Weird Politics
Some aspects of politics are just strange. Like who could ever have predicted in advance that blks would get the vote before women? A long time before at that. Like who could have predicted the biggest supporters of abortion rights and gay marriage would be Catholic politicians? One just thinks of the Catholic Church as being the most hostile in this area. Or that Spain and the New England (heavily Catholic) states would be the first to establish gay marriage? Or who could have predicted we would have a black President before a female President? Or who could have predicted that the Supreme Court would be dominated by Catholics? Or who could have predicted so many former Bush administrators would bolt and become part of the Obama administration, especially Secretary of Defense Gates?
Who could have predicted so many evangelical ministers had kinky sex lives? Well, maybe psychiatrists could have. Who could have predicted that the religious right would be the primary support base for war, torture, death penalties, assault gun protections, and Guantanamo? Who could have predicted so many Catholic Priests would sexually molest children? Again, maybe psychiatrists who better understood the consequences of repressed sexual outlets. But the parents who entrusted the priests with their children would have been the last to worry. Who would have predicted that the end of the Cold War would lead to terroristic wars across the globe with the atrocities on both sides grotesque. The end of the Cold War just triggered endless hot wars. Who would have predicted that in barely a decade Americans would come to be so despised and distrusted across the globe? There are dozens of countries to which Americans are advised not to travel.
Who would have predicted that Favre would go from heroesque to pleasegoawayesque.
Who could have predicted that shows like American Idol and an assortment of other unrealistic 'reality' shows would become so popular? Who could have predicted that NASCAR races would become an addiction to so many? Who could have predicted newspapers would fade into oblivion? Who could have predicted that a Senate election seat could remain undecided 7 months after the election and could go another 4 months? Who could have predicted that the NFL administrators, the NFL legal team, an Owner, the entire ESPN sport commentators, and 80% of the fans could go after Terrell Owens for at least 8 years and he still remains standing---highly paid, his sports jerseys rank in the top 10 sales-wise in all sports, his stats up in the top five all time in most all categories, and he alone seems no worse for the wear, unlike the rest of us---who are either exhausted or apoplectic. Who would have predicted the American Auto Industry would be on the verge of extinction? Who would have believed American workers would lose pensions, high salaries, job security, and be left increasingly with no health care? Who would have predicted that it would take working 2 or 3 jobs for many families to survive?
I guess many might have predicted we never had any intention of rebuilding Iraq after demolishing it, but who would have predicted New Orleans could be destroyed and not be rebuilt after 4 years? Who would have predicted our country would wage wars while giving tax cuts, do it with a voluntary army, be oblivious to a runaway national debt to finance the war, and life in the U.S. for most people be totally unaffected by wars that go on and on for more than 7 years? Maybe that is why 80% of the people supported it. There was a time when any war meant sacrifice for everyone. In fact war used to mean sacrifice, but sacrifice is not a word Americans have come to tolerate---at least not until our whole economy tanked. Oops! An empty cookie jar fell right on top of us.
Who would have predicted that with more and more people in a neighborhood there would be less and less interaction between neighbors? Who would have thought there would come a time when it is dangerous to be friendly to a child not your own? Who would have thought that bar hopping would fade along with other social events and dating would become an arranged or achieved venture online? Who would have thought with only needing a pill to abort, that abortion would still be an issue? Who would have thought Americans would really support a format for professional sports in which wealthy private owners and wealthy players are allowed to exploit the fans, the cities in which they play, and do all this with virtual no regulation, no policing, no limitations on their profits (owners and players) and fans support the 'home' team even though the 'home' team often barely resembles the team the year before? Maybe only those of us with low IQ's are attracted to professional sports.
Who would have predicted that churches would become more and more irrelevant even though belief in God would rise? Church and religion used to be almost synonymous. Now they are often totally separate entities. Who would have predicted that our country would never bother to secure it's borders and actually entice undocumented workers so they could be paid less than minimum wages? Who would have predicted American Corporations would incorporate overseas to avoid paying taxes to this country, employ mostly foreign workers, and give themselves salaries comparable to sport stars and owners of professional sport teams? Who would have predicted Barry Goldwater would repudiate the Republican Party? Who would have predicted the word conservative would no longer mean less government involvement in personal lives, separation of church and state, and good neighbors to foreign countries and come to stand for a religious state, and arrogant exploitation of foreign nations as part of a God given manifest destiny to run the world? Who would have predicted that in the twentieth century we are still debating evolution vs. Creationism?
At any rate, I need to stop, but clearly human predictive abilities are limited. But not to worry---we all know things will turn out the best in this best of all possible worlds. It will won't it? Like I say, not to worry, we are all dead in the long run. For some of us long run no longer applies. Damn, now that I am old enough to really live I am old enough to die.
