correct news.
Take a look at MSNBC's show starring Keith Olbermann.

This screen shot sports many similar newscast-like qualities that Hannity mimics. In this case, a header above the speaker with a reporter-like camera angle and posture. As well as a background that would imply he is relaying information about what's happening around him much like a News Reporter would.

These talk-shows are entertaining millions of people and inflaming their political views using information that is being reported through the bias they prefer. Instead of focusing on the facts and leaning towards compromise; which is how this nation was meant to function, they promote conflict and disrespect by focusing on entirely subjective qualities such as what these talk-show hosts think. But why? Why do the News stations do this? It is not just to get their ratings up. In 2010 a bill passed without the notice of people called Citizens United. Cititzens United allows any corporation to anonymously fund any campaign to any dollar amount. Since people rely entirely on these corporations for their news, nobody heard anything about it. Now, the television shows are pummeled with political advertisements that may not even be authorized by political entities that the American people have no way of knowing who funded the advertisement. Instead, the American people see this advertisement and succumb to the subjectivity or apparent authority implied in a political advertisement.

Citizens United aided in the destruction of the traditional American process of politics. Where politics might have been about how many American people preferred a candidate, the deciding factor is now how much money a politician can raise in his campaign. Of course, corporations and other organizations usually ask for something in return for their support. Often times a candidate is forced into a situation where he has to say "No matter what, if this issue comes up I'm on your side" regardless of what stance the people he is supposed to represent want to take. By the time the candidate can make it to the primary elections his positions are pre-determined regardless of what the people want because of all the deals he had to make to get himself to that level. A democracy, even a Republican Democracy is run by the votes of the people but, now without anyone having noticed: the elections have become purely about fiscal power. Our very system of government has changed, our very foundation of our existence and nobody has noticed. Instead, we only continue to play our part as the media's pawns. How long will our country last when it is not run the way it was intended to? And how long will the American people stand for their opinions and desires being tossed aside or their intentions warped by the bought-out representatives and other public offices meant to stand up for them?

What's your take on the Polarization of America? How do you think we should help? See my next blog to see some of my recommendations. I encourage you to post a comment with your point of view, I only ask that we do so respectfully and professionally.

***The Original Intent of this Document is for Educational Purposes***
***I do not claim the ownership of any provided images and acknowledge the images as belonging to their proper parties***